What is the shortest theatrically released major film? (1 Viewer)

[Gary Couzens]

Phillip Noyce's debut feature "Backroads" is all of 57 mins (with PAL speed-up) and is available on DVD in Region 4.

Other short "features" from Down Under - which I haven't seen - include Terry Bourke's no-dialogue "Night of Fear" and Stephen Wallace's "Love Letters from Teralba Road" (starring Bryan Brown), both around 50 minutes.

Another one that comes to mind is a UK film from 1965, "Dutchman", directed by Anthony Harvey - 56 mins.

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

The Return of Jafar was Walt Disney's first direct-to-video sequel of a theatrical film. :frowning:

 

[DeeF]

Taking this conversation in another direction, I see that most shorter films are either kids movies, or comedies.

Length does play into the notion of proper weight. If you've got a drama, and you want people to take it seriously, it probably should be 2 hours long.

I'm convinced that one of the strokes of genius behind the creation of Gone with the Wind, is that they left it long, 4 hours long. It makes it seem... more important, more epic, more weighty, than it really is.

There are some movies that have "erred" on the side of brevity. One wants them to be longer. I can only think of Black Narcissus right now, but there are others.

 

[Blu]

This is a scary drama however the logistics of the story dictate that it is a shorter than average film.

I wish I could tell more but I need to give it a good rewrite first.

 

[Steve Phillips]

WINGS OF COURAGE was an IMAX 3-D film.

 

[Steve...O]

I'm partial to the immortal classic "Fred Ott's Sneeze" which came in just under 5 seconds...

Not much of a plot to speak of though...

Steve

PS - best wishes to Blu on his project! I hope you find much success with it and future projects.