Black and white films make comeback as younger Brits watch Casablanca and Psycho

Black and white movies are making a comeback as younger Brits are settling down to watch classics like Casablanca and Psycho.

A study has found more than half of 18 to 41-year-olds enjoy watching films shot in monochrome and two thirds reckon they are not just for oldies.

Iconic 1946 James Stewart Christmas weepie It’s a Wonderful Life topped the list of black and white favourites watched by young adults.

Steven Spielberg’s 1993 epic Schindler’s List was second and Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960s thriller Psycho came third.

The acclaimed 1942 Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman drama Casablanca with its timeless quotes such as “Here’s looking at you kid” and “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine,” made the top five.

John Hurt in The Elephant Man and Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird made the top 10 while modern blockbuster Belfast shot in black and white by Sir Kenneth Branagh was in the top 20.

Young Frankenstein was among the movies younger Brits are watching (Dalton Nicholson agency)

The survey of 1,500 young adults by LG Electronics found more than four in 10 who watched black and white films thought of themselves as artistic and cultured while a third viewed themselves as film buffs.

Four in 10 felt the old-style monochrome movies were more atmospheric and a quarter said they noticed more details than when they watched films in colour.

But a quarter who preferred colour said films were more vivid and realistic and they found them easier to watch.

Almost two in 10 thought black and white movie watchers were pretentious but seven in 10 fans hoped directors would continue shooting in monochrome as they enjoyed the “film noir” genre.

Four in 10 said a good quality TV screen helped enhance the enjoyment of film night at home.

James Thomas, product manager at LG Electronics, said: “It is clear to see that visual clarity is important when enjoying your favourite movie or TV programme, so whether you enjoy a black and white or colour film, OLED technology ensures you won’t need to compromise on your picture quality.”

Top 20 black and white films younger Brits are watching

1. It’s A Wonderful Life, 1946

2. Schindler’s List, 1993

3. Psycho, 1960

4. Casablanca, 1942

5. To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962

6. The Elephant Man, 1980

7. Young Frankenstein, 1974

8. Citizen Kane, 1941

9. 12 Angry Men, 1957

10. Dr. Strangelove: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 1964

11. Raging Bull, 1980

12. Brief Encounter, 1945

13. Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? 1962

14. The Third Man, 1949

15. All About Eve, 1950

16. The Apartment, 1960

17. Belfast, 2021

18. Kind Hearts and Coronets, 1949

19. Sunset Boulevard, 1950

20. The Lighthouse, 2019