What is it about black and white horror movies.....

That is so unsettling? Here are some examples.

Onibaba (fast forward to 2:09. Just do it.)
Eyes without a face (not lot on youtube for this film but this clip gives a good idea of how eerie the film is)
Tetsuo The Iron Man

I got through watching the first two movies I listed today (back to back baby) and they both left a strong impact on me. There is something about the imagery, particulary when in b&w, that really disturbs me. Moreso then any recent horror movies I can think of.

If anyone wants to share any good movies like the ones I listed then please do. And whats everyones opinion on them?

Lol, Tetsuo is possibly the most smurfed up movie I've ever seen. Can't think of any other B&W horror movies though.

I didn't find Eyes Without a Face that scary, but films like Nosferatu gave me nightmares. Old black and white horror films have the tendency to be more psychologically horrifying than horror films of today that offer only mostly cheap scares.

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Originally Posted by Shiny

I didn't find Eyes Without a Face that scary, but films like Nosferatu gave me nightmares. Old black and white horror films have the tendency to be more psychologically horrifying than horror films of today that offer only mostly cheap scares.

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The clip I showed doesn't really give the film justice although it does show off the mask that the lady wears. That is definitely creepy. This clip is much better. The first 10 seconds is what really gets to me. I found the film really enjoyable. Definitely recommended.

Nosferatu is one of those films that I keep meaning to get round to watching. Always slips my mind. It is definitely the type of film right up my alley. Thanks for reminding me.

I love Tetsuo. Might I recommend the experimental horror film Begotten? The whole thing is on YouTube and it's pretty awesome.

I love old horror flicks but unfortunately I haven't seen or heard of any except Nosferatu

This is of the best sites you'll ever see. Watch movies dating as far back as the 20s for free. Quality is fair.
http://www.archive.org/details/feature_films

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Originally Posted by Dreddz

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Originally Posted by Shiny

I didn't find Eyes Without a Face that scary, but films like Nosferatu gave me nightmares. Old black and white horror films have the tendency to be more psychologically horrifying than horror films of today that offer only mostly cheap scares.

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The clip I showed doesn't really give the film justice although it does show off the mask that the lady wears. That is definitely creepy. This clip is much better. The first 10 seconds is what really gets to me. I found the film really enjoyable. Definitely recommended.

Nosferatu is one of those films that I keep meaning to get round to watching. Always slips my mind. It is definitely the type of film right up my alley. Thanks for reminding me.

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I've seen it already and I still don't think it's that creepy, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I had to compare a film to a book for my class last semester. I chose Eyes Without a Face and The Picture of Dorian Gray. I guess I don't get very unsettled by operational scenes especially if it's black and white. I'm trying to think of another black and white horror...does Psycho count? That's always made me uncomfortable.

Also, are you my college professor? You basically linked the three films we watched last semester. Da hell. I wasn't there that day he screened the Iron Man film, but from what my friends said, it was disturbing as smurf.

EDIT: Oh, I forgot to mention The Cabinet of Caligari! That's such an amazing horror film for it's time. You can see how it might have influenced all the "gothic" films of this time like the set design in all of Burton's films.

And I love Night of the Living Dead. When I was kid I had nightmares about people breaking into my house, so that film made me even more paranoid about that.

Probably my favorite black and white scary film is The Uninvited (1944). It's not quite a horror film, but I remember seeing it when I was young and getting chills. It's still rather eerie today as it is one of the best ghost movies I've seen where you see a ghost that looks legit.

The lighting.

High key lighting, low key lighting. Dramatic.

The actors, actresses, some of them still living were silent film actors, very dramatic, some of the best ever.

The pacing, more subtle, more cerebral than today's special effect horrors.

The music.

The direction, several silent film era directors at the helm and far more time and care goes into lighting a well light black and white film.

What a lot of people don't realize today is how black and white lighting changes faces, as well...

Eyes without face is old movie. It is of 1960. I don't like this movie while others are fine to watch .