Are you still against colorization of B&W films and TV shows? (1 Viewer)

[Sam Posten]

Neat:
http://boingboing.net/2017/05/24/watch-how-this-app-uses-ai-to.html

 

[DaveF]

Neat!

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Count me in as someone who only wants to watch the black and white originals, but doesn't mind if there's a color version available.

However, not long ago, there were numerous comparison screenshots from original Black & White and Colorized BEWITCHED episodes, in which the Color for the latter was turned off. The result was that there was no significant difference in grey scale. If anything, the lack of detail in the Columbia House VHS transferred BEWITCHED screenshots was far more evident than any detectable grey scale differential.

This is a byproduct of how "Bewitched" was colorized. They deliberately worked to make the luminosity values for each pixel in the color versions the same as in the black and white versions. For other shows that use a different colorization method, it wouldn't necessarily be the case.

 

[Jimbo64]

I wouldn't want to watch the colorized ones. It as long as the b/w original is there as well there would be no complaint from me

 

[DaveF]

I'm watching the original The Twilight Zone, which are in B&W. I have no interest in watching these in color. But an negative effect of the black and white, for me, is that the episodes often feel like they're all set at night. I think after a lifetime of color TV, low-contrast grayscale reads as dusk or night to me.

(It's also interesting watching in HD and seeing the shows in much higher fidelity and quality than they'd ever have been seen by original viewers, by all except for the those watching the original film.)

 

[TJPC]

It is strange however when you do see a vintage movie either in historic technicolor or in colonized format that all of a sudden it looks much more modern and immediate. Try "The Awful Truth" or the 1937 "A Star Is Born". Suddenly you are looking at real people. This was a really strange effect after seeing both movies many times in black and white on our old TV sets.

I remember literally falling out of my chair when viewing "Kid Millions" (1934), a movie I had seen dozens of times before, on a colour TV for the first time. I had no idea that the final real was in full glorious 3 colour technicolor.

Also have you seen how the documentaries with colour footage bring the footage of Hitler horrifyingly to life?

 

[Greg_S_H]

It's no different from OAR vs. MAR for me. If someone says, "I won't watch Leave it to Beaver if it's still in B&W," then don't watch it. I find it hard to believe those who wouldn't watch these things in B&W will break their legs to get to the colorized versions.

 

[bmasters9]

I'd prefer to watch B&W in B&W, but I'm not necessarily against alternatives versions IF and ONLY IF they are presented as
a choice and not as a "we made the decision for you." Some of them can be quite fun (or funny) to watch

So basically, you'd want it to be like was done with the Blu-Ray all-in-one of original-recipe NBC Star Trek-- see it as it is now with the remastered effects, or see it as it was then on NBC (but still remastered)? That's somewhat how I'm reading you here.

 

[nara]

Are you still against colorization of B&W films and TV shows?

Yes. 100%

 

[cinemiracle]

Yes. 100%

Me too.The color never looks natural. Nobody has complained about reversing the procedure by turning colored films into B&W -such as the latest MAD MAX film upon it's re-release onto bluray.

 

[Wayne_j]

Logan was also just released on Blu and UHD in B&W.

 

[Greg_S_H]

MeTV started playing the first season of Gilligan yesterday. Colorized. This isn't some new process, either. It looks awful.

I don't know anything about current movies being desaturated, but one difference is one would assume the creative team is involved. I'm not mad about it, but I don't get the purpose.

 

[Tony Bensley]

MeTV started playing the first season of Gilligan yesterday. Colorized. This isn't some new process, either. It looks awful.

I don't know anything about current movies being desaturated, but one difference is one would assume the creative team is involved. I'm not mad about it, but I don't get the purpose.

The Season 1 Black & White GILLIGAN'S ISLAND episodes were colorized in the '90s, I believe. TV Land was airing them that way for awhile. I didn't mind it for the Christmas Flashback episode, but found it annoying, otherwise!

I can't help but wonder why on Earth anyone would want to convert recently made Color Movies to Black & White? That strikes me as leading to a lot of unnecessary wasted disc space, even if it is 4K UHD! How about including a guide recommending saturation adjustment levels that consumers can try themselves for their own alternative viewing experience, or otherwise ignore it, and view the Movie the way it was originally presented, in the most optimal bit-rate possible?

CHEERS!

 

[David Weicker]

The Season 1 Black & White GILLIGAN'S ISLAND episodes were colorized in the '90s, I believe. TV Land was airing them that way for awhile. I didn't mind it for the Christmas Flashback episode, but found it annoying, otherwise!

I can't help but wonder why on Earth anyone would want to convert recently made Color Movies to Black & White? That strikes me as leading to a lot of unnecessary wasted disc space, even if it is 4K UHD! How about including a guide recommending saturation adjustment levels that consumers can try themselves for their own alternative viewing experience, or otherwise ignore it, and view the Movie the way it was originally presented, in the most optimal bit-rate possible?

CHEERS!

I'm not sure about Mad Max Fury Road (since I haven't seen the alternate version), but Logan didn't appear to be de-saturated. It actually appeared that it was re-timed for Black and White. It was actually a different experience in B&W. The violence felt more restrained (not as much in-your-face). And given how it was compared a classic western, being in rich B&W felt natural.

As for disk space, each version (Theatrical Color, B&W) was on its own disc.

 

[Tony Bensley]

The Season 1 Black & White GILLIGAN'S ISLAND episodes were colorized in the '90s, I believe. TV Land was airing them that way for awhile. I didn't mind it for the Christmas Flashback episode, but found it annoying, otherwise!

I can't help but wonder why on Earth anyone would want to convert recently made Color Movies to Black & White? That strikes me as leading to a lot of unnecessary wasted disc space, even if it is 4K UHD! How about including a guide recommending saturation adjustment levels that consumers can try themselves for their own alternative viewing experience, or otherwise ignore it, and view the Movie the way it was originally presented, in the most optimal bit-rate possible?

CHEERS!

I'm not sure about Mad Max Fury Road (since I haven't seen the alternate version), but Logan didn't appear to be de-saturated. It actually appeared that it was re-timed for Black and White. It was actually a different experience in B&W. The violence felt more restrained (not as much in-your-face). And given how it was compared a classic western, being in rich B&W felt natural.

As for disk space, each version (Theatrical Color, B&W) was on its own disc.

It occurs to me that one potential longer term benefit of this current reverse Color to Black & White trend, is that some viewers will be introduced to the magic of Black & White cinematography, which also can only benefit vintage catalog titles. Yes, each version having its own dedicated disc makes all the difference, as well!

CHEERS!

 

[The Obsolete Man]

The Season 1 Black & White GILLIGAN'S ISLAND episodes were colorized in the '90s, I believe. TV Land was airing them that way for awhile. I didn't mind it for the Christmas Flashback episode, but found it annoying, otherwise!

I can't help but wonder why on Earth anyone would want to convert recently made Color Movies to Black & White? That strikes me as leading to a lot of unnecessary wasted disc space, even if it is 4K UHD! How about including a guide recommending saturation adjustment levels that consumers can try themselves for their own alternative viewing experience, or otherwise ignore it, and view the Movie the way it was originally presented, in the most optimal bit-rate possible?

CHEERS!

IIRC, Ted Turner owned Gilligan until he sold to WB. And, of course, Ted Turner loved taking crayons to B&W films.

I remember first seeing S1 of Gilligan colorized on TBS in the early to mid 90s, with the Turner logo at the end. Ted got his crayons out for Gilligan.

 

[Kevin Hewell]

IIRC, Ted Turner owned Gilligan until he sold to WB. And, of course, Ted Turner loved taking crayons to B&W films.

He more than made up for that by giving us TCM.

 

[TJPC]

I purchased the Blu ray set of "Logan", a film I didn't really like much at all, because it completes my collection of wolverine movies. I haven't looked at it yet, but will give the b&w version a try, because I believe there is a different commentary than the colour version.
As I said, I will try it, but at first glance I find the concept completely loony. I am a classic movie buff and have literally 1000s of b&w movies in my collection and have absolutely no problem with them, but after striving for most of the 20th century to perfect colour, it seems trendy in the extreme to take one of the latest movies and make it monochrome. I am sure a great majority of movies in the classic period would have been in colour if it was inexpensive and as easy to do as today. Colour got the reputation of being only for non serious films at the time because it was rare enough to be a gimmick.
When we first had colour TV, it needed to be constantly adjusted. I remember showing my friend the controls and saying "look -- colour (then turning a nob) then black and white! Wow, exciting!

 

[Stan]

I'm watching the original The Twilight Zone, which are in B&W. I have no interest in watching these in color. But an negative effect of the black and white, for me, is that the episodes often feel like they're all set at night. I think after a lifetime of color TV, low-contrast grayscale reads as dusk or night to me.

(It's also interesting watching in HD and seeing the shows in much higher fidelity and quality than they'd ever have been seen by original viewers, by all except for the those watching the original film.)

Although things are better, colorized shows do look pretty decent now. No way should "The Twilight Zone" be touched. It would be ruined. Some things just can't be improved, they are truly classics and should be left alone.

Also keep reading that many B&W costumes, sets, makeup, etc. were designed because of how they'd look in B&W, coloring them takes away that subtle nuance.

But to satisfy the crowds, as long as the original and the colorized version for those who want it were available, I'd be okay.

 

[DaveF]

HDR-ization of TV shows might be coming!
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/05/sdr-to-hdr-conversion/