Epic Runtimes

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Epic Runtimes

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By Ben Elliott

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Who has time for a four-hour movie?

Arguably, all of us. In the post-COVID landscape, it’s hard to find someone who hasn’t sunk an afternoon into binging an entire season of a show. But episodic television provides the illusion of control — built-in breaks, the ability to pause, get up, and restart at your convenience. Movies, on the other hand, demand commitment. You have to drive to a theater. Sit in a chair. Wear clothes.

Lawrence of Arabia, 1962

But fully immersing yourself in a long movie pays off in a way television can’t. A three-hour-plus film is like a cinematic house of cards — the bigger it gets without collapsing under its own weight, the more impressive it becomes.

These are movies that often carry the label of “epic” to a Best Picture win at the Academy Awards — think Gone with the Wind, Lawrence of Arabia, Titanic, or Oppenheimer. (The Brutalist, now playing at The Triplex, is poised to join this list next month.) Long runtimes also allow for large-scale spectacle in movies like Spartacus, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Avengers: Endgame, and Avatar: The Way of Water.

The Brutalist, 2024

This kind of large-scale experience allowed movies like Gone with the Wind to offer advance ticketing at sky high prices in the 30s. In the late ’50s and ’60s, extended runtimes saw a resurgence as studios fought to win back audiences from television. Today, studios seem to be using event films to combat the distractions of social media. When so much digital content is designed for quick consumption, these movies are designed to pull you in completely — the lights go down, and for a few hours, your perspective shifts.

They’re a reminder of what movies can do — and why it’s worth going to the theater to see them. Even if it means putting on pants.

Showtimes

Showtimes Freakier Friday | 1:00PM, 3:30PM, 6:00PM, 8:30PM The Life of Chuck | 1:15PM, 4:15PM Highest 2 Lowest | 1:45PM, 4:45PM, 8:00PM The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg | 7:00PM

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