Films that unfold in one night?
December 16, 2008 11:06 AM Subscribe
I really like movies that take place entirely over the course of one night, for example Interview, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, After Hours. Can you think of others?
I'm thinking of the Alfred Hitchcock movie Rope, which I'm 95% sure takes place in one night.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is such a great movie.
posted by gagglezoomer at 11:13 AM on December 16, 2008
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is such a great movie.
posted by gagglezoomer at 11:13 AM on December 16, 2008
Cloverfield. Miracle Mile. Nick of Time.
posted by crush-onastick at 11:14 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by crush-onastick at 11:14 AM on December 16, 2008
"One Fine Day" is the span of a day.
posted by gwenlister at 11:19 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by gwenlister at 11:19 AM on December 16, 2008
superbad?
posted by mattsweaters at 11:19 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by mattsweaters at 11:19 AM on December 16, 2008
Jarmusch's Night on Earth.
posted by vers at 11:23 AM on December 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by vers at 11:23 AM on December 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
I *think* Jim Jarmusch's "Night on Earth" takes place over one day/night.
posted by willmize at 11:23 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by willmize at 11:23 AM on December 16, 2008
Before Sunrise. And for even more reel/real time shenanigans, try its sequel Before Sunset as well.
posted by Weebot at 11:28 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by Weebot at 11:28 AM on December 16, 2008
200 Cigarettes
posted by studentbaker at 11:29 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by studentbaker at 11:29 AM on December 16, 2008
Four Rooms
Die Hard (lots of action movies, similarly)
Can't Hardly Wait (lots of HS graduation movies, I imagine, and 2nded on preview)
posted by carsonb at 11:33 AM on December 16, 2008
Die Hard (lots of action movies, similarly)
Can't Hardly Wait (lots of HS graduation movies, I imagine, and 2nded on preview)
posted by carsonb at 11:33 AM on December 16, 2008
Pitch Black
Eyes Wide Shut (I think?)
From Dusk Till Dawn
The Daytrippers
posted by Caviar at 11:35 AM on December 16, 2008
Eyes Wide Shut (I think?)
From Dusk Till Dawn
The Daytrippers
posted by Caviar at 11:35 AM on December 16, 2008
imdb has a tag for films that unfold in real time, one for films that take place in one night and another for films that take place in one day.
posted by contraption at 11:35 AM on December 16, 2008 [5 favorites]
posted by contraption at 11:35 AM on December 16, 2008 [5 favorites]
Rope, which I'm 95% sure takes place in one night.
Not just one night, it's one shot. (More or less, there's a couple of places where they cross-dissolve on black, to reload and such.)
For another one-shot movie you could check out Russian Ark by Alexander Sokurov.
posted by StickyCarpet at 11:39 AM on December 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
Not just one night, it's one shot. (More or less, there's a couple of places where they cross-dissolve on black, to reload and such.)
For another one-shot movie you could check out Russian Ark by Alexander Sokurov.
posted by StickyCarpet at 11:39 AM on December 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
High Noon takes place in 85 minutes, which is the length of the movie.
posted by smich at 11:51 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by smich at 11:51 AM on December 16, 2008
I'm not sure if these strictly happen in one night, but the bulk of the actions definitely does.
Into the Night(I might be mixing this up with After Dark) and
Harold and Kumar go to White Castle
posted by jefftang at 11:54 AM on December 16, 2008
Into the Night(I might be mixing this up with After Dark) and
Harold and Kumar go to White Castle
posted by jefftang at 11:54 AM on December 16, 2008
Does it have to be night, because I can think of a few that take place during just one day. Like Pulp Fiction (or is that day-night-morning?). Reservoir Dogs is during just a short part of the day. And The Interview (different from Interview linked above) takes place during just one day. And The Usual Suspects, isn't that just during a few hours (with constant going back to previous events)?
posted by bjrn at 11:55 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by bjrn at 11:55 AM on December 16, 2008
Run Lola Run
Go
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (?)
posted by arcticwoman at 11:56 AM on December 16, 2008
Go
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (?)
posted by arcticwoman at 11:56 AM on December 16, 2008
The Man From Earth takes place over one evening/night. Actually, it's pretty close to real-time.
posted by indyz at 11:57 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by indyz at 11:57 AM on December 16, 2008
The vast bulk of the recent Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist takes place over the course of one night.
posted by sciapod at 11:58 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by sciapod at 11:58 AM on December 16, 2008
Not only can I think of others, I can also think of the same ones.
posted by ghost of a past number at 12:01 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by ghost of a past number at 12:01 PM on December 16, 2008
In my head, Crash takes place in one night, but IMDB says it's over two days. Still might fit in, if you like interwoven storylines as opposed to linear stories.
posted by knile at 12:27 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by knile at 12:27 PM on December 16, 2008
Mystery train. a day and a night
posted by citybuddha at 12:27 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by citybuddha at 12:27 PM on December 16, 2008
Winter Light
Stray Dog
Happenstance
Conversations with Other Women (I think...)
posted by notquitemaryann at 12:33 PM on December 16, 2008
Stray Dog
Happenstance
Conversations with Other Women (I think...)
posted by notquitemaryann at 12:33 PM on December 16, 2008
Adventures in Babysitting
posted by TG_Plackenfatz at 1:00 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by TG_Plackenfatz at 1:00 PM on December 16, 2008
Lots of converted stage plays will fit.
House of Yes.
The Big Kahuna / Hospitality Suite.
Great movies. Plays. Whatever.
posted by rokusan at 1:08 PM on December 16, 2008
House of Yes.
The Big Kahuna / Hospitality Suite.
Great movies. Plays. Whatever.
posted by rokusan at 1:08 PM on December 16, 2008
The Wizard of Oz.
posted by girlmightlive at 1:30 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by girlmightlive at 1:30 PM on December 16, 2008
Death and the maiden and nthing Before Sunrise/Sunset.
posted by Rolandkorn at 1:31 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by Rolandkorn at 1:31 PM on December 16, 2008
American Graffiti
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:36 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:36 PM on December 16, 2008
Duh. First answer. And I saw Dazed and Confused there. I lose at AskMe.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:38 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:38 PM on December 16, 2008
I haven't seen it in a long time... but, I seem to recall Slacker taking place over the course of a single day.
posted by Netzapper at 1:39 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by Netzapper at 1:39 PM on December 16, 2008
There is no proof that the Wizard of Oz takes place within a 24 hour time period.
Andy Warhol's Empire State.
posted by Gungho at 1:41 PM on December 16, 2008
Andy Warhol's Empire State.
posted by Gungho at 1:41 PM on December 16, 2008
"Oh Warriors, come out to play-ay."
posted by kirkaracha at 1:48 PM on December 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by kirkaracha at 1:48 PM on December 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
A Night to Remember , about the Titanic sinking.
posted by kirkaracha at 1:57 PM on December 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by kirkaracha at 1:57 PM on December 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Wait Until Dark
The Anniversary Party
The Rules of Attraction
posted by thebazilist at 2:10 PM on December 16, 2008
Wait Until Dark
The Anniversary Party
The Rules of Attraction
posted by thebazilist at 2:10 PM on December 16, 2008
I don't know about Sleuth since, well without giving away anything, the second part of the story takes place the next day, or maybe even a day or two later; I don't remember for sure.
posted by thebazilist at 2:13 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by thebazilist at 2:13 PM on December 16, 2008
One of the finest films ever made is the only movie Henry Fonda ever produced himself, Twelve Angry Men. It's another adapted stage play, and it concerns the behind-closed-doors process a jury goes through after a murder trial.
Another good movie: The 25th Hour, Spike Lee's purgative post-9/11 masterpiece. It actually takes place over 24 hours, but it's very good.
posted by koeselitz at 2:17 PM on December 16, 2008
Another good movie: The 25th Hour, Spike Lee's purgative post-9/11 masterpiece. It actually takes place over 24 hours, but it's very good.
posted by koeselitz at 2:17 PM on December 16, 2008
I'm pretty sure Dr. Strangelove unfolds over the course of a single day.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:40 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by Thorzdad at 2:40 PM on December 16, 2008
In Amadeus, the framing story (of Salieri telling his tale to the priest) takes place overnight.
posted by pjern at 2:51 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by pjern at 2:51 PM on December 16, 2008
Only if you can tolerate slow-moving artsy films:
Chantal Akerman's Toute une nuit
posted by ferdydurke at 3:15 PM on December 16, 2008
Chantal Akerman's Toute une nuit
posted by ferdydurke at 3:15 PM on December 16, 2008
Resident Evil.
Which is a terrible movie.
Nthing Rope. One of my favorite movies, and as was mentioned before, it's done in something like three or four shots. You see the background changing from early afternoon to evening as the events unfold. Fantastic film.
posted by ewingpatriarch at 4:38 PM on December 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
Which is a terrible movie.
Nthing Rope. One of my favorite movies, and as was mentioned before, it's done in something like three or four shots. You see the background changing from early afternoon to evening as the events unfold. Fantastic film.
posted by ewingpatriarch at 4:38 PM on December 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
Dog Day Afternoon (if I recall correctly)
Waiting
Friday the 13th (I think?)
Predator
Labyrinth
I know a couple of these take place moreso over the course of a day ...
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 4:59 PM on December 16, 2008
Waiting
Friday the 13th (I think?)
Predator
Labyrinth
I know a couple of these take place moreso over the course of a day ...
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 4:59 PM on December 16, 2008
Labyrinth and The Goonies, although, I guess that may be cheating - since it starts in the afternoon, and occurs overnight and ends the next day - but there's no sleeping....so all in less than 24 hours?
Anyway, yes, to Rope. It has Jimmy Stewart too, so what's not to like? (His first film with Hitchcock, but not necessarily the best.)
posted by Kimothy at 5:07 PM on December 16, 2008
Anyway, yes, to Rope. It has Jimmy Stewart too, so what's not to like? (His first film with Hitchcock, but not necessarily the best.)
posted by Kimothy at 5:07 PM on December 16, 2008
Clerks takes place in one day.
posted by SisterHavana at 7:16 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by SisterHavana at 7:16 PM on December 16, 2008
Also, Airplane!, although there are a couple flashback scenes.
But it's a great movie anyway. : )
posted by SisterHavana at 7:19 PM on December 16, 2008
But it's a great movie anyway. : )
posted by SisterHavana at 7:19 PM on December 16, 2008
Friday Night (Vendredi soir, original title), by Claire Denis
posted by citron at 8:34 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by citron at 8:34 PM on December 16, 2008
Yeah, Roman Polanski's Death and the Maiden and Richard Linklater's Tape deserve to be seconded. Great, tight, intense all-in-one-night rides.
posted by mediareport at 9:34 PM on December 16, 2008
posted by mediareport at 9:34 PM on December 16, 2008
Response by poster: Thanks to all. My Netflix queue just got a whole lot longer.
It's kind of cool that so many people mentioned Rope because my father's cousin has about five seconds of screen time in it, as the murder victim.
posted by pasici at 4:18 AM on December 17, 2008 [1 favorite]
It's kind of cool that so many people mentioned Rope because my father's cousin has about five seconds of screen time in it, as the murder victim.
posted by pasici at 4:18 AM on December 17, 2008 [1 favorite]
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof? Also has Liz Taylor too...
posted by Emilyisnow at 4:51 AM on December 17, 2008
posted by Emilyisnow at 4:51 AM on December 17, 2008
Well, I stand by my Wizard of Oz suggestion, considering the bulk of the movie is a dream, which one could assume takes place overnight, at the most.
Do The Right Thing takes place over a day (or maybe two).
posted by girlmightlive at 5:11 AM on December 17, 2008
Do The Right Thing takes place over a day (or maybe two).
posted by girlmightlive at 5:11 AM on December 17, 2008
Did anyone mention Texas Chainsaw Massacre(day-night-morning) or Vacancy(night-morning)?
posted by owtytrof at 6:24 AM on December 17, 2008
posted by owtytrof at 6:24 AM on December 17, 2008
Los Cronocrimenes takes place during one day. Or, well, a few hours actually. The title kinda gives away why.
posted by slimepuppy at 1:35 PM on December 20, 2008
posted by slimepuppy at 1:35 PM on December 20, 2008
In Amadeus, the framing story (of Salieri telling his tale to the priest) takes place overnight.
If framing stories count, Saving Private Ryan.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:29 PM on October 26, 2009
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American Graffiti
posted by rocket88 at 11:11 AM on December 16, 2008