Reason 10000 to hate Hollywood

[CMH]

Re: Reason 10000 to hate Hollywood

It's just that the younger generation who'll dismiss a classic film just because it's in B&W are sometimes missing out on something worthwhile.

Well, they rather watch things explode. Forget cinematography; in today's world, great camera work is shaking it till the audience is dizzy and mixing in blurring edit techniques so that you can feel like you're right there.

[SPTO]

Re: Reason 10000 to hate Hollywood

Well, they rather watch things explode. Forget cinematography; in today's world, great camera work is shaking it till the audience is dizzy and mixing in blurring edit techniques so that you can feel like you're right there.

Unfortunately so, I don't mind the shaky cam technique but some directors use it as a crutch to hide their deficiencies.

[CMH]

Re: Reason 10000 to hate Hollywood

I think it's like anything.

Every technique has a purpose. I don't want to sound like I'm hating on explosions and shaky cameras. I dislike them because they are overused to the point that they are ineffective and annoying. When you get a director that knows what they're doing and an experienced, creative DP, you get magic and fantastic camera work, even with a great number of shakes.

Same goes for black and white lighting. To film in black and white to get some nostalgia out of it is the wrong direction; it'll only look like crap because you wanted it to look a certain way rather than feel a certain way. If they shot Raging Bull II in black and white just because the first one was in black and white, it'll fail. If the director does it because he knows that the shots will work best with black and white and the shadows he can drop in alongside careful lighting, then it'll likely look amazing.

[daflyboys]

Re: Reason 10000 to hate Hollywood

Almost every black and white film (excluding Raging Bull and...well, that's it) would have been shot in color if possible.

Imagine this in color. It would have sucked.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TtA1jqIJJDw&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TtA1jqIJJDw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

or this one...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ixAyGhUgr0E&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ixAyGhUgr0E&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[CMH]

Re: Reason 10000 to hate Hollywood

Why'd you delete your post, Cebby? I thought it was well-written, made a lot of sense from your perspective.

[HealyMonster]

Re: Reason 10000 to hate Hollywood

I can see it now. we are not that far from LaBamba 2 lol

[SPTO]

Re: Reason 10000 to hate Hollywood

Why'd you delete your post, Cebby? I thought it was well-written, made a lot of sense from your perspective.

I agree, I thought Cebby's post was well crafted, gave his own opinion without being condescending or derogatory.

Oh well.

BTW I can't imagine Citizen Kane or Casablanca done in color. (he asked which B&W films are better in that format then in color) Kane made extensive use of shadow and lighting to be evocative and set the mood for the story while Casablanca would just feel flat in color. (for the record I absolutely hate that movie though)

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Reason 10000 to hate Hollywood

Not to jump on the "wouldn't look better in color" bandwagon, but to add to the good b&w list, I have to give a shout out to The Third Man. Post-war Vienna was shot wonderfully.