6-Minute Video Essay Investigates The Limitations Of Cinematic Long Takes

Expertly handled long takes in cinema have a special place in film buffs’ hearts. Sometimes they work as beacons to find other hardcore film fans, since the use of an impressive long take usually goes unnoticed by general film audiences, even though subconsciously they more than likely felt the intended dramatic effect of the take. You strike up a conversation with a stranger at a party, the talk veers towards film, then one of you brings up the amazing single take fight from the midpoint of “Creed,” and you know you’re with a kindred spirit, someone who appreciates the intricate craft of filmmaking beyond its surface narrative enjoyment.

That being said, film buffs, scholars, and critics tend to get a bit too obsessed with long single takes. It’s hard to blame us; there are many reasons to like them. If a long take fits the themes and the style of the film, it pulls us into the story, makes us feel as if we’re experiencing it in real time. While enjoying the take in pure...