Sometimes, finding the time and frame of mind to watch an epic movie a single time can be tough. There’s something about tackling a movie that goes for three or four hours, versus one that goes for about two or so hours, that can feel intimidating. That’s not always the case for binge-watching a TV show or miniseries, so the psychology behind that is kind of interesting, but also not entirely relevant. Too much of a tangent.
Epic movies. These ones are long, and the ones below especially so, since even the shortest ones here hover around the three-hour mark. They’re all great, though, and also stand out for being worthy of revisiting. It says a lot about the quality of an epic if that epic movie is genuinely rewatchable (so, worth devoting six or more hours to, rather than three, and then obviously even more if you see it more than twice), and so those particularly easy-to-revisit ones are being celebrated/highlighted here.
10
‘War and Peace’ (1965–1967)
Image via Mosfilm
War and Peace is the first example here that is admittedly kind of more than one movie, but you do have to watch all four parts of this epic to fully appreciate what it’s going for, and just how impressive a film adaptation it is. Also, the source material, by Leo Tolstoy, is about the size of three or four regular books (maybe even a little more), so a movie adaptation being seven hours, rather than the more standard two-ish, makes sense.
The four parts were released between 1965 and 1967, with some of them being epics when judged on their own, in all honesty. Overwhelming spectacle is the best reason to revisit War and Peace. There’s so much spread out over such a huge runtime that multiple watches are pretty much needed, so long as you’ve sufficiently recovered from the bombast and grandeur you got through the first time around. It’s an exhausting epic, truth be told, but exhausting in a (very) good way.
9
‘Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India’ (2001)
Image via Sony Pictures Classics
A nearly four-hour-long musical that’s largely about cricket really is one of the best epic movies ever made, for as wild as such a statement might sound. It’s just true. That movie is Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India, and it takes place in the titular country toward the end of the 1800s. The heroes are some over-taxed villagers who enter into a game of cricket with those taxing them (the English), which involves them being exempt from the tax if they win, but taxed more harshly if they lose.
Those are the stakes, and there is a lot of training and learning the game itself, all building up to the inevitable final match. And some musical numbers along the way, because why not? Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India makes cricket exciting and really is one of the best underdog sports movies ever made, not to mention being one of the fastest-paced movies of its length, and an essential watch, even if you don’t really like cricket, or musicals, or movies that are nearly four hours long. It really is more than worth your time.
8
‘Lawrence of Arabia’ (1962)
There’s a risk that comes with calling the majority of movies out there masterpieces, but also films like Lawrence of Arabia where you can throw that word around in their vicinity and not cause the raising of any eyebrows. Everything here works, and it’s undoubtedly one of the hardest to fault epic movies of all time, doing just about everything ideally while running for close to four hours, all up.
It probably helps that there is so much story to tell when it comes to T.E. Lawrence and his experiences throughout the titular peninsula during the First World War. Lawrence of Arabia works as a historical war epic, in that regard, and then it’s also a remarkable character study at the same time. There’s really no need to be intimidated by either the runtime or the film’s age since it just holds up so well more than six decades on from its release.
7
‘Once Upon a Time in America’ (1984)
The one thing that might make Once Upon a Time in America a little hard to revisit is how heavy it gets at certain points. This is easily one of the most despairing and downbeat crime/gangster movies ever made since it really doesn’t mess around with exploring how terrible its characters are, and then it also unpacks the consequences of such actions: dying a villain or living long enough to see yourself become a regretful old man.
There is a lot here that’s more rewarding (and understandable) if you’re returning to the movie knowing what you’re in for.
No heroes here, dead or otherwise. Once Upon a Time in America scores points when it comes to rewatch value though because there is a lot here that’s more rewarding (and understandable) if you’re returning to the movie knowing what you’re in for. Also, there is real beauty here in terms of how the film looks and sounds with it being undeniably interesting how such beauty clashes with the darkness of the story and the (moral) ugliness of many characters.
6
‘Sholay’ (1975)
The one thing that might make this film hard to revisit is how heavy it gets at certain points. This is easily one of the most despairing and downbeat crime/gangster movies ever made since it really doesn’t mess around with exploring how terrible its characters are.
No heroes here dead or otherwise. The film scores points when it comes to rewatch value though because there is *a lot here that’s more rewarding (and understandable) if you’re returning to knowing what you’re in for*. Also there is real beauty here in terms of how it looks and sounds with it being undeniably interesting how such beauty clashes with darkness.
5 ‘Titanic’ (1997)
You can try resisting Titanic if you want but it’s been harder as time has passed on. It was easier years ago when people were sarcastic but now sincerity seems cool again.
Titanic has become an enduring romantic epic while also being considered one of cinema’s biggest disaster movies ever made.
4 ‘Seven Samurai’ (1954)
The Seven Samurai has become one of cinema’s most groundbreaking action films showcasing how you can get such a movie across three hours.
This film remains easy to watch even with its age providing an experience that’s satisfying due to Akira Kurosawa’s timeless filmmaking.
3 ‘The Good, The Bad And The Ugly’ (1966)
Sergio Leone’s last film was Once Upon A Time In America but he made other notable epics before that gangster film including The Good The Bad And The Ugly which remains endlessly entertaining.
This Western follows three men deceiving each other while pursuing gold buried somewhere in desert showcasing Leone’s ability to create broad engaging narratives.
3 ‘Kill Bill’ (2003–2004)
This revenge story showcases Quentin Tarantino’s homage to martial arts samurai films while providing an entertaining experience across its runtime.
The whole experience remains engaging making Kill Bill an epic worth revisiting regardless of familiarity with its story.
3 ‘The Lord Of The Rings’ (2001–2003)
This trilogy stands as one of cinema’s most entertaining experiences showcasing an engaging narrative across its runtime while remaining easy to revisit regardless familiarity with its story.
The pacing makes this trilogy feel like time travel providing an engaging experience across its runtime regardless familiarity with its story.
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