Summary
Movies are one of the most fabulous creations in human history. More than just a way to provide entertainment, film allows the telling of stories that can inspire and recount history that should never be lost. Movies may be the most versatile form of media in existence, able to cross entire galaxies, travel back in time, or head into the future and tell a story with a myriad of emotions attached.
Movies can move thousands and entrance viewers into following characters or storylines that go down a long path to an unknown end. There is no limit to the amount of content a film can provide, and there is no cap on how long a film can be. Somedirectors take storytelling to heartand create entire journeys that are impossible to get through in one viewing. Here are some of the longest movies ever made, ranked by run time.
8Tie Xi Qu: West Of The Tracks
The Rise And Fall Of The UIndtiral Socialism In Tiexi
Tie Xi Quis a Chinese documentary released in the early 2000s that examines the societal and economic changes occurring in Shenyang, China. The film focuses specifically on the decline and dissolving industrial industry of the Tiexi district, which is known for its prosperous history under the socialist party.
The movie is directed by Wang Bing, one of the foremost documentary filmmakers in the world, known for The Chinese Labor Camps and The Ditch films. Tie Xi Qu has an astounding run time of nine hours and eleven minutes divided into three parts: Rust, Remants, and Rails.
7Shoah
First Person Accounts Of The Horror Of The Holocaust
Shoahis the Hebrew word for Holocaust; the film of the same name dives deep into the history and occurrences of one ofthe most diabolical events in human history. Directed by Claude Lanzmann, a French journalist, filmmaker, and editor who shot the film over an eleven-year time frame.
The film is composed primarily of eye witness statements from survivors and perpetrators with little to no historical footage recounting the events.Shoahwas raised for its dedication to the truth and experiences of the Jewish people and received international acclaim.Shoahhas a run time of nine hours and twenty-six minutes and was released in 1985.
6Evolution Of A Filipino Family
How A Family Deals With The Trials And Tribulations Of A Changing World
Lav Diaz is an independent filmmaker born in Columbio and is a widely known creator famous for practicing the slow cinema movement, a style of filmmaking that strips movies of their over-the-top directing and lets visuals and time tell a story. This is prevalent in one of his most famous films,Evolution of a Filipino Family, which highlights the life of a small farming clan and their struggle to maintain their way of life after finally being freed from authoritarian rule.
The film is dubbed a masterpiece for its narrative style and attention to detail. With a runtime of ten hours and twenty-four minutes, it is one of the longest films in history and one of the most watched among them.
5How Yukong Moved The Mountains
A Detailed View Of The Cultural Revolution
How Yukong Moved the Mountainsisa remarkable documentaryby the legendary duo of life partners Jovis and Marceline Ivens. The two highly decorated filmmakers have an extensive list of celebrated projects; however, How Yukong Moved the Mountains is among their longest.
The film is a twelve-part series that focuses on the events during the Cultural Revolution and the effects it had on the area of China. The film featured a Chinese crew and dove deep into the society’s evolution during the movement. The film comes in at a whopping twelve hours and forty-three minutes, which took two years to film.
4Out 1
A Film Allowing Viewers To Walk A Mile In Someone Else’s Shoes
Out 1is a film by French director Jacques Pivette, known for highly eccentric films with unique narratives and creative run times. The movieOut 1follows multiple characters and plots that wind and twist around one another like a ball of yarn. Each character and their story lead to another and drags the viewer(s) into an emotional journey of dreams had and dreams lost.
Pivette wrote and directed the film, which was divided into eight parts with a run time of twelve hours and fifty-five minutes. The reception to the film is positive, with critics raving about the human factor of the series being incredibly personal.
3La Flor
A Multifaceted Work Of Artistry
La Floris an interesting film, to say the least, coming from director Mariano Llinas, who also wrote the project. Divided into eight parts in a semi-episodic fashion, each segment tells parts of stories with varying perspectives throughout the story.
The film explores several plots, including a mummy’s curse and a revolting group of actresses on set. Its thirteen-hour and twenty-three-minute run time makes it daunting to watch. However, critics and viewers give it positive reviews, and it has a nearly one hundred percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.
2Exergue - On Documenta 14
A Spotlight On The Documenta Art Exhibition In Greece
Exergueis the second longest non-experimental film ever made and is one of the most recent releases, debuting last year. Directed by Dimitris Athiridis, Exergue is a Greek documentary focusing on the Documenta 14 art exhibition and the director of the event, Adam Szymczyk.
The movie follows the struggles that Adam and his team underwent to produce a groundbreaking show and the controversies that followed some of his decisions. It has an astounding run time of fourteen hours and eighteen minutes and was filmed between two locations during the preparation of the entire event.
1Resan (The Journey)
A Socio-political Documentary Focusing On Nuclear Weapons
Resanis a Swedish documentary that puts a microscope on government andpolitical issuesrevolving around spending, military budgets, and the dangers and developments of nuclear weapons. The film is spearheaded by Peter Walkins, who takes on an international mission to touch down with everyday citizens, ask their opinions, and discover just how much they really know about these types of issues. Walkins filmed the documentary himself, traveling across more than seven continents, which took two years to gather the film’s fourteen hours and thirty-three minutes worth of content.
