Top 15 Modern Black and White Movies
Published on June 7, 2008 - 127 Comments
Once the days of color movies were well established, a few directors returned to black and white - either for effect, or sometimes even cost. This list is a summary of the best work produced in black and white in modern times. By modern I mean movies that were made using black and white for effect even though color was the most common film format. Films that use splashes of color are allowed, but films which use a lot of full frame color are not (this excludes Pleasantville and American History X). Many thanks to Blogball for suggesting this topic in the forums. NOTE: This list includes only one film per director - for that reason you may find one or two you love missing.
Down By Law is an independent film which tells the story of the arrest, incarceration, and escape of three men from prison. Slow moving camera work captures the environment in which they find themselves (New Orleans and the Bayous) beautifully. The film focuses on the inter-relationships between the men, as opposed to the standard jail type films which tend to focus on the mechanics of the escape. A nice bonus for this movie is that it stars singer-songwriter Tom Waits.
This Belgian black mockumentary features a crew of filmmakers who are following a spree-killer for their documentary. The film was shot on a very low budget and was filmed by four student filmmakers. The documentary makers use a “fly on the wall” approach and follow the charming main character (Benoit) as he kills for pleasure and money. The original French language title of this film is C’est arrivé près de chez vous (It happened near to your house).
This is probably one of the Cohen Brother’s lesser known films, but it is certainly not one that should be neglected. The film tells the story of a man trying to escape from his humdrum life and it stars Billy Bob Thornton, Scarlett Johansson, and Frances McDormand. The film was actually shot on color film but was released (as intended) in black and white - to give more authenticity to its setting - the 1950s. When it was released, a couple of reels were accidentally released in color.
This film (directed by the director of Requiem for a Dream) is about a Mathematical Genius. Due to his genius with numbers, he is pursued by Wall Street companies who want him to work form for financial gains. Add to the mix some strange theories on numbers in the Torah and you have a fascinating, and bizarre movie. The movie was made on a low budget and was filmed on black and white reversal film (a film type that gives you a positive image on the original without having to go through the negative process).
This movie describes a day in the life of two clerks in New jersey. It covers their various mishaps and misdemeanors, which include drug dealers, a wake, a dead customer, and a lot of abuse of customers. The film was shot entirely in black and white and was financed entirely by the director (who sold his comic book collection and maxed out a bunch of credit cards to raise the funds). In total it cost $27,575 to make, and has since made over 3.1 million US dollars.
This indie film was produced on a budget of $114,000 US dollars and has made over 40 million worldwide. The film had a great influence of Vietnam-era USA because of its subtle critiques of society. The special effects were all done on the cheap - for example, all of the blood was Bosco chocolate syrup, and mortician’s wax was used to create the zombie effects. The black and white guerilla style filming has been described as giving the unflinching authority of a wartime newsreel.
La Haine is a brilliant film about three young men in Paris - an Arab, a Jew, and a Black. The three friends are struggling during times of racial unrest and the film centers around the consequences of a policeman shooting an arab during race riots. I have to confess that this is my all time favorite French film, so be sure to watch it. The black and white film adds to the feeling of authenticity in the riot scenes and might even be considered to be a commentary on the racial aspects of the film (ie, no color signifies the hope that we will live in a world free of color discrimination).
Ed Wood is a cult movie based on the life of the cross-dressing film director the same name. When Tim Burton announced that he wanted to film entirely in black and white, Columbia Pictures refused - saying that it would make the film impossible to sell in foreign markets and on video. Burton refused to change his mind and eventually ended up making the film for Disney where he had complete control. The film only made 5.8 million dollars, but it was highly acclaimed by critics.
Young Frankenstein is a comedy starring Gene Wilder. The film parodies Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein - in fact, many of the props were the same as those used in the 1930 film of the same tale. To further enhance the atmosphere of the film, Brooks decided to film it entirely in black and white - an unusual choice for its time. The film also used 1930s style scene transitions such as fades to black, wipes and iris outs.
Manhattan is a comedy directed by and starring Woody Allen. The film won the BAFTA award for best film. Woody Allen decided to film in black and white because that was how he remembered Manhattan from his childhood - through picture postcards and books. Allen said: “In Manhattan I really think that we succeeded in showing the city. When you see it there on that big screen it’s really decadent.” When the movie was released to video, Allen demanded that it be released in the same aspect ratio as the big screen - highly unusual at the time.
The film Sin City was based on the graphic novel of the same name by Frank Miller. This film is one of the few fully digital, live-action motion pictures. This technique also means that the whole film was initially shot in full color, and was converted back to high-quality black-and-white. Colorization was added later to each scene and the whole thing was treated for heightened contrast to give more separation to the blacks and whites (as is often seen in the film noir tradition).
The Elephant Man is a biopic based loosely around the life of Joseph Merrick (a sufferer of Proteus Syndrome - not elephantiasis as is commonly thought). The film was a surprise hit and received eight academy award nominations. The black and white film style gives an authentically historical feeling to this film which is set in the Victorian era. The film was produced by Mel Brooks, who played down his involvement so as to not have people think it might be a comedy.
“Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” is a film based on the cold war thriller book Red Alert by Peter George. The film satirizes the doctrine of mutual assured destruction. The film is made entirely in Black and White which some say helps to put an unadorned face on the issues being dealt with. This is, beyond a doubt, one of Kubrick’s greatest movies.
Schindler’s List is based on the life of Oskar Schindler - a German businessman who saved the life of over 1,000 Jews during the second world war. The decision to film in black and white was made to give a timeless feel to the film and it was based on German Expressionism and Italian neorealism. The black and white filming caused difficulties for the set designers who were used to working in color; they had to darken the sets and costumes in order to prevent the actors from blending in. The color red was added to one girl’s coat in order to symbolize the blood on the hands of the allied forces who did nothing to help the Jews at the time.
Raging Bull is based on the life story of temperamental boxer Jake LaMotta (played by Robert De Niro). Initially the film received mixed reactions, but it is now considered to be one of the greatest films ever made - along with Taxi Driver - also starring De Niro and directed by Scorsese. Scorsese and the cinematographer (Michael Chapman) decided to film entirely in black and white in order to add period authenticity - the film was set in the 1940s and both men remembered boxing from the period in black and white photographs. The final decision to go black and white was made to help differentiate the film from other boxing movies being released around the same time (such as Rocky).
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1. astraya - June 7th, 2008 at 6:25 am
Having submitted a recent list, I know you’ll be inundated with people saying “What about …?”
What about “Dean Man”?
2. Kevin - June 7th, 2008 at 6:27 am
Good list, I can’t think of anything missing. Have you ever done a list of influential short films?
3. Alicia - June 7th, 2008 at 6:33 am
I’ve only ever seen Schindler’s List, but it was a great movie. Even if it was like 4 hours long.
4. stevenh - June 7th, 2008 at 6:35 am
great list - interesting order.
thanks
5. rushfan - June 7th, 2008 at 6:44 am
Great list. I hadn’t realized just how many modern movies were made in black and white, and I’ve actually seen most of them. I absolutely loved the man who wasn’t there.
6. JwJwBean - June 7th, 2008 at 6:47 am
Nice Job!! I like the ones you added to the list. Especially the foreign films. Gives something for me to go look for on Netflix and get to watch.
7. WarningDontReadThis - June 7th, 2008 at 7:04 am
I love Sin city, first time I saw it I was amazed. I really wanna see Ed Wood and Schindlers list.
Great list!
8. walter - June 7th, 2008 at 7:05 am
kafka (1991) w/jeremy irons.
9. theturbolemming - June 7th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Great list! I’m gonna have to check some of theseo ut..
10. Randallphobia - June 7th, 2008 at 7:19 am
“Psycho” seems to be an odd choice to be left off of this list. Hitchcock had already filmed in color before this film, but the black & white treatment makes everything from the infamous shower scene to the final reveal of Norman Bates’ mother all the more chilling.
Other than this lack, I love your list.
11. Kreachure - June 7th, 2008 at 7:22 am
Great list, they’re all amazing movies without doubt.
There aren’t a lot of modern movies in black and white (i.e. since the 60’s), and several of those do have full color scenes. So, I’d say the only movie missing from this list that’s worth mentioning is Eraserhead, but I could be wrong.
12. Kreachure - June 7th, 2008 at 7:26 am
Well darn, I spaced out on Psycho. Psycho and Eraserhead. I stick with those two.
13. loseitbonkers - June 7th, 2008 at 7:31 am
this is a fantastic list.
there are so many good films on this list.
i would have to agree with kreachure, also, that eraserhead may deserve at least an honorable mention.
14. Sam - June 7th, 2008 at 7:47 am
So happy to see Pi on this list! Loved that movie.
15. skipps - June 7th, 2008 at 8:15 am
Great list! But I think you left out Good Night, and Good Luck.
16. Metalwrath - June 7th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Some great films here.
Man Bites Dog is absolutely brilliant!
17. EricB - June 7th, 2008 at 8:19 am
while i’ve heard of a lot of these movies, “clerks” is the only one that I have actually seen, lol
18. ninjajim - June 7th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Great list, though in the description of number one, its “Taxi Driver” not “Taxi” that De Niro and Scorsese collaborated again in.
19. Miss Destiny - June 7th, 2008 at 8:41 am
I’ve only seen Clerks and Sin City on this list, great movies! I guess I’ll have to check some of these out.
I’m glad Psycho isn’t on the list. I hated that movie!
20. Joel - June 7th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Great variety of films on this list! What other list would include both Schinder’s List and Clerks!?
21. Femo - June 7th, 2008 at 9:12 am
I had no idea that The Elephant Man was a newer film. I had watched it as a kid, and thought that it was made in the 40’s or 50’s or something. Interesting.
I was also worried that you weren’t going to include Schindler’s list when I didn’t see it right away. Whenever I think of modern day, black and white film, that’s the one that always pops into my head immediatly.
22. AnotherEngine - June 7th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Good job including Jarmusch in the list. Stranger Than Paradise is another great B&W one.
23. Blogball - June 7th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Ingenious topic for a list! Seriously though, this is a really cool list.
I forgot all about Dr Strangelove (One of my favorite films)
I was happy to see Raging Bull at the top.
Listverser Fun Fact: I actually worked as an extra in Raging Bull in the boxing crowd scenes for 3 weeks.
This obviously is the reason it won best picture at the Academy Awards.
24. chris - June 7th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Good list, I just saw Sin City, and it was amazing.
25. Cedestra - June 7th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Only 5/15 watched. /sigh Gots me some watchins to do. I’ve been watching the AFI Top 100, so that’s why I’ve seen Dr. Strangelove (which was, to borrow the phrase, bloody brilliant).
I’m with Femo- I didn’t realize that The Elephant Man was done in the last 30 years. It has that graininess to it that made me think it was an old film.
I used to hate black and white shows and movies. I thought they were “adult and boring”. I really disliked Dennis the Menace, that was an older, black and white show.
OH! I thought of one! What about Pleasantville? Technically black and white at the beginning and in full color at the end, but still a black and white film.
26. Csimmons - June 7th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Awesome list, knew Sin City and Clerks would be on here so great, can’t think of anything to add to it.
27. Katie - June 7th, 2008 at 10:06 am
What about Dead Man? Another Jim Jarmusch, I know, but still a great movie. And all black and white.
28. SocialButterfly - June 7th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Excellent list Jamie!! It turned out very well! I completely forgot about Dr. Strangelove!
Blogball (#23):Obviously… why would it have won for any other reason that your exclusive big screen debut!?
29. UselessCamper - June 7th, 2008 at 10:09 am
RumbleFish
30. Jackson - June 7th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Are you kidding me? How could you have missed “coffee and cigarettes?????” That movie could have easily bumped off a few of the movies on this list…least of all “clerks” unacceptable.
31. Diamond_Dragon - June 7th, 2008 at 10:28 am
The Elephant Man with Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt.
Elephant Man’s real name seems to have been “Joseph Carey Merrick” not John Merrick
Great list as usual!
32. playyahplay - June 7th, 2008 at 10:30 am
“Clerks” at 11….really.
33. Saad Akhtar - June 7th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Agree with 30 - Jackson: Coffee and Cigarettes should’ve been added. The film is like a collection of well framed and exposed black and white photos.
34. YogiBarrister - June 7th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Great concept, well written entries and introduction, I can’t even think of any movies Jamie missed. WTF! I’ll be back.
35. ciunas - June 7th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Interesting list. Haven’t seen the Jarmusch film but otherwise I’d say they all justify their inclusion one way or another.
My ‘What about…?’ has to be: what about Bogdanovich’s ‘The Last Picture Show’? Fantastic monochrome movie made in 1971, 2 Oscars & 6 nominations…
36. goof_ball - June 7th, 2008 at 10:59 am
i love black and white movies whether theyre modern or old
37. islanderbst - June 7th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Nice list. B&W can be so stunning for the right story.
WTG Blogball and the forums peeps for inspiring this one!
btw, I really need to finally see Dr. Strangelove
38. jfrater - June 7th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Thanks for the comments so far - I should point out that the two films most being called on for inclusion are by directors already on the list - I picked one per director only - and tried to pick their best of the class. For example, Woody Allen has done at least 3 full B&W films to my knowledge - but Manhattan is his most classy.
39. jfrater - June 7th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Oh - and Coffee and Cigarettes (which I don’t like much) scored 6.8 on IMDB while Down By Law scored 7.8) - it was definitely the more logical inclusion for Jarmusch.
40. jfrater - June 7th, 2008 at 11:13 am
ciunas: I haven’t seen The Last Picture Show - I just looked it up and it looks excellent - I will definitely look out for it.
41. Scar. - June 7th, 2008 at 11:40 am
I cried when I saw Schindler’s list.
It’s just so.. man.
42. teacherman - June 7th, 2008 at 11:41 am
What about “Rumble Fish”?
43. Maheahlaurus - June 7th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Thank you for putting Man Bites Dog and La Haine. They are both great films that aren’t publicized very often. Thankfully you can get them through the Criterion Collection.
44. Angelina - June 7th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Great list! I love Young Frankenstein and The Elephant Man!
45. razshady - June 7th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
One of the best movie lists I’ve seen on here.
La Haine, Sin City, Man Bites Dog, Clerks, Man who wasn’t there and Strangelove are amazing.
46. AA - June 7th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
no american history x?
47. MPW - June 7th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Hmmm… Let’s see……… Great List
Schindler’s List is amazing. glad it is included
48. Schiesl - June 7th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
I LOVE David Lynch, as much as i loved elephant man, i think Eraserhead should have been on here though. that one is one of the most intresting and disturbing of any movie ever made
49. YogiBarrister - June 7th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
For Your Consideration:
Good Night and Good Luck
Chan Is Missing
Lenny
Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid
Persepolis(animated)
Control( I haven’t seen it yet but it’s at the top of my Netflix queue)
Le Dernier Combat(no color, not even any dialogue)
50. Carrie - June 7th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Paper Moon. Love that movie.
51. jackit - June 7th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I figured Clerks and Schindler’s List would be on this! I started watching them both and didnt realize it was in black and white until halfway through!
52. Catia - June 7th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Ed Wood and Schindler’s List! Those are some of the best films I’ve ever saw! Great List!
Nothing to do with this list, but I think it would be great if you made a list of the best dance moves ever. Because I just saw this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSdhDyPhyiU
and I was amazed ;P
53. Will - June 7th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
has anyone here heard of andrew bujalski’s mutual appreciation?
54. A.K - June 7th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Dream for an Insomniac would be a nice Bonus one. Its only partially black and white but the effect is great
55. John Pontoon - June 7th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
“Coffee and Cigarettes” and “Dead Man” were both by Jim Jarmusch, the director of #15 “Down By Law.” Likewise “Eraserhead” and #4 “The Elephant Man,” both David Lynch films. Our listmaker said he was only doing one movie per director. Golly, don’t you guys read the whole thing before posting?
One quick correction: By his own account, Martin Scorsese began filming “Raging Bull” in color, but when he was screening dailies for his hero Michael Powell, Powell pointed out the gaudiness of the red boxing gloves which took all focus from every scene. This, per Scorsese, was his main motivation for switching to B & W filming.
56. Cyrious Garnetski - June 7th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Good list. I would have included Some Like It Hot.
57. Lenore - June 7th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Schindler’s List is amazing!! I haven’t seen many of the other ones though. Looks like I have some movie watching to do!
58. BooRadley - June 7th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
What an awesome list! There were several movies there that I’ve never seen that I wrote down for my NetFlix list. Thank you!
I thought Schindler’s List was the greatest movie ever made. I would definitely have put it at #1. I sobbed all the way through it and for hours afterward. He really brought home the sheer evil of the Nazi Regime and the astounding courage of the many people who worked in the underground to try to save lives. This was truly Spielberg’s masterpiece.
59. Ryon - June 7th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Dead Man with Johnny Depp should be #1.
60. Vera Lynn - June 7th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
This has nothing to do with anything. At least 2 tornadoes came through this way. Trucks overturned. Rooves blown off. Big winds,lots of flooding. Just a little bit afraid, and a little too alone.
61. Vera Lynn - June 7th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
That being said, Young Frankenstein floored me. Comedy is not my favorite genre. Sin City was amazing. I am very into “graphic novels” (comic books)and loved this series. They presented it true to the book beautifully. I own American History X and there are no words to explain the lessons leared:the lessons taught. I saw Schindler’s List in the theater. I remember EVERY scene. I can never forget. It hurt so much to watch it once, I’ll never watch it again. Paper Moon is an absolute treat. I can watch that again and again. Tatum O’Neil stole the show. When she was getting change from the clerk is great!
62. Ryan - June 7th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Nice list. Hahaha happy to see clerks on here
63. ouiareborg - June 7th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Bad enough to have Sin City there. But, you have it in front of Manhattan AND Young Frankenstein. Clerks is so over-rated. Kevin Smith was in the right place at the right time. Another time, he would have been laughed at. It’s like The Ramones made it because of the time period. A great band(see Beatles)would be successful in any time period. Will Ferrill is successful now, when, based on his talent, 20 years ago he’d struggle to get extra work. I’m beginning to believe that a lot of people here watch American Idol. Sad.
64. Bob Graham - June 7th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
I second the inclusion of “The Last Picture Show” (I probably would have put it at number 2, behind “Raging Bull”). By rules of the list, this would knock out “Paper Moon” as both were directed by Peter Bogdoanvitch (who chose black and white for LPS because he could shoot deep focus more sharply than color). Including “Dr Strangelove” is a little dicey, because at the time of it’s release, black and white films were still realtively common, but if we are going to include from the early sixites, I would defintiely include Arthur Penn’s “Mickey One” (it would be in my top 5) and Billy Wilder’s “One, Two, Three”(one of the funniest films ever made!).
65. YogiBarrister - June 7th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
You’re right ouiareborg, everybody here is an imbecile. You are so sophisticated, you put us all to shame. BTW Sin City should not be ranked ahead of Young Frankenstein or Manhattan but visually it is one of the greatest films ever made. They managed to duplicate the Frank Miller’s style perfectly. For that reason alone it ranks up near the top of the movies made from comic books. In fact, with Batman Returns and 300, Miller is the source for some spectacular cinema. Movies are afterall, primarily a visual meduim, so this isn’t that surprising. Alfred Hitchcock would create the story boards of his movies first, that’s how important artists like Frank Miller are.
66. MPW - June 7th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
ouiareborg: and im sure charlie chaplin would be knockin’ em’ dead these days.
comedy changes with generations pal
and who gives a shit about American Idol. Are you angry because your favorite didnt win.
67. Ghostie - June 7th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Control. (2007, Anton Corbijn)
68. Billy - June 7th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Good list and great effort putting this thing together. Everybody’s got an opinion why it sucks to see some things left out. Here’s mine…….
Under the Cherry Moon? Prince’s Fellini-esque farce with Jerome Benton and Kristin Scott Thomas. It’s an acquired taste!
Rumblefish? Francis Ford Coppola’s homage to 1940’s cinema that starred Mickey Rourke, Matt Dillon, Tom Waits and his up-and-coming nephew Nicolas. Another SE Hinton story done on the heels of “The Outsiders”.
Paper Moon? Everybody’s favorite relapsing addict, Tatum O’Neal in her first role at 9 years old. She won an Oscar for best supporting actress for this, her very fist role.
69. abferry - June 8th, 2008 at 12:59 am
I’m sort of amazed at the inclusion of Clerks. Sin City has some fabulous effects shots, and it totally deserves to be there, but I would have placed it behind both La Haine and Manhattan. Also, I would have chosen Stranger Than Paradise instead of Down By Law. Overall, great list.
70. jelly - June 8th, 2008 at 1:08 am
Great list!! I clicked on it hoping to see “The Man Who Wasn’t There,” and was thrilled to see it! I loved that movie, and am glad that I’m not the only one who’s seen it.
Stroke of genius adding Clerks. I have Jay and Silent Bob tattooed on me. No joke.
71. John Pontoon - June 8th, 2008 at 1:42 am
Nothing to do with anything, but I’ve seen 14 of the 15 movies here - everything except La Haine. That’s got to be the highest percentage I’ve ever matched up to anyone’s list of anything.
72. capo - June 8th, 2008 at 2:30 am
where is RUMBLEFISH?????
73. astraya - June 8th, 2008 at 2:55 am
Damn. Down by Law rates 7.8 in IMDB. Dead Man only rates 7.7.
Why only only film per director? It’s like making a list of the greatest operas and choosing only one opera per composer. I’ve got Figaro so I can’t have Giovanni.
74. revolver0410 - June 8th, 2008 at 3:42 am
Wow, one of the best lists on the Verse! But, yeah, I agree with post 73. Where the hell is Dead Man?!
75. Spart - June 8th, 2008 at 5:48 am
John Pontoon - do yourself a favour and watch La Haine (~the hate) a see a young Vincent Cassel.
I was watching man bites dog in the varsity common room one time, and a first year came in and watched about 10 minutes. He freaked, didn’t get the mock part of mockumentary at all.
76. eaglearcher - June 8th, 2008 at 6:31 am
Good Night and Good Luck?
Not even a mention? Kuddo? “Just almost made it” nod?
77. ohrmets - June 8th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Yeah, I second the “Psycho” comments. It was deliberately filmed in black and white to give it a grainy, “B-movie” look.
78. billyrules! - June 8th, 2008 at 10:42 am
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
79. Yossarian - June 8th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Good list. I’ve seen “Raging Bull”, “Schindler’s List”, “The Man Who Wasn’t There”, “Dr. Strangelove”, “Sin City”, and “Pi”. I’ve been wanting to watch a lot of the other ones, especially “Young Frankenstein” and “Man Bites Dog”. Surprinsed you even mentioned the latter–not a lot of people I know have even heard about it.
80. Bill - June 8th, 2008 at 11:36 am
You guys forgot “Paper Moon”! That was a great little flick. A dysfunctional real-life father and daughter–made an Oscar winning movie about a dysfunctional father and daughter in the 1930’s, and hilarity was the result both on screen and real life. Priceless.
81. Joshua - June 8th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Not to nitpick, but why is black and white capitalized in #3?
82. Rocknopera - June 8th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
How is Schindler’s list number #2? No disrespect to Raging bull… But come on.
83. Noah - June 8th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
what about Good Night and Good Luck?
84. Jonny Red - June 8th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Rooves blown off? Christ this is why God keeps punishing Arkansas…inbreeding is bad!
85. MonkeyGoneToHeaven - June 8th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
cloony is a communist
86. Kasey - June 8th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
12 Angry Men…..
87. longball - June 9th, 2008 at 6:01 am
sin city was the shizz nit…
88. T - June 9th, 2008 at 10:14 am
I think Dee Are Strangelove is my favorite movie of all time right now… and I have only seen it once.
89. copperdragon - June 9th, 2008 at 10:54 am
had no idea Clerks was B/W!!!
i’m gonna watch Sin City tonite (for the umpteenth time)
90. cocololo - June 9th, 2008 at 11:43 am
“young frankenstein” was the greatest.
“eye-gor!”
“fro-drick!”
“he must have an enormus vanschtooker…. woof.”
haha EPIC!!!
great list, man
91. a_guy - June 9th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
What about 13 Tzameti?
92. John - June 9th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I don’t know if Dr. Strangelove really belongs on there since it’s not really modern. There are plenty of better movies that came out in the early 60’s that came out in b&w. Even if you do think it’s better than everything else being released at that time, it’s still not a modern movie. Night of the Living Dead is pushing it, but at least at that time most movies were being released in color and it was filmed in b&w to save money.
93. Troy - June 9th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Thought I would bring up The Battle of Algiers that was filmed in 1966. Not only is it a good film, but I think it was screened by members of the U.S. defense department prior to the invasion of Iraq. Obviously they didn’t take a thing away from it except for the blatant imperialism it depicts.
94. big_bro_shane - June 9th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
How about the Carl Reiner/Steve Martin classic “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid”? The send-up and homage to film noir of the thirties and forties filmed in black and white as to make use of the footage from those classics allowing Martin to interact with Bogart, Laughton, Bette Davis, Vincent Price, Alan Ladd, etc. And consider the seamless editing from a time well before CGI effects. It’s just the movie to ‘adjust your willy’…especially if you’re willy hasn’t been adjusted like that in a long time.
95. Clark - June 9th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Good Night and Good Luck?
96. TrilithonOfKutulu - June 10th, 2008 at 12:10 am
I am disappointed by the lack of Rumblefish…good list…but…no Rumblefish!
97. TrilithonOfKutulu - June 10th, 2008 at 12:26 am
And ERASERHEAD!!!! Muuuuuuch better than Rumblefish.
98. jfrater - June 10th, 2008 at 4:31 am
TrilithonOfKutulu: I excluded Eraserhead because I already had a David Lynch film and felt it was better. But - so you don’t feel that we are ignoring it entirely, I should point out that it is included on some other lists
99. Alonos - June 10th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
I think Following of Chris Nolan is also a very good movie in B/W
100. doxx - June 11th, 2008 at 8:07 am
13 Tzameti & Control
101. psychosurfer - June 11th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Maybe I´ll get crucified but in my opinion Shindler´s list is totally overestimated (the holocaust theme never fails), although this may be his best film, but c´mon Spielberg is no good american people!
102. Randall - June 11th, 2008 at 9:26 am
psychosurfer:
I will *totally* back you up on your opinion about “Schindler’s List” AND Spielberg. “Schindler’s List” is VERY overrated (I found it rather pretentious actually, though of course terribly horrifying) and it betrays what Spielberg has always been about–namely, that he has always had a knack for exploiting (and I do mean EXPLOITING) the visceral as a means of making a cinematic impact on the audience. Now yes, people like this–it can be fun, moving, stomach-churning, terrifying–but in the end it is ONLY visceral. That’s all Spielberg has. So he has a peculiar talent, and a great knack for sticking it to his audience when he wants to… but it ends there. This works well for a “Jaws” or an Indiana Jones movie–which are your basic popcorn flicks, pure entertainment—but falls way short of the mark when Spielberg is trying to be “deep” or make a point of some kind—such as with “Close Encounters” or “Schindler’s List.” To my thinking the only time he managed to get close to a more complete vision was with “Saving Private Ryan,” but even there it still came up short. (Compare, for instance, that film with Clint Eastwood’s “Flags of Our Fathers” or “Letters from Iwo Jima.”)
Spielberg is HUGELY overrated in this country. And the sad thing is, it’s actually the fact that Spielberg, Lucas, DePalma, Scorcese and their ilk are the guys who have *ruined* Hollywood… and kids these days now don’t know any better.
103. SlickWilly - June 11th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Randall: Whoa, whoa, whoa…I’ll agree about Spielberg, and *especially* George Lucas. But Brian DePalma? Martin Scorcese??! How have *they* ruined Hollywood?
104. Randall - June 11th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Slick:
Ugh. Would require a lengthy lesson in film theory and history. I’m short on time just at the moment.
Suffice to say that all these guys (and some others) all came out at about the same time, and many of them even knew each other and worked together. And they all have the same inherent problem–they are all about the visceral—and that’s it. I realize Scorcese is considered an American master now, but I just don’t agree. He has the same basic issue that Spielberg has. Had I more time I could offer examples.
Basically, though, the preeminence of these guys, flaw in hand, has led to the dumbing down of Hollywood, and the overwhelming economic focus on the blockbuster, to the ruination of the industry in an artistic sense. And that’s true of Scorcese as much as Spielberg.
When I have more time I’ll expand on this.
105. Diogenes - June 11th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Same generation of filmmakers that ended an era with the late seventies to beginning eighties Hollywood. True, these guys are not like the early years ( as the next generation..and the 2-3-4ect. afterwards that are the part of the current now). The visceral gut burst it’s high point with the slasher films of the same time period and this grouping of Spielberg, Scorcese, Lucas, DePalma is part of the school of half in/half out; The birth of the megabuster.
And the megabuster reached it’s altered stated apex in the mid 90’s—and then computers was wriggling out of the larva stage and no longer a gimmick and it took some time…Digital…while film schools were flip-flapping out their burgers(aka film students…) all the while.
This Generation of Filmakers that I am guessing, Randall has a beef with,
106. thewebrpomoter - June 11th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
lousy lists!
107. WarningDontReadThis - June 11th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Wow, Randall. Surely you’re a exagerating a bit? How have they ruined hollywood?
108. Charlie - June 11th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
No American History X? Skip the French indie films, give me some Ed Norton curb stomping
109. gguy - June 12th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Did “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid” ever enter into contention to make the list?
110. jfrater - June 12th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
gguy yes - it did.
Charlie: American History X is not black and white - it contains some black and white but is mostly color - that excludes it based on the first paragraph of the list.
111. gguy - June 12th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Love the list, but I would have moved Young Frankenstein up higher. These things are always subjective though aren’t they?
I love these lists man.
112. Randall - June 12th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
warning/diogenes:
Please remind me to return to this subject. I simply haven’t the time now. But it’s one of my favorites. And yes–those guys DID help to ruin Hollywood.
113. sistaquel - June 13th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Great list!
I was really hoping to see “Man of the Century.” It’s about a twenties-era man living in modern day. Seeing the difference in the eras was intriguing and quirky.
114. EJF - June 13th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
A Hard Day’s Night
115. ShaKha - June 14th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Dig the list! I really love how you went away from the conventional choices and put on lesser known (at least I think they’re lesser known) stuff. I almost don’t want to say what about…but what about Control? Or Roadkill? Those are the only two I can think of right now.
116. Dan - June 14th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
you put raging bull ahead of Schindlers list!
117. rushfan - June 16th, 2008 at 5:16 am
I watched Paper Moon this weekend. It was great. Tatum O’Neal really deserved that Oscar. Whenever I see Ryan O’Neal, I think of Irreconcilable Differences. I love that movie!
118. jjams - June 20th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
great list but forgetting one great film from the seventies…………. “The Last Picture Show” a masterpiece!
119. V - June 22nd, 2008 at 3:00 am
Control by Anton Corbijn, I think it’s more recent than your entire list.
120. JohnT - June 23rd, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Though not as recent as the ones on your list, my favorite B&W movies include:
THE BRIDGE, a film about a small group of 16-year-old German boys pulled out of high school into the army and assigned to hold a bridge in their village against the invading allies. Their adult sergeant goes off to eat or drink and dies, leaving them without leadership. Despite this, they hold off an entire American division for a full day, each dying in the process. It’s a wonderful anti-war movie from the early 1960s and the effects are extremely realistic.
THE VALLEY OF PEACE (also early 1960s), a Czechoslovakian film about children caught up in World War II who lose their parents and try to find the valley in which their great-uncle has a farm. Through many vicissitudes, they arrive safely in the valley. Yes, another anti-war movie.
THE LONGEST DAY (1962), perhaps the best World War II movie ever made, with the longest all-star cast list in history.
121. thepennymachine - June 24th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
eraserhead!?! Where is it?!?
122. thepennymachine - June 24th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
A lot of people say that they wish 12 angry men was on this list, and many people were using color but it was still in that black and white era
123. GuesssWho - July 13th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
What about Sweeney Todd?
124. dustin - August 3rd, 2008 at 3:14 pm
i think clerks should be a little bit high, around the 4 to 5 range. And i guess 8 1/2 is too old?