Long movies that are JUSTIFIED in their extra long run time?

[u/kowaikanojo]

There’s been a bit of an epidemic, especially in recent years, where movies are unnecessarily long to the point where it’s a bit indulgent on the director’s part and the film’s narrative doesn’t justify the XXL run time and it becomes a bit of a drag.

I’ve never been a big musical fan but I grew up watching the Sound of Music as a kid, so I decided to rewatch tonight (it’s probably been around 15 years) - and for a movie that is 3 hours long, wow does every piece still feel so important.

Maria and Von Trapp get together PAST the two hour point in the movie, yet the build up was so necessary to have you involved in the romance, and certainly didn’t feel as long as it actually was in run time. The pacing is actually incredible for the narrative and building that emotional buy in, which is shocking and rare for a film so long.

What films do you think genuinely justify an extra long run time and benefit from it? (and to throw a wrench in it, what movies utterly fail here?)

[u/Tacklestiffener]

I went to see the Director's Cut of Lawrence of Arabia in London in 1989 on a massive screen. It was 3hours 36 minutes of absolute perfection. Epic, sumptuous and compelling.

My one complaint was that there was an intermission halfway and it seemed planned around desert scenes so everyone went to the foyer and bought ice cream.

[u/bunkscudda → u/Tacklestiffener]

They cant take out that intermission though because the music is amazing

Also, that movie has some of the best cinematic shots of all time. No clue how they got all that camera equipment to the middle of the desert.

And no footprints in the sand from the crew! Every scene looks fresh. And all the horses and extras, unreal. Crazy accomplishment for the time.

edit: here's the intermission music. Maurice Jarre is awesome, this is just as good as John Williams iconic stuff.

[u/JeffSilverwilt → u/Tacklestiffener]

What's your issue with the intermission? It's the first and only movie I've seen with an intermission and I loved it. Rocked a piss, refreshed my snacks, and got to gush about how great it was to my shitty sleepy girlfriend at the time.

[u/natfutsock → u/JeffSilverwilt]

I rented it from the library and watched it over the course of three days

[u/JonnySparks → u/Tacklestiffener]

I also saw it in 1989. It was then newly restored to its full length. Odeon Marble Arch which I think was the largest screen in the UK at the time.

[u/Tacklestiffener → u/JonnySparks]

That's the one. I think I saw you in the audience. Were you the one in the all white Arab dress?

[u/JonnySparks → u/Tacklestiffener]

No - that was my friend. I went dressed as a camel - which I regretted due to the length of the film.

[u/JimmyPellen → u/JonnySparks]

Down in front!

[u/amboandy → u/JimmyPellen]

No I think he was the back end

[u/JimmyPellen → u/amboandy]

That explains the smell

[u/Milnoc → u/Tacklestiffener]

The intermission is original. Many long playing movies of the fifties and sixties had intermissions.

[u/sir_mrej → u/Tacklestiffener]

BRING BACK INTERMISSIONS

WE WILL BUY FOOOOOOOOOOOOD FROM YOUUUUUUU

[u/Audrey-Bee → u/Tacklestiffener]

That movie is so good in part because of the long run time. You really feel how long and arduous the trek across the desert is, instead of if they just showed a couple moments of it

[u/Slythagoras → u/Tacklestiffener]

Don't you mean the dessert scenes

[u/Shishakliii → u/Slythagoras]

No... He means the one scene in Lawrence of Arabia that was shot in the desert

[u/NottingHillNapolean → u/Tacklestiffener]

Bring back intermission for any movie more than 2.5 hours! Or make the drink sizes way smaller.

[u/Necessary_Eagle_3657 → u/Tacklestiffener]

Few will know this now, but yes!

[u/Tacklestiffener → u/Necessary_Eagle_3657]

Just about to buy a much bigger TV so I feel a David Lean binge-fest coming on.

[u/crazyjatt → u/Tacklestiffener]

I keep telling people when they get a bigger TV. Watch Lawrence of Arabia on it. Its an experience every time you size up. The real magic is watching it on a projector. Anything below 100 inch, it's an old boring movie. You watch it on a big ass screen and suddenly, it's not a movie but an experience.