Posted on 02/12/2011 9:19:45 AM PST by JoeProBono
"There's been a recent debate as to the validity of black-and-white films. Many of the youngsters say, "I just don't get it." Well, don't feel like the Lone Ranger young children. Ted Turner has similar thoughts on the supposed curse of black and white.
Whether one would like to admit it or not, the greatest films in history, to include horror, science fiction, suspense and drama, have been made in the breathtaking anti-color of black and white. According to film director John Carpenter in his inventive opus They Live, the reason films are now in color is because of an invasion of aliens during the 1950s. Nice going John, for you are not far from the truth.
I have compiled an unquestionable list made up of the 20 greatest black and white films in the history of mankind. And mind you, I have added a bonus of five Honorable Mentions. For those of you unacquainted, this list is as good a place to start as any. Enjoy some of the greatest films ever made, and they are all in glorious black and white."
Orson Welles and Charlton Heston in Touch of Evil, 1958
I LOVE the old “Christmas Carol”. Plus, “Jane Eyre” and “Wuthering Heights” has been favorites since I was a little girl.
Yes, “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre”, and I assume you mean the Alistair Sym version of “A Christmas Carol”, but the Gene Lockhart one was good, too.
In Harm's Way
Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon in Wuthering Heights (1939)
Red River
Pride of the Yankees
Young Mr. Lincoln
Dracula (Bela Lugosi and the immortal (sorry, didn’t mean the pun) Renfield)
To be honest, I love both versions of “A Christmas Carol”. I know there is a lot of debate over which one was better but I watch both. There was a black and white movie that I have no idea of the title. It was about “Death” being caught in a tree by an old man. The man won’t release “Death” from the tree until his wife becomes ill and is suffering. I wish I could remember the name!!
Great movie!
THANK YOU, Joe!! Maybe I was a weird kid but I loved the movies and read the novels as soon as I was able to. In fact, I struggled through them at eight. They are still on my night table to this day!!
Laurel and Hardy’s “Chumps at Oxford” and “March of the Wooden Soldiers” which has been shown recently on TV in a colorized version, but it’s still a really funny movie!
Harvey
I am so old I don’t remember and black and white film except Citizen Kane and saw that on TV. Ouch.
Anything with a cast including John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Victor McLaglen, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond, Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr. et ali!
Honestly I don’t remember the one about “Death” being caught in a tree. Hopefully someone here will, because this is gonna bother me all night now, LOL!!!
I do agree about both versions of “A Christmas Carol”, each one had something special to offer.
Another great submarine flick is “The Enemy Below”. Robert Mitchum and Curt Jurgens sweat it out in the Atlantic.
I’ll bet you’re a “The Quiet Man” fan. Had it been in black and white it would have been at the top of my list as well.
Beautiful. Thank you. I’ve never seen it.
two thumbs way up!!! I still think that is the funniest movie ever made.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.