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Q. Your column noted that Columbia TriStar says its upcoming "Three Stooges" DVDs will be released in color and black and white, with the intention to "broaden the appeal of classic black and white films and introduce them to a new generation of viewers."
The obvious implication there is that classic b&w films do not appeal to the average viewer of today's younger generations. I'm in my late 30s and enjoy older films, but find myself in a minority among those within my age group. My parents are in their late 50s. It would appear as though those who are in that age range constitute the last generation of movie watchers to have a sincere desire to watch older b&w films, or older color ones for that matter.
In the next 20 to 25 years, do you believe, with the exception of select films such as "The Wizard of Oz" and "Casablanca," that we will be facing the virtual extinction of old classic films? With money being the bottom line for studios, video release companies, etc., and with the likely decline in the demand for these older movies, will scrounging around for used VHS/DVDs on eBay be the primary avenue for the classic movie fan of the future to find and watch these great films ?
Tim Dubois, Bedford, Texas
A. There will always be those who love old movies. I meet teenagers who are astonishingly well-informed about the classics. But you are right that many moviegoers and video viewers say they do not "like" black and white films. In my opinion, they are cutting themselves off from much of the mystery and beauty of the movies.
Black and white is an artistic choice, a medium that has strengths and traditions, especially in its use of light and shadow. Moviegoers of course have the right to dislike b&w, but it is not something they should be proud of. It reveals them, frankly, as cinematically illiterate.
I have been described as a snob on this issue. But snobs exclude; they do not include. To exclude b&w from your choices is an admission that you have a closed mind, a limited imagination, or are lacking in taste.