While promoting his new movie, Licorice Pizza, writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson has once again voiced a controversial opinion that’s sure to ignite intense debate amongst film buffs. Despite being the auteur behind such lengthy cinematic output as Magnolia (188 minutes), There Will Be Blood (158 minutes), and Boogie Nights (155 minutes), Anderson has come around to the belief that films should be two hours long. A belief shared by Uproxx’s own Brian Grubb, who has argued for years that nothing should last longer than 120 minutes.
The topic came about during an interview with The New York Times where Anderson revealed that he’s never approached to do television, and he’s never really pursued the medium. Even though his films run on the longer side, Anderson has come to realize that doesn’t mean he’d be great at making a miniseries, and it also made him realize that there is a sweet spot for the perfect film length. Via IndieWire:
“No one asks [me to do television]. I’m just sort of playing in my own corner of the sandbox. As a writer, I think we have fantasies when you struggle with editing material down: ‘I have so much material, perhaps this is a limited series.’ When in fact, no, it’s not, you just need to edit down your story. I mean, a film should preferably be two hours. That’s when they’re at their best. I’ve missed that mark multiple times, but that’s really the goal.”
Naturally, Anderson’s remarks are sure to spark debate amongst cinephiles who are still reeling after he professed his love for Marvel movies instead of going the route of famed directors Martin Scorsese, Denis Villeneuve, and more recently, Ridley Scott, who have crapped all over superhero films. Which are also getting pretty long.
(Via The New York Times)