Black and White Films: Black and White Cinema from Past to Present

black and white movies

black and white movies is able to reflect certain nostalgic feelings and atmosphere very well. Films, which were shot in black and white out of necessity for a period, undoubtedly created a genre of their own. This style, which lost its popularity for a while with the arrival of color cinema, later started to appear in many modern films. Films that reflect a certain period or that want to reflect certain atmosphere and themes, especially film-noir, still use black and white coloring today. In this content, we have both modern and classical periods. popular black and white movies we bring together.


26) A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014) | IMDb: 7.0

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night

  • Genre: Drama, Horror, Romance
  • Director: Ana Lily Amirpour
  • Cast: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Marshall Manesh

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night is one of the interesting examples of Iranian cinema in the recent period. The film, which tells a strange vampire story, brings a punk, feminist, lonely and vampire teenage girl to the screens. The movie, which takes place in a fictional industrial city called Bad City, is almost a rebellion against the regime in Iran.


25) Pi (1998) | IMDb: 7.4

pi 1998

  • Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery
  • Director: Darren Aronofsky
  • Cast: Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Ben Shenkman

From award-winning director Darren Aronofsky pi is a movie that tells a lot with its 60,000 dollar budget. There is a certain plot in the movie, but it feels like we are watching disjointed images, mostly montaged to each other. This takes the film, and naturally the cinematography, to the next level. In the movie, we watch a mathematician named Max Cohen solve the mystery of nature, which is based on the numerical system. Slowly approaching the limits of insanity, Cohen finds himself on the thin line between genius and insanity.


24) Eraserhead (1977) | IMDb: 7.4

Eraserhead black and white movies

  • Genre: Horror, Fantasy
  • Director: David Lynch
  • Cast: Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph

Eraserhead is the feature film debut of David Lynch, a master of mind -blowing plot twists. In the movie, which resembles a very strange dream from the movie, we witness the experiences of an interesting man named Henry Spencer. We can also call Eraserhead a situation story because we only witness a strange situation throughout the movie. In the movie, Henry Spencer learns that Mary, with whom they had an affair for a period, is pregnant. Spencer’s real nightmare begins when Mary gives birth. For Mary is a “nightmare” creature “giving birth.


23) Man Bites Dog (1992) | IMDb: 7.5

man bites dog

  • Genre: Crime, Comedy, Drama
  • Director: Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, Benoît Poelvoorde
  • Cast: Benoît Poelvoorde, Jacqueline Poelvoorde-Pappaert, Nelly Pappaert

One of the strangest examples of Belgian cinema Man Bites Dog When it comes to black and white movies, it doesn’t come to mind. The movie, which was shot in mockumentary style, features a newspaper crew of 3-4 people who feature a psychopathic serial killer in the movie. In this way, the production in question has a fiction in the form of a film within the film. Man Bites Dog captures the theme of voyeur, or x-raying, in a striking way. If Man Bites Dog is of interest to you, you can also take a look at Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, which we can consider the modern American version of the movie.




22) Rome (2018) | IMDb: 7.7

rome black and white movies

  • Genre: Drama
  • Director: Alfonso Cuarón
  • Cast: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Diego Cortina Autrey

Rome is a Netflix production rocking 2018 with 3 Oscar awards, including Best Foreign Language Film. Set in Mexico City in the 1970s, the film tells the story of a young woman named Cleo, who works as a maid. The film, which we have witnessed for 1 year in Cleo’s life, manages to engrave its name with golden letters among modern black and white films. We can also say that the film is the story of two women from different sociological backgrounds but united in a common denominator.


21) Ed Wood (1994) | IMDb: 7.8

Ed Wood

  • Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
  • Director: Tim Burton
  • Cast: Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker

Ed Wood , is a famous director who made films in the golden age of Hollywood, but Ed Wood’s reputation comes from the fact that the films he made were quite bad. The absurd life of Ed Wood, the Uwe Boll of the 1950s, is brought to the big screen with Tim Burton. Johnny Depp plays Ed Wood, who is a cult director according to some, the worst according to some, and the worst according to some.


20) Roman Holiday – Roman Holiday (1953) | IMDb: 8.0

roman holiday

  • Genre: Comedy, Romance
  • Director: William Wyler
  • Cast: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert

If you like Roma and Audrey Hepburn Roman Holiday will be exactly the movie you are looking for. Roman Holiday, one of the stars of the era of black and white films, deals with the story of a princess who falls in love with an American journalist during her visit to Rome. Tired of all the formality and politics, Princess Ann finds the excitement she seeks with journalist Joe.


19) 8½ – Half Eight (1963) | IMDb: 8.0

eight and a half movies

  • Genre: Drama
  • Director: Federico Fellini
  • Cast: Marcello Mastroianni, Anouk Aimée, Claudia Cardinale

is a very interesting Italian film that draws attention with its surreal style. In the film, on the other hand, we witness the troubled yet creative period of a director experiencing writer’s block. Guido Anselmi, who lost his interest in cinema, finds the cure by going on a vacation, but the vacation of the director turns into a strange period in which he struggles with his memories and surreal fantasies. Meanwhile, the movie that Guido is trying to shoot is left unfinished.


18) Rebecca – Rebecca (1940) | IMDb: 8.1

Rebecca 1940

  • Genre: Drama, Mystery, Romance
  • Director: Alfred Hitchcock
  • Cast: Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders

Master of mystery and suspense, Hitchcock brings Daphne Du Maurier’s classic novel to the big screen. Rebecca tells the story of a young woman who marries the man of her dreams. Mrs., whose name we do not know, When De Winter moves into the Manderley estate, she is faced with unexpected things. Because the housekeeper, Mrs. The name of Maxin De Winter’s ex-wife Rebecca, especially Danver, is on the lips of no one.


17) On the Waterfront (1954) | IMDb: 8.1

on the waterfront

  • Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
  • Director: Elia Kazan
  • Cast: Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb

One of the greatest actors of the era of black and white films Marlon Brando He gives an acting lesson with On the Waterfront. Winning 7 Oscars, including Best Picture, the film deals with the corruption in US labor unions. Terry Mallon, a former boxer and dockworker, gets stuck between the corrupt wheels of the system when he witnesses the murder of the mafia.


16) La Haine – Protest (1995) | IMDb: 8.1

La Haine black and white movies

  • Genre: Crime, Drama
  • Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
  • Cast: Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé, Said Taghmaoui

At a time when we do not know the history, a great rebellion is taking place in the ghettos of Paris. Three young people who took part in this riot are very angry when their friends are beaten to death during police interrogation. La Haine , presents us with sections from the 24 hours that these three young people lived. La Haine is one of the films that most strikingly describe the urbanization and class difference in France.


15) All About Eve – The Curtain Rises (1950) | IMDb: 8.2

All About Eve

  • Genre: Drama
  • Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
  • Cast: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders

6 Oscar winners All About Eve is about the relationship between young Broadway actress Eve and veteran actress Margo. Known for her tumultuous career, Margo meets Eve in the dressing room one day. Margo, impressed by Eve’s difficult life story, takes Eve under her wing. But Eve’s story and purpose are not as innocent as we think.


14) The Seventh Seal (1957) | IMDb: 8.2

The Seventh Seal

  • Genre: Drama, Fantasy, History
  • Director: Ingmar Bergman
  • Cast: Max von Sydow, Gunnar Björnstrand, Bengt Ekerot

The Seventh Seal One of the cult films of Swedish cinema. The Seventh Seal is also one of the first productions that come to mind when it comes to classic black and white films. In the movie, we watch a knight returning from the Crusades. This knight is playing a chess match with Death in a dreamlike atmosphere. The movie that stands out with its stunning cinematography; makes a deep questioning in the triangle of meaning of life, existence and death.




13) Some Like It Hot (1959) | IMDb: 8.2

Some Like It Hot

  • Genre: Comedy, Music, Romance
  • Director: Billy Wilder
  • Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon

Some Like It Hot One of Marilyn Monroe’s most famous films. Some Like It Hot, which is also one of the cult music films of the period, tells the events that happened to two musicians. Jazz musicians Jerry and Joe unwittingly witness a mass execution by the mafia one day, but when the mafia members notice them, the duo are forced to change cities. Jerry and Joe, who find the solution by joining an all-female band in Miami, disguise themselves as women and join this band.


12) To Kill A Mockingbird (1962) | IMDb: 8.3

To Kill A Mockingbird

  • Genre: Crime, Drama
  • Director: Robert Mulligan
  • Cast: Gregory Peck, John Megna, Frank Overton

To Kill A Mockingbird Based on Harper Lee’s novel of the same name. Director Robert Mulligan shoots the film specifically in black and white. The reason for this is to reinforce the seriousness of the movie. Because the film is generally about the extreme racism in the southern part of the USA during the Great Depression. Another reason why the film was shot in black and white is this subject. The film depicts the experiences of a white lawyer defending an African-American man who was wrongfully accused of rape.


11) Citizen Kane – Citizen Kane (1941) | IMDb: 8.3

citizen kane black and white movies

  • Genre: Drama, Mystery
  • Director: Orson Welles
  • Cast: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotton, Dorothy Comingore

It wouldn’t make a list of black and white movies without mentioning Citizen Kane. Citizen Kane is considered by many audiences and critics as the best film in the history of cinema. Citizen Kane, the most innovative film of its time in many areas, is about the secret left behind by a deceased businessman. In the movie, well-known businessman Charles Foster Kane, before his death “ rosebud ” that is, he says the word rosebud. This word indicates a great secret. Journalist Jerry Thompson is also committed to uncovering this secret.


10) Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb – Dr. Garipask (1964) | IMDb: 8.4

dr strangelove

  • Genre: Comedy, War
  • Director: Stanley Kubrick
  • Cast: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden

Dr. Strangelove One of the darkest and best examples of the dark humor genre. The film, in which the actors appear in different roles, deals with a completely ironic and imaginary subject. A lot of things we can say about the movie can spoil the fun of the movie. For this reason, it is enough to know that it is told in the comedy genre of a crazy general making decisions that will lead to a nuclear disaster. The film, which makes fun of what happened during the Cold War, is one of the strangest and most entertaining productions of its kind.


9) Sunset Blvd. – Sunset Boulevard (1950) | IMDb: 8.4

sunset blvd

  • Genre: Drama, Film-Noir
  • Director: Billy Wilder
  • Cast: William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Eric von Stroheim

Favorite name of black and white movies Sunset Blvd. ., takes us into the dark heart of Hollywood cinema. Joe Gillis, a young screenwriter in the movie, is deeply entangled in debt. Unable to sell the films he wrote, Joe eventually hides in a house on Sunset Boulevard. The owner of this house is Norma Desmond, a former actress who became a star in the silent movie era, but Norma never admits that her days of fame are over. Planning to make a comeback with the script she wrote, Norma asks for help from Joe in exchange for the shelter she provides.


8) Paths of Glory (1957) | IMDb: 8.4

Paths of Glory

  • Genre: Drama, War
  • Director: Stanley Kubrick
  • Cast: Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker, Adolphe Menjou

Contrary to its name, it is an anti-war film. Paths of Glory Another cult work of Kubrick. Paths of Glory strikingly depicts the hypocrisy of states and how inhumane value is placed on soldiers who are driven to the front like pawns in war. Inspired by true events, the film deals with the revolt of four soldiers under the command of French General Géraud Réveilhac. These four soldiers were executed for rioting at that time, but the families of the soldiers were later found right by the court.




7) Modern Times – Modern Times (1936) | IMDb: 8.5

modern times black and white movies

  • Genre: Comedy, Drama
  • Director: Charles Chaplin
  • Cast: Charles Chaplin, Paulette Goddard, Henry Bergman

One of the first names that come to mind when talking about black and white films is Charles Chaplin, the master of silent cinema. Modern Times It is one of Chaplin’s most famous films. We watch what happened to a factory worker in the film, which makes jokes about industrial developments and the Great Depression. In short, we can say that the film refers to us, the modern slaves of the modern world.


6) Casablanca (1942) | IMDb: 8.5

casaabalan

  • Genre: Drama, Romance, War
  • Director: Michael Curtiz
  • Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid

Decades have passed since 1942, but some of Casablanca’s lines appear in popular culture. Set in the early years of the Second World War, the film deals with the reunion of former lovers. But this merger does not happen as expected. of Morocco Casablanca Rick, who runs a bar in the city, is almost cut off when his old love Ilsa reappears because Ilsa is trying to escape from the Nazis with her resistance leader wife Victor.


5) Psycho – Perverted (1960) | IMDb: 8.5

psycho black and white movies

  • Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
  • Director: Alfred Hitchcock
  • Cast: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles

Psycho is one of the most famous productions on our list of black and white movies. In this thriller by Hitchcock, we follow Norman Bates, one of the most famous serial killers in the history of cinema. With the famous shower scene, which is still seen today, the film, in which the tension is high, is frequently seen in modern cinema with its remakes and references.


4) It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) | IMDb: 8.6

It's a Wonderful Life

  • Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Family
  • Director: Frank Capra
  • Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore

It’s a Wonderful Life , is a delightful New Year’s film with parallels to Charles Dickens’ famous novella A Christmas Carol. In the movie, George Bailey, who is on the verge of bankruptcy, is one step away from suicide on Christmas night, but an angel who comes to his aid is determined to discourage George from committing suicide.


3) Seven Samurai – Seven Samurai (1954) | IMDb: 8.6

Seven Samurai

  • Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
  • Director: Akira Kurosawa
  • Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Tsushima

Although the reshoots are not well liked Seven Samurai is a movie that has engraved its name in the genre of black and white movies. 16. Set in 19th century Japan, the film tells the story of 7 Ronin who stand against samurai bandits. In the movie, a bandit group plans to loot a village for the second time. The villagers, on the other hand, seek help from a masterless samurai, a Ronin. This Ronin named Kikuchiyo decides to gather 6 samurai like himself and defend the village. This defense will be a difficult but honorable resistance.


2) Schindler’s List – Schindler’s List (1993) | IMDb: 8.9

Schindler's List

  • Genre: Biography, Drama, History
  • Director: Steven Spielberg
  • Cast: Liam Neeson , Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley

When Steven Spielberg was asked why he shot Schindler’s List in black and white, he replied that he had never seen images of the Nazi massacre in color. This decision of Spielberg undoubtedly gives the film a brutal realism and seriousness. The 7 Oscar-winning film is set in Poland during the Second World War. In general, the film tells the experiences of a German businessman named Oskar Schindler, who saved the lives of 1200 Jews during the war.


1) 12 Angry Men – 12 Angry Men (1957) | IMDb: 9.0

12 Angry Men siyah beyaz filmler

  • Genre: Crime, Drama
  • Director: Sydney Lumet
  • Cast: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Martin Balsam

in a single room 12 Angry Men , the movie that makes the best use of a single venue. When it comes to black and white films, we witness the decision-making moments of a court jury in the film that almost everyone counts in the top five. The moment has come for the jury to decide for our murder suspect witness, but it will be much more difficult than they think for the 12-person jury to decide whether to be guilty or not guilty.




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