I love long shots in movies, scenes where the camera stays on the action, never cutting to a different angle. Honestly, I think it’s peak filmmaking, as it requires extreme coordination and skill for everyone involved in the scene (it removes editing as a crutch).
Given that, I should have watched 1917 when it was released, as the entire movie is one long take. And yes, it wasn’t actually filmed in one long take–there are a number of clever edits where one moment is stitched to another–but that doesn’t impact the final result at all. It feels like one long shot, and that’s what matters.
Even more impressive, the camera is almost always moving, but not in a herky-jerky war movie kind of way. It’s moving because the characters are moving, and it needs to show us various aspects of each scene without cutting.
In some ways, the content of the movie matters less to me than the format, but I think it’s possible for a movie to be impressive and yet also boring. 1917 isn’t boring, and it’s often riveting, as it follows two British soldiers trying to deliver a really important message to another part of their army in a short amount of time. It features a number of difficult decisions and painful moments along the way.
Do you have a favorite long shot in a movie? Children of Men still has some of my favorites, but there are others too.
If you liked watching 1917, you might enjoy the documentary They Shall Never Grow Old, which was made from actual British war footage. Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrabKK9Bhds
That’s on my list too! It’s been there for a while, and your recommendation is a good opportunity to finally follow through with it.
1917 is on my watch list, your reflections bumped it up to the top again.
For a good (classic) single take movie, watch Rope by Alfred Hitchcock.
I’m not familiar with that one! Thanks for the recommdnation.
Rope is indeed excellent! (As well as 1917, which I thought was robbed for Best Picture the year it came out).