Great movies under 90 minutes running length (1 Viewer)

[Stevan Lay]

It seems like a rarity these days that a story can be told in under one and a half hours and an apparent school of thought that in order to captivate and enthrall the audience, film-makers/studios need to design a film that is over 120 minutes long.

So which (considered) great movies are there that has a running time length that is less than 90 minutes?

And what is the qualification for a featured film as oppose to short films?

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

I've always considered 60 minutes and above to be a feature.

Some great sub-90 minute films:

The Killing

Paths of Glory

Dr. Strangelove

Frankenstein

The Bride of Frankenstein

The Kid (Chaplin)

The Circus

City Lights

Duck Soup

Horsefeathers

Many, many more...

 

[Stevan Lay]

Not that I'm knocking the older great movies but are there anything of recent years?
Just thought of one: Run Lola Run

 

[Joseph Byrne]

The Lady from Shanghai (87 min)

 

[Richard Kim]

Not that I'm knocking the older great movies but are there anything of recent years?

Just thought of one: Run Lola Run

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (:89)

Stand By Me (:88)

The Iron Giant (:87)

South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut (:81)

 

[george kaplan]

Not mentioned yet:

Nothing Sacred

Cause for Alarm

Zelig

Rope

The Lavender Hill Mob

Bananas

The Purple Rose of Cairo

Trouble in Paradise

The Mouse that Roared

Blackmail

Buck Privates

High Noon

Take the Money and Run

The 39 Steps

Play It Again, Sam

Scrooge

Modern Times

Mr. Hulot's Holiday

Sleeper

A Hard Day's Night

Airplane!

Duel

Sorry, Wrong Number

Road to Utopia

The Big Heat

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

and tons of Disney classics

Dumbo

Cinderella

Sleeping Beauty

Lady & the Tramp

Peter Pan

The Jungle Book

101 Dalmatians

Toy Story

Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs

The Little Mermaid

Old Yeller

Lilo & Stitch

Pinocchio

The Lion King

 

[Jack Theakston]

The Unknown (60)

 

[Ray H]

While not a classic, I was watching the animated Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas earlier today. It's a good movie and clocks in at about 87 minutes.

 

[Alan Erceg]

Half Baked!!
I think that clocked in at about an hour and twelve minutes...

 

[MartinTeller]

Comedies generally tend to be 90 minutes or less. Many great Bergman films are in the neighborhood of 90 minutes. Rashomon is 88.

 

[Mathieu]

Wong Kar Wai is a renowned director who generally makes his films +/- 90 minutes in length (while taking up to 2 years to make and edit them).

Check out: In the Mood for Love, Ashes of Time, Chungking Express, Fallen Angels, Days of Being Wild.

 

[TheLongshot]

You'll also find a lot of animated features that are under 90 minutes, partially because it is more expensive to animate longer films, and partially the kiddie audience most of these are directed to have a short attention span.

"Totoro" is a fine example, at 86 minutes.

Jason

 

[Sean Cauley]

Rushmore runs about 90 minutes, for an example of a recent, highly-regarded film.

 

[Bill Huelbig]

MARTY (1955) is 91 minutes, but it's so great we can let it slide in under the wire. I believe it's the shortest Best Picture Oscar winner, as well as one of the lowest-budgeted ones. More proof that money can't always buy quality.

--Bill

 

[Brian Thibodeau]

Hell, just about EVERYTHING out of Hong Kong clocks in at 90 minutes or so. Maximum entertainment value, minimum slow spots. These things MOVE, whether they're action films, comedies, love stories, etc.

One thing I've always loved about HK action films from the 70's onward is the fact that when the villain gets his comeuppance, the credits roll. And they roll quick. No post-climax wrap-up. No repetitive explanations of everything you just saw. No treacly wrap-up of the romantic subplot (if anything, the girl and the hero are often DEAD by the end of the film). The villain's dead. The hero's (sometimes) dead. Time to go home.

 

[StevenFC]

There's tons of great movies that clock in around 90 minutes--give or take a minute or two. My most recent favorite is Chicken Run.

 

[Dave Kalloch]

The Limey - 89 Mins.

 

[Darren Davis]

Orange County (82m)

 

[David C Lin]

Run Lola Run 80min

 

[Chris Lynch]

I believe Phone Booth clocks in around 80 Minutes. Yeah, it's Schumaker, but I thought it was pretty good.