Can 'one minute' of screen time make or break a film?
#1
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Can 'one minute' of screen time make or break a film?
Someone in a Jurassic thread asked how 'one minute' of screen time could possibly lessen the overall opinion of full length film.
And it got me thinking about one particular example from a film that did largely add a greater sense of depth and appreciation of the primary characters (one in particular) all in one stroke. If this brief scene had not happened the entirety of the film would have been dampened fairly significantly. Sorry for the generic speak but it's necessary.
The film I speak of is Joze, The Tiger and the Fish, a Japanese romance drama.
So I'm interested to find out which sliver of a scene has had the biggest overall impact to everything else just experienced within the film.
(spoilers)
And it got me thinking about one particular example from a film that did largely add a greater sense of depth and appreciation of the primary characters (one in particular) all in one stroke. If this brief scene had not happened the entirety of the film would have been dampened fairly significantly. Sorry for the generic speak but it's necessary.
The film I speak of is Joze, The Tiger and the Fish, a Japanese romance drama.
Spoiler:
So I'm interested to find out which sliver of a scene has had the biggest overall impact to everything else just experienced within the film.
(spoilers)
#2
DVD Talk Limited Edition
What would the Sixth Sense or The Usual Suspects be like without the reveals? I suppose that could be said of just about any "twist" movie.
A lot of "twist" movies are fairly mediocre until the actual twist. I'm not necessarily saying that the Sixth Sense or Usual Suspects were mediocre...I just used them as examples.
A lot of "twist" movies are fairly mediocre until the actual twist. I'm not necessarily saying that the Sixth Sense or Usual Suspects were mediocre...I just used them as examples.
#3
DVD Talk Hero
...you can say it, they were mediocre without the twists.
#4
Of course one minute can make or break an entire movie. There are movies I can't think of specific examples of but it's like it's just one scene that ruins either the entire movie because the ending you saw just blew chunks or there is a change in the tone of the movie going into the third act that just is such a let down. Again, I can't think of any examples, but I know there are movies out there I enjoyed the heck out of until the ending came along and then I hated it. If only they changed one minute of the movie, it could have been saved.
#5
I think, as the other posters have illustrated, it is easier to suggest that a minute has broken a film than that a minute has made one.
I think when there is something good in a film that affects the whole piece, it requires the rest of the piece to really have any meaning, but if a film makes a misstep, it is like an instant, reflexive dislike.
I think when there is something good in a film that affects the whole piece, it requires the rest of the piece to really have any meaning, but if a film makes a misstep, it is like an instant, reflexive dislike.
#6
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by droidguy1119
I think, as the other posters have illustrated, it is easier to suggest that a minute has broken a film than that a minute has made one.
#8
DVD Talk Legend
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#12
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I recently watched Mario Bava's Lisa and the Devil and I thought it was a good movie, but not great, until the final minute when
That really elevated the film for me.
The most effective minutes in films are those that close it. I've had perfectly good films essentially ruined by terrible endings, such as High Tension. Although some movies can feature a scene so terrible it runs the risk of ruining the film altogether, like the dance number in Return of the Jedi: SE.
Spoiler:
The most effective minutes in films are those that close it. I've had perfectly good films essentially ruined by terrible endings, such as High Tension. Although some movies can feature a scene so terrible it runs the risk of ruining the film altogether, like the dance number in Return of the Jedi: SE.
#14
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Originally Posted by Groucho
Matrix Reloaded. Rave scene. 'nuff said.
Some more (recent) quality moments that elevated a movie:
Inland Empire:
Spoiler:
Flight of the Red Balloon:
Spoiler:
Southland Tales:
Spoiler:
Funny Games (1997):
Spoiler:
Last edited by sundog; 05-20-08 at 11:56 AM.
#16
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
How about The Departed (obviously the same coule be said of Infernal Affairs) and that certain elevator sequence? That scene just added a whole new ruthless dimension to the entire film.
American History X
It completely changed the dynamic of the film.
American History X
Spoiler:
#17
DVD Talk Hero
I think it depends on what you're referencing. For instance, most action sequences don't continually effect the plot, but can add or take away from a movie, and are purely reliant on execution.
One minute of Plot can change the entire movie, as a paragraph can in a book, or an episode in a TV series, so of course those can make a movie great or terrible (add a segment where the hero is revealed to be a serial child rapist, and yeah, that's going to bring down a movie).
In terms of strictly execution and directorial choices (such as the Matrix Rave scene, or the Invasion USA scene), yes, it can help make or break a movie, but won't totally redeem or destroy it. For example, Daredevil, if it weren't for that horrible playground fight sequence, I wouldn't remember the movie at all. Now is that making or breaking it? It's a tough call.
One minute of Plot can change the entire movie, as a paragraph can in a book, or an episode in a TV series, so of course those can make a movie great or terrible (add a segment where the hero is revealed to be a serial child rapist, and yeah, that's going to bring down a movie).
In terms of strictly execution and directorial choices (such as the Matrix Rave scene, or the Invasion USA scene), yes, it can help make or break a movie, but won't totally redeem or destroy it. For example, Daredevil, if it weren't for that horrible playground fight sequence, I wouldn't remember the movie at all. Now is that making or breaking it? It's a tough call.
#19
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Michael Corvin
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#20
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by cdollaz
Correct. Any time Robin Williams enters a scene, it breaks the film.
If you want to get technical I was referring the the last minute or so, the O' Captain, My Captain part when he is leaving the scene. It's almost as if the whole movie hinged on how his departure would affect the kids and it would have been quite easy to do something average and uninspiring. Instead we get one of the coolest minutes of cinema.
#21
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Originally Posted by DthRdrX
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I thought Spider-man 3 was an absolute blast. I laughed harder in that than I do in most comedies, plus it had a lot of heart and great action.
#22
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Also, that line in the beginning of Diary of the Dead (something like "I added music because I want the movie to scare you" or whatever) killed the movie before it even started. Even if I didn't dislike the film as a whole it would be hard getting over that.
That bit of dialogue is just terrible on so many levels. I would rather they had just not addressed the fact that there was a score or managed to make the movie suspenseful without the score.
That bit of dialogue is just terrible on so many levels. I would rather they had just not addressed the fact that there was a score or managed to make the movie suspenseful without the score.
#24
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by Michael Corvin
If you want to get technical I was referring the the last minute or so, the O' Captain, My Captain part when he is leaving the scene. It's almost as if the whole movie hinged on how his departure would affect the kids and it would have been quite easy to do something average and uninspiring. Instead we get one of the coolest minutes of cinema.
#25
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by mattressman
I guess I'm in the minority in thinking that sequence was awesome. I almost fell on the floor during the whole extreme close up of his mouth, as did most of the group I was with.
I thought Spider-man 3 was an absolute blast. I laughed harder in that than I do in most comedies, plus it had a lot of heart and great action.
I thought Spider-man 3 was an absolute blast. I laughed harder in that than I do in most comedies, plus it had a lot of heart and great action.