Shot in Black and White

17 films, ranked on my own star ratings by Arwin Edward Bagaslao. Updated 2026-09-04.

Watched films whose entire runtime is black and white. No colour anywhere, not a prologue, not an epilogue, not one insert. Films that go partly monochrome are deliberately left out. Ordered by my rating. ...plus 7 more. View the full list

1. 1
   Seven Samurai (1954)

   ★★★★★

   There are silent stretches in this film where the performances really shine.

2. 2
   12 Angry Men (1957)

   ★★★★★

   What immediately pulled me in were the long takes.

3. 3
   Roman Holiday (1953)

   ★★★★½

   Wow! Audrey Hepburn is so gorgeous! Love at first sight agad.

4. 4
   Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

   ★★★★½

   What unsettles me most is how calmly it presents something so catastrophic, as if total destruction can be triggered by routine, ego, and blind protocol.

5. 5
   Polytechnique (2009)

   ★★★★½

   A Denis Villeneuve film where I can really feel the tension through the characters’ motivations and the musical score.

6. 6
   Following (1998)

   ★★★★

   This is a rewatch for me because I did not fully get it the first time.

7. 7
   Paths of Glory (1957)

   ★★★½

   The scale of no man’s land is great, but the sound feels blown out and harsh at times.

8. 8
   Harakiri (1962)

   ★★★½

   It feels like something pulled straight from an old album.

9. 9
   Citizen Kane (1941)

   ★★★

   It feels like a reinventing the wheel kind of entrepreneur story, someone building power by acquiring and outmaneuvering competitors.

10. 10
    The Killing (1956)

    ★★★

    Citizen Kane’s fragmented, perspective driven storytelling meets Ocean’s Eleven’s meticulously planned ensemble heist.

11. 11
    To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

    ★★★

    What I admire most here is the film’s moral clarity.

12. 12
    Pi (1998)

    ★★★
13. 13
    The Lighthouse (2019)

    ★★★

    The film immediately stands out through its immersive sound and production design, where the environment feels alive and oppressive rather than just background.

14. 14
    Casablanca (1942)

    ★★

    The lighting really reminded me of 12 Angry Men.

15. 15
    Ivan's Childhood (1962)

    ★★

    Ivan’s childhood is beautifully shot. The cinematography really stands out.

16. 16
    Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009)

    ★★

    The trumpet and tap dance scene immediately got my attention.

17. 17
    La Haine (1995)

    ★½

    Bunch of youths with nothing to do but disrupt peace.