Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Black and White Movies





This is a still frame, or a publicity photo, from the movie Laura, starring Gene Tierney and Vincent Price, among others. I love this photograph because it exemplifies the elegance and stylishness of black and white movies of the 1940s.

Also the photograph tells a story in itself, with these two beautiful people sizing each other up, the man looking suave and a little too relaxed, the woman, Laura, sure of herself but still unsure of the man she's with, trying to penetrate the facade he seems to present to the world.

At least the photograph suggests all of this to someone who has seen the movie.

4 comments:

edelweiza said...

hi chuck! what's up? so you're into old stuff these days, huh! :)

Chuck said...

Hi, Edelweiza. I've always loved old movies. They had a better sense of life, less cynical than the modern world. I also detest the modern film technique of using a "shaky camera," as opposed to simple, steady camera view.

Thanks for stopping by again!

Myrhaf said...

When I was a child in the 1960's, black and white movies were just movies that happened to be in black and white. Now they are relics from another age. The world has changed -- in many ways NOT for the better. Their lives were stylized in ways we have forgotten.

Chuck said...

Just a simple, ubiquitous example of the clothing style that existed back then, and has evaporated today, is --- hats. Not a baseball cap thrown on in slovenly fashion, which is the modern way. Stylish hats like fedoras, or for special occasions the top hat, a la Fred Astaire.

I was watching an episode of Perry Mason the other day and Lt. Tragg was making an arrest. The first thing he said to the suspect was "Get your hat and let's go." People would sooner go out without their wallet, than without their hat.