edited by Jonathan Doyle

Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

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If anyone doubts yesterday's item about Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull being 140 minutes plus, here's a video clip (posted Sunday, 4.13) of composer John Williams saying the film is "seven reels long, and each reel is 20 minutes."

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on April 16, 2008 at 08:07 AM

comment #1

DavidF says ...

Ah, yup. That sounds like 140 minutes, alright.

Was anyone doubting it? Why the big deal, really?
The other movies were right around the 120 minute mark, all the Star Wars prequels were in the 130-140 range and, for all the complaints, no one said they were annoyingly long.

Yeah, pop corn movies are longer than they used to be (in general) but all we're talking about here is 15-20 mins, not some Return of the King-style Indy Jones flick. Yeesh.

Posted by DavidF at April 16, 2008 08:19 AM

comment #2

Howlingman says ...

Whatever. A shitty 90 minute movie is the Bataan death march. A classic 160 is bliss. As Indy himself would paraphrase, "It's not the length, its the content."

Posted by Howlingman at April 16, 2008 08:22 AM

comment #3

Bocephus says ...

The Star Wars prequels were annoyingly, unbearably long. There, I said it.

Posted by Bocephus at April 16, 2008 08:23 AM

comment #4

Rich S. says ...

Ditto, Bocephus.

Posted by Rich S. at April 16, 2008 08:27 AM

comment #5

thasos says ...

It could also mean that the movie's 126 minutes long or whatever. Few reels are as long as 20 minutes. And the last reel could be five minutes for all we know. The only news here is that Williams clears up any doubt on whether or not he knows the multiplication table.

Posted by thasos at April 16, 2008 09:14 AM

comment #6

p.Vice says ...

Why is this an issue? We're all going to see it regardless of how long it is.

Posted by p.Vice at April 16, 2008 09:34 AM

comment #7

Howlingman says ...

60 combined comments will confirm p.Vice's statement.

Besides, it's a strange world where people will gripe about 2hrs 20 in a movie theater, yet have no problem with 8 hours at a desk, 4 hours in front of the TV.

As long as it's good, who cares how long it is?

Posted by Howlingman at April 16, 2008 09:42 AM

comment #8

BlueRaymondBabbit says ...

I have a big problem with 8 hours at a desk, which is why I'm on this site right now.

Posted by BlueRaymondBabbit at April 16, 2008 10:01 AM

comment #9

Wrecktum says ...

"It could also mean that the movie's 126 minutes long or whatever. Few reels are as long as 20 minutes."

The shortest 7 reel show I've ever seen is 117 minutes. There's practically no way that a 7 reel movie would be exactly 140 minutes. It has to be less. The highest it'll top out at is 139.

Posted by Wrecktum at April 16, 2008 10:21 AM

comment #10

Edward says ...

Of course none of us astute students of cinema have never sat on the couch for the entirety of a bad movie, we always turn them off and read a book instead.

Posted by Edward at April 16, 2008 10:24 AM

comment #11

Wrecktum says ...

Oh, I forgot to say that reel 1 is usually a lot shorter than other reels so that the studio can attach a trailer. I can't image they cut a 1800 foot reel 1.

Posted by Wrecktum at April 16, 2008 10:32 AM

comment #12

Cadavra says ...

And don't forget 7 or 8 minutes of end credits, which almost everybody will walk out on.

Posted by Cadavra at April 16, 2008 11:20 AM

comment #13

aussieanywhere says ...

Believe it or not:

Oz exhibitors have been told to expect a duration of the SEX AND THE CITY - THE MOVIE in the 140-145min range.

Posted by aussieanywhere at April 16, 2008 05:35 PM

comment #14

The Bandsaw Vigilante says ...

Interesting. The running lengths of the previous three INDY flicks were each under the two-hour mark, or about right at it (RAIDERS in particular).

Given Spielberg's middle-years penchant for longer running times in the past decade or more, though, can't say as I'm surprised by this.

Posted by The Bandsaw Vigilante at April 16, 2008 06:12 PM

comment #15

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Posted by bill at April 16, 2008 07:07 PM

comment #16