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Black and white on purpose: 1970 - 2017 and beyond.

Movies where B&W cinematography is an aesthetic choice, after the industry standard was 100% color. Suggestions welcome!

I think I'm only going to do feature-length titles, because the B&W decision is so much easier to make in non-commercial contexts. Movies that alternate between black and white and color (to separate two narrative lines or for other reasons) aren't included, though sometimes it pains me. (8/30/2019: Right now, I am tentatively beginning to include films that are less than 100% B&W, but I haven't made a final decision yet and want to give it some in-depth thought some day when I have time.)

Some shorts, though:
Recess (Kiarostami, 1972)
Le Paysigiste/Mindscape (Jacques Drouin, 1976)
Une Generation (Philippe Grandrieux, 1982)
Umieranko/A Little…

Read notes
  • Di Belakang Tabir
  • The Ear
  • The End of the Track
  • Gelora
  • Golden Eagles in Meteora
  • Miss Nhung
  • The Penal Colony
  • The Vicar Martin Cedermac
  • Bucharest Memories
  • No Pawing, Darling
  • Days and Nights in the Forest
  • Witchhammer
  • The Pig
  • End of the Commune?
  • The Honeymoon Killers
  • Pasión dominguera
  • The Wild Child
  • Q-Bec My Love
  • On the Trail of Blood
  • Multiple Maniacs
  • Notes Towards an African Orestes
  • A Familia do Barulho
  • Samskara
  • Even Dwarfs Started Small
  • The Coffee House
  • Quiet Days in Clichy
  • The Man Who Left His Will on Film
  • Dällebach Kari
  • A Case for a Rookie Hangman
  • Maanavan
  • Gods of the Plague
  • Stick It in Your Ear
  • This Transient Life
  • Barbara
  • Loving Memory
  • Reconstruction
  • Heroic Purgatory
  • The American Soldier
  • Ice
  • The Cruise
  • Vive la France
  • The Adversary
  • Live Today, Die Tomorrow!
  • The Inheritance
  • San Domingo
  • Mosaico (La vida de una modelo)
  • Forbidden to Step on Clouds
  • There Once Was a Singing Blackbird
  • Dastak
  • Alo Amar Alo
  • Crazy Love
  • Door Ka Raahi
  • I Loved an Armchair
  • Kabhi Dhoop Kabhi Chhaon
  • Odette Robert
  • One Day Before the Rainy Season
  • Samad and King Solomon's Carpet
  • Samusim di-Neraka
  • Trial on the Road
  • Anubhav
  • Nacher Putul
  • Love
  • Mon enfance à Montréal
  • Demons
  • Dhanyee Meye
  • Poompatta
  • Brother Carl
  • Lankadahanam
  • The Cruel Sea
  • C.I.D. Nazir
  • The Spring Heghnar
  • The Slightest Gesture
  • Vampir Cuadecuc
  • Men Without Beard
  • The Salamander
  • Sjors en Sjimmie en De Toverring
  • Basic Training
  • At the Top
  • Sagina Mahato
  • The Bug Killer
  • Officers
  • The Road to Rübezahl
  • The Long Farewell
  • Inn of Evil
  • Rote Fahnen sieht man besser
  • What Did You Do in the War, Thanassi?
  • Company Limited
  • Y que patatín, y que patatán
  • The Last Picture Show
  • The Telephone Book
  • Summer in the City
  • Na Boca da Noite
  • Gossip Over the Nile
  • Agnimrigam
  • Chhadmabeshi
  • Jangan Tinggal Daku
  • Fragments of an Alms-Film
  • Laksamana Do Re Mi
  • Letter from the Wife
  • Nrithasala