My buddy Mike Clark has assembled an interesting history and discussion of colorizing old movies and especially old TV shows. There are some hot 'n' heavy arguments on the 'net about this and I think it might be more constructive if all the arguers could first agree on a number of points…
- Some colorization is bad because it's just plain badly done. The issue of whether films or TV shows should be colorized at all is a separate discussion.
- Some black-and-white movies and TV shows use light and the absence of color so artfully that a major aspect of them is lost when you colorize.
- And with some, it's not as important. Maybe what you lose in some cases is more than made up for by what colorization brings to a project, even if it's only to make the episodes of a series that were filmed in b&w more of a piece with other episodes that were made in color.
- Sometimes, the filmmakers like having their work colorized. Carl Reiner is ecstatic over it being done to The Dick Van Dyke Show. Frank Capra was reportedly enthusiastic about the colorizing of his movies, especially when he was going to participate in the process. It would be a different discussion if, as has also happened, someone with creative moral authority was saying, "I hate what they're doing to that film I worked on." And it's yet another kind of discussion when, as is increasingly the case, there's no one around who has any kind of creative moral authority on the work in question.
- The discussion of whether or not to colorize certain works is largely more of a financial discussion than a creative one. Maybe that shouldn't be but that is always a factor when art is sold to the public.
- Often, consumer rejection of black-and-white films and TV episodes is not really (or only) because the work lacks color. Often, it is because the available black-and-white prints are pretty lousy in terms of image quality and/or completeness. Most colorized versions at least are completely restored.
And there are probably other things to be said. I don't think it's a major sin that "these kids today" won't watch anything in black-and-white. First off, I think they will if the production is highly recommended or it seems relevant. Hell, there's stuff on Turner Classic Movies that I TiVo and then am unable to sit through.
I think we forget how much media there is out there for a young person to investigate and enjoy. Just wading through all the good current or recent TV shows and movies is a daunting task. It could easily consume the portion of one's life one is willing to spend in front of a TV or movie screen.
If they do start investigating "the old stuff," there are plenty of old films in color that are worth watching. It would be nice if they got around to the black-and-white stuff, especially certain TV shows like Bilko and Twilight Zone…and if colorizing The Dick Van Dyke Show gets it moved up higher on their "to watch" lists, that's fine by me. Especially since it's fine with Carl.