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Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

AfterHours — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 20:10:04 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 08/28/2018 00:10

Recent updates in bold. I also decided that Streetcar Named Desire is my cut off point (unless, for instance, Streetcar moves up, then Pi would be). So anything equal to or above that in terms of visuals will be added, without regard to the number of selections.

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

AfterHours — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 20:00:48 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 08/14/2018 00:00

Recent updates in bold (for newer entries) and bold + italics for entries that changed ranking.

I finally ranked Antonioni's L'Avventura, a very influential art film that thoroughly explores the themes/emotions of isolation/alienation/loneliness. Antonioni analyzes these constantly. Antonioni doesnt just express this through the the character's actions, but expounds upon it in shots throughout the film, in the relative space and angles/positioning between characters and in "metaphysical" backdrops to the characters' actions/thoughts/expressions/words. The characters almost never truly face each other or make direct eye contact; there is almost always a sense of disconnection/isolation between them -- each alone in their own spaces even when caught within the same frame. If they do face and speak with each other there is almost always a difficulty in connection and understanding. Antonioni frequently dilates space to include distant and lonely vistas or city scapes or rooms to further accentuate the sense of endless loneliness and disconnection. I wanted to highlight some miscellaneous images from the work.

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

AfterHours — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 15:21:05 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 08/26/2017 19:21

Starting to update this list too. Mid-Revision...

Re: Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

AfterHours — Mon, 7 Aug 2017 18:19:18 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 08/07/2017 22:19

janetjakcson wrote:

"Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" is such a beautiful movie. So sad that it hasn't been favored these past few years. It's a masterpiece imo! 😁 😲 :mrgreen:

Thank you. Yes, Aldrich in general has become a bit underrated. Viewers probably have a difficult time reconciling the crazy (im)balance between serious emotional conviction/outpouring and outrageous black comedy that films such as Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and Hush ... Hush Sweet Charlotte drunkenly douse themselves in 😄

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

janetjakcson — Mon, 7 Aug 2017 13:08:07 GMT

Author: janetjakcson

Posted: 08/07/2017 17:08

"Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" is such a beautiful movie. So sad that it hasn't been favored these past few years. It's a masterpiece imo! 😁 😲 😁

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

AfterHours — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 20:33:10 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 07/15/2017 00:33

bobbyb5 wrote:

Wasn't it awesome in Hour of the Wolf when the guy started walking up the wall? That movie was awesome

Indeed, perhaps Bergman's creepiest film. A very fascinating alternative of the sort of profound, elliptical, lugubrious cinematic art Bergman mastered with Persona.

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

AfterHours — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 20:24:55 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 07/15/2017 00:24

bobbyb5 wrote:

You know what I read? That Citizen Kane is the first movie to ever show ceilings in a shot,and I thought that sounded too unbelievable. but every time I watch a movie, im noticing they never show ceilings in a shot. It sounds unbelievable, but I think it's true!!!

Yes, though I think there are a few earlier examples, but it was rare (sorry, which films that did it before aren't coming to mind right now -- I'm in Classical music land these days, not cinema mode!). However, more importantly than just being "first", I would agree that C Kane was probably the first to use it towards a substantial artistic purpose.

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

bobbyb5 — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 18:16:42 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 07/14/2017 22:16

Wasn't it awesome in Hour of the Wolf when the guy started walking up the wall? That movie was awesome

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

bobbyb5 — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 17:37:02 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 07/14/2017 21:37

AfterHours wrote:

Quote:

It's excellent. It reminded me of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" set in a paranoid (almost kafkaesque) Prague setting. Recommended !

Sounds interesting, I'll have to give it a go sometime. Thank you.

Btw, in addition to topping this list I would rank Citizen Kane #1 for "cinematography-only" also (definitely the most astonishing example of "emotional/conceptual significance and ingenuity per shot" and the overall extent/depth this is brought to for the entire film). There are more beautiful/mesmerizing-looking films but none in the history of cinema -- color or B & W -- that can touch it in the above parenthetical regard. There also isn't a film anywhere that is even remotely like it in execution/cinematic language and the particular expressions and overwhelming depth it attains through visual (or other) means -- even despite its massive influence across film history.

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

AfterHours — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 15:41:12 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 07/14/2017 19:41

bobbyb5 wrote:

Everything on your list that I've actually seen, maybe about half of them, I would just have to agree with you. You know what I've discovered? Almost all the old Hollywood films that were in black and white are almost all worth watching just because of the black and white visuals l. I don't know why but, for instance, I saw Jezebel recently and it's just worth watching just for the way it looks. I don't know what it is about black and white but it makes you pay attention more for some reason. You pay more attention to the story and whats going on. I don't know, it just makes u focus on it better. Your mind doesn't wander.

Yeah, black and white is an art form unto itself. Glad you appreciate it!

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

bobbyb5 — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 02:47:20 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 07/14/2017 06:47

Everything on your list that I've actually seen, maybe about half of them, I would just have to agree with you. You know what I've discovered? Almost all the old Hollywood films that were in black and white are almost all worth watching just because of the black and white visuals l. I don't know why but, for instance, I saw Jezebel recently and it's just worth watching just for the way it looks. I don't know what it is about black and white but it makes you pay attention more for some reason. You pay more attention to the story and whats going on. I don't know, it just makes u focus on it better. Your mind doesn't wander.

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

AfterHours — Thu, 9 Mar 2017 18:01:45 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 03/09/2017 23:01

Muslim-Bigfoot wrote:

Link

Link

Thanks I'll check out these videos later today/tonight. Looks intriguing 😄

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

AfterHours — Thu, 9 Mar 2017 17:56:19 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 03/09/2017 22:56

Quote:

It's excellent. It reminded me of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" set in a paranoid (almost kafkaesque) Prague setting. Recommended !

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

Muslim-Bigfoot — Thu, 9 Mar 2017 17:54:26 GMT

Author: Muslim-Bigfoot

Posted: 03/09/2017 22:54

Link

Link

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History

CellarDoor — Thu, 9 Mar 2017 17:39:39 GMT

Author: CellarDoor

Posted: 03/09/2017 22:39

AfterHours wrote:

I haven't seen Ucho (The Ear). How is it overall?

It's excellent. It reminded me of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" set in a paranoid (almost kafkaesque) Prague setting. Recommended !

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History

AfterHours — Wed, 8 Mar 2017 16:23:35 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 03/08/2017 21:23

CellarDoor wrote:

Nice list !

This is possibly my favorite entry here, cinematography-wise of course. I remember when watching it for the first time how I kept repeating to myself "the B&W is absolutely beautiful".

Also I recently watched Ucho (The Ear) - Karel Kachyna (1970) and was also impressed by the B&W lighting (most of the movie being set inside a house at night).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066498/

Thank you! I haven't seen Ucho (The Ear). How is it overall?

Re: Werckmeister Harmonies ... Yes, Tarr really outdoes himself. For cinematography Id have to side with some others first but WH would be among the very best and even higher than it is here if that was the only possible requisite.

Re: Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History

CellarDoor — Wed, 8 Mar 2017 13:32:38 GMT

Author: CellarDoor

Posted: 03/08/2017 18:32

Nice list !

AfterHours wrote:

Werckmeister Harmonies - Bela Tarr (2000)

This is possibly my favorite entry here, cinematography-wise of course. I remember when watching it for the first time how I kept repeating to myself "the B&W is absolutely beautiful".

Also I recently watched Ucho (The Ear) - Karel Kachyna (1970) and was also impressed by the B&W lighting (most of the movie being set inside a house at night).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066498/

Best Visuals (Black & White) in Film History (Mid-Revisi

AfterHours — Tue, 7 Mar 2017 01:47:46 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 03/07/2017 06:47

IN-PROGRESS/MID-REVISION

Citizen Kane - Orson Welles (1941)
Metropolis - Fritz Lang (1927)
Touch of Evil - Orson Welles (1958)
Faust - F.W. Murnau (1926)
Last Year at Marienbad - Alain Resnais (1960)
The Trial - Orson Welles (1962)
Europa - Lars Von Trier (1991)
Othello - Orson Welles (1952)
Sin City - Roberto Rodriguez / Frank Miller (2005)
Mr. Arkadin - Orson Welles (1955)
Persona - Ingmar Bergman (1966)
Andrei Rublev - Andrei Tarkovsky (1966)
Sunrise - F.W. Murnau (1927)
The Scarlett Empress - Josef von Sternberg (1934)
The Magnificent Ambersons - Orson Welles (1942)
Wings of Desire - Wim Wenders (1987)
The Passion of Joan of Arc - Carl Theodor Dreyer (1928)
Marketa Lazarova - Frantisek Vliacil (1967)
8 1/2 - Federico Fellini (1963)
Werckmeister Harmonies - Bela Tarr (2000)
Eraserhead - David Lynch (1977)
La Dolce Vita - Federico Fellini (1960)
L' Avventura - Michelangelo Antionini (1960)
Woman in the Dunes - Hiroshi Teshigahara (1964)
Schindler's List - Steven Spielberg (1993)
The Lady from Shanghai - Orson Welles (1948)
The Man With a Movie Camera - Dziga Vertov (1928)
The Last Laugh - F.W. Murnau (1924)
Hour of the Wolf - Ingmar Bergman (1967)
Night of the Hunter - Charles Laughton (1955)
M - Fritz Lang (1931)
Raging Bull - Martin Scorsese (1980)
Sansho the Bailiff - Kenji Mizoguchi (1954)
The Phantom Carriage - Victor Sjostrom (1921)
Battleship Potemkin - Sergei Eisenstein (1925)
The Third Man - Carol Reed (1949)
Hiroshima, Mon Amour - Alain Resnais (1959)
Satantango - Bela Tarr (1994)
Hush... Hush Sweet Charlotte - Robert Aldrich (1965)
Alexander Nevsky - Sergei Eisenstein (1938)
On the Waterfront - Elia Kazan (1954)
Ivan's Childhood - Andrei Tarkovsky (1962)
Vampyr - Carl Theodor Dreyer (1932)
L'Age D'Or - Luis Bunuel (1930)
Un Chien Andalou - Luis Bunuel (1929)
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari - Robert Wiene (1920)
The Last Picture Show - Peter Bogdanovich (1971)
Chimes at Midnight - Orson Welles (1966)
Manhattan - Woody Allen (1979)
Psycho - Alfred Hitchcock (1960)
Rebecca - Alfred Hitchcock (1940)
Children of Paradise - Marcel Carne (1945)
Harakiri - Masaki Kobayashi (1962)
Dr. Strangelove - Stanley Kubrick (1964)
The Manchurian Candidate - John Frankenheimer (1962)
Earth - Alexander Dovzhenko (1930)
Nosferatu - F.W. Murnau (1922)
Meshes of the Afternoon - Maya Deren (1943)
Shame - Ingmar Bergman (1968)
Grand Illusion - Jean Renoir (1937)
Wild Strawberries - Ingmar Bergman (1957)
Pi - Darren Aronofsky (1998)
Casablanca - Michael Curtiz (1942)
A Streetcar Named Desire - Elia Kazan (1951)

DEFINITELY - UNDECIDED ON RANKING:
Ivan the Terrible, Part 1 - Sergei Eisenstein (1944)
Ugetsu - Kenji Mizoguchi (1953)
What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? - Robert Aldrich (1962)

POSSIBLY/UNDER CONSIDERATION:
Intolerance - D.W. Griffith (1916)
Greed - Erich von Stroheim (1924) [Studio Cut, 140 minutes]
The Crowd - King Vidor (1928)
Crime of Dr Mabuse - Fritz Lang (1932)
Late Spring - Ozu (1949)
Sunset Boulevard - Billy Wilder (1950)
Limelight - Charlie Chaplin (1952)
Ikiru - Akira Kurosawa (1952)
Kiss Me Deadly - Robert Aldrich (1955)
The Apartment - Billy Wilder (1960)
Black Rain - Shohei Imamura (1988)
The Blue Angel - Josef Von Sternberg (1930)
The Bride of Frankenstein - James Whale (1935)
L'Atalante - Jean Vigo (1934)
The 39 Steps - Alfred Hitchcock (1935)
Modern Times - Charlie Chaplin (1936)
Grand Illusion - Jean Renoir (1937)
Pepe Le Moko - Julien Duvivier (1937)
Stagecoach - John Ford (1939)
The Rules of the Game - Jean Renoir (1939)
Spellbound - Alfred Hitchcock (1945)
Miracle in Milan - Vittorio de Sica (1951)
High Noon - Fred Zinneman (1952)
The Big Heat - Fritz Lang (1953)
La Strada - Federico Fellini (1954)
Ordet - Carl Theodor Dreyer (1955)
Viridiana - Luis Bunuel (1961)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - John Ford (1962)
Repulsion - Roman Polanski (1965)
Damnation - Bela Tarr (1989)
Dead Man - Jim Jarmusch (1995)