MovieChat Forums > The Wild Bunch (1969) Discussion > Why is every scene needlessly long?

Why is every scene needlessly long?

posted 8 years ago by IEatWords
6 replies | jump to latest

Simply bad editing. There's nothing interesting about watching the slow unhinging of a train car with repeated cuts of the same scenario with each apparent buildup being nothing of the sort, sometimes including editing's version of a strobe light for effect or run on scenes of laughter. Add this commentary to many scenes throughout the film. It's pointlessly overlong. If edited down, it'd be a typical, decent action flick. I wouldn't even consider it a "western", but an ok action movie that follows Holden's half acting job too much.

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[–] nutmustardxx 8 years ago

You completely missed the entire movie.

[–] best_of 8 years ago

Peck was a burnt out coke head when he made the movie. So.

[–] IEatWords 8 years ago

Makes perfect sense. "Burnt out" is the exact feel to it.

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[–] niteowljr 7 years ago

Bad editing and awful soundtrack... and it still beats most westerns by a mile.

[–] bendg08 7 years ago

You must be a millennial. I guess there wasn't enough flashing lights and explosions for your 2 second attention span. Oh, he wasn't on cocain during the Wild Bunch.

[–] IEatWords 7 years ago

I'm able to sit through slow scenes, but they have to be done with more finesse. With the Wild Bunch, you have the slow build up sequences that cut from action to action with abrupt hilarity. The editing is just garbage. No other way to put it.

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