Haines Logo Text
Column Archive
June 24, 2011:

BLACK-AND-WHITE

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, it occurred to me whilst watching a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Rififi, how beautiful the black-and-white image was. The fact is that many of my favorite films are in black-and-white. And isn’t it a sad state of affairs that filmmakers cannot choose to do that in today’s film world because a bunch of silly children (and I don’t mean only children, I mean people in their twenties and thirties, too) don’t understand black-and-white and will not watch films that aren’t in color. Even though color became the norm in the 1960s and 70s, filmmakers could still make a black-and-white film if that’s what they felt suited the subject matter. And people went and people enjoyed. In the 1970s it got harder, but we still had The Last Picture Show and Paper Moon, and those two films still look superb today. And Woody Allen, when he was able to call the shots, which he isn’t anymore, was able to give us his beautiful masterpiece Manhattan, along with Stardust Memories, Zelig and Broadway Danny Rose, none of which would work in color. People went to Manhattan, but by the 1980s it was basically over for black-and-white, with the odd exception like 1980’s The Elephant Man and Raging Bull. Neither Danny Rose, Zelig nor Stardust made money. The Elephant Man and Raging Bull did well, though and, of course, it’s unthinkable to imagine either film in color. Coppola made Rumble Fish in black-and-white. And there were a few other black-and-white films in the 80s. The 90s – Schindler’s List (with one color shot), Ed Wood and only a couple of other major films (in each decade from the 80s on, there were several foreign films for each decade, but I’m talking about major movies). The 2000s? The Man Who Wasn’t There and Good Night and Good Luck were about the only major studio films in black-and-white. Certain subjects just lend themselves to black-and-white filming and it’s funny to watch filmmakers who are shooting in color but trying to drain all that color from the film so it looks monochromatic but with subdued color to appease the dolts who can’t deal with black-and-white. Well, black-and-white films are some of the most artful ever made. And filmmakers should be able to work in that art form if they so choose. But since teenagers are basically dictating what films get made, that won’t be happening until some brave soul bucks it all and makes a smash hit film that just happens to be in black-and-white. Once that happens, suddenly everyone will jump on that bandwagon and perhaps we can get back to having variety in the way films look and feel. Watch any of the Von Sternberg films – gorgeous and supple and luminous. Watch Citizen Kane and marvel at Gregg Toland’s genius. Watch It’s A Wonderful Life then watch the horrifying colorized version. Watch the black-and-white films of Billy Wilder, John Ford, Hitchcock, Preston Sturges, Edward Dmytryk, Anthony Mann, and hordes of other great filmmakers – marvel at the textures and depth and just the feel.

Was I on a tangent just then? I think I was on a tangent just then. Shouldn’t I be writing notes? I should and I shall because it is quite late and I have a very long day ahead of me, which is, of course, better than having a very long day behind me. I got up at nine, answered e-mails, and then went and had a sandwich (a BLT with avocado) and no fries or onion rings, after which I picked up one little package of no importance. Then I came home and did some work on the computer. I then did a four-mile jog. The day before I’d done three miles but as two separate mile-and-a-half jogs – one early, one late afternoon. This time I did all four miles at once and it was really hard and I’m quite certain I looked quite pathetically pathetic. But I did it. Then I had several really long telephonic calls, one of which was with my local Public Storage. I have two Public Storage units, one in the City of Studio and one in North Hollywood. I called to ask when my monthly fee went up to $173 for a 5×10 unit. Apparently it went up last month. I told him that was ridiculous. He suggested I move to another 5×10 unit just down the hall. I asked why and he told me the cost would be $113. At which point, I went ballistic. I called the Public Storage corporate offices and began berating the gal who I was talking to – I’m guessing this happens a lot because she immediately offered me all sorts of discounts on my current space, although none as cheap as $113. But that wasn’t the point – the point is why didn’t someone TELL me that these rates had gone down by over fifty dollars? Why do we who’ve been customers for twelve YEARS get shafted like that. Tomorrow, I’m taking the new space and next week we’ll move into it. Unbelievable. I have to believe that if I could find a good pro bono lawyer that there’s a class action lawsuit waiting to be had. After that, I did a little writing on episode five of the web series, and then I sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I began watching a motion picture on Blu and Ray (an import) entitled Rififi. I love Rififi and will write more about it once I finish watching. I was constantly interrupted by the ringing of the telephonic device and I finally had to go over to the Kritzerland designer’s house to bring him some Nudie Musical material – he’s beginning the Blu-Ray cover design and since I really didn’t care for the DVD design I’m being very persnickety about the Blu-Ray. I like the Jimmy Pearsall chorus girl line art and we’re trying to make that work in the way Jimmy designed it, which is not the way it was used on the one-sheet or on the DVD. But using line art is tricky because you have to have a solid background. Anyone who has the Varese Sarabande soundtrack LP can see it the way it’s supposed to look – there it’s on a solid yellow background. I don’t want yellow, though, so the designer will now play with various options. Frankly, if I thought I could get away with a black-and-white cover I’d do it – maybe make the print part of it in color and leave the line art and background in black-and-white. I think that’s what the New York, New York Blu-Ray did, actually, and since Nudie Musical opened the same week, maybe that would be fun.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get my beauty sleep so I can be alert for the long day ahead of me.

Today, I shall be up by nine, I shall have jogged by ten-thirty, I shall have showered and been out the door by eleven-thirty and I shall be at the lab just before noon to start a four-hour session. After that, I’ll come home quickly and do some stuff, hopefully pick up some packages and an important envelope, and then I’ll be on my way to rehearse with the thirteen-year-old in an actual rehearsal studio. After that, we’ll all go sup.

I’m totally unclear as to what the weekend holds, other than writing liner notes, writing episode five, and writing the contextual commentary for the Gardenia show. Next week is going to be fun but very busy.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, do a four-hour session at the lab, pick up packages and an important envelope, rehearse, and sup. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – Blu and Ray, Rififi and then about thirty other things. CD, all kinds of Kritzerland projects. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I may dream in black-and-white or, as they say in Rififi, noir et blanc.

Search BK's Notes Archive:
 
© 2001 - 2024 by Bruce Kimmel. All Rights Reserved