The transition to feature filmmaking was one concerned with time. How to extend spectator interests? Since the advent of the feature film the industry average is between 90-120 minutes. However, some filmmakers have gone beyond that to make longer films. At one point such epic films would be interrupted with an intermission, but that is no longer the case.
In the May/June 2010 issue of FILM COMMENT, there is a "A Trivial Top 20" list of "The Best Very, Very Long Films." Among the list, which includes Francis Ford Coppola's THE GODFATHER: PART II (200 minutes), Stanley Kubrick's BARRY LYNDON (184 minutes), and Andy Warhol's CHELSEA GIRLS (210 minutes), Chatal Akerman's masterpiece of pacing JEANNE DIELMAN, 23 QUAI DU COMERCE, 1080 BRUXELLES (201 minutes) stands out for its darring experimentation with duration. It is a fascinating film that builds tension during its 3-hour plus running time to a shocking, climatic finish. It is certainly worth the time to watch. Akerman visited the Cosford in the Fall of 2008.
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