Logan

Poll: ‘Logan’ Noir or Couleur?

After a very successful run at the box office, director James Mangold has brought his ‘X-Men’ spinoff ‘Logan’ to Blu-ray and Ultra HD in two versions: the original color photography or a new black-and-white edition called ‘Logan Noir’. Which do you prefer?

This fad of re-grading color movies into black-and-white first started with Frank Darabont, who claimed that he always wanted to shoot his Stephen King adaptation ‘The Mist’ in atmospheric b&w but the studio forced him to use color for commercial reasons. That was followed recently by George Miller, who made similar statements about his so-called “Black & Chrome” version of ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’. I haven’t seen ‘The Mist’ in any form, but I have a hard time believing Miller when it comes to ‘Mad Max’. For me, its vibrant color was one of the most appealing aspects of ‘Fury Road’. Pulling all the colors out of that one feels like a gimmick.

I still haven’t seen ‘Logan’ yet. From what I know of the movie, I can see the appeal of giving it more of a film noir feel (hence the new title). However, I can also see it being another gimmick.

Which should I watch first? Which did you see first, and which do you like better?

Which Version of 'Logan' Do You Prefer?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

14 comments

  1. MARK

    I don’t see the point in having a black & white version. If you go into your tv settings, & decrease the colours, you can turn anything into a black & white version.

    • Josh Zyber
      Author

      It’s not as simple as that. You won’t get the right shadings and tonalities. Proper black-and-white photography requires that it be graded for black-and-white.

  2. Csm101

    I prefer the color in theory. I haven’t yet popped in the b&w. I do appreciate that it wasn’t released as a seperate purchase. When Frank Darabont did it, I can’t remember if it was a little more for a two disc or if it automatically came with both. I didn’t like that Miller released it separately and expected to pay more big bucks for it. If they want to keep releasing black and whites at no additional cost, so be it. If they were going to bother with that, I’d still rather my standard blus be equipped with Atmos instead of a bonus black and white version.

  3. TJ Kats

    I saw the color in the theater and loved it. I think the black and white could really fit so I am anxious to see it.

  4. NJScorpio

    I bought the Vudu release which included Logan Noir. It was my first time viewing, so I watched Logan Couleur.

    Afterwards I watched the first 10 minutes or so of Noir…and I can’t wait to rewatch it all in black and white. I works very well, they did an excellent job of adjusting the grading, making everything look more intense. Just as with The Mist, the black and white version will be my go-to. I still have yet to watch Mad Max Fury Road in black and white, but Logan Noir has made me interested in picking that one up too.

    • NJScorpio

      I watched more last night…fantastic! The use of lighting, it really does feel like this movie was shot for black and white.

  5. Ian W

    I saw Logan in theatres. Thinking back on it, I don’t recall any specific use of color that stood out. Having the film in B&W wouldn’t be a loss in this regard. However, for a movie that starts near the Mexico border and ends at the Canadian border, color is useful in establishing things like place and heat.

    Also consider what B&W is being used for these days: commercials and music videos. Not to mention that there was a comic book movie made in B&W: SIN CITY. It doesn’t seem like Mangold’s movie is intended to invoke any of those connotations.

    Also of note is that LOGAN features a rather lengthy except of SHANE, a color film, on a hotel TV at one point that is crucial to the ending.

  6. Timcharger

    Wait…

    Josh: “I have a hard time believing Miller when it comes to ‘Mad Max’. For me, its vibrant color was one of the most appealing aspects of ‘Fury Road’.”

    If I remember correctly, you hate, hate, hated Mad Max Fury Road. So this comment of yours doesn’t amount to much, right? Since MMFR was SOOO unappealing to you, the vibrant color being the most appealing aspect is rather inconsequential, no? I don’t question that its vibrant color was one of the most appealing aspects for you, but that’s more a function of how all its other aspects (plot, characters, etc.) were so unappealing to you.

    Back the regularly scheduled programming of Logan…
    Since color came first, theatrical before home video release, we should watch color first. And Mangold has never said that his original intention was B&W, right? No claim that the studio overruled his creative vision?

    As for which I like better, I look forward to finding out.

    Lastly, gimmick implies trickery. And we’re given more choices. Without more costs. So unfair to call this a gimmick. There’s no downside to this as consumers of film media.

  7. EM

    I am reminded of the 1979 Dracula. Supposedly director John Badham had wanted to shoot the film in black and white, but Universal insisted on color. Badham eventually prevailed in having home-video releases retimed with color that’s been greatly desaturated, to approach the black-and-white look. In contrast with these other films, the theatrical color timing hasn’t been made available (except, I think, on videotape back in the day). The desaturated version has its fans, but there are other fans who have vivid memories of vivid colors and are irritated by these bloodless-looking releases; and of course there are those who would prefer to have the option of both.

  8. Darkmonk

    Read about fury Road – Miller assembled the entire picture in black-and-white. That was his original aesthetic as he was putting the picture together. This was not a gimmick. He truly believe the B&W is the best way to Experience the film.
    (Same story with The Mist)
    Logan Noir, on the other hand, seems like a completely contrived afterthought/gimmick.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *