Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 26th, 2023, 8:37 pm
by Arsan444
Some great choices have been posted. Other films beautifully shot in Black and White:
Sunrise
The Seventh Seal
Manhattan
Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 26th, 2023, 8:59 pm
by Belle
Oh yes, you are so right about these. Absolutely gorgeous!!!
Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 26th, 2023, 9:01 pm
by Belle
norfious wrote: ↑June 26th, 2023, 8:34 pmA Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) is probably the most visually stunning films I have ever seen. The soft focus and the exaggerated sparkles used in the scenes in the fairy forest give the setting an ethereal quality and are just gorgeous. Apologies for the low-quality videos. These were the only ones I could find of these particular scenes.
This beautiful film is in dire need of restoration!!! One Austrian and one German director. Ironic, isn't it? The language of Goethe - and producing a wonderful film from a Shakespearean text!!
Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 26th, 2023, 9:15 pm
by Allhallowsday
Duplicate posts happen here unexpectedly... DELETED
Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 26th, 2023, 9:17 pm
by Belle
"Nazi Agent", Jules Dassin, 1942 photographed by Harry Stradling. I couldn't get the picture to load.
Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 26th, 2023, 9:19 pm
by Allhallowsday
Allhallowsday wrote: ↑June 26th, 2023, 9:15 pmD.O.A. (1950) San Francisco circa 1949 exteriors night and blazing white sunlight heatwave with the villain implausibly wearing overcoat, scarf, hat...!
It's evocative. Beautiful.
Speaking of SFO, there's others, but I particularly like DARK PASSAGE (1947) look.
Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 26th, 2023, 9:50 pm
by Swithin
When I went to buy a new Sony television about 12 years ago, a friend told me to take a DVD of a beautiful black-and-white movie to the shop, to test out how it looked, because many TVs don't show black well. Here are frames of the DVD I took, from one of the most beautiful black-and-white movies.
Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 26th, 2023, 10:25 pm
by Intrepid37
I remember watching a black and white Japanese movie on DVD - it was a 1964 film called Onibaba - and being very impressed with its b&w photography.
I also saw it on TCM once, but it wasn't as impressive in that instance as it had been on the DVD viewing.
Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 27th, 2023, 1:21 am
by Belle
Swithin wrote: ↑June 26th, 2023, 9:50 pm
When I went to buy a new Sony television about 12 years ago, a friend told me to take a DVD of a beautiful black-and-white movie to the shop, to test out how it looked, because many TVs don't show black well. Here are frames of the DVD I took, from one of the most beautiful black-and-white movies.
"The Grapes of Wrath", John Ford/Gregg Toland. What a powerful film!! "....there's workin' it, and livin' and dying in it....!!"
Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 27th, 2023, 6:24 am
by Belle
"Adam's Rib". Cukor, 1949. A total masterpiece in glorious black and white:
Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 27th, 2023, 8:36 am
by GaryCooper
11.
Director King Vidor
G.C.
Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 27th, 2023, 6:24 pm
by LostHorizons
I was taken aback by the Barrymore Don Juan when I saw it yesterday, with how well it was shot. The wedding bells scene in particular was a very memorable shot.
Re: What B&W films would you consider visually "beautiful"?
Posted: June 28th, 2023, 7:16 pm
by Belle
A beautiful-looking film, with stunning performances all round. James Dunn here in the most moving scene in the film. Beautifully lit.
