Whats the best continuous shot you've ever seen in a film? (*YOUTUBE* clip essential)

IvaBigWun

After reading much praise about it on here and elsewhere I decided to watch Children Of men a couple of months ago.

I was left slightly underwhelmed, given that it was the same director as Gravity which blew me away. What it did deliver, however, was probably the best continuous film shot - without obvious green or blue screen trickery - that Ive ever seen in a film.

This clip gives you a feel for it for those who havent seen its greatness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvq3fKgvzro

If we're allowing green/blue screen shots then Id have to say it would be Gravity itself. I counted 31 minutes without a single cut. Fantastic opening.

Another which springs to mind is this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sr-vxVaY_M

Excellent

Whats the best continuous shot you've ever seen in a film? And - as said - a YouTube clip is essential to show us what you mean, otherwise its just a boring (and against the charter) list thread.

Hopefully the replies deliver many visual delights

pixelburp

I can't supply a clip, because the entirety of Hitchcok's Rope was one continuous shot (ok, technically he cheated with people occasionally obscuring the camera to fake a reel change, but still). Not sure it was the best, but I still admire the audacity of it, plus it's one of the earliest thrillers I remember watching

PerrinV2

The two above you posted are always the first one's that spring to my mind when a long continuous shot is mentioned so I'll add this one from Hanna(actually this is probably the best part of the film).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZzcxcKPcrI

I think the shot is slightly longer in the film but it's a while since I've seen it.

Also really liked the 30 second zoom around the battlefield in the Avengers(falls into green screen category I guess)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y69kGmPeHw0

indough

The shots in children of men were also stitched together but that doesn't really take anything from them as it was so well done

AngryHippie

Pretty sure this deserves a mention

Embed not working rage.

It's Ong Bak, the Stairs fight

Mickeroo

The Children of Men ones spring to mind straight away, though I would have picked the part where they're attacked by the motor cyclist in the car as a much more impressive example. Way better film than Gravity too imo.

Lately this is the one that sticks out for me, the best beginning to a film I've seen in a long time (Gravity not withstanding):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFguF3gf-vU

No stitching there either, but they do swap Gosling with a professional motorcyclist before the last bit.

indough

The Dunkirk scene from Atonement is another great example, unfortunately can't find a decent video of it online

Liam McPoyle

We have a winner!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrqdbBZqT7U

Warper

Fassbender running in Shame

Kid cycling around in The Shining

Goodfellas as mentioned.

JohnFalstaff

Sokurov's Russian Ark (2002) is a single 96 minute Steadicam shot. Also a great movie - and it appears that the entire film can be viewed on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE2jRxToAjQ

Nate--IRL--

Love this...was astounded when I saw it first.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79ditPebZ8g

Nate

johnny_ultimate

In terms of elaborate tracking shots, the traffic jam scene in Godard's Week End is still a pinnacle for me - a blackly comic slice of controlled cinematic anarchy. Also loved the opening sequence of last year's Pos Tenebras Lux.

While many single take scenes can still wow taken out of context thanks to the sheer effort, it can't be overstated enough that a decision to include a continuous take can be serious dramatic tool as well. They can play a major role in the overall pacing, mood or aesthetic identity of a film. For example, I show you this scene from near the end of Syndromes and a Century out of context...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znWUXTrqL7c

...and you might wonder what the hell the story with that **** is. But in context it's a surreal and hypnotic culmination of a lot of the themes and visual signatures of the film, and is particularly powerful when combined with the sequence that follows. The way Mizoguchi uses long takes is also special - the camera might be static or only slowly, carefully moving, but the lack of editing is used as a tool to help enhance the drama and emotional depth of the scene in question. Ditto Hong Sang-Soo, who regularly uses crazy long, uninterrupted shots with only the odd zoom (there's a whole essay in why he does that). For many directors, resisting a cut is a very strong statement of intent or an integral part of their overall stylisation, and it doesn't need to be a Cauron-like miracle of choreography for that.

Bela Tarr is perhaps the grandmaster of the epically long take though. Again, these often don't make a whole lot of sense out of context, but the way he uses these incredibly long takes to create a distinctive mood makes him almost without equal. It also helps make the viewer a more active participant, scanning the shots for hints and meaning.

Anyway, here's ten minutes of people drunkenly dancing to an insanely repetitive accordion song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_hUe4hl1rY

bnt

The one that sticks in my memory is the opening to Robert Altman's The Player: all 8 minutes of it. See if you can spot all the Hollywood in-jokes ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0epB5Z6ijpk

MfMan

Opening tracking shot of Touch of Evil is widely praised. Ain't got the link.....

Lingua Franca

The opening scene of Serenity has a magnificent long single shot in which we're shown around the ship and introduced to all the main characters. It's not on youtube but it is on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/26506824

Tipsy McSwagger

Russian Ark. The entire film is one continuous shot.

Theta

The 15 mins of contiguous dialogue in Hunger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAkBz9glJFo

delbertgrady

Christina Ricci tapdancing to King Crimson in Buffalo '66.

It runs from approximately 0:48 to 2:48 in this version.

leonidas83

Deliverance - squeal like a pig scene

jonnyfingers

I like this one

charlie_says

Oh cool idea for a thread!

Will get back to this. Some brilliant ones so far.

The work that went into these moments.....wow.

Zubeneschamali

Not long, but cool: Poole jogging on board the Discovery in 2001.

Ironman76

Goodfellas, making their way to the club through the back. Nothing comes close to beating that IMO.

jArgHA

The opening sequence to "Touch of Evil", as mentioned above, is fantastic:

fluke

My personal fave is the opening running shot in Birth

Cut to about 50 seconds in. That shot lasts about two minutes but there's something majestical about it (especially contrasted with where the film goes). The music goes so well with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hFO9sA7LsA

redt0m

Lingua Franca wrote: »

The opening scene of Serenity has a magnificent long single shot in which we're shown around the ship and introduced to all the main characters. It's not on youtube but it is on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/26506824

Always liked this one too. But it's actually two shots - there is one cut in the scene, in the corridor between the upper and lower decks.

bnt

jArgHA wrote: »

The opening sequence to "Touch of Evil", as mentioned above, is fantastic:

So, who spotted the Touch of Evil long shot reference in the long shot from The Player? :cool:

A more recent example was the sheepdog scene from Le Quattro Volte:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgqGuE2Zj74

ChunkyLover_53

The Longest Day - Ouistreham Assault

Saw this again over Christmas
1962 no CGI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eZMkleDjWI

Up The Bare Stairs

Paul Thomas Anderson is one of those directors with a reputation for continuous shots. This one from Boogie Nights is the one that springs to mind

Peter Tork

My favourite opening to movie of all time is the following and while not all one continuous shot, it still deserves a mention:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV3aHWCB7e4

The two-minute opening sequence looks like one continuous Steadicam shot when, in fact, the sequence consisted of three separate shots seamlessly combined through the magic of dissolves, matting, and morphing:

Shot one began in a helicopter out over the Atlantic and ended over the street in Miami's South Beach area where the club was located

Shot two began on a crane (simulating a chopper) where the Steadicam operator was gradually lowered to ground level before stepping off the crane; he then traversed the street and proceeded through the club's front door

Shot three was executed on a studio soundstage where the Steadicam operator began just outside the "club" exterior, and then proceeded inside for the shot's conclusion. According to cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, the most difficult aspect of the process was matching the speed of the crane with that of the helicopter.

As for 100% continous, I would go with the following:

indough wrote: »

The Dunkirk scene from Atonement is another great example, unfortunately can't find a decent video of it online

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_yhuhp880s

Dargull

The start of Snake Eyes with Nicholas Cage. Couldn't find it on youtube but here it is on vimeo.
http://vimeo.com/3235512

spurious

Can't find a link, but the continuous shot in the outdoor lunch scene in Mike Leigh's 'Secrets and Lies' is beautifully shot, acted and almost choreographed as the actors move around each other.

Frank Lee Midere

Cuaron again in 1998's Great Expectations with this (possibly stitched ) tracking shot. Actually the earlier part is missing - this is a music video from the film. Prior to this the camera had followed pip to a group of people inside the building, he hears Estella is near by while the camera swings around and he follows the camera out , then...

http://youtu.be/O8xTdyIw4jY

IvaBigWun

Just watched Birdman. About 110 mins of one continuous digital shot. It should be seen for this alone.