Films that work because they're long

[Crusoe]

I'm watching the 3h 20m version of Das Boot tonight, and it struck me just how tense the drawn-out waiting scenes are, particularly after the long periods of boredom waiting for a few seconds of terror. I couldn't see a 90m version of this doing anything like the same justice to those scenes.

Any other films spring to mind that work specifically because they're long (that would be worse films if they were cut down to a TV/Odeon-friendly 90m or 120m)?

[erwin]

Films that work because they're long

Ghandi, obviously.

[Incandenza]

Films that work because they're long

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.

[Ek weet nie]

Films that work because they're long

Enter the Void. You wouldn't get into the headspace of the main character without the length.

[Central Rain]

Films that work because they're long

Lawrence of Arabia. All those prolonged sweeps across the desert would lose a lot of their impact if they were cut down or rushed. Omar Sharif's appearance might also be unintentionally hilarious if it was reduced to about two seconds.

[evilC]

Films that work because they're long

Hoop Dreams

Shoah

Stalker

[evilC]

Films that work because they're long

Crusoe wrote:

I'm watching the 3h 20m version of Das Boot tonight...

Is that basically the whole of the TV series in one piece? You lucky bastard, if so!

That film has two of the greatest scenes I have ever seen: the depth charge scene, where the tension is just incredible - makes me sweat whenever I watch it - and the final scene, which is perhaps the most unexpected twist in any film/TV series I've watched. Devastating.

[Gerontophile]

Films that work because they're long

Once Upon a Time in America.

[Crusoe]

Films that work because they're long

I think there's an even longer version of Das Boot - six hours something - but it's basically the TV series episodes put together.