There are a lot of gimmicks out there that will trick me into watching a movie or TV show, no matter what it's about, and shooting it all in a long take is one of them. (Netflix's hit miniseries Adolescence is 1.) a masterclass in onersis 1.) a masterclass in oners, and 2.) a prime example of what I'm talking about.)

But the real artists know how to elevate a story beyond the buy-in and take you into something that makes you feel.

Today, I wanted to assemble a list of movies shot as one take (or made to look like it) and go through why I think these stand above the rest.

Let's dive in.

1. 1917

  • Director: Sam Mendes
  • Writers: Sam Mendes, Krysty Wilson-Cairns
  • Cast: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth
Seeing this film on the big screen was such a fantastic experience. You're gripped in the throws of war and following the journey of a guy trying to save his brother. Deakins is so dialed in on the shots as well.

2. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

  • Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
  • Writers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., Armando Bó
  • Cast: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis
Shot by Emmanuel Lubezki, every time I watch this movie I can't find the edits. You are in such a stream here of trickery and wide shots and movement and grace. It's a wonder.

3. Victoria

  • Director: Sebastian Schipper
  • Writers: Sebastian Schipper, Eike Goreczka, Olivia Neergaard-Holm
  • Cast: Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski
You know what it's like when you're parrying all night and then suddenly you're robbing a bank? Yeah, me either but this movie will teach you. The cinematography here by Sturla Brandth Grøvlen is so intense and unrelenting.

4. Rope

  • Director: Alfred Hitchcock
  • Writers: Hume Cronyn (adaptation), Arthur Laurents (adaptation), Patrick Hamilton (play)
  • Cast: James Stewart, John Dall, Farley Granger
Hitchcock used all the early lessons in his British movies and decided to wow us in Hollywood, He and directors of photography, Joseph A. Valentine, ASC, and William V. Skall created a movie that unfolded in real-time and hid the edits so we were constantly feeling the walls moving in on the characters.

5. Russian Ark

  • Director: Aleksandr Sokurov
  • Writers: Aleksandr Sokurov
  • Cast: Sergey Dreyden, Mariya Kuznetsova, Leonid Mozgovoy.
I don't know if I would have ever watched this movie if someone hadn't told me it was a oner, and that's my problem. It's a gripping character piece where cinematographer Tilman Büttner adds elegance in his movements to make us feel the 19th-century vibes. The whole movie is an 87-minute long take with no edits. It's wild.

6. Boiling Point

  • Director: Philip Barantini
  • Writers: Philip Barantini, James Cummings
  • Cast: Stephen Graham, Vinette Robinson, Alice Feetham, Hannah Walters, Malachi Kirby

I love this movie so much. It was the hidden gem I was telling people about for a long time. It takes all the drama of the kitchen and allows cinematographer Matthew Lewis to force us to bask in the chaos. We are experiencing a busy night and everyone is around us talking to us and asking questions. It's a wonder.

Summing Up Great Movies Filmed in One Take

This was a fun list to complete, but I know I missed a few great ones. Tell me all the titles that should be here. I'm always looking for more stuff to watch.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
onerbest movieslong takes
Movies & TVCinematography & CamerasTopics