Top 20 Continuous Shots in Movies

“The Revenant” (2015)

“The Revenant” boils storytelling down to its most basic elements. Leo DiCaprio’s fur trapper Hugh Glass is broken physically and psychologically as he battles man, beast, and nature. Alejandro Iñárritu utilizes a series of one-shot scenes to firmly ensconce us in Glass’s perspective so that we suffer with him through his trials. Three pivotal moments of the film are shot in one take. In one scene, Glass and his men frantically escape a Native attack. The single take gives the scene a frenetic feel. The bear attack, too, is a single shot, with the animal’s size dominating the screen, emphasizing its strength and power. Later, when Hugh must pull a Luke Skywalker to escape the cold, that, too, is delivered with one shot.

“Atonement” (2007)

The British army’s escape from Dunkirk during World War II is a source of romantic fascination for the British people. It’s at once a story of perseverance and strength, as well as one of arrogance and tragedy. The romantic drama “Atonement,” while not a war film per se, uses the war as a backdrop for tragedy. The war, along with protagonist Briony’s misunderstanding of events, splits lovers Robbie and Cecilia. Robbie enlists in the British Army and is present during the Dunkirk evacuation. Dunkirk is shown through an absolutely stunning five minute tracking shot as Robbie traverses the landscape. The evacuation is pure chaos, and the despair and feeling of loss is on full display.

“Paths of Glory” (1957)

“Paths of Glory” is unique among popular war movies from the 1950s. While most tended to be jingoistic if not outright propaganda, the Kubrick masterpiece is a rare anti-war film. It was so controversial that the movie was initially banned in France, Germany, and certain U.S. military bases. The film highlights the massive disconnect between vainglorious commanders and the men on the front lines. In one scene, the haughty General Mireau takes a leisurely stroll through the trenches with an uninterrupted take presenting his privileged and condescending view of combat. What he views as a morale boost for his terrified troops is actually a clear demonstration of his incompetence as a leader and the tragically disposable nature of those beneath him.

“The Shining” (1980)

Continuous shots can serve many purposes. They enshrine perspectives, they convey emotion, and they can set the mood and tone. In “The Shining,” director Stanley Kubrick used the technique to scare your pants off. There are multiple notable long takes in“The Shining” following Danny, a young boy thrust into a terrifying ordeal. The shots are used to explore the space of the creepy Overlook Hotel. By denying the viewer cuts, Kubrick builds suspense and tells us that something is horribly wrong here. As Danny rides his tricycle through the cavernous hallways, we are delivered an injection of creeping dread. The technique gives us the impression that danger lies around every corner. Even playing in a hedge maze makes you feel trapped.

“Gravity” (2013)

Long takes are an excellent tool for firmly entrenching the viewer into a character’s point of view. You intimately share their perspective and witness events as they do. More importantly, when done right, you experience their emotional journey in real time. In the opening scene of “Gravity,” astronaut Ryan Stone confronts a cascade of space debris in the middle of a space walk. For over ten minutes of “Gravity’s opening,” Director Alfonso Cuarón refused to have a single cut. As a result, we are fully immersed in Sandra Bullock’s mounting panic. Just like her character, the audience is denied an emotional reprieve until she finally buys herself a moment to rest.

“The Protector” [aka “Tom-Yum-Goong”] (2005)

Long, uninterrupted shots have become a staple of fighting sequences in action movies. Actors and their stunt teams spend weeks or months choreographing and rehearsing. The crew spends days mapping out their camera moves and strategizing the physical effects on the set. On the day, it all comes together in a symphony of flying fists. There are few examples better than the staircase fight in the Tony Jaa action classic “The Protector.” A steadicam follows Jaa as he battles against a host of henchmen up a massive set of staircases. After four straight minutes of combat and climbing, the sheer exhaustion is palpable on Jaa’s face and in his movements. It lends the insane fight a sense of realism and grit.

“Creed” (2015)

From 1976 through 2023, there have been nine films in the “Rocky” franchise. For decades, fans have argued with one another over their favorite fight scenes. When Ryan Coogler took us into the next generation with “Creed,” following the son of Rocky’s enemy-turned-friend, Coogler chose to establish a new visual aesthetic. While the “Rocky” films have always brought the audience directly into the ring, Coogler chose to leave us there. As Adonis Creed’s attempts to follow in his father’s footsteps, he faces a roadblock named Leo “The Lion” Sporino. Coogler films the entire fight in a single shot. We bob and weave along with the fighters, letting the viewer feel part of the action.

“Boogie Nights” (1997)

Director Paul Thomas Anderson is a filmmaker’s filmmaker. He has spent his life in study, using the techniques of directors from around the world to tell his own stories. Over the course of his career, he’s become a big fan of the long take. In 1997, he used an uninterrupted shot to introduce the world and characters of “Boogie Nights.” The movie starts on a crane shot that pivots to a steadicam. We are immediately immersed in the world and meet each of the characters in turn. Later, he repeats the style as William H. Macy’s character traverses a house party to murder his wife and her lover.

“Mission: Impossible – Fallout” (2018)

The most memorable moment in 2018’s “Mission: Impossible - Fallout” is inarguably Henry Cavill’s bicep reload. A close second, however, is the film’s Halo jump. Technically speaking, the sequence is a series of shots stitched together to mimic a ‘oner.’ It makes the list, though, because it has the feel of a continuous shot and, let’s face it: they shot it while doing a high altitude skydive. Somehow, Cruise, a stunt diver, and the cameraman all managed to choreograph and synchronize their movements in mid-air. It’s a staggering achievement and provides one of the most adrenaline-pumping skydiving scenes in cinema history.

“Spectre” (2015)

When appropriate, many filmmakers love using oners as an opening shot. The audience is plunged face-first into a film without being given the chance to look away. It allows a director to introduce a location and characters. They utilize cinematic visual language instead of dialogue. Long takes like these are often playful, exploring a space on every axis. If “Spectre” is unlikely to top any fan’s list of Bond films, its opening sequence is undeniably stunning. The camera dances through Mexico City on Día de Muertos. Bond is slowly revealed to be in the middle of a harrowing mission, disguised but ready to roll.

“Hard Boiled” (1992)

To action connoisseurs, the hospital sequence in “Hard Boiled” is considered among the finest action ever committed to film. Few do action choreography better than Hong Kong filmmakers, and John Woo is the best of the best. “Hard Boiled” was so impressive, it marked the end of Woo’s career in Hong Kong before transitioning to Hollywood. In the film, a pair of Hong Kong cops take on the triad. The bloodshed and intrigue lead them to a hospital to uncover a hidden triad vault. The centerpiece of the resulting sequence is an action masterpiece, all done in a single take. Gunfighting, camera moves, and special effects are all organized and timed to perfection.

"1917" (2019)

Modern movies like “1917” are shot to mimic oners. They mask cuts with camera movement and stitch multiple long takes together. As a result, “1917” contains many gorgeous sequences all done in single takes. The film’s cinematographer, Roger Deakins, is one of the best to ever do the job and it shows. The ‘Night Window’ sequence, for example, is absolutely stunning. A battered soldier traverses a battlefield at night, with only the moon and occasional flare lighting the ruins. Later, in the finale, he sprints across another battlefield in the middle of the chaos of combat. Men scramble around him, artillery shells fall, and the audience is made to feel like they’re in the thick of battle.

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” (2014)

Not a single human being on planet earth envisioned this man starring in one of the craziest action scenes ever made. After all, British actor Colin Firth was once best known for his role as Mr. Darcy in the BBC’s “Pride and Prejudice.” Yet, in “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” Firth did just that. Firth’s Harry Hart is a British secret agent with a license to kill. He is trapped in an evangelical church when everyone present - including Harry - is transformed into a bloodthirsty maniac. Set to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Freebird,” the church fight sequence is pure frenzied madness. The bodies fly as Harry massacres rage-fueled churchgoers, much of which occurs in a single shot.

“Touch of Evil” (1958)

Orson Welles is widely considered by film historians to be an early pioneer of the long take. He perfected the technique in “Touch of Evil.” The very first image is a close-up of a man setting a timer on a bomb. For more than three minutes, we follow the bomb’s journey. He plants it in the trunk of a car which immediately drives through a crowded street at the U.S.-Mexico border. The tension builds and more and more potential victims pass by. It stops at the border crossing, right next to our protagonist, Charlton Heston. It could go off at any moment, and we’re left wondering if Heston is only appearing in a short cameo. Eventually, the car drives off and explodes away from him in another surprise twist.

“The Player” (1992)

Robert Altman was considered something of a maverick director. He eschewed commercial films and style for a more methodical, artistic approach. As a result, Altman became known for using long takes, letting scenes breathe and allowing his actors to play. In 1992’s “The Player,” Altman opens the film with a very clever nearly 10-minute long shot. The film as a whole exposes the underbelly and artifice of Hollywood. The opening oner does the same in a literal sense. As we travel among the movie executives, we learn more about the darker side of the lights, cameras and action. It’s an absolutely mesmerizing way to immerse us into the story right away.

“Goodfellas” (1990)

Martin Scorsese’s mafia film “Goodfellas’ contains one of the most famous continuous shots in film history. The scene is so well-known, so beloved, it has its own name: The ‘Copa’ Sequence.” The camera sticks with Ray Liotta and Lorraine Bracco as Henry and Karen as they wend their way through the famed Copacabana nightclub. They enter the club through the back door and kitchen. We see the club’s inner workings before getting introduced to the glamor. Both we and Bracco’s Karen are given a glimpse into Henry’s power and influence. Everyone knows his name and they set up a table just for him. It's a brilliant method of conveying information about a character. It supposedly took Scorsese eight takes to get it right.

“Children of Men” (2006)

There is an alternate universe out there where Clive Owen was cast as James Bond instead of Daniel Craig. In our universe, he gave up Bond to star in the dystopian drama “Children of Men.” There are two one-shot sequences that are marvels of filmmaking logistics. In one, the filmmakers created a special rig to allow 360-degree movement inside a moving car. In one take, their drive transforms from a playful country ride into a blood-pumping ambush. In another remarkable scene, Owen’s character has to sneak his way through a crumbling urban battlefield. He travels up and down buildings, around tanks, across several city blocks. It took almost two weeks to complete.

“Oldboy” (2003)

One-shot fight scenes are great because they capture the visceral exhaustion that comes from a real-life fight. They often involve the camera dipping and moving along with the fighters on screen. What makes the hallway fight in “Oldboy” so utterly iconic is that it throws all of that out the window. Instead, Korean director Park Chan-wook chose a more elegant solution. As protagonist Oh Dae-su wades through a river of gangsters, the camera tracks horizontally to follow him. It’s a simple, elegant camera move that elicits images of side-scroller video games. There’s no movie magic, hiding blows through cutting. Instead, we witness a brutal beatdown that feels incredibly real.

“Rope” (1948)

Alfred Hitchcock, when preparing to film “Rope” in the late 1940s, wanted to shoot an entire film in a single contiguous shot. Unfortunately, he was limited by the technology of the era: a camera in 1948 only held about 10-11 minutes’ worth of film. He masked his cuts with camera movements to give “Rope” the feel of a single shot. It’s a technique that’s been utilized by filmmakers ever since. Still, every scene in the Hitchcock thriller is in-and-of-itself a long take. With the entire film taking place in real-time, the audience is up to their elbows in tension and fear as two murderers attempt to hide the body of their victim.

“Russian Ark” (2002)

The advent of HD digital technology made the dream of a one-shot feature film a reality. Production on “Russian Ark” lasted exactly one day, December 23, 2001. Russian filmmaker Alexander Sokurov and his massive crew descended on the Winter Palace of the Russian State Hermitage Museum. The steadicam operator is the true hero of the production: He navigated thirty three rooms for over an hour and a half to film the 96-minute drama. The camera represents a ghost following the history of the palace. It took four takes to get it right, but they pulled off a singular accomplishment.