The 1980 movie Clint Eastwood and Steven Spielberg both hated at first sight: “I’d only seen it once”

Steven Spielberg and Clint Eastwood both initially disliked Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror film *The Shining*, though Spielberg later changed his mind. Their contrasting reactions show how a film’s reputation can shift with repeated viewing, even among prominent filmmakers.

Spielberg recalled that he did not love the film after seeing it once, when he visited the sets at Elstree Studios before making *Raiders of the Lost Ark*. Eastwood remained dismissive, calling it “a giant failure” and saying he found nothing terrifying in it. Spielberg has since watched it about 20 more times and become a convert; Kubrick also received a Razzie nomination for directing the film.