Since the invention of the motion picture, filmmakers have experimented with the visual language, using inventive techniques that have moved audiences for years. One of the most notable tricks in the book is the long tracking shot.
While clever editing and perfectly framed shots are more than enough to grab a moviegoer, sometimes a film can benefit from a shot that is held for a long time, drifting dynamically through the scene. Whether it follows the action or floats around the scene to show us a bigger picture, the following are prime examples of how a long tracking shot can elevate a movie moment.
'Children of Men' (2006) - Car Chase
Children of Men takes place in the United Kingdom of the near future, where an epidemic of infidelity has plagued the human race for years. When former activist Theo Faron (Clive Owen) is recruited by his ex (Julianne Moore) to escort a young woman named Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey) to safety, he learns she has a secret that could lead to mankind's salvation.
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Alfonso Cuaron'svisceral dystopian tale is packed with impressive visuals, including multiple long tracking shots. One of the most notable is early in the film, when Theo and company find themselves ambushed while en route to a safe house. The shot, which never leaves the car goes from a sweet bonding moment between the film's key players to a desperate escape from dozens of assailants. The single shot places the viewer in the action, experiencing all the adrenaline and panic of our lead characters, in just a few dizzying and tragic minutes.
'Goodfellas' (1990) - Date Night
As Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) grows up among the mob, he becomes enamored with the lifestyle, aiming to move up in the ranks. Unbeknownst to him, however, there is a dark side to the life that he may be unprepared for.
With a sprawling crime epic like Goodfellas, it would seem unlikely that one of the most talked about scenes would be a first date. But being a director who never phones it in, Martin Scorsese films Henry and Karen's VIP entrance into a restaurant in one sweeping shot. The scene is as smooth as Henry's showy display, charming the audience as much as Karen is charmed by the elaborate gesture.
'Atonement' (2007) - The Shores of Dunkirk
Atonement begins in 1930s England with Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley), one of two daughters in a wealthy family, who falls in love with the housekeeper's son, Robbie Turner (James McAvoy). Their romance is cut short, however, when Robbie is wrongly accused by Cecilia's younger sister (Saoirse Ronan) of assaulting their cousin.
This tragic period piece is executed with a grand cinematic hand, beginning with its lush cinematography. The centerpiece of the film sees Robbie, who has now been forced to join the army, somberly walking across the beach of Dunkirk in a single 5-minute take. In that time, McAvoy exhibits an entire spectrum of emotion as his character comes to realizations both internal and external. Additionally, hundreds of extras, detailed set design and a sweeping score make this already emotionally gripping sequence one for the ages.
'Victoria' (2015) - One Long Night
Having just moved from Spain to Germany, Victoria (Laia Costa) works at a small coffee shop and struggles fitting into her new surroundings. Over the course of one night, she meets a group of men who show her a good time, until it's revealed they have ties with dangerous people and are forced to commit a bank robbery.
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Victoria is a rare film shot entirely in a single camera take. Given the hundreds of moving parts and various preparations that were required, the cast and crew had a limited number of takes to get it right. Thankfully, the third and final attempt was a success. What could've felt like a cheap gimmick instead truly heightens the film, dragging the viewer through all the ups and downs of Victoria's fateful night, and creating a cinematic experience unlike any other.
'The Player' (1992) - Welcome to the Studio
Hollywood studio executive Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins) spends all day listening to pitches for movies, only green-lighting a handful of thousands. When he begins to receive threatening postcards, he attempts to find the culprit, all while fearing that his job may be on the line.
The Player introduces the audience to its satirical intentions from the opening extended shot, which gives us a tour of the studio lot and a colorful cast of characters. As various members of the ensemble walk in and out of cars and buildings, their discussions include movie references, Hollywood name-drops, and a very meta nod to how films just don't use long takes anymore.
'A Touch of Evil' (1958) - The Ticking Time Bomb
Mexican drug enforcement agent Miguel Vargas (Charlton Heston) and US police captain Hank Quinlan (Orson Welles) team up when a bomb goes off near the Mexico/US border. It isn't long, however, before the newlywed Vargas begins to suspect fowl play, soon launching an investigation of his own.
Welles' masterpiece opens on the brilliantly suspenseful image of a bomb being planted in the trunk of a car. The audience then watches with bated breath as the car is followed in one shot, passing dozens of unknowing citizens, until the eventual explosive payoff. The scene is a masterclass from one of the greats in how to grab the audience, only seconds after the movie starts.
'Long Day's Journey Into Night' (2018) - A Dreamlike Stroll
Luo Hongwu (Huang Jue) returns to his hometown of Kaili after years of being away for his father's funeral. Upon his arrival, he immediately begins a search for his former love, for whom his memory of has become somewhat distorted.
Long Day's Journey Into Night is an exploration of the relationship between our dreams, trauma and memories. Its all captured in beautiful detail during the film's final hour, a single take following Luo as he walks through a surreal blend of reality and dreamlike fantasy. The film's refusal to reveal what's real and what's in Luo's imagination only enhances the experience, which is both disorienting and uniquely compelling.
'Oldboy' (2003) - The Hallway Hammer Fight
After being imprisoned by an unknown assailant, then randomly released 15 years later, Oh Dae-Su (Choi Min-Sik) is told via cell phone that he has a limited time to learn who his kidnapper is, and why they did it.
Park Chan-Wook'sneo-noir cult classic isn't quite an action film, but many fans would agree it contains one of the best action set pieces of the 21st century. When Dae-Su infiltrates the hotel where he was illegally held, he finds himself in a narrow hallway on his way out, staring down several thugs prepared to stop him. Armed with only a hammer, he fights his way to the end, beaten and stabbed along the way, all in one exhausting and breathtaking lateral tracking shot.
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'Boogie Nights' (1997) - A Night at the Club
In 1977 California, young busboy Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) is recruited by Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), a porn director who sees potential in Eddie and wants to make him the next big star in the industry. As Eddie rises to fame under the alias "Dirk Diggler", he learns of all the highs and lows of being famous, specifically in the world of porn.
Paul Thomas Anderson'sBoogie Nights is a wildly entertaining and nuanced look at an industry that is often misunderstood. The film opens on a long shot through a nightclub, giving the audience a warm introduction to its colorful cast of characters. It's shot like a stroll through a VIP party, making it clear why Eddie would soon find this world intoxicating.
'I Am Cuba' (1964) - The Funeral
I Am Cuba is an anthology film following four different stories set in and around Havana, highlighting the reaction of Cuban citizens to the revolution of the late 1950s.
During the film's third segment, the citizens of Havana hold a massive funeral when revolutionary Enrique is fatally shot during a protest at Havana University. Using a pulley system, the camera goes from street level to midair above the crowds, showcasing the awe-inspiring sense of unity among the city below. The sheer scope of the image cements it as one of the most impressive and emotionally moving shots in film history.
