Hollywood is a game of copy cats.
The reason films are longer is because a few unconventional filmmakers made
longer films and they were successful at it. Dances With Wolves, Braveheart,
(star power gave them the green light to go longer) then came Cameron's
Titanic which the studio was very nervous about. Well, you know what Titanic
did with money AND then all filmmakers and studios thought somehow length was
the reason for success. Filmmakers have a naturally tendency not to want to
cut their stuff.

However much the stuff now is way too long, Pearl Harbor, Lord of the Rings
etc.

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