Favorite black and white horror films?

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

I'm a fan of horror films, especially the atmospheric kind where the horror is unseen or not overt. I'm not putting down movies like Hostel or Saw, but they're really not for me. I think movies where the object of fear is only hinted at and where the imagination has to work are more effective than naked gore. I think the black and white format, with its shadows and darkness is especially suited to the horror genre. To me, the scariest and most atmospheric part of Night Of The Living Dead is the opening scene in the cemetery where two people are alone among the graves on an overcast day, as evening approaches. I'm limiting myself to black and white "talkies" (leaving out Nosferatu or The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari) in listing some of my favorite old classic horror films.

By the way, The Innocents, one of my favorites and a disturbing and creepy film will play on TCM on Friday, June 8th.

The Innocents
The Uninvited
The Old Dark House
Vampyr (German)
M (German)
Night of the Demon
Cat People
Les Diaboliques (French)
Psycho
Eyes Without A Face (Les Yeux Sans Visage - French)
The Haunting
The Spiral Staircase
The Bad Seed
Demoniac (French)
Carnival of Souls
Night Of The Living Dead
The Last Man On Earth (one of the first zombie movies -I Am Legend was a remake of this)

Here's a scene from The Spiral Staircase that I like. We don't even see face of the man who is watching the woman as she rushes home at night in the rain. I try to imagine this scene in color and I don't think it would have worked as well.

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[CBHagman]

1. I do agree that suggestion has the power to create suspense and terror...

...with an assist from "glorious black and white."

Not horror films per se but still among my favorites for watching and rewatching:

The Night of the Hunter

And for comedy and romance along with the suspense, Arsenic and Old Lace

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[aint_no_life_nowhere]

2. A fine choice and certainly belongs on a list of suspense/horror classics

Night of the Hunter is an outstanding dark film and one of Robert Mitchum's best. As a major star, Mitchum wasn't afraid to take on evil roles. The B & W cinematography in that film is outstanding and almost a character in the film itself.

I think in those days there were fewer obvious sub-genres whereas today we have slasher films, serial killer films, supernatural horror with zombies or vampires, science fiction/horror films like Alien and more. In those days there were fewer special effects and the cinematography and lighting helped create a spooky atmosphere. Suspense meant just that; teasing the viewer minute after minute awaiting something bad. Today films use surprise as much as suspense (the opposite of suspense) in hitting you over the head with sudden graphic violence and gore almost from the first scene on. Of course the viewer can't be strung along endlessly by suspense without any pay-off, but in the older films it was usually subtle like in The Haunting and leaving you wanting more. Films like Night Of The Demon, about an American psychiatrist (Dana Andrews) who goes to England to debunk a devil-worshiping cult is almost entirely propelled by spooky suspense until the very end. So is Night Of The Hunter. I think the attitude towards storytelling resulted in these types of films having a lot in common with each other and whether you want to categorize them as horror or suspense they belong on the same list.

[Matilda]

3. "The Innocents" was one of the scariest films I've ever seen.

What is suggested is so often more creepy than something that is seen - the imagination is a very powerful tool.

And of course, Deborah Kerr was superb in it. As were the two children.

[Bolo Boffin]

4. The Spiral Staircase is coming up this week!

http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/345408/The-Spiral-Staircase/

Thursday, June 14 @ 03:15 PM (ET)

Early in the afternoon, but I think I'll get it DVRed and watch it at night.

[peterjackson]

5. black and white horror movie

My Favorite black and white is:

Vampyr
Black Sunday
The Old Dark House

[longship]

6. You've got my two tops.

The Haunting (1962) A Robert Wise gem.
Forget the stoooopid, inane remake. This one honors Shirley Jackson's psychological thriller. Genuinely spooky without a single ghost to be seen. Plus, Miss Moneypenny shows up in a supporting role.

Psycho -- need I say anything?