Many films feature long takes in which the camera never cuts to a scene; Read on for ten of the longest single takes in film history.
Summary
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Movies like Goodfellas, Atonement and Children of Men use long takes, where the camera works without cuts, to create impactful and memorable scenes.
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These long-take sequences, like Henry and Karen’s entrance into the Copacabana nightclub in Goodfellas or the devastating scene in Children of Men, not only impress with their technical execution but also serve as turning points in the respective films.
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Other notable examples of long takes include the opening scene of The Player, the entire film Rope consisting of 10 long takes, and the 17-minute take of the opening scene of Gravity, all of which showcase the filmmakers’ skill and creativity in capturing continuous shots. .
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One of the most impressive techniques filmmakers use in movies is the long take, and these ten films included some of the longest takes in Hollywood history. A long take, or “oner,” is a single uncut take, meaning the camera pans across the entire scene without interruption and little to no editing is needed to convey the message of the sequence. Multiple techniques are used to accomplish this difficult feat, but when done right, long shots can completely change the tone of a film.
A handful of films around the world have been produced using a single take for their entire duration, such as Russian ark and Boiling point. However, for the sake of this article, these ten scenes are accompanied by shots that are not long takes, making them unique to the film as a whole. They are more than memorable, not only because it is impressive to film for so long without interruptions, but also because they were turning points in their respective films, and their presence showed the audience that these films were unlike any other.
10 Goodfellas – Henry and Karen enter the Copacabana nightclub (3 minutes)
Compared to some of the other films on this list, a three-minute long shot good friends It doesn’t seem that long, but one would feel different watching it. The scene in question shows Henry, played by Ray Liotta, and Karen, played by Lorraine Bracco, entering the Copacabana nightclub, and the long take is used to depict the seemingly glamorous life of Henry seducing Karen. Explains why Karen agrees to marry Henry, despite her initial reservations about his criminal tendencies, and how she gets caught up in it all in Martin Scorsese’s iconic 1990 crime biopic. Related: Why Karen’s Narration in Goodfellas is as important as Henry
9 Atonement – Dunkirk Scene (5.5 minutes)
Atonement It depicts the evacuation of Dunkirk in France during World War II, and director Joe Wright decided to use a long take to capture the devastation on everyone’s faces and bring the historic event to life on the big screen. The scene features James McAvoy as Robbie Turner, who was forced to join the army after being released from prison, and is undoubtedly one of the most memorable moments from the 2007 war drama film. The sequence required many moving parts, as it was a huge production with multiple extras and props, but the cast and crew pulled it off and the long take lasted five and a half minutes.
8 Children Of Men – Warzone Scene (6 minutes)
Director and writer Alfonso Cuarón is no stranger to long takes, and one of his most unforgettable shots is found in his 2006 dystopian film. man’s child. The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic world and humans fight to stay alive, which is putting it lightly. man’s child It does not move away from the harsh realities that hunger, depression and absolute chaos produced after an ecocide. During the film, Cuarón uses a long take that moves through a ruined city reminiscent of a war zone as people fight in the streets and hold loved ones who have died. It’s hard to watch, especially since it’s six minutes long, but it’s gripping nonetheless.
7 The Player – Opening Scene (8 minutes)
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The opening scene of The player It is eight minutes long, showing the audience that he was not joking. Robert Altman’s 1992 black comedy film is a satirical take on Hollywood and tells the story of a movie studio executive who murders a screenwriter because he believes he is sending him death threats. The film begins with a long take that establishes the story and takes viewers into the world that Altman created.
6 1917 – Opening scene (9 minutes)
Sam Mendes 1917 It was constructed with numerous long takes that made it seem like the film contained only one cut towards the middle of the story, and it was fascinating from start to finish. However, the longest take of the 2019 war film came at the beginning and lasted nine minutes. The opening scene set up the world and quickly informed the audience of the goal of the film: two soldiers must undertake a treacherous journey to deliver a message that would save many lives. The use of long shots 1917 made it one of the best movies of the year and it all started with the nine-minute opening scene. Related: The Best Movies That Were Made to Look Like One Take (Including 1917), Ranked
5 strings: each scene (10 minutes)
Rope is one of the more unique projects on this list because it consists of 10 long takes, with an average duration of around 10 minutes. The 1948 psychological thriller takes place in real time and tells the story of two men who want to commit the “perfect murder.” Alfred Hitchcock (unsurprisingly) was the mind behind Ropeand it is one of his most underrated films, given that the long take technique was not as common in the 1940s as it is today.
4 Excerpt: Chris Hemsworth Chase Scene (12 Minutes)
Given the success of the 12-minute shot on Netflix Extraction, it’s surprising why not as many action movies use this shot. Of course, the logistics of a long take are difficult to understand, especially when the scenes in question require many moving parts, as action sequences often do. However, director Sam Hargrave pulled it off in his 2020 action thriller. The filmmaker opted for a long take for the scene in which Chris Hemsworth’s character goes through a car accident, a chase, several shootouts, and a fall of a building. It’s beyond impressive that the camera operators were able to capture all of that in one shot.
3 Birdman – Opening Scene (15 minutes)
Birdman or (The unexpected virtue of ignorance) won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2015, and the use of a 15-minute shot to open the film certainly contributed to the hype surrounding it. Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s 2014 black comedy-drama film, starring Michael Keaton, revolved around Keaton’s character Riggan Thomson, a failed actor who wishes to resurrect his career. As 1917, bird man It’s filmed as if it were a singular take when, in reality, there are some cuts scattered throughout. However, the longest shot comes at the beginning and lasts 15 minutes.
2 Hunger – Showdown between Bobby and Dominic (16 minutes)
Hunger It is an intense film, which anyone can notice when watching the confrontation scene between Bobby, played by Michael Fassbender, and Dominic, played by Liam Cunningham. The sequence lasts 16 minutes and shows Dominic, a priest, trying to talk Bobby out of his prison hunger strike. The result is a devastating sequence that the audience cannot look away from. The camera is steady as the two men discuss the situation and the actors are absolutely brilliant in the scene. Related: Alfonso Cuarón movies ranked, according to Metacritic
1 Gravity – Opening Scene (17 minutes)
Alfonso Cuarón considered his shot to be six minutes long man’s child and decided to go even further with his 2013 sci-fi thriller. Gravity. The film, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, begins with Bullock’s character attempting to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope’s hardware while Clooney’s character commandeers the space shuttle. Unfortunately, the dangers of space soon stalk them, and it’s all filmed in one 17-minute take of the film.