Of Black and White and Shades of Gray

I've mentioned numerous times that I like old black and white movies. This is true. In fact, my favorite decade for old movies is the 30's. I often use the cliche' "They don't make 'em like that anymore."

In the past several days I've had an opportunity to see two modern productions presented in black and white. The first one was a film noir-ish episode of Monk. The other was a sequence of a Tom Arnold movie called Chasing Christmas. Both were well done, well written, well acted and had decent production values. Neither one, in my opinion, worked.

I think this is because the authentic old movies brought with them a reflection of everything that that time was made of. The hopes and dream of everyone from the costume department to the director made it to the silver screen. The times, the politics; the depression, prohibition; the dust bowl, and gangsters. All were reflected through the writing and the actors. The attitudes necessary to perform the roles were genuine and true. And the movies, back then, captured the comedy and pathos of the times.

Having re-read that last paragraph I've also come to realize that all of those things are still true of today's movies. Sure, the special effects and action sequences are light years ahead of the old movies, but the heart of the current movies are still comprised of the times in which they are being created. They still reflect the cultural attitudes and political landscape. They are a mirror of these times and, in time, will either praise or condemn us to future audiences.

So what makes me a fan of the old time movies? I think it is because the issues back then were more black and white. In our Technicolor world there are too many shades of gray. People make too many deals with the devil. We trade away our values for trinkets anymore. And it is getting worse because we, as a nation and as a society, are not being permitted to pass on what values we have left. In a land that purports to honor diversity, faith and morality must hide their heads in shame for fear of offending the new comers. "Merry Christmas" and a simple prayer of thanks can get you sued.

Maybe watching the old time movies is escapism. But isn't all entertainment? I think maybe the old movies are a better place to escape to. Back then, people could do far more with far less. And I am beginning to understand that, more than their "production values", I appreciate their values.

They truly don't make 'em like that anymore.

.

This Blog is Based Upon Actual Movies

I love old black and white movies. One of the reasons I like them is realism. Yeah, I know they can be a little hokey in special effects and the moralities are outdated but they also didn't depend upon $200,000,000 special effects budgets to carry the lame ass actors through an otherwise empty suit of a script.

The B&W movies had real actors. People who weren't afraid to take on difficult character studies. They immersed themselves in a role. And the minor actors weren't all cookie cutter simulacrums of one another, as they are today. They were true character actors because they had true personalities.

They knew how to present psychological thrillers. Hitchcock knew that the ticking bomb would build suspense but he also knew that the true devastation was not in the explosive special effects but rather in the reactions and acting abilities of his actors.

And I am aware that there were some truly dreadful B&W movies made. But there were some real classics that stand the test of time, as well. How many true classics have been released recently? If you listen to the media hype for the Oscar Race you would think they were all classics. But if you strip away the rhetoric and just watch the movies you will be sadly disappointed.

I was watching a movie called 14 Hours yesterday. It was a psychological suspense movie about a man on a ledge in New York City. The movie took place in and was filmed in 1951. It starred Richard Basehart, Paul Douglas, Agnes Moorehead and Howard DaSilva. I thought it was a great movie.

As I was watching the opening credits, I realized another difference between the old B&Ws and modern movies. The old movies often had similar notices to this one:

The events and characters
depicted in this movie are entirely
fictional and any similarity to actual
occurrences or with actual persons,
either living or dead, is not intended.

In other words, the story telling and the acting were so realistic that the producers were afraid someone would be too upset by its true-to-life portrayals. On the other hand, I notice this warning at the beginning of movies now-a-days:

This story is based upon actual events.

The difference being, in most cases, that the load of crap they are trying to sell us is so unbelievable that they feel a need to say, "Hey, it could happen!"

So, yes, I do enjoy the black and white movies more. These may have been some of the reasons why I do. I am sure there are others. But I am also sure of something else. "They just don't make 'em like that, anymore."