Why one should consider watching classic black-and-white movies
This might seem a strange way to start this post, but there is a decades-long international interest in World War II. People in many nations are fascinated by the greatest shooting war of the twentieth century – and, arguably, of all time. Thus, there’s a strong subculture that’s interested in the real footage of the war. Some of that footage is in color, but much of it is instead in black-and-white. Nonetheless, people watch it anyway, because they want to see some of what the real thing looked like. It’s one of the few historical subjects that is not stigmatized as “nerdy,” because it continues to enjoy such a great following. This shows that there is still some interest in black-and-white photography, both of the moving and non-moving (or “still”) kinds. But the younger generation often has no interest in old movies, particularly when they are in black-and-white. They’ve been raised in a culture of color movies, many of which really are quite good. But I believe that there are a lot of old movies that are worth watching, too. This post will try to explain some of the reasons why.
Clark Gable and Doris Day together in “Teacher’s Pet” (1958)
Brief comments on the early silent movies, and later movies that paid homage to them
In fairness, I’ve never really been able to get into many old silent movies. And, when I watch documentaries that use silent footage from an older period, I usually appreciate it when they re-enact the sound that would have been present when these videos were taken – making it so that this footage is no longer silent. (Although I have sometimes enjoyed this footage anyway, even when this is not the case.) Although I was raised on great color movies, many of them contemporary, I was also raised on old black-and-white movies. I have even reviewed some of these older movies on my blog. These include “12 Angry Men,” “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington,” and “Judgment at Nuremberg” – with another that briefly discusses “Teacher’s Pet.” I’ve also watched some movies (mainly comedies) that take place in the silent-movie era, which pay homage to these silent films. These include “Singin’ in the Rain,” “The Three Amigos,” and the Twilight Zone episode “Once Upon A Time.” And I have some limited experience with the films of Charlie Chaplin, including one of his later “soundies” (talking films, or “talkies”), called “The Great Dictator.” Thus, I know a little about what great work these older generations produced, in both the silent-film and “talkie” eras. Some of these films are truly fantastic.
Rod Serling, presenter of the Twilight Zone, and writer of many of its episodes
The pros and cons of “colorizing” the old black-and-white movies
Thus, some modern studios have tried to market these films to younger generations through colorization. That is, they turn the original black-and-white footage into color films. But for most of these movie clips, we can only guess as to what the original colors were. If someone took a color picture during a movie take, we might be able to know what that scene would have looked like on-set. But taking such color pictures on the set was rare for black-and-white movies, so most of this is just guesswork – even if educated guesswork. To me, it would be like taking a painting, and changing all of the colors on it. You might get something beautiful, which is more “accessible” to the younger generation. But you would lose the artistic achievements of the original director, and stray somewhat from that director’s artistic vision. Thus, I am often a critic of colorization efforts – although I’m all right with people having the freedom to change things from the original, at least where this is allowed by copyright laws. That is, my criticisms tend to be on artistic grounds, rather than legal grounds. Colorization of real historical footage can bring its own problems, because the colorization is often badly done. For example, I’ve seen World War Two documentaries where the uniforms of one side (or even both sides) are in the wrong color, because of inaccurate colorization. Some of these World War Two documentaries are still good despite this, but it does compromise their quality in some ways. (Good ones in this vein include “World War II in Colour,” or “Greatest Events of World War II in Colour” – which I may or may not review later.)
American troops landing at Omaha Beach on D-Day – Normandy, France (1944)
I find many of the old movies (color and otherwise) to be a little more kid-friendly
And regarding Hollywood movies from the older times (color and otherwise), many of them have certain advantages over contemporary movies. That is, they tend to have less sex, nudity, graphic violence, and even profanity. I recognize that older movies can be politically incorrect, and that this can make modern viewers uncomfortable. But I still find old movies (on the whole) to be more kid-friendly – encouraging cleaner language, and avoiding things that would lead young children into … certain kinds of behaviors. I personally believe that minors should delay these behaviors until a more appropriate age, and kids should enjoy the things that come with innocence in the meantime. Old movies are good at encouraging this. When they talk about sex at all, they are more likely to talk about themes of responsibility. These films are also more likely to depict traditional nuclear families, where children are raised by both of their parents. I recognize that this is not always possible (particularly today), but I still consider it to be an ideal to strive for wherever possible. Many marriages can be saved, and many marriages should be saved. I wonder how many twentieth-century families were influenced by relatively healthy families in television and movies, and by a culture that encouraged fidelity in marriage – not to mention shared participation in parenting responsibilities, including by fathers. Perhaps some modern families can still be influenced by these old family models in the older movies – including the much-maligned Disney-made children’s films of the era.
Abbott and Costello, a classic comedy duo
Keeping an open mind with regards to comedies, dramas, and all kinds of old movies
As with modern films, some of these older films (black-and-white or color) are duds, while others are gems. I’ve seen some fairly bad old movies, just like I’ve seen some fairly bad modern movies. And I’ve seen some great old movies, just like I’ve seen some great modern movies. The trick is knowing which ones to take a chance on, and being open to a different kind of film. If you don’t have much experience with older movies, you might consult with someone (perhaps a parent or grandparent) who has experience with classic movies. It will be especially helpful if you find someone whose taste you admire, and who can recommend something that fits your preferences. Older movies can include some serious (and intense) dramas, like “To Kill A Mockingbird.” And they can include some hilarious comedies, including films from Abbott and Costello – like their brief skit “Who’s On First?,” made in the 1950s. You might find that these older films can make you laugh. Other films might speak to you on a deeper level. You might be surprised by what these films have to offer. You might be surprised by the idea that people have been thinking certain things for a long time, and have often come to much the same conclusions as we have. I often feel this way when I watch “The Twilight Zone,” and hear its take on the human condition – although not all “Twilight Zone” episodes are equally good. Many of them, though, are priceless – and still stand the test of time today.
Scene from “To Kill A Mockingbird” (1962 film)
Conclusion: The old movies are still entertaining, and are still worth watching today
Again, I’m not questioning the value of modern movies generally, and greatly admire many of those that were produced within my lifetime. I’m just saying that one should be open to trying certain kinds of things, which we may have never seen before. Some of these older films really are politically incorrect (or otherwise dated), but others are magnificent, and are still worth watching today. If there’s something “politically incorrect” in them, it might be an opportunity for a teaching moment with your kids, about how things have changed – and how things needed to change, in many cases. You could explain how older movies can be bad in some ways, and good in other ways – with the virtues compensating, at times, for the vices. Perhaps your children will be more discerning than you think, and will be able to reject the bad while still praising the good. It’s obviously up to you, but it might be something worth trying, and could give you something to think about. You might discover that life can be immeasurably enriched by what previous generations have left us. These films may make you laugh, make you cry, and open up an entire world of great entertainment to you. You might even wonder why you waited so long to start watching them.
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