Film Noir: The Case for Black and White

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  • čas přidán 8. 02. 2017
  • Black and white has a gorgeous look in film. Let's take a look at Film Noir to see what it can do better than color and study how the techniques of black and white filmmaking continue to influence modern filmmaking (especially Breaking Bad).
    Twitter: bit.ly/1QvLI0H
    Patreon: bit.ly/1UaO9MU
    Movies (in order of appearance):
    Double Indemnity (1944)
    Touch of Evil (1958)
    The Maltese Falcon (1941)
    Citizen Kane (1941)
    The Hollow Men (TV show)
    Casablanca (1942)
    Point Blank (1967)
    Se7en (1995)
    Bound (1996)
    The Big Combo (1955)

Komentáře • 422

  • @kingofwakanda6899
    @kingofwakanda6899 Před 7 lety +1054

    Every time this channel drops a new video, I party.

  • @TheMightyPika
    @TheMightyPika Před 7 lety +273

    I have no idea why people say they "can't" watch b&w movies. It's a weird self-limitation thing, like they're terrified of trying new things.

    • @linuskarlsson9449
      @linuskarlsson9449 Před 5 lety +2

      I think the reson is that B&W is abstract, if you look at a abstract painting or film, It's hard for everyone o appreciate it...
      Just so you know, I have made films B&W or partily B&W so I do appreciate it myself. 😉

    • @TheMightyPika
      @TheMightyPika Před 4 lety +2

      @ciaran perry huh, that's a good point

    • @numerousfrogsinacoat607
      @numerousfrogsinacoat607 Před 3 lety +4

      My sister says this and it annoys me so much, because there's so many amazing black and white films, and I love watching old films but she never wants to watch them, I don't know why, she just has some aversion to old, especially back and white, movies

    • @amandasilkstone1586
      @amandasilkstone1586 Před 3 lety +7

      I used to be that way, then I watched Casablanca for a lecture. Was expecting to be bored and having to slog through it, but I was pleasantly surprised that I got so immersed into it I didn't realise the time flying by until the end. Really opened up my eyes that I was missing out on a tonne of good film because of stupid unfounded preconceptions like that and that I had no idea where I got them from.

    • @royfr8136
      @royfr8136 Před 3 lety +2

      Because they are idiots. Simple. Don't worry about it.

  • @timothymcguire5126
    @timothymcguire5126 Před 5 lety +55

    I'd like to point out that in the dark, the human eye cannot see color that well. So I think black and white give a film a darker, creeper feel to it because it subconsciously reminds us of nighttime.

  • @rolanddeschain6089
    @rolanddeschain6089 Před 7 lety +121

    The moment when someone says: "I don't like black and white movies" and you know, the person will never love the movies like you do.

    • @ShadowWarrior9001
      @ShadowWarrior9001 Před 7 lety +16

      Roland Deschain or when people say they won't watch foreign films because they have to read subtitles

    • @rolanddeschain6089
      @rolanddeschain6089 Před 7 lety +7

      Yes. There is always art you like or dislike but to limit oneself keeps you away from so many treasures!

    • @FiercelyGold
      @FiercelyGold Před 7 lety +6

      We all limit ourselves in certain ways, though. Maybe you'd never pay $100 for a steak dinner, or you'd never skydive or you'd never have kids or you'd never drive across the country.... does it really matter if someone won't read subtitles or watch a black and white film? Isn't in a trivial thing really? th
      I have friends that never want to watch a black and white film or a foreign film, and I just don't expect them to, and that's that. We all have friends interested in different things... though maybe as a life partner, it could matter more. You can always give your two cents and encourage people you love to love what you love, but sometimes you gotta respect their choice to not care about such things so that you can continue to love the many other things about them .

    • @danielstanwyck2812
      @danielstanwyck2812 Před 5 lety +3

      yes, but....what a world they cant experience

    • @serugolino7867
      @serugolino7867 Před 4 lety

      I personally love movies and everything about them, but I don't like black and white movies that much.
      Mainly I dislike film noir from that era 40's and 50's, I watched a couple of them but It's just not my thing.
      But weirdly I did love Kurosawa and Kubrick's black and white. I also love some other black and white cinema but I prefer colour every time.

  • @AwfulWaffle8474
    @AwfulWaffle8474 Před 7 lety +261

    People are confusing Neo Noir and Film Noir.
    Neo-Noir s a style often seen in modern motion pictures and other forms that prominently use elements of film noir, but with updated themes, content, style, visual elements or media that were absent in film noir of the 1940s and 1950s. (Chinatown, Blade Runner)
    Film Noir isFrench for "black film" or "dark film" ] first applied to Hollywood films by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, was unrecognized by most American film industry professionals of that era (Maltese falcon)

    • @maocharlisme
      @maocharlisme Před 6 lety +4

      Neo Noir I think Sin City.

    • @brayanargandonaflorentino548
      @brayanargandonaflorentino548 Před 6 lety +3

      The DC Cinematic Universe confuses me with their gloomy, dreary, dark and gritty tone, and accidently looking like it should be filmed in black and white

    • @poweroffriendship2.0
      @poweroffriendship2.0 Před 4 lety

      @@brayanargandonaflorentino548 And DC isn't really "dark" to begin with. It started with Action Comics with Superman debuted. For Batman being the "world's greatest detective" make sense, DC used to be called "Detective Comics" because Batman isn't a typical superhero character, he's just a detective in a suit who feared the criminals because of his mysterious nature. He can't kill because he viewed criminals as human beings who got corrupted by poverty and needed to be locked down whether a jail or an asylum in order to redeem themselves from the criminal activities or being sent to punish for their heavy criminal acts like murder or vandalism.

    • @paveantelic7876
      @paveantelic7876 Před 3 lety

      @@brayanargandonaflorentino548 dceu is more gothic and industrial than noir

  • @meurer13daniel
    @meurer13daniel Před 7 lety +55

    When it comes to that, I think it's impossible to not remember Orson Welles first appearance in The Third Man. That scene is fucking gorgeous

    • @Behemoth29
      @Behemoth29 Před 6 lety +11

      The Dutch angles. The awesome music. The zoom. That cheeky smile. "Harry?" Fuck, I love that movie.

  • @jakeroosenbloom
    @jakeroosenbloom Před 7 lety +42

    I think schindler's list is a really good example.

  • @lopi00ful
    @lopi00ful Před 7 lety +79

    I really like the video, but it feels like the audio is too fast. Like the pauses between sentences are missing. Like you ask the question of if people ever say they can't watch black and white movies, but then don't let that questions ruminate for a second before diving into your argument.

    • @aModernDandy
      @aModernDandy Před 7 lety

      Connor Fahy i thought exactly the same!

  • @SocratesCrime
    @SocratesCrime Před 7 lety +34

    This channel just really makes me happy.

  • @JoeyTCartoonP
    @JoeyTCartoonP Před 7 lety +1

    Raging Bull. Like you said, the smoke, contrast and elements of good and evil are highlighted perfectly.

  • @joibenjamin2223
    @joibenjamin2223 Před 3 lety +4

    OMG I’m so glad you included Calvin and Hobbes! I thought I was the only one who remembered his private eye character. Definitely had all the elements of noir!!

    • @MS-xi7zg
      @MS-xi7zg Před rokem +3

      And some hilarious dialog as well. "I keep two magnums in my desk. Ones a gun and I keep it loaded. The other's a bottle and it keeps ME loaded."

  • @TheMaverickanupam
    @TheMaverickanupam Před 5 lety +3

    Your clear explanation of the beauty of film noir has made me fall in love with the genre again.

  • @unvergebeneid
    @unvergebeneid Před 7 lety +55

    I think people who dislike black and white especially mean film noir. It's slow, it's character-focused and it's hard on the eye.
    Personally, I like film noir but I can totally get why someone would hate it.

  • @hookbeak3516
    @hookbeak3516 Před 4 lety +1

    Your brief but contrasting comparison of film noir is concise & to the point. I also like how you lighten the mood, with subtle clips that involve parody. Nicely put to gather NYSI. You stand true to your channel name.

  • @fagucci
    @fagucci Před 7 lety +1

    That set of Calvin and Hobbes panels is one of my favourite comic strips of all time. So happy you mentioned it.

  • @owenrose1633
    @owenrose1633 Před 7 lety +1

    This is better than screen rant and I love how this channel has great content quality. It makes me want to make a movie every time I watch one of these videos.

  • @ryanpeters9108
    @ryanpeters9108 Před 7 lety

    As always you've made an outstanding video essay, it's been over a month, I've missed you, great job!

  • @WlatPziupp
    @WlatPziupp Před 7 lety

    Ending on The Doobop Song was a fantastic choice! Great job on finding a track that so beautifully mixes the classics with the modern, as you emphasized in the video. That's thematic consistency right there!

  • @laylamantle-edwards1432

    I've been waiting for this video all week! I'm so happy!

  • @Antilles1974
    @Antilles1974 Před 7 lety +15

    Great video! If I could make just one suggestion, pause a little bit with your narration. You edited the video such that it sounds like your never breathe for the whole four minutes.
    Having said that, great video!

  • @alposchannel4647
    @alposchannel4647 Před 5 lety +19

    "Elegance is Simplicity." - Steve Jobs

  • @AlcoCZ
    @AlcoCZ Před 7 lety

    You sir deserve some award. Your vids always makes me happy.

  • @TheSmokingHat
    @TheSmokingHat Před 7 lety +3

    Great video! One of my favourite effects in Film Noir is rain - especially when it's used both to create a visual background (much like smoke) & because it's always just such a great mood-setter in regards to the mysterious, dangerous 'big city'.

  • @aaronjanowitz8973
    @aaronjanowitz8973 Před 7 lety

    Another great video, one of the best channels on CZcams

  • @sergiobaez3756
    @sergiobaez3756 Před 7 lety

    This is one of the best videos of yours I've seen so far, imo. It's the kind of video I've been waiting for - black and white film noir genius I say!

  • @GoldenCycloneGaming
    @GoldenCycloneGaming Před 7 lety +1

    That shadow section you talked about was used excellently in the Vader/Luke fight in ROTJ

  • @ajujuadoidoi
    @ajujuadoidoi Před 7 lety

    Keep doing what you do! You teach me so much every time you post a video!

  • @GoldF4TE
    @GoldF4TE Před 7 lety

    Nice job. Your video has been very insightful! Keep up the great work man!

  • @Minecraftinity
    @Minecraftinity Před 7 lety

    This channel teaches me why I love movies. I've never been able to tell people why I love a particular movie until I found this channel.

  • @arkoidd9832
    @arkoidd9832 Před 7 lety +1

    I'd never thought I was going to be addicted to this channel.

  • @daniele.5163
    @daniele.5163 Před 7 lety

    As always, great video. Thank you for the content, and keep up the good work!

  • @Professor_Whom
    @Professor_Whom Před 7 lety

    Great video as always. Given me a totally different perspective on something I hadn't even payed mind to.

  • @charlemagnebrown
    @charlemagnebrown Před 5 lety +3

    The first Film Noir I watched was "The Stranger" and I went, "Holy hell, that was so creative." It's amazing what a few shades of gray can convey to us, compared to color.

  • @Phoenix909TV
    @Phoenix909TV Před 7 lety

    haha, Jesse's quote is a nice addition to the end of the video.
    Good work as always.

  • @soratoninx
    @soratoninx Před 7 lety +1

    I've been enjoying your videos for awhile now and I gotta say, it's addictive to listen to your analysis and to submerge myself into the world of cinematic and its beauty 💙
    Especially with the way you focus on the details and express the beauty of black and white movie, convinces me to take a different view upon it! I enjoy your work so much!! Stay amazing 😁
    Also, may I know the song name at the end?

  • @OakTreeFilms
    @OakTreeFilms Před 7 lety

    Big fan of the channel. One of my fav videos!

  • @hunterc8943
    @hunterc8943 Před 7 lety +2

    These videos make my day

  • @willandmax6842
    @willandmax6842 Před 7 lety

    Beautiful Video! Thankyou for all your vids, they are so helpfull and intresting!

  • @chrisdigitalartist
    @chrisdigitalartist Před 6 lety

    Oh nice point about the contrast! It isn't just the grayscale but the contrast of the black and white! Nice video!

  • @logansmith1227
    @logansmith1227 Před 7 lety

    Good to see another video from you.

  • @grfgtbhh34
    @grfgtbhh34 Před 7 lety +1

    You know, I'm about to star a college project where me and a group have to make a movie. We're deciding what movie it'll be and we're leaning pretty heavily towards this tongue in cheek Film Noir homage. Gonna take this as a sign.

  • @brotherofAnubus
    @brotherofAnubus Před 7 lety

    I love this video and the message it's trying to convey. Film Noir has been one of my biggest inspirations in the realm of photography and I can't credit it enough in how it developed my personal style.
    That said, there are some pacing issues here in this video. Especially toward the beginning, where I felt like I was experiencing the vocal equivalent of a run-on sentence. Having a second or more pause between some of the dialogue might resolve some of this and help keep your pacing from running away from itself.

  • @AppleWasMyIdea
    @AppleWasMyIdea Před 7 lety

    This video pretty much encapsulates my thought process when I made my first short film.

  • @zoel4891
    @zoel4891 Před 7 lety

    I always love these videos!

  • @711Rod
    @711Rod Před 7 lety

    Loved the final clip

  • @mohamadhamidi8773
    @mohamadhamidi8773 Před 7 lety

    when you mentioned comics and their ability to embody film noir I was hoping you would mention Sin City. It not only embraces all of the film noir tropes but also takes them to the extreme. IMO The great use of high contrast and negative spaces in those comics results some the best looking shots in all of noir history. And I also believe the first film did a great job of translating that to the silver screen.
    Great channel BTW! Keep up the great work!

  • @rebelyell3451
    @rebelyell3451 Před 7 lety +4

    also the black and white use in Night Of The Hunter is fucking gorgeous. It's not , in my opinion, a film noir, but it does use the lack of color and the saturation of the b&w very interestingly. Especially the background in the scenes where the two children are runing away and are near/in the barn. Please go watch this movie if you haven't already, it's fucking beautiful, Robert Mitchum is evil and it's great.

  • @daniellos333
    @daniellos333 Před 7 lety

    Beautiful and succinct analysis

  • @dakoduh
    @dakoduh Před 7 lety

    that last clip was perfect

  • @Jobsih
    @Jobsih Před 7 lety +33

    Last time I was so early
    This joke was original

  • @broadwaybaby93
    @broadwaybaby93 Před 7 lety

    love these videos!

  • @crazycommentwriter1829

    I really like your Video Essays. Other Channels cant compare to yours. I like how you are drawing the conclusion, other channels miss to hit the bullseye

  • @christineohanyan6216
    @christineohanyan6216 Před 7 lety

    I'm so grateful for the man who runs this channel

  • @HTMLSniper
    @HTMLSniper Před 7 lety +4

    Thanks for this video, I myself wasn't to motivated to watch a black and white movie but your video convinced me. Thanks

    • @brayanargandonaflorentino548
      @brayanargandonaflorentino548 Před 6 lety

      HTMLSniper Black and white films is very important for film buffs like me. My first black and white film is Clerks or Plan 9 from Outer Space

  • @artofthelift6212
    @artofthelift6212 Před 7 lety

    Awesome video! Loved that you included Point Blank---huge fan of the Parker novels.
    Believe it or not we're actually on the verge of launching a film noir TV show for cable. Think there's an audience for that sort of concept? If so, have any tips on how best to reach out to more noir fans like yourself who might take a liking to the project?
    Looking forward to more great videos!

  • @helium9480
    @helium9480 Před 7 lety

    Excellent video man keep up the good work! 😁 moreover do you have a bunch of noir titles just for academic purposes, In order to have a movie from which reference and inspiration can be taken?

  • @phillz1972
    @phillz1972 Před 7 lety

    Amazing, as always

  • @hkh5able
    @hkh5able Před 7 lety

    The best channel on CZcams.

  • @josueamericanistarv
    @josueamericanistarv Před 7 lety

    Your essay was as great as black and white cinematography. Simple and genius.

  • @scaltheceiling
    @scaltheceiling Před 7 lety +1

    I just finished watching Double Indemnity yesterday for my English class!

  • @james.a.delancey
    @james.a.delancey Před 7 lety +2

    Great tutorial, thank you:) I will shoot my first feature film in black and white.. greetings from Berlin - James

  • @peppTV
    @peppTV Před 7 lety

    Great video. i recently wrote an essay about film noir elements in "touch of evil" (which you also showed in the video) .

  • @notzeb
    @notzeb Před 7 lety

    I am so happy Tracer Bullet in Calvin & Hobbes was mentioned

  • @somethingaboutthemovies5116

    Inspirational video, sir.

  • @dadams106
    @dadams106 Před rokem

    Very nice job, young man!

  • @ugensvandpyt
    @ugensvandpyt Před 6 lety

    The background music is "China Town" by Nicholas Peyton, if anyone wondered :))

  • @monkey363
    @monkey363 Před 7 lety +4

    I'm making a noir and looking at videos for black and white shooting and this was very helpful

    • @IsraelStorey
      @IsraelStorey Před 7 lety

      Definitely check out the Sin City comics if you haven't already. There are plenty of very stark shadows in that, like a super concentrated version of noir lighting.

    • @monkey363
      @monkey363 Před 7 lety

      thanks ill check em out!

  • @MsManel1996
    @MsManel1996 Před 7 lety

    Hey dude, great video! Btw, what's the song playing in the background? Thanks!

  • @ColonelKeizenhower
    @ColonelKeizenhower Před 7 lety

    Great videos! Could you do one on dramatic irony in movie please?

  • @arturhamernik
    @arturhamernik Před 7 lety

    Great video!

  • @m0radin
    @m0radin Před 7 lety

    Great video as always! What is the parody at 0:43 called? I don't see it in the list of movies.

  • @Lautrekc
    @Lautrekc Před 7 lety

    thank you for that!

  • @Rhowski
    @Rhowski Před 7 lety

    Noir. My favorite. Decent content. Thank you!

  • @Vash0Estampida
    @Vash0Estampida Před 7 lety

    Exactly my thoughts watching The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki such great contrasts and use of lightning that were extremely relevant to the plot. And, especially with the black and white setting, the juxtaposition of the plain world of boxing and the ROUND and vivid world of his love are more evident.

  • @thiccboss4780
    @thiccboss4780 Před 7 lety +1

    i wish this video had a "film titles" subtitle option , like some other film essayers as good as you!
    this should be a motif y'all should do, to better inform and preserve the information in the video

  • @lawrencecalablaster568

    Excellent video! :)

  • @ErinMartyFreeman
    @ErinMartyFreeman Před 7 lety

    My favorite type of films are Noir and this is just icing on the cake. This is awesome.

  • @MetroPolo1
    @MetroPolo1 Před 7 lety

    Excelent, as usual.

  • @JustinBieber5270
    @JustinBieber5270 Před 7 lety +1

    I was literally watching another one of your videos and found this in the suggestions

  • @nickyvengeance3654
    @nickyvengeance3654 Před 7 lety

    Hay man big fan, could you please post a list of your the best film noir films, would be much appraciated

  • @PauLtus_B
    @PauLtus_B Před 7 lety +1

    I guess the big thing is just contrast. I very much think it's a common problem with the way (digital) camera's are often used nowadays where the image is kept quite grey even though you can quite easily create very dark blacks in a digital image.

  • @Ptangmatik
    @Ptangmatik Před 7 lety

    Samurai Jack uses the high contrast monochrome aesthetic gorgeously, I adore this style.

  • @nikgtasa
    @nikgtasa Před 7 lety

    I loved the first (or second) episode of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood when after minutes and minutes of usual colored imaging you get that gritty noire style with black-white-red colours and two rivals clashing at each other.

  • @akttt9876
    @akttt9876 Před 7 lety +1

    This is great. Love love love. Though sometimes I can feel his frustration getting his point across, like he's already addressing where the comments are heading "i'm not saying that....." "I know I'm comparing a casablanca to a sketch comedy..."

  • @brownbread435
    @brownbread435 Před 7 lety

    This is brilliant, I also think that film noir is something you 'feel'
    I saw from your twitter that you're in Ireland!! Whats the craic!!

  • @CTMovies
    @CTMovies Před 7 lety

    Amazing video! Love noir films!

  • @LilSaladBar
    @LilSaladBar Před 7 lety

    Thanks, I needed my fix.

  • @pascal-t
    @pascal-t Před 7 lety

    Wow you man are a wizard. I don't know how you did it, but the first video, that was recommended to me like 20 minutes ago, was about the meaning of milk in films. That was right after I came back from the kitchen, after I drank a glass of milk.... I then watched on, and your Videos are amazing. I will try to incorporate this into a few photographs, now that i know what makes black and white so interesting.

  • @brackonstudios
    @brackonstudios Před 7 lety +1

    That last bit is totally me when I'm trying to explain why something is so great to someone.

  • @NatureRecycleFlorida
    @NatureRecycleFlorida Před 7 lety

    awesome video about the coolest films

  • @jaymartin8273
    @jaymartin8273 Před 3 lety

    Nice video :=). As for the film noir in color idea, one idea I've always liked personally is doing both bright lurid colors and the monochromatic tones, personally I always found the juxtaposition worked with a film noir setting, especially if you show the villain or a fabulously wealthy character in the bright colors, but that's just me :=)

  • @oludascribe
    @oludascribe Před 7 lety

    Awesome stuff.

  • @erhantufekcoglu3193
    @erhantufekcoglu3193 Před 7 lety

    One of the best example of film noir is sin city 1&2 from Robert Rodriguez I think. But other beautiful ones in your list amazing as well. Thanks a lot

  • @paddychaplain7194
    @paddychaplain7194 Před 7 lety

    i really wish you would upload more often, or at least slightly longer videos

  • @queencrimsonqueencrimson

    Great job as usual, thanks! Can someone please tell me which film is that at 2:32 ?

  • @lylecann9265
    @lylecann9265 Před 7 lety

    As someone who is going through pretty much ALL the classics, and on occasion, not really enjoying them... this is gunna help a lot! (only subbed yesterday... chances of that eh?!)

  • @chumkrimson8161
    @chumkrimson8161 Před 7 lety +1

    showing good, beautifully shot black and white movies is not gonna convince anyone who says stuff like "ugh, i can't watch black and white movies" to like them. the kind of people who say stuff like that are not gonna know what they're seeing.

  • @pratikgoud1
    @pratikgoud1 Před 6 lety

    This is Gold
    bro

  • @jmjmusic
    @jmjmusic Před 5 lety

    This is a great video.

  • @jackxduffy
    @jackxduffy Před 7 lety +2

    2:02 oh we weren't looking at her eye brows