![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
redfiona99Did actually go okay, which I'm pinning on your well wishes.
Admittedly I'm going to have to rewatch the Who Christmas special because the boy cousin decided to talk over it but since he half saved Christmas dinner (it's a long story, that starts with my Mum deciding that the chicken looked like lamb) he's sort of forgiven.
~~~~
Before I carry on with meme answers, I would like to ask life to stop picking on the Finnish ski jumping team. Really.
~~~~
Film Meme - Day 11 - Favourite Black and White Film
First, a declaration. You know Shepherd Book's special Hell. I consign the people who colourise black and white films to the same place. It's not just that they choose terrible colours, not known to nature (seriously, why do all the people look like they have carbon monoxide poisioning?) but they drown out the real colours in black and white films. And they are there, in the shadows and the shading and the acting. It's like in Jezebel, there's a scene where Bette Davis's character goes to a ball in a bright red dress. You don't need colour to see that it's the most shocking shade of scarlet red you ever did see.
As to my favourite black and white film, it's probably a toss up between:
Metropolis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_%28film%29), which is very strange if you watch it nowadays, because it fits so tightly to the conventions of when it was made (epigrams etc) but the visuals are so modern.
Nosferatu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosferatu), because I have no idea how they did it but it still makes my flesh creep, and the bit with the sun at the end is magnificent.
The Prisoner of Zenda, Ronald Coleman version (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner_of_Zenda_%281937_film%29). Because it's awesome, and contains one of the best swordfight scenes in film history. And Douglas Fairbanks jr, playing Rupert of Hentzau. Everyone should see it just for him.
The Scarlet Pimpernel, Leslie Howard version (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scarlet_Pimpernel_%281934_film%29). Because of Leslie Howard's Pimpernel, and more importantly, his Percy Blakeney (seriously, there's a scene where he's talking to Ffoulkes about how much he loves Marguerite, and it's just swoon-worthy). There's Merle Oberon looking magnificent. And Raymond Massey's Chauvelin. If ever there were an under-rated actor, it is he (he's also in the Prisoner of Zenda).
The Maltese Falcon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maltese_Falcon_%281941_film%29), if only for Brigid O'Shaunnessey. Then you watch it a second time for everyone else.
Casablanca (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca_%28film%29).
Casablanca features in a family anecdote. So my Mum's sitting down to watch it with my Dad, and they reach the Marseilles bit. And he complains that it's blatant propaganda.
And it is. And yes, you've seen all the famous bits already. But it's so wonderful, and fun, and glorious.
The Spy In Black (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spy_in_Black) - not only so that you get to see Conrad Veidt playing a good guy. This is the first Powell and Pressburger film. It features a German spy in WWI, who comes to a little Scottish village to spy on the local shipyard. It was made between the wars and had a German spy as the hero. That takes guts to make. It's also good and effective, and, oh the ending.
Day 1 - Favourite Foreign Language Film
Day 2 - A film that is underrated
Day 3 - A Film That Brings Me Unadulterated Happiness
Day 4- A film cliché that you love
Day 5 - Favourite love story in a film
Day 6 - Favorite actor/actress
Day 7 - Most surprising plot twist/ending
Day 8 - Best Opening/Closing Credits
Day 9 - Best soundtrack/score to a film
Day 10 - Favourite classic film
Day 12 - A film that permanently altered your point-of-view
Day 13 - A guilty pleasure...
Day 14 - A film that you used to love but now hate
Day 15 - Favorite film sequel
Day 16 - Favorite film character
Day 17 - Favorite film quote
Day 18 - The best overall cast in a film
Day 19 - The most hilarious film you've seen
Day 20 - A moving (emotional) scene
Day 21 - Favorite film from your favorite actor/actress
Day 22 - Favorite Academy Award acceptance speech
Day 23 - A character who you can relate to the most
Day 24 - The best page-to-screen film adaptation
Day 25 - Favorite film villain
Day 26 - Favorite film poster
Day 27 - A film that you wish you had seen in theaters
Day 28 - Favorite film from your favorite director
Day 29 - A piece of trivia from a favorite film
Day 30 - Your favorite film of all-time
Admittedly I'm going to have to rewatch the Who Christmas special because the boy cousin decided to talk over it but since he half saved Christmas dinner (it's a long story, that starts with my Mum deciding that the chicken looked like lamb) he's sort of forgiven.
~~~~
Before I carry on with meme answers, I would like to ask life to stop picking on the Finnish ski jumping team. Really.
~~~~
Film Meme - Day 11 - Favourite Black and White Film
First, a declaration. You know Shepherd Book's special Hell. I consign the people who colourise black and white films to the same place. It's not just that they choose terrible colours, not known to nature (seriously, why do all the people look like they have carbon monoxide poisioning?) but they drown out the real colours in black and white films. And they are there, in the shadows and the shading and the acting. It's like in Jezebel, there's a scene where Bette Davis's character goes to a ball in a bright red dress. You don't need colour to see that it's the most shocking shade of scarlet red you ever did see.
As to my favourite black and white film, it's probably a toss up between:
Metropolis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_%28film%29), which is very strange if you watch it nowadays, because it fits so tightly to the conventions of when it was made (epigrams etc) but the visuals are so modern.
Nosferatu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosferatu), because I have no idea how they did it but it still makes my flesh creep, and the bit with the sun at the end is magnificent.
The Prisoner of Zenda, Ronald Coleman version (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner_of_Zenda_%281937_film%29). Because it's awesome, and contains one of the best swordfight scenes in film history. And Douglas Fairbanks jr, playing Rupert of Hentzau. Everyone should see it just for him.
The Scarlet Pimpernel, Leslie Howard version (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scarlet_Pimpernel_%281934_film%29). Because of Leslie Howard's Pimpernel, and more importantly, his Percy Blakeney (seriously, there's a scene where he's talking to Ffoulkes about how much he loves Marguerite, and it's just swoon-worthy). There's Merle Oberon looking magnificent. And Raymond Massey's Chauvelin. If ever there were an under-rated actor, it is he (he's also in the Prisoner of Zenda).
The Maltese Falcon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maltese_Falcon_%281941_film%29), if only for Brigid O'Shaunnessey. Then you watch it a second time for everyone else.
Casablanca (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca_%28film%29).
Casablanca features in a family anecdote. So my Mum's sitting down to watch it with my Dad, and they reach the Marseilles bit. And he complains that it's blatant propaganda.
And it is. And yes, you've seen all the famous bits already. But it's so wonderful, and fun, and glorious.
The Spy In Black (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spy_in_Black) - not only so that you get to see Conrad Veidt playing a good guy. This is the first Powell and Pressburger film. It features a German spy in WWI, who comes to a little Scottish village to spy on the local shipyard. It was made between the wars and had a German spy as the hero. That takes guts to make. It's also good and effective, and, oh the ending.
Day 1 - Favourite Foreign Language Film
Day 2 - A film that is underrated
Day 3 - A Film That Brings Me Unadulterated Happiness
Day 4- A film cliché that you love
Day 5 - Favourite love story in a film
Day 6 - Favorite actor/actress
Day 7 - Most surprising plot twist/ending
Day 8 - Best Opening/Closing Credits
Day 9 - Best soundtrack/score to a film
Day 10 - Favourite classic film
Day 12 - A film that permanently altered your point-of-view
Day 13 - A guilty pleasure...
Day 14 - A film that you used to love but now hate
Day 15 - Favorite film sequel
Day 16 - Favorite film character
Day 17 - Favorite film quote
Day 18 - The best overall cast in a film
Day 19 - The most hilarious film you've seen
Day 20 - A moving (emotional) scene
Day 21 - Favorite film from your favorite actor/actress
Day 22 - Favorite Academy Award acceptance speech
Day 23 - A character who you can relate to the most
Day 24 - The best page-to-screen film adaptation
Day 25 - Favorite film villain
Day 26 - Favorite film poster
Day 27 - A film that you wish you had seen in theaters
Day 28 - Favorite film from your favorite director
Day 29 - A piece of trivia from a favorite film
Day 30 - Your favorite film of all-time
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-12-28 08:53 pm (UTC)I agree six thousand percent. <3 It makes me sad that everything has to be so in-your-face and colour-bang-pow, when some of the most wonderful visuals come from black-and-white.