5 Best Movies Shot in One Take To Watch After Adolescence on Netflix
A war epic, a zombie apocalypse horror, and a thriller about the intense work of a restaurant kitchen.
One of the main TV events of March was Adolescence. The project consists of four episodes, each filmed in one take.
This format of filming allows the viewer to be more deeply immersed in the story, adding realism and a sense of presence to the image. The films we have selected today show how such a technical solution gives the director unique opportunities for interaction with the viewer.
1. Victoria, 2015
A young woman wanders through a European metropolis in search of adventure, and a careful frame captures every detail of a city that lives only in the present.
Shot in one take, this charming indie drama is an ode to Berlin. The camera follows the main character through clubs and deserted streets at night, from apartment to apartment, from bar to techno party.
At first, this labyrinth immerses the viewer in a deceptively romantic mood. But the further one goes, the more threatening Victoria's route becomes, and the darker the outlines of Berlin become.
2. Boiling Point, 2021
In his second feature, Philip Barantini uses one-take cinematography for a noble purpose. With this technical trick, he elevates an essentially simple plot to new emotional heights.
The focus is on a restaurant with all the hustle and bustle that goes with it. This simple dramatic tool – a dump of emotions, characters and conflicts – is shown with precision and without a single cut.
The viewer is not an outside observer, but a direct participant in this chaos, plunged headlong into it, rushing through all the events at full speed.
3. 1917, 2019
Sam Mendes has revolutionized the historical genre. History, even military history from the First World War, is by definition something distant for the viewer.
But in this interpretation, the historical film suddenly seems alive. The camera follows a soldier for an hour and a half as he runs across the front line, survives, and brings to the military camp vital information that could save hundreds of lives.
4. MadS, 2024
Returning home from the dealer, Romain meets a strange girl in bandages on the side of the road. She doesn't say anything, just moans in fear and looks around.
After volunteering to take the unexpected traveler to the hospital, Romain didn't expect that the girl would start to hurt herself and bite the guy at the same time.
A few minutes later, the young man feels unwell, but the birthday party continues. Soon, the birthday boy's vision becomes blurred and the animal hunger becomes unbearable.
5. Utoya: July 22, 2018
A movie that once again reminds us how much cinema allows us to empathize. And also – to rethink well-known stories. In this case – the terrible massacre carried out by Anders Breivik on the island of Utoya and in the city of Oslo.
The viewer is invited to look at it not from the outside, but from the inside, from the point of view of a direct participant, one of the random victims. For an hour and a half, the camera follows the girl as she moves around the island and finds herself at the epicenter of terrible events.