What was the last major movie (in the US) that included an intermission?
With some movies over 3 hours (Three Kings, Magnolia, etc.), it’s a long wait to use the facilities, especially after a Super-sized Coke. I understand “get 'em in, get 'em out”, but I might buy something at the concession stand during intermission, so why don’t they put intermissions in films any more?
Can’t answer your question. Just wanted to say I liked your user name. Welcome to the boards, anyway.
The last movie I saw with an intermission was Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Probably not the last, though. And there’s was meant as a joke.
The way I remember it, movies didn’t have intermissions. Intermissions were placed between films at a double feature.
Now that the double feature has gone the way of the dodo, no more intermissions.
I am under the impression that Gettysburg, a mid-90’s movie that clocked in at around 3 hours, had an intermission.
Joh Corrado is right, Gettysburg did have an intermission…that’s the only movie I can remember that did…
The last movie I saw that had an intermission was Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet back in about 1996.
What about movies that require more than one intermission, like Berlin Alexanderplatz?
Roman Polanski’s "Tess of The D’Urberville’s " (sp?) had an intermission.
Circa...1981?
Cartooniverse
The more I thought about this, the less sense it makes… Why the hell don’t more longer movies have intermissions? If nothing else, you would think Hollywood would want to please the movie theatres. The theatres make $0 off admissions… it all comes out of concession sales. During an intermission, a lot of people might leave to get popcorn who otherwise wouldn’t.
Didn’t 2001 have an intermission? And I’m sure Schindler’s List must have had an intermission, although I’m not sure.
Where I saw it, on it’s first run, at least, Schindler’s List didn’t have an intermission.
The last movie I saw that actually had an intermission was Lawrence of Arabia, during its re-release around 1990.
Was Three Kings really that long? Another reason to put it high on the best movie chart. (i.e. the fact that I didn’t notice its length, not that it was long)
As to why they aren’t used, I don’t know. I’ve heard some stories that in times gone by, it was not uncommon to enter & leave a movie while it was running – maybe because films were seen more as escapism and less as something to pay attention to. The intermission seems a little like that. As attitudes towards the movies have changed, those making them are perhaps more determined to hold your attention the entire time, and don’t want the interruption.
“The Right Stuff” was shown with an intermission when I saw it in its initial run.
“Little Dorrit” had an intermissions, but that was actually two 3-hour films shown together.
I kept expecting “Dances With Wolves” to have an intermission. It didn’t and my large bottle of water weighed heavy on my blatter.
When I saw “Nixon” I bought a bottle of water and as soon as the movie started I dropped it and it rolled under my seat for about 40 rows.
“Schindler’s List” had no intermission when I saw it. I didn’t see “Titanic” but I don’t recall hearing that it had an intermission.
If you see a good print of “Lawrence of Arabia” it should also have an overture and an entr’acte. So you can grab extra time in the lobby eating, drinking, and tending to bodily needs once you hear the music.
The last theater intermission I remember was “Barry Lyndon.” Looking back on it now, I wonder why I actually chose to return to my seat instead of running for the exit.
The most recent film that should have had an intermission was “Topsy-Turvy.” Don’t get me wrong - it’s an outstanding movie, especially the performance by Timothy Spall - but about halfway through, I wish I could have been out standing in the lobby, just for a breather. Besides, it would have lent some verisimilitude to the experience of seeing a G&S operetta.
And now…
The Larch
This was actually not a movie per se, but a German TV miniseries (15 hours). I went to it over a weekend years ago–8 hours one day and 7 the next, with two shorter breaks and a meal break each day.
It was a marathon but very much worth it–Fassbinder was a genius.
One funny thing–on the TV show “Wings”, the womanizer brother is talking about this woman he is dating and how he is putting up with her wanting to go to foreign films. I forget the first one he mentioned, but then he says she dragged him to “Berlin Alexanderplatz” next. I guess they just looked the list of Fassbinder’s work and picked it for the name, not for them actually being able to see it in a night.
I’m quite sure Amadeous had one.
I do recall that when I went to see Titanic, there was an intermission. However, it wasn’t “built in” to the movie like the intermission for 2001 was - they just stopped it between reels. Must have been some goofy management decision.
Kinda makes sense given Arken’s comment - movie theatre owners could just start “making” intermissions like this in longer films, unilaterally. (Notice that I said “could”, not “should.”)
I saw Dances With Wolves years ago, and they held an intermission to sell burgers and hotdogs just after Costner had eaten the buffalo’s innards.
Well if enough people simply peed in their seats about halfway through the long movies, theatre management might start having intermissions. So next time you go to a long movie, go.
Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight is supposed to have one of it’s releases including an overture and an intermission.
The Roadshow 70mm Version of The Hateful Eight, which is presently in release, has an intermission (and an overture beforehand).
The script for The Hateful Eight hadn’t even been written when this thread was posted FIFTEEN YEARS AGO.