+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

Ridley Scott doesn't want his famously long movies to give you 'bum ache'

Nov 20, 2023, 14:08 IST
Insider
Director Ridley Scott (left) and US actor Joaquin Phoenix arrive on the red carpet for the UK Premiere of the movie "Napoleon."USTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
  • Ridley Scott doesn't want to give you "bum ache" while watching his work.
  • He likes making longer films, most with runtimes well over two hours.
Advertisement

Director Ridley Scott knows his movies are long enough to make your butt hurt.

His new movie, "Napoleon," has a runtime of 158 minutes — just shy of what Scott told the BBC is his three-hour benchmark for the "bum ache factor."

According to the outlet, Scott's principle is that if a movie lasts three hours or longer, audiences will get exhausted about two hours in.

"When you start to go 'oh my god' and then you say: 'Christ, we can't eat for another hour,' it's too long," Scott told the BBC.

The 85-year-old director said he's always keeping the "bum ache factor" in mind while editing his films.

Advertisement

Scott's feature films generally go well over the two-hour mark, but rarely hit three hours of runtime.

His 2000 film "Gladiator" stands at 155 minutes, while 1986's "Aliens" and 2015's "The Martian" have respective runtimes of 137 and 144 minutes.

Scott's two latest films, "House of Gucci" and "The Last Duel," ran at 157 and 152 minutes respectively in 2021.

The director has broken his "bum ache" rule at least once — when he released his own cut of his 2005 film "Kingdom of Heaven," which lasted a whopping 191 minutes.

"Napoleon," starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby, is set to hit theater screens on November 22.

Advertisement

It's received less-than-stellar reviews from some French critics, but Scott dismissed their gripes when talking to the BBC.

"The French don't even like themselves," he said.

You are subscribed to notifications!
Looks like you've blocked notifications!
Next Article