watch more black and white classic movies (pre-1950)

If you haven’t seen, It Happened One Night, I recommend that one. It’s just a really good story. One I don’t recommend is Jezebel, i think that was the name of it. Stupid annoying movie if you ask me.

Instead of getting the regular channels I decided to opt for an obscure movie channel package from my digital cable company. One channel features only old black and white movies.

I studied early time-based art history in university and really enjoyed my semesters spent by the dim flickering light of the silver screen.

Anyway, if you’re into a lush visual experience take a look at these old movies. The attention to detail and perfection far exceeds the disposable attitutes of mass-market cinema today. They said a lot more in 5 minutes of a silent film than an hour of today’s Hollywood blockbusters.

I wholeheartedly recommend my two black and white favs
“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1919) and the new, yet similar Canadian counterpart “The Saddest Music in the World” (2003) which is modern, but feels just as old.

Seen Sunset Boulevard, The Manchurian Candidate, Citizen Kane, A streetcar named desire,

Need to see Grand Hotel, Dr. Strangelove

others?

Well…I have been watching more black and white movies this week and it made me think of this goal I made so long ago! I love old movies tonight I watched part of one (two girls and a sailor) and it was adorable. I love the costumes and simple filming. :-)

This was a genre I loved as a small child, with the belief that bogart and his contemporaries were the coolest guys ever…

Hitchcock’s silent film, very similar to all of his films. His fascination with blonds begins. If anyone knows why all of the footage at night on this version had a strange bluish tinge, I would like to know the answer…

Not as “swashbuckly” as I expected and Princess Flavia is a bit insipid next to Ronald Colman, but fun. I would watch this with a double feature of the “Princess Bride”.

Wonderful movie and I don’t even like musicals with the elaborate staging. Luise Rainer is excellent, so I will look for her in more movies.

If you are into production and costuming, this one is for you.

Lovely movie with great characters and witty dialogue. If this is the originator of the romantic comedy than lots of movies with this classification do not deserve the label.

Worth it for the hitch hiking scene alone.

I’ve seen this one before and it is still great: the dialogue is sharp and witty and the set up for revealing the murder is fresh for its time, but a funny cliched ending for our time. Still worth watching and I am going to (finally) read the book…