L Everett Scott

I recently came across (but haven't yet watched) a Hungarian film from the '90s called Sátántangó. What immediately struck me was that it has a listed running time of 7 hours and 20 minutes.

That led me to wonder how many sittings would be required to watch something like that. Even if it were loaded with laughs and action (which I don't believe it is), that kind of running time would wear down most people who would attempt to watch it in one go.

As far as I can recall, the film with the longest running time I sat through without leaving my seat is LotR: Return of the King which clocks in at 3 hr and 20 min. I know the Extended Edition is longer (obvs), but that's the only EE I haven't watched from LotR.

The longest movie that I watched that had an actual intermission is Kenneth Branaugh's Hamlet, which is just over 4 hours. I watched that one during its original theatrical run, so I don't remember the experience all that well. I'm pretty sure I was like most people and took advantage of the intermission to at least stretch my legs in the lobby.

Bluelitespecial

I saw Lawrence of Arabia in theaters but it included the intermission. My answer to the question would be seeing the theatrical cut of Return of the King which was around 3 hours and 20 minutes and didn't get up for any bathroom breaks.

Mabuse

In college I saw a screening of three Alfred Hitchcock films. Boom, boom, boom three in a row. 35mm with two projectors and absolutely no break. I kept thinking surely they’ll have a ten minute break.

The Paradine Case, Mr and Mrs Smith, and Spellbound. Nearly 5 1/2 hours.

Mondo Kane

TCM’s Reconstruction Of Greed.

There have been some other monstrously long ones I’ve sat through:
Dekalog (Although I think this was presented as a TV series in its native land)
Satantango
The Sorrow and The Pity

But Greed was the one that kept me riveted from start to finish.

As far as a multiple-movie marathon goes, Joe Bob Briggs’ first “Last Drive-In” Show On Shudder COULD have easily been a winner, but Joe Bob broke the Internet that night. Here’s my experiences from those 24 hours:
https://forum.dvdtalk.com/streaming-...l#post13372039


Do serials count the same as multiple films? If so, Les Vampires would be the recent winner. I watched that whole thing on 1 stream.

OldBoy

Return of the King as well. Followed by Schindler’s List at 3:15 (stayed till 20+ minutes after credits, it was bizarre), then Titanic at 3:14.

SmackDaddy

Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet in glorious 70mm and a runtime just a hair over 4 hours.

TheMovieman

Would have to be Return of the King as well.

L Everett Scott

Was everyone in the screening supplied with an empty drink cup in case they needed a bathroom break? Not putting in a break anywhere in a triple feature seems like a horrible oversight. I have to believe the person in charge was thinking no one would want to sit through all three films in their entirety.

I myself would probably have skipped The Paradine Case. That's one of the few films that I found so boring that I hit stop in the first half hour and never went back to. I still have the DVD somewhere and will probably go back one of these days since I bothered to spend money on the movie and my tolerance for slow cinema has improved considerably over the years.

Ash Ketchum

At the Museum of Modern Art once, I sat through a very long avant-garde film by Michael Snow that was called "'Rameau's Nephew' by Diderot (Thanx to Dennis Young) by Wilma Schoen" (1974). It was four-and-a-half hours long. I was a film student then and much more open-minded about what I would go see. That would, of course, quickly change after a few more incomprehensible films like this. Up until then, the longest films I saw in theaters were GONE WITH THE WIND, BEN-HUR and LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, but all of those had intermissions.

Hazel Motes

4 hours 12 minutes. Return of the King EE.

When Rambo came out, a local theatre marathoned all 4 Rambo films. I almost sat through the whole thing but got hungry and went for food.

DJariya

Most recently Avengers Endgame 182 minutes in the theatre last year with no bathroom break.

Ash Ketchum

I just remembered that long movies, even three-hour films, used to have intermissions, which gave people time to go to the bathroom or the concession stand.

Mondo Kane

^I was always confused by 2001 having an intermission when it was never even that long in the first place...But I have no complaints about it having an overture, which is still my most favorite overture for any movie.

Nick Danger

Branaugh's Hamlet. It had an intermission, but I didn't leave my seat.

Nowdays, I'm only able to last about two hours.

TheBang

Love Exposure at 3 hrs 57 min. It was quite an experience, and every bit as bizarre as the synopsis might lead you to believe.

DeanoBKN

Caught Ben-Hur (1959) at the Alamo a couple years back. Never left my seat.

EdTheRipper

If I had to venture a guess, I'd say Titanic. At 3hrs and 14 mins, I think it is my longest theatrical experience. At home, I'd be pausing it every 30-45 minutes to refresh myself, haha

IBJoel

Honestly, my longest is probably 90min haha. I drink a lot of water in general throughout the day. I can't remember the last movie I sat through where I didn't get up once.

dhmac

I saw Tarantino's Hateful Eight "70mm Roadshow Version" in the theatre and it was a bit over 3 hours but had both an overture and an intermission.

meshershark

Gettysburg (1993), 4hr 31min, when it hit my town's dollar cinema back in the day.

tommyp007

In a theater?

Return of the King
Titanic
Malcolm X
JFK
Endgame

BobO'Link

Like many others: In the theater - Return of the King. At home - Return of the King EE.