# When did B&W switch from being cheap to being artistic? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2005, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-b-w-switch-from-being-cheap-to-being-artistic/312381 "2005-07-13T18:48:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-b-w-switch-from-being-cheap-to-being-artistic/312381/21 "2005-07-14T12:35:25Z")
As the OP notes, they were still makinmg black and white movies into the 1960s. **The Bedford Incident** (1965) was b&w, and I don’t think it was for artistic reasons. Ditto **The Train** (1964) and **King Rat** (1965). **Dr. Strangelove** (1964) could as easily be b&w for commercial reasons, considering when it was made. I suspect that the subject matter tilted it towards b&w, too. The first b&w movie I can recall seeing that was made that way for artistic reasons was **Lenny** (1974). ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-b-w-switch-from-being-cheap-to-being-artistic/312381/22 "2005-07-14T16:01:19Z")
**The Hustler** is definately black and white for artistic reasons; lots of movies like that were. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-b-w-switch-from-being-cheap-to-being-artistic/312381/23 "2005-07-14T16:30:14Z")
Anybody know the actual cost factor of using black & white vs color film nowadays? I’m thinking _Hollywood Shuffle_, _El Mariachi_, and _The Blair Witch Project_ are three recent examples of very low budget films shot in color. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-b-w-switch-from-being-cheap-to-being-artistic/312381.md?page=1)