Posted in: Movies, Recent Updates | Tagged: amc, film, frank darabont, robert kirkman, tv, walking dead

Old Episodes Of Walking Dead To Be Rebroadcast In Black And White

Patrick Dane writes for Bleeding Cool

This seems like an odd move from AMC.

According to a press release, passed through The Hollywood Reporter, we learn that The Walking Dead is going to re-screeen its first season and half of its second season in black and white from February 14th.

Obviously there was enough of an audience for the black and white broadcast of the pilot which aired back in the summer that AMC feel encouraged to apply black and white colour correction to plenty more.

While I am sure this version will have it's fans, I can't say I am going to be tripping over myself to catch it.  The thinking here is said to be in making the show closer to the 'source material', which doesn't really justify it.

We are operating in a different medium here with different strengths. I don't need a reminder that the TV Show used to be a graphic novel.

In some ways this is like re-mixing the Harry Potter movies so that the audience would periodically hear a a page-turning sound effect. 'Closer to the book' and a novelty but not really how the adaption was conceived.

Oh well. It means they can release more Blu-Rays with these versions for fans to buy. Because they don't sell enough of those already.

This was also how sometime showrunner, Frank Darabont, got to have his film The Mist seen in the way he intended. He originally shot the film in colour with an eye to it being seen in black and white after his producers and distributors thought audiences probably wouldn't flock to see a small black and white horror film. Probably a fair assumption so Darabont compromised and got his black and white director's cut on the eventual home release.

The motivations with Walking Dead seem a little less sincere. They appear to be more interested in milking the zombified cow for a little longer than seeking to deliver on the program-maker's artistic vision.

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