The Lord of The Rings: Return of the King (2003)

Image source: New Line Home Entertainment

Running time: 3 hours and 20 minutes

Return of the King eclipsed the runtimes of the already lengthy chapters that preceded it. The film is long, but never a drag or a bore, with battle scenes executed with the kind of focus and clarity that puts modern blockbusters to shame. Return of the King also lets the production pull out all the stops, with a spectral army, a gigantic spider and show stopping set pieces that would make Cecil B. Demile choke on his popcorn.

The Godfather: Part 2 (1974)

Image source: DVD Beaver

Running time: 3 hours and 20 minutes

The first Godfather was already an ambitious film for its time, but Godfather: Part II goes for even more. It spans multiple decades and is interspersed with flashbacks to Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), The sprawling epic chronicles the ambitions of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) as he seeks to build his own empire, and the inevitable unraveling of his own inner decency.

Malcolm X (1992)

Image source: Eskipaper

Running time: 3 hours and 21 minutes

When Spike Lee’s biopic of the controversial activist was greenlit, the intention was a film no longer than 135 minutes. But when Lee refused and the production went over budget, he took his passion project to black celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Magic Johnson and Prince, who all ended up providing additional funds. The result is a monumental film that depicts a complete arc of a complicated man.

Exodus (1960)

Image source: MGM Home Entertainment

Running time: 3 hours and 27 minutes

This adaptation of Leon Uris bestselling novel centers on the founding of the State of Israel. Dalton Trumbo was on the Hollywood blacklist when he wrote the script despite being known as one of Tinseltown’s most highly regarded screenwriters. Exodus isn’t the best thing Trumbo ever wrote, but with the support of legendary director Otto Preminger, it helped break the Hollywood blacklist.

Ben-Hur (1959)

Image source: Emanuel Levy

Running time: 3 hours and 32 minutes

From a technical standpoint, Ben-Hur is a monument to sheer production values in Hollywood. With special effects scenes and an extras cast that numbers in the thousands, this Biblical epic is a testament to how much blood, sweat and tears is needed to match the computer wizardry of today. Equally amazing is that its hefty running time didn’t deter audiences from reveling in the widescreen spectacle.

The Ten Commandments (1956)

Image source: DVD Beaver

Running time: 3 hours and 42 minutes

The cinematic swan song of Cecil B. Demile, this 1956 Biblical epic is a staple of Easter and Passover, despite its terrible dialogue and anemic performances. Charlton Heston plays the lead as Moses, following him from birth to the acquisiton of the titular Commandments. I love Yul Brynner much as any old cinephile, but the scenes with him and Nefertiti feel like unnecessary padding.

Gone With The Wind (1939)

Image source: Entertainment Weekly

Running time: 3 hours and 42 minutes

From a pure moviegoing perspective, this 1939 adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s bestseller about a Southern family’s struggles during the Civil War is an engrossing epic. Unfortunate though is its romanticization of the Old South and sanitization of the evils of racism. However, it remains an iconic classic especially due to Scarlett O’Hara, one of the most fully developed female characters in cinema.

Cleopatra (1963)

Image source: DVDBeaver

Running time: 4 hours and 3 minutes

At its time, Cleopatra was the most expensive film in history, which in 2017 dollars would have spent a staggering $240 million. Fortunately, it more than made its money back in box office receipts, but it still nearly bankrupt the studio. The resulting film was an overindulgent mess, written off by some as more glitzy Vegas-style showmanship than actual historical drama.

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