There is something special about going to the cinema. It’s what one would define as magic, a world of pure imagination. Indeed, few don’t remember the first time they visited a movie house or Drive-in. For many, the memories of the first experience invoke pure nostalgia, proving movies are miraculous transformational tonics for the heart, mind, and soul.

Most moving-going experiences turn out for the best, especially those who aim to be entertained. However, some factors may complicate the experience. And the lengthiness of a film is one of those factors. According to a 2021 study, the average movie length of the top ten films was estimated at 2 hours and ten minutes. This is especially impressive given the average attention span of most individuals. The fact that moviegoers enjoy a movie over two hours is astounding. This says a great deal about the quality of a film and its ability to captivate its watchers. However, now and then, a film pushes the boundaries with its extensive run times. They are so extensive that it begs the question of rationality. But some have managed to maintain the attentiveness of the moviegoer despite extensive durations. Here are some of the longest films featured, how they performed, and why they performed as such.

10. Gone With The Wind

Gone With the Wind takes home the blue ribbon for a film with one of the most extended run times. Gone with the Wind, a 1939 feature, had a run-time of three hours and 58 minutes. This long-running dramatic war romance starred young Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, and Hattie McDaniel. Despite the decades that have passed, this feature remains one of the most iconic films in film history. It is a cinematic treasure and a marker of the times. According to a 2014 CNN article considering inflation, Gone With The Wind was the highest-grossing film of all time, even beating out Cameron’s blockbusters Avatar and Titanic.” There is much one can contribute to the success of this film. One of the primary reasons was timing. Gone With the Wind premiered in the Golden Age of Cinema when moviegoing was still new and novel. It was a stellar display of what Hollywood magic could do for a story. CNN further notes, “The cinematography, technicolor, performances, music, and the costumes make it an iconic film in Hollywood history.”

9. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Hollywood has always inspired dreams, longing, and the unbridled creativity of the artists who sought to do the unimaginable. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a 2019 champagne toast to everything Hollywood has inspired. But directly, it’s a film about how Hollywood inspired Quentin Tarantino. As Empire notes, “it’s largely a rose-tinted portrait of the Hollywood of the late 1960s and early 1970s: a formative era for the maverick filmmaker’s imagination.” However, one stand-out feature of the film is its length of three hours and 49 minutes. So, the question became why the lengthiness. First, putting a time cap on an inspired piece is challenging. It’s hard to decide which parts deserve chopping when so much is integral to fleshing out a story. Despite its length, Tarantino declared it the best work he’s crafted in a 2022 Variety interview. Given the box office and Oscar nominations, moviegoers agreed with their support. And the academy voted their agreement with several nominations. As Variety notes, “Hollywood” grossed $374 million at the worldwide box office, an impressive final tally for an original drama. And at the 2020 Oscars, the film picked up ten nominations….”

8. LOTR: Return of the King 

The Lord of The Rings is one of history’s biggest fantasy-driven franchises. Although it is one of the biggest, according to an October 22 article in Esquire, it could be even bigger, reaching the status of significant players, Star Wars and Marvel. Dey, who brokered the sale of LOTR, is cited by Esquire as stating, “J. R. R. Tolkien’s life work is one of the most imaginative fictional worlds to be created, and so far, it’s been adapted into countless movies, radio shows, and audiobooks, with even a video game thrown in.”

The Lord of the Rings was introduced as a trilogy of films. But the third was the longest, coming in at three hours and 21 minutes. However, there is no question about this feature as to why this film ran so long. And it is more than obvious why it was well accepted despite its length. Nevertheless, if one needs a rationale, the explanation is that the Lord of the Rings already has an established fan base. Fans support what they love and give it a fair shake, no matter how lumbering.

7. The Godfather Part II 

No conversation exists on classic films without mentioning The Godfather starring Al Pacino. But why is it so good? Primarily it has the imprint of one of the greatest filmmakers to work in Hollywood, Francis Ford Coppola, and it is considered one of his greatest works. Secondarily it has a talented cast whose acting skills are inspired. Finally, as Cold Wire states, “it is a masterpiece of a film that is held together firmly through a strong cast, world-changing cinematography, and the music that intensifies the strong theme presented.” When films have that combination of offerings, timing isn’t a significant factor. Fans proved this with their support for every film within the franchise, including the three-hour and twenty-minute part II.