RJ Greatest B&W Movie commentary thread

[heyelander]

As am I.

go-getter.

[Gregg]

So I wanted to pick the 1958 Vincent Price movie The Fly. I googled it to get the year, and some of the photos were in color. I dug deeper and could not find the black and white version. How could all of them be colorized?! So I google that.

In the FAQ section it addressed the overall misconception. It in fact was filmed in color, but most of us saw it on TV...Black and White TV...Duh.

[Gregg]

Classic Vincent.

[Erik]

Were I in this draft, I would have picked Manchurian Candidate early. I believe I picked a scene from it in our Movie Scenes draft.

[Long John]

I struggled with this pick just because there's so many ways I could go. My list has quite a bit of film noir and, as happy as I would be to stay within that, I want to spread my wings a bit. I went with White Heat because it's Jimmy Cagney at his finest.

[rhd]

Is this it?

https://vimeopro.com/urbanschool/eng...video/97764879

I was just getting ready to watch this (Persepolis) and it got removed . I see that Vimeo is like YT in this respect.

[rhd]

Is this it?

https://vimeopro.com/urbanschool/eng...video/97764879

I found another copy of it (Persepolis) on Vimeo and watched it. Very good. Partly in color, apparently only the parts at Orly airport - I dont know why.

[rhd]

Finally, I get to pick a tearjerker in Wuthering Heights. It's a love story but one of the things I find so attractive about it is its total strangeness. It's not the typical "Boy finds girl, boy eventually gets girl" story. It's "boy finds girl, girl loves boy but girl rejects boy and marries someone else, boy goes to incredible lengths to impress girl but girl still refuses boy and kills herself but professes her eternal love to him before dying, boy and girl finally get together in death". There are many film versions of this movie but this is my favorite. I also read the book and the movie only portrays the first half of the book and also leaves characters out yet the film still works very well for me. The film really doesnt show how much of a monster Heathcliff was. His love for Cathy was his only redeeming attribute. Another strange aspect of this story is that it was written by a teenaged girl (Emily Bronte) w no real romantic experience (how did she ever dream up something like this?). And it was the only novel she ever wrote because she died shortly after writing it. Another weird aspect: the actors playing the 2 lovers, Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon supposedly hated each other. Adding to the film's greatness was Alfred Newman's score. The theme is rather strange but beautiful, just like the movie.

[rhd]

Tale of 2 Cities is one of the most powerful books I've ever read. There's a Hollywood version of it starring Ronald Colman but I like this British version even better. The ultimate tale of self-sacrifice.

[Ken]

I was just getting ready to watch this (Persepolis) and it got removed . I see that Vimeo is like YT in this respect.

Weird, still works for me.

[Mithrandir]

Finally, I get to pick a tearjerker in Wuthering Heights. It's a love story but one of the things I find so attractive about it is its total strangeness. It's not the typical "Boy finds girl, boy eventually gets girl" story. It's "boy finds girl, girl loves boy but girl rejects boy and marries someone else, boy goes to incredible lengths to impress girl but girl still refuses boy and kills herself but professes her eternal love to him before dying, boy and girl finally get together in death". There are many film versions of this movie but this is my favorite. I also read the book and the movie only portrays the first half of the book and also leaves characters out yet the film still works very well for me. The film really doesnt show how much of a monster Heathcliff was. His love for Cathy was his only redeeming attribute. Another strange aspect of this story is that it was written by a teenaged girl (Emily Bronte) w no real romantic experience (how did she ever dream up something like this?). And it was the only novel she ever wrote because she died shortly after writing it. Another weird aspect: the actors playing the 2 lovers, Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon supposedly hated each other. Adding to the film's greatness was Alfred Newman's score. The theme is rather strange but beautiful, just like the movie.

Great movie, and the book is well worthy of its status as one of the greatest novels of all time.

The most depressing book I have ever read.

[Steve 2.0]

Was hoping Stagecoach would make it back to me.

[Steve 2.0]

Great movie, and the book is well worthy of its status as one of the greatest novels of all time.

The most depressing book I have ever read.

You should find the Monty Python Semaphore version of Wuthering Heights

[Long John]

Yeah, I took Lana Turner. I have a type. Sue me.

[Steve 2.0]

Yeah, I took Lana Turner. I have a type. Sue me.

Careful....I do know a lawyer.

and nothing wrong with Lana Turner!