It has long been known that moviegoers can only tolerate watching a film for two to three hours before their brains (and bladders) start to grow restless. When you include bathroom breaks and snack-making, a movie that’s longer than three hours—or even more than that—better be worth your time!
While the length of a film does not define its quality, some stories just work deliciously well when they take their time. Why? Because we, the audience, are given the opportunity to savor fascinating universes with engaging characters. Luckily for you, we’re sharing a few films that last for four hours or longer and are worth every minute. So, grab a large bucket of popcorn and your favorite blanket and settle in: this is going to be a long one.
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8 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Extended Edition)
New Line Cinema
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which won 11 Oscars, is an undeniably great (but lengthy) film. This is especially true of the extended version, which is a must-watch for any fantasy fan. Every time you watch it, you’re guaranteed to fall in love with a different scene.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
In this installment with a runtime of 4 hours and 10 minutes, Tirith, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum are making their last journey up Mount Doom in Mordor to destroy the One Ring. Of course, the trio is unaware of Gollum’s plan.
7 Hamlet
It’s challenging to sit through more than four hours of an older film, but Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet is still one of the best productions of Shakespeare’s plays. Although the film’s location has been moved to the 19th century and Branagh both directs and stars as Hamlet, the original text of Shakespeare is preserved.
The movie did not perform well at the box office even though it received positive reviews. Given that the film lasts a little bit longer than four hours, that shouldn’t come as a surprise.
6 An Elephant Sitting Still
Source: KimStim
An Elephant Sitting Still follows four people in the Chinese city of Manzhouli who experience a challenging day as their lives collide. However, to some, the movie seems to be the director’s homage to himself as a person attempting to navigate society. We can all relate to that, can’t we?
Clocking in at around 4 hours, this film is definitely one you want to bring your snacks to the couch for. Also, you may need a box of tissues if you’re the emotional type.
5 Cleopatra
20th Century Studios
Got time for an epic (but long) love story? Cleopatra, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, is about Cleopatra’s misguided attempt to preserve the Egyptian empire through her manipulation of Marc Antony and Julius Caesar. This trio is a part of one of the most well-known and magnificently potent love triangles ever to be documented on camera.
The production of Cleopatra cost $44 million, had two separate casts, and took more than two and a half years to film.
4 Happy Hour
Happy Hour is a five-hour and seventeen-minute Japanese drama film directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, who also directed Drive My Car, which won the Oscar for Best International Feature. It focuses on the intimate aspects of the lives and loves of a group of four female friends.
Packed full of emotion, drama, and touching characters, Happy Hour is a must-see for those who enjoy getting an intimate glimpse into the lives of relatable characters on-screen.
3 Gettysburg
New Line Cinema
Gettysburg is an epic movie about the Battle of Gettysburg, which is perhaps the most well-known battle of the American Civil War. The film was an adaptation of a historical novel with a fantastic ensemble that includes actors like Martin Sheen, Sam Elliott, and Jeff Daniels.
The lengthy 254-minute description of the Battle of Gettysburg—four hours, fourteen minutes—is a worthwhile watch for any history buff or war movie junkie.
2 Carlos
Film En Stock
Carlos, a Franco-German film, is about the murderer who was convicted of killing at least sixteen people. The killer is known as Carlos the Jackal, and he hails from Venezuela. He’s currently serving three consecutive life sentences.
Though Carlos himself claimed to have killed over 80 individuals, those are the only killings for which he has been found guilty. The entire five-and-a-half-hour movie was screened at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, where it received high praise from critics.
1 Sátántangó
György Fehér
The (extremely long) film Sátántangó was adapted from the novel by László Krasznahorkai. Since its premiere, the film has gotten a lot of appreciation and has even earned a coveted 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s almost unheard of!
The film’s positive reviews demonstrate Béla Tarr’s incredible talent, especially given that it has an astonishing runtime of seven hours and 19 minutes.
