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It is no secret that the film industry is in constant development and reform. This is with regards to: technique, characterisation, quality and cultural relevance to name a few. There have been hundreds of films which make that “cult classic” list and are known worldwide, the films that even if you haven’t seen you have most definitely heard of.

Understandably, as time has gone on the term “classic” is now referred to when talking about films from the 80’s and 90’s by directors like Stephen Spielberg, John Carpenter and Tim Burton who are all excellent at what they do. However, there is no longer as much appreciation towards the REAL classics (the grainy black and white fellas) who paved the way for the brilliant examples of cinema we see today.

First of all, a homage to the black and white film. There is this stigma associated with B&W films that they’re going to be boring just because it’s old which I absolutely understand, although there are many reasons why they are excellent to watch. The lack of colour on screen leaves room for the imagination to fill in the gaps, creating your own pallet for the costume and setting makes every scene all the more personal to the audience. Zero colour equals full attention for the content of each scene, especially the acting.

The over-exaggerated acting style around this time, due to film being a direct leap from theatre, meant the actors already dominated the silver screen. Additionally, there was no red to convey danger or blue for sadness, the expression in the acting shows so much emotion and there is a clear difference to be seen between then and now. Ultimately, it is a landmark in the development of film and if anything, it grows your appreciation for modern cinema.

However, if B&W really isn’t your cup of tea there are some brilliant films in technicolour worth watching. There is something aesthetically pleasing about technicolour. The use of rich and vibrant tones is so bizarre it’s like looking at a faux version of life where everything is much brighter. At the beginning, technicolour it was mostly associated with musicals and that is definitely fitting as the bold pallet correlates with the in your face showbiz style perfectly. Because of how expensive the process was it took a long time for it to be the new way of cinema, all the more reason to watch the technicolour films and remember them. Examples of films which use technicolour in the most beautiful ways are Vertigo (1958), The Wizard of OZ (1939), Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and the Red Shoes (1948).

You might be enjoying classic storylines without even knowing it. There are a large number of modernday remakes you may not have known were remakes in the first place. A film fan’s favourite Scarface (1983) is actually a remake of the 1932 version with the same name with an almost identical plot.

The secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) is the latest of a few remakes of the original, this one however is the most

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popular and has the closest resemblance to the primary short film. Mr. Deeds (2002) with Adam Sandler is a remake of Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) and lastly homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993) is a remake of The Incredible Journey (1963).

These are just a few modern adaptions of brilliant old school films and just as they are loved and renowned for their plots so too should the originals be watched and given the appreciation they so greatly deserve.

Remakes aside, there are other aspects of films which have been nabbed and used in more widely watched examples. The Hitchcock zoom for example is a camera movement most commonly recognised in the film jaws when Chief Brody spots the shark for the first time at the beach. It was actually a movement created by Hitchcock (clues in the name) and was first seen in his film Vertigo. I am definitely not going to dwell on Tarantino as its common knowledge that he steals his ideas from other films. My favourite example is when in Pulp Fiction, Butch is in his car and Marcellus walks right in front of him. This is a copy from the film Psycho, when Marion’s boss does the same thing as she leaves town.

I am in no way discrediting the films which have thrived off of the inspirations of others, adaption and improvement is so important in the film industry. However, it is important to highlight the impact of the classic talkies and to not let them be an unfamiliar face in a crowd of Marvel and Fast and Furious anthologies.

Bethany Watt Designed by Megan Beattie