Monochrome Options
I'm so queer for monochrome that I'd be delighted if one-fifth of all feature releases, say, were shot in this mode. Because black-and-white pretty much trumpets the fact that you're sitting at home (or in a theatre) and watching a "movie." There are some films in particular, however, that I'd really love to see in those sharp, silvery, glistening tones. Revolutionary Road, I feel, would be heaven in monochrome. Ditto the World War II-era Valkyrie. I can't be the only one who thinks this way. Which films would others like to see, or would have loved to see, in black and white? Risky Business would never work in monochrome; ditto Body Heat, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Weekend at Bernie's, Jaws and ten thousand other films.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on December 5, 2008 at 2:15 PM
comment #1
actionman
says ...
Granted it's a B-movie all the way (but a damn fine one at that), Wells, you should go out and get Frank Darabont's THE MIST in Blu Ray. You can see it in B&W. Fucking gorgeous.
I bet THE GOOD GERMAN will look great when that hits Blu Ray.
Posted by actionman
at December 5, 2008 3:44 PM
comment #2
actionman
says ...
And wait...we know you've seen RR...you saw Valkyrie?
Posted by actionman
at December 5, 2008 3:45 PM
comment #3
alvysinger
says ...
You're "queer" for monochrome. Nice.
Posted by alvysinger
at December 5, 2008 3:55 PM
comment #4
p.Vice
says ...
Million Dollar Baby would have been fantastic in B&W.
Posted by p.Vice
at December 5, 2008 4:15 PM
comment #5
CitizenKanedforChewingGum
says ...
I thought M$B was in B&W? Oh, nevermind, that was just the portrayal of Maggie Fitzgerald's family. My bad.
Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum
at December 5, 2008 4:22 PM
comment #6
Glenn Kenny
says ...
By all means check out the new Blu-rays of "The Third Man" and 'The Day The Earth Stood Still." They'll make you practically giddy with queerness.
Posted by Glenn Kenny
at December 5, 2008 4:49 PM
comment #7
actionman
says ...
I am buying the day the earth stood still for my father tonight...we'll crack it x-mas morning
Posted by actionman
at December 5, 2008 5:03 PM
comment #8
bmcintire
says ...
As chroma-heavy as Kubrick could be, THE SHINING in black and white would really be quite nice. And it would probably make 1941 a better picture.
Posted by bmcintire
at December 5, 2008 5:03 PM
comment #9
lazarus
says ...
Citizen Kaned: Nice one, and perfect that it came right before Clint fan Glenn Kenny, who didn't bother to defend M$B.
Gotta be honest, Glenn, as a frequent reader of your blog, I'm a little disturbed at all the Eastwood love over there. Then again, Rivette likes him too, so I don't know which way is up right now.
Posted by lazarus
at December 5, 2008 5:29 PM
comment #10
GiveMeTheMapScott
says ...
Not to be off-topic, but I've been reading Jeff for almost a decade and reading the comment threads on HE since its beginning but this post made me actually create an account so I can start commenting (I haven't been a commenting member of aany board since MovieBoss *may it rest in peace*)
When I was young (I'm only 27) I was already a movie nerd and we had one of those primitive TVs that did not have a remote control and all the dials were on the front of it and I used to turn down the color to B&W sometimes on TV & movies where I felt it was warranted, I used to watch The Cosby Show in black and white for godsakes (no cheap cracks please) I loved B&W as a kid and when Turner started "colorizing" movies I didn't understand it and so I asked my mom (the person who used my childhood to show me Casablanca, Sound of Music, Witness for the Prosecution, To Catch a Thief, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid) what he might be thinking and her response was "He hates movies."
So anyways, I have watched several movies in B&W that weren't meant to be (so this is something I am passionate about) and honestly, among (relatively) recent movies, Chasing Amy, The Cotton Club, Donnie Brasco, Heart and Souls (shut up, its stupid but I love it), Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Casino Royale and Unforgiven were seriously meant to be seen in black and white.
But I still feel that color is the best thing to happen to movies (that and sound)....there's probably 100 movies I could name that could only have been made in color.
I just think its great that we have a choice.
Thanks and I promise that my forthcoming posts will not be as long-winded.
Posted by GiveMeTheMapScott
at December 5, 2008 5:52 PM
comment #11
/3rtfu11
says ...
goes to watch Ed Wood
Posted by /3rtfu11
at December 5, 2008 9:14 PM
comment #12
TVMCCA
says ...
Actually, CHANGELING would have been worth seeing in black-and-white. And if David Fincher does make the Elliott Ness/Torso film, it would be great if he could go the Darabont route and have both color and black-and-white versions for the DVD release.
Posted by TVMCCA
at December 6, 2008 2:18 AM
comment #13
Chase Kahn
says ...
So in color, I know THE MIST blows -- in B&W, maybe it just kind of blows...
Posted by Chase Kahn
at December 6, 2008 8:22 AM
comment #14
corey3rd
says ...
Andy Griffith Show and the Avengers were better TV shows when they were in black and white.
Posted by corey3rd
at December 6, 2008 8:50 AM
comment #15
Hallick
says ...
So much footage from the WWII era is in black and white that I'd much rather have "Valkyrie" in color.
The last new black and white movie I saw was either The Man Who Wasn't There or Twentyfourseven (come to think of it, Shane Meadows just released a shortish film that's in black and white as well).
There's a commercial for "It's a Wonderful Life" on TV right now that uses nothing but the colorized version. Jesus wept.
Posted by Hallick
at December 7, 2008 7:37 PM