# Have you ever watched a movie or read a book more than 100 times? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 26, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568 "2010-06-26T05:38:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/1 "2010-06-26T05:38:45Z")
Back in the 80’s, there was an article about clubs who would get together to watch Dirty Dancing, entranced by the story of a studly dance teacher who could look past Jennifer Grey’s hideous face and A-cups to love the person underneath. But, by the time that story came out, I didn’t think it was such a big deal because I had read Matheson’s I am Legend well over 100 times. In the 90’s, I worked at a movie theater during The Matrix’ original run, and I have seen bits and pieces of it over 100 times. Nowadays, thanks to cheap DVD’s, Costco, and Amazon, it’s not hard to build up a massive collection of films or books that you might only ever enjoy once. So, I personally feel that if you buy a film, you expect to get enjoyment on more than one occasion. Have you? ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/2 "2010-06-26T05:49:11Z")
I stopped counting at 100 with the Rocky Horror Picture Show. And that was all at the theater! Probably saw it another 50-75 times after that. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/3 "2010-06-26T05:52:10Z")
Nothing even close to 100 times. I doubt there’s a book I’ve read more than four times and I can’t imagine why I’d want to. I remember what I read the previous times and there are too many things out I haven’t read for me to spend all my reading something I’ve already read. The fact that I’ve read a book even twice is either a sign of how much I loved it or a sign that at some point I found myself with nothing else to read. Same goes somewhat for movies. I remember them, new stuff to see, etc. I doubt there’s a movie I’ve seen more than a dozen times and only a few more than a four or five. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/4 "2010-06-26T06:13:01Z")
I’ve seen _Fight Club_ from beginning to end maybe fifty times. Nothing else has come that close to a hundred viewings. Books I usually read maybe three times. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/5 "2010-06-26T06:31:00Z")
I’m sure I’ve seen _Casablanca_ many many times, but nowhere close to 100 yet…maybe somewhere around 40 or so. ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/6 "2010-06-26T06:58:22Z")
I’ve definitely seen Titanic more than 100 times, and I’d estimate it would be closer to 200 for The Rocky Horror Picture Show. When I really love a movie I tend to get a little obsessed. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/7 "2010-06-26T09:21:42Z")
Closest would be The Princess Bride, and I’ve seen that about 60 times. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/8 "2010-06-26T10:19:38Z")
No. not even close. It seems a really bizarre idea to me and yet I will fall in love with a piece of music and play it over and over again for hours. In fact I would possibly do it if I kept DVDs of movies but any I buy I give away after watching them. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/9 "2010-06-26T11:25:08Z")
Stephen King’s Rosie is my bedtime book, and I’ve read snippets of it well over 100 times. What can I say, it is a satisfying read. My favourites is where the heroine gets saved, and I like reading about the anger of the villain when I have some anger of myself to work out. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/10 "2010-06-26T12:13:37Z")
I only buy movies that I know I’ll want to watch multiple times, but “multiple” is no way in the triple digits – even my favorites I rarely watch more than once a year. Some Fred Astaire movies I \*might \*be up to 30 or 40 viewings, lifetime. Books, definitely not. Some of my childhood faves probably got up to ten each or so – excluding Dr. Seuss or other “learn to read” books that take less than five minutes cover to cover. _Alice in Wonderland_ could be up to 20. Books for adults – I’m not sure there’s any I’ve read more than two or three times. I’m never going to get through all the books I want to read in this lifetime, I don’t spend a lot of time re-reading. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/11 "2010-06-26T12:52:39Z")
When I saw the thread title I immediately thought of those books I read over and over to my daughter when she was little. and her taste ran to “The Berensten Bears”. I am sure there are titles we read over 100 times. but that’s not really what you were looking for… ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/12 "2010-06-26T13:37:31Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > Closest would be The Princess Bride, and I’ve seen that about 60 times. Me too. Also, I’ve seen the movie [Clue](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clue_%28film%29) perhaps more(maybe 70 times). Was my favorite movie on VHS for many years. Books? No way. I’ve only read a few books more than…3 or 4 times. I’ve read parts of the Bible many, many times. Probably over 100, but not the entire thing that many times. I’ve read the Narnia books probably 10 times. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/13 "2010-06-26T13:53:25Z")
I used to work at Suncoast, so I’ve seen all the Indiana Jones movies (well, all the good ones) hundreds of times at least. I still like them. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/14 "2010-06-26T14:13:03Z")
God, no. My most watched movie is probably around 12 viewings and my most read book is probably half that. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/15 "2010-06-26T14:23:57Z")
I’m not sure. I don’t really keep count but I don’t think so. But in what world is Jennifer Grey “hideous”? I think she’s really pretty and definitely had a great body. And I think she was rocking a lot more than A-cups. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/16 "2010-06-26T14:38:34Z")
I’ve never kept count! But it certainly seems possible that I’ve read books or seen movies pretty darn close to 100 times. The usual suspects: (the movies are shown on a regular basis on TNT or another cable channel and when they air, I have them on in the background for no other reason than that I love them so much). - Gone With the Wind (both book and movie) - Lord of the Rings Trilogy (both books and movies) - Titanic, The Matrix, Rocky Horror, Chicago… older movies: Cabaret, The King and I, Now Voyager, All About Eve, Rocky, A Christmas Story (I KNOW I’ve seen this at LEAST a hundred times), The Quiet Man, A Summer Place) …very close to 100 times, the viewings add up over the years. Does TV count? I feel like I’ve seen every episode of both Mythbusters and Dirty Jobs a thousand times. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/17 "2010-06-26T14:41:08Z")
Oh, and on the buying movies to rewatch them I break that as well. I own about 350 DVDs. I stopped buying DVDs around three years ago when I realized that it has been a couple years since I’d actually watched a DVD I own. I think the last time that drawer was even opened was two Thanksgivings ago when family was in town and I dug out some Disney DVDs to keep my young niece entertained. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/18 "2010-06-26T14:57:33Z")
There are certainly books I’ve read and movies I’ve watched many times. But I don’t think there’s any I’ve done a hundred times. My top reruns might be somewhere around twenty or thirty. It’s probably a lack of focus on any one work. There may be twenty books I’ve read twenty times but there isn’t one book that outshines all my other favorites. Same with movies; if I had watched _Casablanca_ three times this year I’d probably be thinking I’d rather watch _The Godfather_ for a change. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/19 "2010-06-26T15:03:35Z")
Not even close. I know I saw _Star Wars_ 26 times in the theater, but that’s about it. Even my absolute favorites would still reach the 40-50 mark, barely. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568/20 "2010-06-26T16:08:35Z")
I’ve seen the original _Terminator_ well over 400 times. Prolly close to that for Mel Brooks’ _History of the World, Part 1_. Off the top of my head, I could prolly list at least ten films I’ve seen more than 100 times: _A Christmas Story Meaning Of Life Holy Grail The Fifth Element Dark Star The World’s Greatest Lover Orgazmo The Gods Must Be Crazy Rock ‘n’ Roll High School The Groove Tube Big Trouble In Little China Fletch_ That’s 11 and I’m sure there’s more; even as a kid with just HBO, I used to watch the same movie over and over and over for days.\* I would memorize whole scripts and do the lines aloud along with the actors. I was the only person I knew growing up who knew what a gaffer was and why he needed a best boy. Heck, until I was in college taking film classes, I never knew anyone else who read the credits for every film. I love movies, and have no problem watching a good one over and over and over and over again. I know that I have many books I’ve read more than 20 times, a handful that may come close to 50 readings, but none that I can think of that would approach 100 reads. \*Once my buddy Blue Elk and I were building some display cabinets for a shoe company; very rush job that they needed to open a new store in LA or something so we were pretty much working around the clock, meaning I was at his place (his shop was on his residential property) for like 4 days straight. At some point we discovered that _The Fifth Element_ was on a PPV channel, and as soon as it ended they started showing it all over again. I know that when the job was done, Elk and I were exhausted and we sat and watched that movie like 10 times in a row sitting in his living room. So the first viewing I had of TFE was followed by like 20 more in less than 72 hours. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-watched-a-movie-or-read-a-book-more-than-100-times/544568.md?page=2)