Black + White Friday: The Wizard of Oz

I'm still buzzing from seeing Wicked last weekend. I know the opening passage of the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz, is in black and white, but I wondered if the film would be half as magical if the entire film were filmed in the colour palate. Consider it a mad experiment by the Wizard, of sorts.


It's in the second half of the eighteenth minute that the transition to colour finally occurs (I coulda swore it wasn't that long!) and, as you can surely imagine, it doesn't quite have the same impact in black and white.


Munchkinland just doesn't look as fun, does it? Technicolor, bless!


Watching this scene reminds me of that old black and white filmmaking technique where the costumes would be in crazy colours that merely worked well in black and white, which is why "colorization" is so bizarre. If black and white movies were changed to colour they'd be horrific and crazy-coloured. Case in point - the Wicked Witch of the West. She's a bright green, yet you wouldn't know it by looking at this black and white version. She just looks like she has a strong tan.


David Lynch. He loves The Wizard of Oz. Just watch Wild at Heart for proof (witches! face makeup! bubbles! etc!) However, one thing I only just thought about was how similar the Scarecrow in Oz looks like that undescribable horrible clown-face being from INLAND EMPIRE. The Scarecrow's face is scary if you think about it. He has a bag for a head, yet he has facial muscles, lips and eyes that move. Imagine if the baghead character from The Strangers suddenly started talking!


Without all those crazy technicolours, it all looks a bit like camouflage.


On one hand, I wish the lion didn't look so silly with his obvious costume-wearing, but then I also think that's part of the charm. It is almost like watching an incredibly high budget school production, at times.


This is one moment that still looks gorgeous compared to the original.


It just struck me now, but I think Santa Claus Conquers the Martians look a bit of influence from this movie.


This looks like something out of an underground fringe performance art show involving dungeons, kimonos and S&M, which is a frightening prospect, I think we can all agree. Perhaps the cast can smoke the Wicked Witch's ashes as opposed to Kurt Cobain's.


I feel like she should be about to go into the dance routine from The Red Shoes! Wouldn't that be surreal?!

Black + White Friday: Open Range

The reason behind the decision to choose Kevin Costner's great western (one of the few I actually really like) for this series was because, as will become blatantly obvious, this movie is goooorgeous! It's as simple as that, really.


I've never particularly been a big Robert Duvall fan, but I am a big fan of his performance in this movie. He really has that ol' timer American thing down pat doesn't he? Costner sure did know how to open this movie, huh?


One of the things I noticed about these early cattle driving scenes is how similar the scenes from Brokeback Mountain are. Like, incredibly so. Of course, I guess it can't be helped when they share the same region and the same setup of men directing animals across it.


Doesn't this look like a shot taken directly out of a western from the 1950s? These initial town scenes are so good at setting up the shootout sequence at the end. Showing all the buildings and the doors and the little side alleys. Costner really did a great job here, it's such a shame he and the movie go largely unheralded.


Again, it's almost as if it's a 1950s film. You could be forgiven for thinking this was A Boy and His Best Friend or something equally saccharine and kiddy-friendly.


Annette Bening is not this film's greatest asset, although she's quite good, but it's nice to see her in a smaller quieter role than we've seen her do this decade. I chose this screenshot because I thought it was funny. She's not trying to make a face, she's just speaking that way.


I like how the rain drops sort of look like film scratches such as the two over Derek Jeter's face and the one just above Costner's (on the right) shoulder.


Yet more examples of the film's backgrounds appearing to be both real and matte at the same time. This is the moment where Costner says the best line in the film - "Men are gonna get killed here today, Sue. And I'm gonna kill 'em." Kinda gives me shivers.


Oh yes, Costner may be striving for classic, but that doesn't mean he can't give in to artsy look-at-me shots. I imagine an M Night Shyamalan western would be full of crazy camera angles so let's hope that never happens.


No reason, I just really like this shot.


I've said it before and I'll say it again, Costner's shootout in Open Range is perhaps the best ever. Yes, ever. It's amazing. Truly astounding. And watching this really makes the shortcomings of the recent 3:10 to Yuma standout. I don't remember a single action sequence from that film, when they should scream out to be remembered.

Black + White Friday: Birth

Apologies for not being around last week to do this feature, but by the time I got home at 11.45pm (and having left the house at 6am, too!) I had been having a bad day and didn't feel like screencapping if you know what I mean!


My affections for Jonathan Glazer's elegiacal 2004 film Birth are quite well documented. Best film of 2004! Best performance by Nicole Kidman! Best score in modern cinema! etc! Well, I found it odd that I have never even considered using the film for "Black+White Friday", especially since the film is beautiful and I think Harris Savides' dreamy cinematography will prove equally as intoxicating in black and white as it does in those near-sepia candlelight hues that it is bathed it to perfection.


I think it's quite obvious to everyone and sundry that Jonathan Glazer was fixated by Nicole Kidman while making this movie (understandable, really). And she looks stunning here. If she were around during the early days of cinema she would have been worshiped with the greats.


We're all aware how gorgeous Nicole looks bathed in candlelight, right? RIGHT?!


Aah, like the family dramas of yore.


Because she's just so gosh darn beautiful, don't you think? I know a lot of people don't like her anymore because they're "distracted" by whatever surgery she has had done, but I say her acting is just as captivating as anything else about her.


Following on from the above point, any actor who can keep an audience's attention during a silent three-minute sequence with nothing more but a closeup of their face is clearly doing something right. I highly doubt Phillip Seymour Hoffman could do that.


I may not care for Cameron Bright in anything I've seen him in - he's the weakest part of Birth for what it's worth - but, damn, was that not perfect casting? Talk about creepy! If I was to believe anybody was a reincarnation of somebody else I guess I'd believe him.


Doesn't this shot feel like it should be taken right out of Rosemary's Baby? With scary Danny Huston and Lauren Bacall in the backgrounds with their black eyes and the scary Ruth Gordon-esque Zoe Caldwell in the front. Or a zombie movie.



This shot here feels like it's from some 1950s French movie, no?


Fact, Anne Heche looks scarier in black and white. Fact, Anne Heche is amazing. Shame that her career is, basically, over. She is so good in this movie too! Also, doesn't she remind you of Sissy Spacek a little bit here, with that straight hair and plain face?


What have I said before about not letting Nicole near water! It's a recipe for disaster.

Such an amazing, beautiful, powerful movie. I light up a little bit whenever somebody says something kind about it because, for a while there, I felt I was entirely alone.