Best Long Shots

Like a good glass of chilled milk, few things are as satisfying as a good long shot. Now don't confuse this with a shot characterized by the distance of the shot. The kind I am talking about related to the duration of the shot. This could range from a shot of five seconds to one of five hours. I can think of a few that stick out in my mind. Therefore I present in no particular order, the best long shots:
1. Children of Men- hard to believe, Children of Men has not one, not two, but three superb long shots. This movie has always stood out for me because of the complexity of each one. The first is a camera swiveling inside a car as the car is ambushed along a road, the second follows two characters as they infiltrate a containment camp, and the third moves through that same camp as has devolved into a literal war zone. While these shots are aided with the help of CGI, the overall effect is breathtaking.
2. Goodfellas- just a classic, old-school long shot. It's a masterclass of coordination and blocking, following tightly in behind the main character as he moves through a cramped kitchen out into a restaurant. Easily one of Scorsese's best shots.
3. Boogie Nights- in the same vein as that of Goodfellas. This one moves
4. Panic Room- this long shot is great because of it's complexity. Most of the features of the shot are aided with the hep of CGI, but it is still awesome. Moving through the spaces between staircase railings, going from the bottom floor of a building up to the fourth, it pretty much covers a whole building. Very complicated.
5. The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover- this is a tracking shot that stands out because of the set work. It covers three rooms, all vibrant colors, and out into the street as it follows the path of two of the title characters. Quite easily one of the most striking long shots. It's quite beautiful.
6. Hard Boiled- more or less the entire gunfight at the end of the movie is one shot. To say it's perhaps the most exciting of all the ones on this list is to underrate it. The two main characters are followed through the halls of a hospital as throngs of armed baddies pour into the halls. All manner of items are exploding in the gunfire, bodies litter the ground, pretty much total chaos. To think that one shot came to be because there wasn't enough money left in the budget.
7. Kill Bill- this long shot is very well done and mostly is done from a elevated camera perspective, which makes it very cool stylistically. It follows one of the baddies and her gang as they waltz into a restaurant. This shot features live music and some crafty coordination making for a tight and excellent shot.
8. The Player- right at the start of the film, this shot introduces all the major players in one go. In addition, it directly satirizes the long-take and it's pretentiousness. Which is what makes The Player awesome. The most amazing thing about this shot is the sheer amount of ground covered by the camera crew throughout the fake studio.
9. Funny Games- the only one on my list that is nothing but a still cam. The shot goes on for so long without any movement on screen, it almost makes you wonder if your DVD is messed. However, it's effect is undeniable. Let's just say if you don't watch the movie you won't understand how I still shot of nothing moving is effective.
10. Touch of Evil- Never even seen this movie, but it is widely considered one of the most difficult shots ever coordinated, considering the times and technology. Orson Welles manages to move a camera from a crane onto a steady cam on foot back onto another crane all without a take. Yikes.
In closing, long shots are amazing. Because they go on for so long without a cut, they create the illusion of continuity which makes things seem more real and unscripted. This is why they rock. The next time you're watching a flick and you suddenly think, "Holy cow, they haven't cut yet." take a moment to appreciate what you are observing.