The pros and cons of watching a 13 hour film at… | Little White Lies

The pros and cons of watching a 13 hour film at the cinema

13 Nov 2015

Words by Sophie Monks Kaufman

A man standing in front of a store called "L'Angle du Hasard", smoking a cigarette.
A man standing in front of a store called "L'Angle du Hasard", smoking a cigarette.
Help our writer to decide whether she should take on the ultimate cine-challenge: Jacques Rivette’s Out 1

To the delight of London cinephiles, Badlands Collective and A Nos Amours recently announced a rare screening of Jacques Rivette’s Out 1. This notorious 1971 feature comprising of ten, roughly 90 minute episodes charts the obscure, cloak-and-dagger activities of two rival theatre troupes. It is set to be screened across two days – Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November – at The Prince Charles Cinema in London, and frankly, I’m torn as to whether this kind of gigantic investment in the glory of cinema might turn out to be a big ol’ waste of time.

Pros of going

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  • To support the passionate endeavours of Badlands and A Nos Amours.
  • Some say it is a masterpiece.
  • Cosy, social things will be happening when the film is not playing. There will be a dinner on Saturday night.
  • It’s not going to be screened again any time soon. Miss it. Miss Out (1).
  • This has the potential to be one of the screening events of eternity.

Cons of going

  • There goes the weekend.
  • Haven’t heard of or read a case for Out 1’s masterpiece status that truly lands.
  • Had a bad experience last time I tried to watch 13 hours of film at the cinema. Looking at you, Berlin Alexanderplatz.
  • Sitting silently on a solitary seat in a dark room confronted by a flickering images that do not interest is a high-brow form of torture.
  • It would be worse to go and be a hater than to not go and never know.

What are your thoughts on this screening and extended cinema experiences in general? Let us know @LWLies

Buy tickets to see Out 1 at princecharlescin​e​ma​.com

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