Top 5 Black and White Movies of All-Time

It is hard to think of a time where all movies were black and white.  While some directors occasionally turn to it int today’s day and age, color has dominated the big screen for the larger part of the last half century.  Here is a list of the five best black and white movies out there.

#5:  Wizard of Oz (1939)

Okay, so this isn’t technically a complete black and white movie because color had just become a staple in the movie industry during the middle of the production.  As a result, the directors decided to film Oz in color while keeping the real world in black and white.  Regardless, Wizard of Oz is a classic movie that appeals to people from all age demographics.

#4:  It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

This Frank Capra classic is almost as recognizable as Christmas itself.  The movie follows the life of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) as he keeps just missing his dreams while helping people along the way.  He doesn’t realize the huge impact he has on those around him until he needs them most.  This is the perfect movie to sit down and watch with the family on Christmas Eve.

#3:  To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

This movie is probably the best book-to-film adaptations ever created.  To Kill a Mockingbird focuses on lawyer Atticus Finch as he tries to protect a falsely accused African American of a rape charges while attempting to teach his kids about prejudice.  Now that the author has released another book, we will have to wait and see if it gets a movie adaptation as well.

#2:  Citizen Kane (1941)

Often considered the greatest movie of all-time, Citizen Kane has been making movie critiques drool for over 70 years now. After the death of a big media mogul, reports rush to discover the meaning of his final words: Rosebud.  We follow the live of the tycoon as everybody is perplexed by the meaning.

Honorable Mention:

The Artist

Dr. Strangelove

12 Angry Men

Ed Wood

Psycho

#1:  Schindler’s List (1993)

The movie based on the life of Oskar Schindler is one of the best movies of all-time, let alone black and white.  When filming the movie, director Steven Spielberg said, “For me, the symbol of life is color.  That’s why a movie about the Holocaust has to be in black-and-white.”  Although he was nervous about making a movie about the Holocaust, Spielberg knocked this one out of the park.  Liam Neeson perfectly portrayed the Nazi businessman who spent all of his fortune to save the lives of over 1000 Jews during World War 2.  Schindler’s List is the best black and white movie ever made.

What’s your favorite black and white movie?  Let me know.

Top 5 Movie Soundtrack Composers of All-Time

Movie soundtracks can be one of the most underrated parts of a movie.  Few people realize the difference a good soundtrack can make a movie versus a bad one (imagine watching the fellowship march through the mountains in Lord of the Rings without that epic music).  I decided to show my appreciation of these unsung heroes with a list of the top 5 composers in movie history.

#5: Howard Shore

Best Known For:  Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Speaking of that epic Lord of the Rings Music, Shore was slingshot into the mainstream after his work with Peter Jackson to create one of the most memorable soundtracks of all-time.  Along with the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit franchises, Shore has composed the music for The Aviator and Ed Wood, two other movies known for their great soundtracks.  Although he has been working on movies since the 1970s, he is finally getting the recognition he deserves here in the 2000s.

#4: Bernard Herrmann

Best Known For:  Psycho

The man behind the Twilight Zone theme and Taxi Driver, Herrmann has helped create some of the most haunting recognizable scores.  Not to mention, who doesn’t imagine the shower scene in Psycho every time they hear that high pitch horror track.  Alfred Hitchcock originally wanted the famous shower scene without music before he heard Herrmann’s track.  He launched himself to popularity with his first soundtrack–Citizen Kane.  Considered one of the greatest movies every created, Citizen Kane‘s soundtrack is one of the many great aspects of the movie.

#3: Alan Silvestri

Best Known For:  Back to the Future

Silvestri’s accomplishments stretch far beyond the Back to the Future trilogy.  Forrest Gump, The A-Team, The Polar Express, and multiple movies from the Avengers Marvel Cinematic Universe are only some of the musical masterpieces penned by Silvestri.  He has shown his broad diversity covering all genres of movies.  Silvestri is definitely one of the best musical composers of all-time.  Starting his career in the 1970s, Silvestri continues to compose great soundtracks to this day.

#2:  Hans Zimmer

Best Known For:  The Dark Knight

Considered the best modern musical composer, Zimmer has created a plethora of great scores.  Pairing up with Christopher Nolan, Zimmer has created the scores for The Dark Knight trilogy, Insterstellar, Inception, and The Prestige.  He has experienced great success outside of Nolan as well.  He won an Oscar for his work on The Lion King and has been behind the scenes for many great movies:  Gladiator, Castaway, Man of Steel, Black Hawk Down, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Bee Movie, and Sherlock Holmes.  He started his musical career assisting the The Buggles with the first MTV music video “Video Killed the Radio Star” and his career has shot off from there.  He is by far currently the best in the business.

#1: John Williams

Best Known For: Star Wars

Williams has been at the helm of some of the greatest movie franchises to ever be produced.  Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park , Harry Potter, Jaws, Superman, and Schindler’s List are just the tip of the iceberg.  Williams has been creating music for movies since the mid-1950s.  While he has slowed down his pace, Williams is far and away the greatest composer ever.  His work is unrivaled.  Almost anybody could hear some of his work and immediately recognize the movie.  It will be a long time before somebody tops Williams as the greatest of all-time.