It is a discussion that takes place on social networks from time to time: why does it seem that Hollywood movies are increasingly they are longer? And it is a discussion that occasionally infuriates the directors themselves.
Martin Scorsesewho knows a long time about long films, was very irritated when some cinemas decided to interrupt the screening of The Moon Killers to offer a break to the public. His last film lasted 206 minutes, and in order to take the break they had not consulted the director. “You can sit in front of the TV and watch something for five hours, respect the cinema a littleScorsese replied.
Regardless of how disrespectful this gesture may have been, the fact that there are fewer and fewer commercial films capable of lasting less than two hours is a popular cry: a popular cry that now has the support of a survey. Talker Researchformerly known as OnePoll UShas carried out an online survey throughout the month of April 2,000 Americansasking them what they think is the “ideal duration” for any movie. A fifteen% maintained that 120 minutes was acceptablewhile only the 2% I was happy with movies of more than 150 minutes. The ideal duration as such was… 92 minutes.
Just over an hour and a half, historically common footage in Hollywood, with major exceptions, which however does not seem to support industrial reality. With so few people willing to accept films of more than two and a half hours, it turns out that currently nine of the 10 highest-grossing films of all time exceed the 120 minutes.
Even three go so far as to extend to more than three hours: we talk about Avengers: Endgame, Avatar: The Sense of Water and Titanic. Only the remake of The Lion King of 2019, in ninth place, does not reach two hours with 118 minutes.
The reasons why today’s films last so long could refer both to the need to accumulate large special effects scenes and, in a more specific space, the disdain for adjusting to the rigidity of the shooting schedules that can be allowed. he streaming (for which Scorsese actually shot his longest film, the Irishin charge of Netflix).
What is unthinkable, according to another study by What to Watchis that the average duration has increased: in 2022 the average was 141 minutes in front of the 110 minutes 1981. The question now is whether the public’s rejection of this trend will have any effect on the development of these inordinately long films.
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