Since the epic war film Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, and Colin Firth.
months of rehearsal were necessary in order to film sequences in such unusually long takes. That being said, Mendes' one-shot method is a clever and brilliant illusion. Though Mendes hasn't revealed where the hidden cuts occur, there are specific scenes and places in the film where the cuts probably took place.
In 1917, scenes with explosions, objects that fill the entire frame, or changing light levels are the most likely places where Mendes hid the film's cuts between takes. An example of this occurs when Blake and Schofield examine the abandoned German trenches and a bomb explodes, catapulting the duo in opposite directions. Because smoke quickly fills the frame, the scene presents a good opportunity for Mendes to seamlessly end one take and begin another. The same goes for changing light levels: when Blake and Schofield enter a trench and the entire frame becomes black, this presents another great opportunity to hide a transition between takes. Anytime something fills the screen, such as soldiers walking in front of the camera and occupying the entire frame for a split second, a cut can be hidden.
However, there is one single, obvious cut in 1917. In Écoust, Schofield engages in a firefight with a German sniper in an abandoned building. When Schofield tracks the enemy soldier down and kills him, Schofield is knocked out by a ricocheting bullet and stumbles down the stairs. The screen cuts to black for over ten seconds until Schofield regains consciousness hours later during the night. Other than that single interruption, 1917 feels like a true race against time.
The one-shot technique is part of the reason why 1917 is a Birdman that found success at the Oscars. Regardless of the awards, 1917 is a unique war film that deserves your undivided attention, whether you find the hidden cuts or not.
