Posted on 02/25/2009 5:36:12 PM PST by EveningStar
Between action and cut a million things can go wrong. And if something does, you can always just cut to something in the editing room. Most of the time. "Doing it in one" is about the bravest choice a filmmaker can make. Without shooting coverage you are leaving yourself zero options in post production. You have to get the vision in your brain to happen in three dimensional space right there on the day. And you also have to hope that that initial vision is compelling and will flow with the rest film's rhythm.
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martin scorcese (sp.?) and brian depalma are masters of this technique.
There is a great one in Goodfellas!
Goodfellas scene where he (Henry Hill) takes his girlfriend to the club for the first time. One of the longest uninterrupted shots in film history. And well done!
Maybe I missed it, but do not see the “long Shot” from THE LONGEST DAY in the list.
One of the commentors points out the film “Russian Ark” a 90 min feature film filmed in one take. Can’t beat that.
the longest day is still an amazing film. i haven’t watched it in a while, but you have inspired me to do so.
How about the prison interview in ADAM’S RIB—Katharine Hepburn and Judy Holliday, and secretary?
A third vote for RUSSIAN ARK, but it’s not for everyone. Very artistic (and arty—not the same thing), quiet, but thrilling.
TOUCH OF EVIL’s opening shot is amazing. While I like the GOODFELLAS shot, I think EVIL’s has more of a point to using the technique.
THE PLAYER parodies the EVIL shot in its opening.
2001 Space Odyssey comes to mind.
Boogie Nights has a fantastic long tracking shot at the begining.
My favorite is the Kill Bill nightclub tracking shot.
It’s been so long that I can’t recall it, though I remember a number of complex ones in Anderson’s MAGNOLIA.
The best of those on this list are invisible in that you’re not sitting there thinking “Wow, long shot!” but you’re being affected by the director’s not cutting away—it creates a special level of involvment.
I wish I could put the one from MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS on here—but I haven’t seen it. It was part of the party scene, and the studio hacked it up. But reading a description of it is thrilling—the camera starts on the bottom floor and travels through the house during the party and ends after nine minutes.
Robert Altman’s Kansas City had a long shot set in a jazz club that was outstanding.
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