Watching old movies is like spending an evening with those people next door. They bore us, and we wouldn't go out of our way to see them; we drop in on them because they're so close. If it took some effort to see old movies, we might try to find out which were the good ones, and if people saw only the good ones maybe they would still respect old movies. As it is, people sit and watch movies that audiences walked out on thirty years ago. Like Lot's wife, we are tempted to take another look, attracted not by evil but by something that seems much more shameful -- our own innocence.

Summary

This quote suggests that watching old movies is comparable to spending time with familiar but uninteresting neighbors. People tend to watch old movies simply because they are readily available, rather than actively seeking out the good ones. The quote implies that if it required more effort to access old movies, individuals might be more inclined to seek out the best ones and develop a deeper appreciation for the genre. Additionally, it suggests that watching unpopular old movies may be driven by a desire to reflect on one's own naivety or innocence, rather than any appeal of the movies themselves.

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