Whenever I rewatch a movie, such as one of my favorites, Big Trouble in Little China, it’s usually to pick out new things that I didn’t catch on my first viewing.
Usually, a movie will either get better or worse upon repeat viewings. But, upon rewatching Get Out, it was an entirely different experience for me. Because even though I know it’s labeled as a horror movie (In fact, it’s one of the only horror movies nominated for Best Picture–with The Substance being the most recent), I didn’t find it scary the first time I watched it. I actually found it funny.
Now, though, I definitely think it’s scary. I know the movie didn’t change, so it must be me who changed. So, here are just a few reasons why Get Out hit way harder for me the second time around than the first time I watched it.
I Now Think Of The Intro As One Of The Most Effective In A Horror Movie Ever
I don’t know how I watched this film the first time and wasn’t immediately put on edge, since the beginning of this movie, where a Black person is abducted, is seriously one of the most effective (and horrifying) intros to any movie ever.
It’s not like I think a car playing some old-timey music is going to stop, and then somebody is going to get out and kidnap me. But, as I mentioned in my article on how the movie, Moonwalker, scarred me as a child, I really do have a deeply rooted fear of being taken, and this film, upon my second viewing, really tapped into that.
I think it’s mostly because of how it’s all staged. A Black man is minding his own business in what is likely a white neighborhood, and then a car slowly pulls up to him. The Black guy turns around and says, “Not today,” only to turn back around to find that the car door is open. In seconds, he’s then knocked out, and dragged limply back to the car, which then drives off.
While I like all of Jordan Peele’s movies (the dude simply does not miss), I don’t think he’s ever made a better intro than the one for Get Out.
Again, I have zero fear that a white person is going to kidnap me (not anymore, anyway), and for some white people, I’m sure the situation may feel reversed and they think a Black person might harm them. But, that’s what Get Out is all about–that sense of otherness. This intro really shook me to my core the second time around.
The “I Would Have Voted For Obama For A Third Term If I Could” Line Really Resonated This Time Around
When I first heard this in the movie, I, of course, laughed, because it’s funny. Bradley Whitford’s character tells Daniel Kaluuya’s character this as a way to reassure him that he’s not racist.
I really didn’t think much of this the first time that I watched, but in the almost ten years since it debuted, I’ve heard a version of this line, unironically, several times in various conversations.
For example, I’ve heard it multiple times online. I don’t know why I bother, but I’ll sometimes get into arguments with casually racist people (those who don’t seem to realize they’re being racist) on social media. After going back and forth with people politely (I’d rather educate than argue), I’ll usually get tired of the conversation and just call it what it is–racism. Not intentional racism, mind you, but racism all the same.
However, when I call them out on it, they’ll almost always say that they can’t be racist since they voted for Obama. Well, I hate to tell you this, but if you think Obama isn’t like most Black people, then I’m sorry, you sound super racist, no matter what you might think.
The Film Also Made Me Think About My White Girlfriends In The Past, And Their Respective Families
I’m in an interracial marriage, and have interracial children. In fact, before I was married, I was in a few interracial relationships, with my first girlfriend being white.
I didn’t really think much of this in my first viewing, since the idea of Black man dating a white woman isn’t all that uncommon. (Hell, Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner is one of the most quintessential Black movies of all time, and that came out in 1967!)
However, being in my 40s now often makes me more reflective of my youth, and I thought about my two relationships with white girls growing up.
As mentioned, my first girlfriend was white, there was virtually no weirdness between us, and her parents never made me feel uncomfortable. In fact, I really do think their support made me have a lifelong comfort-level around white people, so I really thank them for that.
That said, my second white girlfriend?…Well, it was a bit different. She didn’t make me feel weird, but I could tell she didn’t want her parents to know we were dating. She would make me drop her off a block from her house, and even once told me that her dad wouldn’t be happy if he saw us together. So, this movie reminded me of both my positive experience, but also my not-so-positive experience. You can’t win them all.
The Sunken Place Makes A Lot More Sense To Me Now
I always thought the Sunken Place was interesting when I first saw the movie, but I didn’t really consider what it actually meant. I mean, Kaluuya’s character “sinking” into the floor is one of the most powerful images in the entire movie, and I initially just thought it represented a form of modern day slavery, given what happens later in the story.
But, upon rewatching it, I realized it had a far deeper meaning. I didn’t quite grasp it on my own, but I definitely went online to see what Jordan Peele had to say, and in short, the Sunken Place is a metaphor for the “marginalization” of Black voices.
And, wow. It all makes sense now. Even though Kaluuya’s character screams for help, nobody hears him.
I once wrote an article on movies that explore race and social justice, and I put Get Out on there. However, now, I realize that this movie speaks even more to the Black experience than I even imagined. In fact, this whole Voices section was really created to give a voice to the marginalized and minorities of any stripe (racial, sexual, age-based, disabled, you name it).
Now that I know The Sunken Place represents the voiceless, it makes this movie even more impactful. Whoa.
Now That I Know The Proposed Original Ending, I Can’t Stop Thinking About How Different The Movie Would Have Been
Lastly, one might say the movie has a “happy” ending. Kaluuya’s character, Chris, gets away from the family, and his girlfriend, who was in on his capture, gets shot, allowing him to escape.
Police lights flash, but it’s really Chris’s friend, Rod (Lil Rey Howery) picking him up.
That said, the original Get Out ending was definitely not happy. Instead of being picked up, he’s actually arrested despite everything he escaped, and then thrown into jail. So, essentially, there was no escape for Chris. No matter what he did, he couldn’t “get out” or away from systemic racism.
I think I actually prefer this ending. It’s not that the theatrical conclusion isn’t good, as it is. It provides a sense of much needed catharsis. That said, the original ending is a lot more daring, and it completely changes the movie.
In reality, Chris probably would be arrested. But, I think Peele ultimately made the right decision, since this movie is supposed to be more of a spotlight than a hammer (i.e., Peele wanted to highlight something, rather than force an idea upon the viewer).
Even so, I now wonder if the movie would be as beloved as it is today with that dire ending. What do you think?