I'm a purist and don't like for an original director or cinematographer's work to be tampered with but I have to say that is one of the best colourinzing jobs I've ever seen. That is the new technology at work. For those folks who wonder what the problem is, it's that cinematographer's take into account things like light and shadow to affect mood. They knew the limitations (and strengths) and worked within them or used them to advantage to set the scene.
@ I found the colorization on this version to be lackluster, insipid and pointless. Some scenes were retained, more or less, as intended, because the costuming was black and white, or they were night shots. Making a dress into pale yellow, or pale blue or pale pink is unnecessary and meaningless. If the desire is to see color in films from the 1930’s or 1940’s - there is The Adventures of Robin Hood,The Wizard of Oz, Gone With The Wind, Meet Me in St. Louis, Leave Her to Heaven, any of the British films by Powell & Pressburger, Heaven Can Wait (1943), Rope, and others. The difference between these color masterpieces and what someone though would “improve” It’s A Wonderful Life is huge.
They made Mary, one of the prettiest women in all of cinema, look bland and sickly. It looks like she 's the color of Silly Puddy. If ever there was a movie that was black and white, it's "It's A Wonderful Life". I thought we took care of this crap in the 80s, when these directors were still alive and trying to stop the mutilation of their work. Now they're dead and every moron with software thinks they're going to improve genius cinematography. Like Orson Welles said: It's like pouring sugar water over a steak. I can't believe anyone is saying this looks great. If Donna Reed doesn't look gorgeous, something is wrong. I mean, what's with the hollowed out cheeks and the creepy skin tone. Who looks like that?
Thanks for reviewing my favorite movie of all time. Your sweet smile at the funny parts and tears at the emotional moments really moved me, despite the fact that I've watched this movie dozens of times since I was a kid. It means more to me now than ever.
I recommend The Family Man with Nicholas Cage. It's kind of a reverse Wonderful Life, in which Cage metaphorically takes the offer of Sam Wainwright or Potter.
Such an amazing movie: as you said, wholesome and beautiful in all respects. My great-grandfather was childhood friends with Jimmy Stewart. They played youth sports together.
I'm glad you chose this and liked it. It's a standard. You might want to check out some black & white films from the 50s such as "Marty" and "A Face In The Crowd."
So many negative comments and people complaining. Good grief. Thank you for the reaction. This is fantastic movie with a great message, regardless if it’s in b&w or color. Merry Christmas !! 🎁
I'd love to see you do a first time reaction to some Sidney Poitier movies. Here's a list of some of my favorites. In the heat of the night A patch of blue Guess who's coming to dinner A raisin in the sun Let's do it again A piece of the action
I agree. Better in black and white. However, I just watched Shelia's great reaction, and after that I saw that infamous 1991 said it was better in black and white. I watched the entire reaction and never noticed it was ion color. Lol Lol Lol
I absolutely agree. I grew up in the 1950's, in a world of black-n-white television so I can accept it but when I watch a movie, whether it is black-and-white, color, or colorized, I quickly stop noticing the format in order to concentrate on the story. I've seen this movie literally dozens of times, in both versions, and laugh and cry just the same in either case. And again, I soon forget what version. People say they could have filmed this in technicolor, but that was VERY expensive at the time. I doubt Capri had the backing to do that so the movie might never had been made. Remember the movie was not a big success and only became the classic decades later, after being seen so often on local stations late night. Capri was likely extremely limited by the budget he could get. At this time in movie-making, the choice of format was probably not based on an artistic idea (such as Psycho being purposely filmed in b&w Or there might was so much being invested in it, Capri would have been under severe pressure not to take any risks. Yes, the director made decisions based on how it was being filmed so one can argue that shouldn't be ignored. But the movie was also intended to be seen on a giant screen so watching it on our current smaller devices - AND seeing it without an audience whose reaction would change the perception. For everyone who claims this movie HAS to be seen in b&w, there are others, mostly younger people, who insist they will NEVER watch a black-and-white movie. I think a better way to experience it is to return to it several times, no matter what the format, and just accept people's personal choices.
I hope that all the reactors who are watching the “colorized” version from several decades ago, when this film fell into public domain and was cut up, had its music changed or was “colorized” will rewatch it in its original and authentic form. The contrasts of black & white, the shadows, the dramatic key lighting (especially on faces or closeups) are so much more striking than in these pastel-y, washed out, muted colorizations. The color adds nothing to our understanding of the characters, or the story, or the environment. The cinematographer, lighting technicians, especially the costumers and makeup artists, the set designers, props managers and more on the crew, spent time and thought on how to use their skills to direct the attention of the audience to the specific part of the scene, or what in the frame we should notice or they knew exactly how to increase the emotional impact of any scene. The colorization makes scenes weak and removes the intensity. If the director had wanted to make a color film, he could have-early Technicolor (and hand-painted) existed in the 1920’s and by the 1930’s many films were using full Technicolor. Colorization never has the vibrant rich colors of color film (especially like Technicolor) and never looks realistic-it is mostly off-shades of green, purplish, brownish, rose, everything is mixed with gray. The decision to use black & white was an artistic one based on the mood of the picture, its underlying themes, the tone of the movie and characters, and the wish to give a powerful and unique look to it, because the contrasts of black & white are strong and hard with dozens of shades of gray, whereas the colorization reduces all that to a television-like simplicity, monotony or mediocrity.
I'm one who thinks colorization can be done well, so-so or extremely badly and that the well-done ones have their place, in bringing the past more "alive" or true to how it was for those who can't comprehend without it, particularly those who weren't around in the 70s to have a steady diet of B&W that dated from the 60s and 70s so they can understand. I myself am even more blessed to have had a high-quality B&W TV from the 70s that i used into the late 80s and using which i could watch the same material and even 80s stuff in both color and B&W and thus really get a deep appreciation for the translation in either direction and how it affects our perception of what we're seeing and hearing. Most people under the age of 45 today (2024) just don't have that ability because they haven't been shown anything in B&W that was released after 1955, so they associate the scheme exclusively with melodramatic material from that time period, and thus they don't receive the material fully in-context and it seems less authentic than it really is. However i do think such a person, having once seen this colorized version, should immediately seek out and watch the original in B&W, for the reasons you cite. But even for those who'll never do that, if the only way they'll ever watch attentively (and see it as real and modern) is if it's in color, i'd rather they watch now than never do.
@@SheilaReactz That is a problem for EVERY reactor to a copyrighted movie. That's why many reactors offer a way to watch a reaction to the full movie via Patreon and a separate copy of the movie itself timed up together.
@@custardflan yikes! A hard core knock. Let’s assume not everyone is as sophisticated and savvy as yourself, be a bit kinder, and make it a suggestion, not a harsh demand.
I know colorizing classic b&w movies gets a bad rap but I much prefer seeing movies in color, it just looks so much more vibrant and alive, and I notice more details.
Excellent movie, but remember, they're actors playing a role. The actor playing George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) was one of the biggest racist of his day. He considered blacks inferior. Never meet your heroes, you'll be sadly disappointed.
Don't believe everything you read. The only accusation of racism that I can find is an incident on the set of "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" when, after Stewart at John Ford's behest criticized Woody Strode's costume as looking too much like Uncle Remus (an obviously anti-racist statement), Ford announced to the whole cast and crew that Stewart said he didn't like Uncle Remus and probably didn't like "Negroes." This sort of thing was typical of Ford, who often tried to foment animosity among his actors.
There is no evidence, no proof, no facts showing that he was “one of the biggest racist(s)” of his time… or at all. The internet is a rumor mill where one person claims something - mostly made up by angry people desperate for attention, and suddenly it is spread everywhere.
"Moon" line is iconic because it comes from this movie.
Its so much better in black and white
YES!!!
I'm a purist and don't like for an original director or cinematographer's work to be tampered with but I have to say that is one of the best colourinzing jobs I've ever seen. That is the new technology at work. For those folks who wonder what the problem is, it's that cinematographer's take into account things like light and shadow to affect mood. They knew the limitations (and strengths) and worked within them or used them to advantage to set the scene.
@ I found the colorization on this version to be lackluster, insipid and pointless. Some scenes were retained, more or less, as intended, because the costuming was black and white, or they were night shots. Making a dress into pale yellow, or pale blue or pale pink is unnecessary and meaningless. If the desire is to see color in films from the 1930’s or 1940’s - there is The Adventures of Robin Hood,The Wizard of Oz, Gone With The Wind, Meet Me in St. Louis, Leave Her to Heaven, any of the British films by Powell & Pressburger, Heaven Can Wait (1943), Rope, and others. The difference between these color masterpieces and what someone though would “improve” It’s A Wonderful Life is huge.
They made Mary, one of the prettiest women in all of cinema, look bland and sickly. It looks like she 's the color of Silly Puddy. If ever there was a movie that was black and white, it's "It's A Wonderful Life". I thought we took care of this crap in the 80s, when these directors were still alive and trying to stop the mutilation of their work. Now they're dead and every moron with software thinks they're going to improve genius cinematography. Like Orson Welles said: It's like pouring sugar water over a steak. I can't believe anyone is saying this looks great. If Donna Reed doesn't look gorgeous, something is wrong. I mean, what's with the hollowed out cheeks and the creepy skin tone. Who looks like that?
It's A Wonderful Life, Citizen Kane, Psycho and Casablanca are three movies that need to be seen in B/W
Thanks for reviewing my favorite movie of all time. Your sweet smile at the funny parts and tears at the emotional moments really moved me, despite the fact that I've watched this movie dozens of times since I was a kid. It means more to me now than ever.
Thanks, Sheila. Great reaction. Always love to watch a good movie with you.
😊 thank you!
I've seen this movie probably over 100 times! First saw it in the early 80s. I cry every time I watch it! I love it!
Why is everyone watching the horribly colorized version?? B/W is the only way to watch Its A Wonderful Life.
"Making violent love to me" means "flirting" not physical intimacy.
I recommend The Family Man with Nicholas Cage. It's kind of a reverse Wonderful Life, in which Cage metaphorically takes the offer of Sam Wainwright or Potter.
Such an amazing movie: as you said, wholesome and beautiful in all respects. My great-grandfather was childhood friends with Jimmy Stewart. They played youth sports together.
I love watchibg you reacting to this classic!
Terrific reaction. It's such a timeless gem of a movie, and story.
Thank you and Merry Christmas
I'm glad you chose this and liked it. It's a standard.
You might want to check out some black & white films from the 50s such as "Marty" and "A Face In The Crowd."
Marty is such a great movie
@@meganlutz7150 Indeed it is. It's too bad that it is sort of short.
Thanks for the reaction! Merry Christmas lovely girl!
Thank you! Happy holidays! 😊
I enjoy your videos, so genuinely honest. I’ve seen this movie dozens of times, I tear up every time!
So many negative comments and people complaining. Good grief. Thank you for the reaction. This is fantastic movie with a great message, regardless if it’s in b&w or color.
Merry Christmas !! 🎁
Agreed! Thanks so much for watching! Happy Holidays!
I'd love to see you do a first time reaction to some Sidney Poitier movies. Here's a list of some of my favorites.
In the heat of the night
A patch of blue
Guess who's coming to dinner
A raisin in the sun
Let's do it again
A piece of the action
Definitely A patch of blue, that one brought a lot of tears to my eyes.
Ack; another colourised version. Well, enjoy the film but I cannot with the colourised version, kerk
Bert the cop and Ernie the cab driver.
The original Bert and Ernie.
Great reaction to a classic movie. Merry Christmas to you.
It’s supposed to be in black & White
Merry Christmas
I agree. Better in black and white. However, I just watched Shelia's great reaction, and after that I saw that infamous 1991 said it was better in black and white. I watched the entire reaction and never noticed it was ion color. Lol Lol Lol
@@johnnyleesteele Same here! Sooo.. it can’t be too bad!!
I absolutely agree. I grew up in the 1950's, in a world of black-n-white television so I can accept it but when I watch a movie, whether it is black-and-white, color, or colorized, I quickly stop noticing the format in order to concentrate on the story. I've seen this movie literally dozens of times, in both versions, and laugh and cry just the same in either case. And again, I soon forget what version.
People say they could have filmed this in technicolor, but that was VERY expensive at the time. I doubt Capri had the backing to do that so the movie might never had been made. Remember the movie was not a big success and only became the classic decades later, after being seen so often on local stations late night. Capri was likely extremely limited by the budget he could get. At this time in movie-making, the choice of format was probably not based on an artistic idea (such as Psycho being purposely filmed in b&w
Or there might was so much being invested in it, Capri would have been under severe pressure not to take any risks. Yes, the director made decisions based on how it was being filmed so one can argue that shouldn't be ignored. But the movie was also intended to be seen on a giant screen so watching it on our current smaller devices - AND seeing it without an audience whose reaction would change the perception.
For everyone who claims this movie HAS to be seen in b&w, there are others, mostly younger people, who insist they will NEVER watch a black-and-white movie. I think a better way to experience it is to return to it several times, no matter what the format, and just accept people's personal choices.
It's the greatest Christmas movie ever made.
Wow, what a reaction.
"...."
"...."
"...."
"...."
Yeah, that was worth my time.
Good choice Sheila, keep it up.
Much appreciated! Thank you!
Great reaction! Merry Christmas.
Great reaction!
Thank you!! 😁
Mary is the Sam to George's Frodo.
I hope that all the reactors who are watching the “colorized” version from several decades ago, when this film fell into public domain and was cut up, had its music changed or was “colorized” will rewatch it in its original and authentic form. The contrasts of black & white, the shadows, the dramatic key lighting (especially on faces or closeups) are so much more striking than in these pastel-y, washed out, muted colorizations. The color adds nothing to our understanding of the characters, or the story, or the environment. The cinematographer, lighting technicians, especially the costumers and makeup artists, the set designers, props managers and more on the crew, spent time and thought on how to use their skills to direct the attention of the audience to the specific part of the scene, or what in the frame we should notice or they knew exactly how to increase the emotional impact of any scene. The colorization makes scenes weak and removes the intensity. If the director had wanted to make a color film, he could have-early Technicolor (and hand-painted) existed in the 1920’s and by the 1930’s many films were using full Technicolor. Colorization never has the vibrant rich colors of color film (especially like Technicolor) and never looks realistic-it is mostly off-shades of green, purplish, brownish, rose, everything is mixed with gray. The decision to use black & white was an artistic one based on the mood of the picture, its underlying themes, the tone of the movie and characters, and the wish to give a powerful and unique look to it, because the contrasts of black & white are strong and hard with dozens of shades of gray, whereas the colorization reduces all that to a television-like simplicity, monotony or mediocrity.
I'm one who thinks colorization can be done well, so-so or extremely badly and that the well-done ones have their place, in bringing the past more "alive" or true to how it was for those who can't comprehend without it, particularly those who weren't around in the 70s to have a steady diet of B&W that dated from the 60s and 70s so they can understand.
I myself am even more blessed to have had a high-quality B&W TV from the 70s that i used into the late 80s and using which i could watch the same material and even 80s stuff in both color and B&W and thus really get a deep appreciation for the translation in either direction and how it affects our perception of what we're seeing and hearing. Most people under the age of 45 today (2024) just don't have that ability because they haven't been shown anything in B&W that was released after 1955, so they associate the scheme exclusively with melodramatic material from that time period, and thus they don't receive the material fully in-context and it seems less authentic than it really is.
However i do think such a person, having once seen this colorized version, should immediately seek out and watch the original in B&W, for the reasons you cite.
But even for those who'll never do that, if the only way they'll ever watch attentively (and see it as real and modern) is if it's in color, i'd rather they watch now than never do.
I don't like how they're skipping so mean certain parts of the movie
she has to edit it for copyright reasons. I am sure she is watching the entire movie....
@Davis-carmencita Sadly yes, I cannot just play the entire movie due to copyright infringement
@@SheilaReactz That is a problem for EVERY reactor to a copyrighted movie. That's why many reactors offer a way to watch a reaction to the full movie via Patreon and a separate copy of the movie itself timed up together.
❤
Subdued..
Cant believe you're watching the colorized version. Don't ever do that again.
😳🫣
Someone got triggered.😅
@@custardflan yikes! A hard core knock. Let’s assume not everyone is as sophisticated and savvy as yourself, be a bit kinder, and make it a suggestion, not a harsh demand.
@tedcole9936 I should have put a wink emoji in there. Enjoyed your reaction.
@@shaneheff5244 I'd say so
Seen the b&w version so many times that it was a joy to see the "colorized" version. Plus it's well done. Good movie, good reaction.
I know colorizing classic b&w movies gets a bad rap but I much prefer seeing movies in color, it just looks so much more vibrant and alive, and I notice more details.
Color ruins performances and the artistic quality of a film.
Excellent movie, but remember, they're actors playing a role. The actor playing George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) was one of the biggest racist of his day. He considered blacks inferior. Never meet your heroes, you'll be sadly disappointed.
Don't believe everything you read. The only accusation of racism that I can find is an incident on the set of "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" when, after Stewart at John Ford's behest criticized Woody Strode's costume as looking too much like Uncle Remus (an obviously anti-racist statement), Ford announced to the whole cast and crew that Stewart said he didn't like Uncle Remus and probably didn't like "Negroes." This sort of thing was typical of Ford, who often tried to foment animosity among his actors.
Jimmy was a wonderful man. He was beloved by many.
Do you have any background information about this that I can read up on that Jimmy Stewart was racist
There is no evidence, no proof, no facts showing that he was “one of the biggest racist(s)” of his time… or at all. The internet is a rumor mill where one person claims something - mostly made up by angry people desperate for attention, and suddenly it is spread everywhere.
@timcarr6401 Racist aren't wonderful people. Sorry, if your feeling were hurt.