CREDIT: FINE LINE FEATURES
Tim Robbins stars in Robert Altman's The Player, one of only a few movies that contains a seven minute-long take.

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman has been the talk of the town. Released in the wake of cult Netflix hit Bojack Horseman, the film dealt with the chronic depression and personal resentment of being a washed-up former celebrity in a manner worthy of a Golden Globes – or two, as it evidently transpired. Birdman’s mark as the comeback of Michael Keaton is only secondary to its unique presentation, presenting itself as having been shot in one, breathtaking cut.

Although that effect was achieved largely through careful planning and digital trickery, the feeling of sitting aboard a rollercoaster is never lost throughout. The one-long-take shot is an artistic achievement in its own right when done correctly. Here are some films that do it amazingly well.

Russian Ark (2002)

Russian Ark has the unique position of being a film actually shot in a single take. That’s right, a two-hour-long feature length film shot without cuts or breaks – zero to break the action. Set entirely in the Winter Palace of Russia’s State Heritage Museum, the film follows a narrator who guides viewers through the palace’s history, occasionally interacting with its significant figures. It’s an art film and slower-paced than one might expect, but it is nevertheless worth a view.

A Touch of Evil (1958)

Orson Welles’ noir masterpiece is remembered for two elements: Charlton Heston playing a Mexican protagonist and the opening sequence. A three-minute long single take crane shot effectively sets up the film’s world of crime in an exciting and technically impressive (for 1958) manner, not to give away too much. The film itself is an essential to any noir fan’s library.

Children of Men (2006)

We all remember the long-running shots of Sandra Bullock’s terrified face in Gravity (2013), but it wasn’t director Alfonso Cuaron’s first foray in unbroken takes. Children of Men, set in a dystopian future where humanity’s reproductive capabilities have all but ceased, has a nice, comfortable car-drive through the countryside when, well, not to give too much away, but if you’ve seen the film’s grey, corrupt landscape, you’re probably holding your breath for the inevitable fall of the hammer.

The Player (1992)

As far as Hollywood satires go, Robert Altman’s The Player isn’t particularly offensive, choosing to take potshots at those relevant in contemporary cinema. What better way to establish that everybody in movie town’s a target than a seven- minute long fly-on-the-wall unbroken take that looked at just what everyone in a Hollywood studio backlot was up to? The Player is a definite watch for fans of films in the vein of Tropic Thunder.