Is 3.5 hours too long for a film? For director Martin Scorsese, the answer to that is a clear “no,” having directed yet another feature, Killers of the Flower Moon, that lasts long enough to require multiple bathroom breaks. Scorsese, who turns 81 next month, pointed out in a recent interview with the Hindustan Times that he’s heard complaints of the movie’s extensive runtime, but that they should be dismissed, as people seem to have no problem spending hours sitting around watching other sorts of entertainment, including TV and theater. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Deniro, and Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon is out in theaters on Friday, October 20, with an Apple TV+ release planned for a later date.
“Are we intending to make a blockbuster? No, we’re making a movie, which should watched on the big screen. Other pictures I made? Maybe not. Sometimes, it’s the strength of the picture too, if it plays well on a smaller screen, that’s interesting,” Scorsese said.
“Killers could play on a small screen, but in order to truly immerse yourself, you should take out the time,” he continued. “People say it’s three hours, but come on, you can sit in front of the TV and watch something for five hours. Also, there are many people who watch theater for 3.5 hours. There are real actors on stage, you can’t get up and walk around.”
“You give it that respect, give cinema some respect,” he added.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” is an epic western crime saga, where real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal. Based on a true story and told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), “Killers of the Flower Moon” tracks the suspicious murders of members of the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight after oil was discovered underneath their land. “Killers of the Flower Moon” also stars Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemons, and is directed by Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese from a screenplay by Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese, based on David Grann’s bestselling book.