Category Archives: Black and White Film

2011, Acceptable for children, Black and White Film, Corny, Dancing, Feel Good For All, Love Story, Silent film, Slow

The Artist (2011)

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NetFlix:

This modern-day silent film artfully recounts the poignant end of the silent-movie era in the late 1920s. The story contrasts the declining fortunes of a silent-screen superstar with his lover’s rise to popularity as a darling of the “talkies.”

Making a black and white and silent film these days is an unusual idea. But it works because the photography is good, the period costumes fun to see, the dog is cute, Jean Dujardin is a handsome ham, and Bérénice Bejo really is peppy (her name in the film). And the best news is that I only napped through part of the film (which might seem a tad slow in places). What is really amazing is to watch the two stars tap dance!

You may remember Jean Dujardin from “OSS 117: Lost in Rio” which is a spoof on James Bond films. On the other hand, Bérénice Bejo was in “OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies”.

Possibly not everyone’s cup of tea.

1956, Black and White Film, Car Chase, Classic, Conspiracy, Dark, Flirting, Grim, Horror, Old-Fashioned, Sci-Fi, Suspense

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

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From NetFlix:

Something is amiss in the sleepy California hamlet of Santa Mira. Initially, Dr. Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) dismisses reports from the citizenry accusing friends and family of behaving like automatons. But the doctor soon makes a startling discovery. Extraterrestrials capable of replicating humans and assuming their identities have invaded Santa Mira. It’s up to Bennell to sound the alarm and almost single-handedly battle the alien forces.

Suppose you could trust no one around you, could you survive ? Of course, wartime spies are somewhat in that position. But this story is a famous extreme example. As an experiment in film comparison (which I also did with True Grit (1969) and True Grit (2010)) I decided to watch at least two if not three versions of this film.

For those of you too young to remember, Kevin McCarthy played many roles in the 1960 TV series “Twilight Zone”. Dana Wynter (the female lead) played Eva Wainwright in the 1966 TV series “The Man Who Never Was”.

What makes this film seem old ?

  • Black and white
  • Real orchestra music composed by Carmon Dragon that seems corny by today’s standards.
  • Precious few special effects except for the pods bursting open
  • The actors themselves actually had to run on streets and hills
  • Unfortunately in this version, the ending is a terrible cop-out

Following is an excellent review that I found in IMDB attributed to someone billed as InfoFreak:

‘Invasion Of The Body Snatcher’s is my favourite 1950s science fiction movie alongside ‘Forbidden Planet’. Both are very different movies. ‘Forbidden Planet’ is arguably the first SF blockbuster, an intergalactic adventure, in colour, with a large budget and impressive special effects. ‘Invasion Of The Body Snatcher’s is a smaller movie, a low budget black and white paranoid thriller that is a classic of its type. Many subsequent movies have been influenced by this one, and there have been at least two remakes (Philip Kaufman, Abel Ferrara), but it still takes some beating! Director Don Siegel is best known for tough guy crime dramas like ‘The Killers’ and ‘Dirty Harry’, but shows his versatility with this extremely effective and disturbing horror story. The legendary Sam Peckinpah had an uncredited hand in the script, and (keep an eye open for) a small cameo as a meter reader. Kevin McCarthy is terrific as the small town doctor turned hero. His performance is excellent, and made him a legend to SF and horror fans everywhere (he reprises it briefly in Kaufman’s excellent 1970s remake by the way). The lovely Dana Wynter leads a strong supporting cast, and buffs will get a particular kick out of seeing Carolyn Jones (a.k.a. Morticia Addams) and Whit Bissell. (‘I Was A Teenage Werewolf’, ‘Creature From The Black Lagoon’ and too many others to mention!) This movie has aged very well, much better than say, ‘The Thing From Another World’, and still stands as THE 1950s paranoid SF/horror movie. An absolute classic that I guarantee still packs a punch! Highly recommended!

Have fun!

2009, Black and White Film, Car Chase, Dark, Horror, Suspense, Violent

Dark Country (2009)

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From NetFlix:

“Hung” star Thomas Jane directs and stars in this thriller that follows the hellish adventures of a newlywed couple who rescue a wounded stranger on the side of the road on their way back from their Las Vegas nuptials. When the almost-dead man goes berserk on them, the couple’s nightmare is just beginning. Ron Perlman (Hell Boy) and Lauren German also star in this chiller penned by Guerillas in the Mist writer Tab Murphy.

More “Twilight Zone” than horror, this plot by Tab Murphy is more subtle than works by Stephen King. Note that Thomas Jane was 40 when he both directed and acted in this film. His films often have saxophone blues as music. As far as I can recall, this is a black and white film.

You will either be bored by or fascinated by this film. From almost the very beginning I had correctly guessed what was going to happen. (Do I watch too much trash for my own good ?) Nevertheless I felt compelled to endure to the end.

Good news is that the dialog, acting, atmosphere are well-done. Both the realistic interaction between Jane and German and the suspenseful plot details held my attention. There will be no gore in this creeper except a man’s bloodied and disfigured face.

Is it bad news that you should not expect a happy ending ?

WARNING: This film is certainly not for everyone, especially for someone who tends to be impatient.

1000NYTimes, 1001BeforeDie, 1955, Acceptable for children, Black and White Film, Classic, Corny, Suspense

The Night of the Hunter (1955)

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From NetFlix:

Bogus “preacher” Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) learns cellmate Ben Harper (Peter Graves) has stashed stolen loot on his property. So after the demented Powell is released, he charms Ben’s widow (Shelley Winters) into getting hitched, and in time, only Ben’s kids stand between him and the money. As he stalks the siblings relentlessly, they seek refuge with the indomitable Rachel Cooper (Lillian Gish), setting the stage for a battle of wills.

Lately I have read much praise for this film. In fact you should read the Wikipedia article that mentions the positions this film occupies in various anthologies of worthy films. Its descriptions of why the film is special surpass any description I could write.

Personally I found the black and white impressionistic photography incredibly clear and a new experience. This film was Charles Laughton’s only directed film (probably because it was not a success). Times have changed and for me the film was a bit corny and much too long. Moreover in those days you had to see the bad guy get his comeuppance. Today’s films love ambiguous endings instead of the clear resolutions demanded in the black and white years of the 50’s.

You may never have heard of Lillian Gish (1893-1993) but surely you have heard of Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters. I always knew Peter Graves (TV’s “Mission Impossible”) as an older man. In this film he played Ben Harper (the bank robber father) and was only 29 years old. Billy Chapin (John Harper, the son) had a small part in “Leave it to Beaver” and seems to have vanished.

At the very least you get to see and feel what small towns were like during the depression. It’s a bit like going to a museum to watch a “talkie”. I don’t regret the experience.

2009, Black and White Film, Child Molestation, Dark, Explicit sex, German, Gloomy

The White Ribbon (2009)

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From NetFlix:

At a rural school in northern Germany in 1913, a form of ritual punishment has major consequences for students and faculty. But the practice may have bigger repercussions on the German school system — and maybe even on the growth of fascism. Celebrated Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke helms this Golden Globe-winning, sumptuously photographed black-and-white drama that stars Susanne Lothar, Ulrich Tukur and Theo Trebs.

Quite possibly the gloomiest, most depressing, hopeless, and exasperating film I have ever seen. The gloom is aided and abetted by the fact that it is filmed in black and white with an emphasis on black. In fact, the houses in this pre-electric period were probably quite dark.

If you believe this film, pre-WWI rural Germans were beasts. What a wonderful collection of men who commit incest, men who treat their sex partners like dirt, undiscovered villagers that maim horses, torture retarded children, kill house pets, burn down buildings, etc. The pastor is such a strict disciplinarian that he canes his children, forces them to wear white ribbons (which mean that they are bad people who need to reform), and ties his son’s hands each night to the bed lest the boy masturbate. Need I continue ?

If you can stand this atmosphere, then as an art film it is excellent. Assumedly you really get a feeling for life in that era. I just hope it is historically accurate.