Modern Films: Why so long?

This has been doing my tits in for ages, picture the scene, you pick up a DVD, it looks alright, i think i will watch it, turn it over, 131minutes, 131 minutes! for fucks sake, how can it go on for 131minutes!

Films are just too long these days, and i am not talking about epics and big budget things that are supposed to, i dont want an edited version of Once Upon A Time in America or anthing, a shortened Godfather. No, no no no no NO! But even still, i do think that editing has became the lost art of modern filmaking. And its not just me, Quentin Tarantino says this may be the reason that Grindhouse didint succeed at the box office; why would people want to part with their precious time for two movies in the one showing, that could be like four hours, however having seen Grindhouse that isnt the case but the people who are planning to see it dont know tha do they? this is because every films, well drama or seriouys films sees itself to nessecitate 2hours plus, and comedy, they eek out two hours regular now.

I dont think i am explaining myself well here, The DVD in question is Coach Carter, Samuel L. Jacksons film which i bought in a certain megastores sale on monday, this megastores sale isnt actually up to much this time, its the one that has or certainly had an iconic dog and a gramaphone thing happening a while ago, incidentally is that still the case, i am not so sure now, probably is. anyway, i digress (get used to it) i purchased Coach Carter to watch that night, so its about ten o'clock, football is finished so i pick it up and check the run time, 131minutes, for fuck sake, that doesnt include the time it takes for me to get all tat fucking plastic shit off it plus as its a Paramount DVD they have the language thing that you never realise comes up until you come in and it hasnt moved ont to films own menu, a real pet hate of mine.

Lets not be hasty here, its a good film, i actually really enjoyed it and watched it all in one sitting, a we minor miracle for me to be honest, or possibly not, i actually now watch loads in one sitting. in fact i watch almost everything this way, no, i remember now, my new sign for a good film isnt if i can watch it in a one-ah its if you dont check your watch for a while, thats the new touchstone for something that grabs your attention and holds it, ie a good film. In truth, i am a sports freak and most sports films grab my attention, Major League, best sports film ever (thats a comedy, i must add) Raging Bull otherwise (sports plus editing, i like it even more!) Alas more digression, the film is good, high school basketball, run down area, inspirational coach, teenage hijinks, strong message about futures of disenchanted youths, check check check check all the usual stuff is there plus some good performances, Samuel L. Jackson in particular. Is it just me or does Samuel L. Jackson just play his Pulp Fiction character in everything now, before that he didint, i dont remeber a big Jules Winnfield presence in Loaded weapon 1 or any other pre Pulp films, so is it Sam Jackson playing Jules Winnfield playing Coach Carter or is that really him, i have confused myself a bit here, if you understand it, then you understand it if you dont, then fine, but look out for it ya hear! back tot he film however and how it fits into this runtime idea, it has some bits throught the middle that are played to death, we get it, they are thick, its just overcooked in parts, and i am not even talking about cutting loads, maybe just 15minutes, and to be honest i wouldnt even be cheeky enought to say what to get cut specifically, just in general its too long.

anyway back to my explanation of why films getting longer irritates me, also the irony is not lost on me that i am singling out the lack of good editing in over long cinematic pieces when i am rambling line after line of useless pap here, i know full well that it could be cut down and said in less words but i feel i am on aroll and also, this isnt doing me out of money in the way a hollywood film would so leve it, just leave it! I just think that it would be nice if Hollywood got back to shorter films that have the same impact, comedies used to be 80 to 100 minutes, thats fine, you dont feel as if your giving up a lifetime just to watch a film, and good action film was slightly longer, 110 minutes for example, Bad Boys II is the first thing sadly that jumps to mind for that, too bloody long. anyway you get the idea.

it reverbarates onto your personal life in other ways too, say you havbent seen it and it gets to commercial television, to watch it with ad breaks can take up to three hours, three fucking hours, for BAd Boys II (again, first thing i thought of) its like the days of the monday night LYNX movie, or diet coke, i remember them sponsoring it too, same runtime only the news isnt flung in the middle!

so lets hope it gets cut down a bit, give us viewers a wee chance, long run times in my opinion, ably backed up Quentin, or is that the other way around, denyed us the Brits of seeing Grindhouse in its proper manner, so what next, regular film watchers arent intereste in arthouse epics about nothing and want films to fit into our lifestyles which are usually busy. i really want to end this with a "come on Hollywood, get it sorted kind of ending but as they will never read it it seems fucking stupid to do that, so instead i will thank you all for struggling through my poor spelling and punctuation and basically guddling through my 2hour comedy film type, Coach Carteresque blog.

cheers

Ruud Kerouac
Killie Beat Writer