Film Shots Of The Decade: 1950s Edition
Images from films both English and non-English, starting from 1950 until 1959.
After compiling Film Shots of the 1960s, Film Shots of the 1970s, Film Shots of the 1980s, Film Shots of the 1990s, Film Shots of the 2000s, and Film Shots of the 2010s), I decided to also curate Film Shots of the 1940s, and now, the 1950s.
The 1950s were a remarkable period for cinema. While there had been famous directors, the attention usually was granted to the stars or, in the cases of big names like David O. Selznick, the producer. But in the 1950s, we see film directors becoming names unto themselves— something that would become more prevalent with French critics promoting the ‘auteur theory’ which catapulted the likes of Alfred Hitchcock to prominence.
It was also the time that television was encroaching cinema’s territory, creating a fear that cinema was under attack (something that feels familiar today with social media and streaming), which led to some creative attempts to lure people back to the cinema.
As with past entries, the goal was not to select the definitive “best shots ever” from the “best films ever”. They are simply shots from movies that I like made during this time period.
As with an earlier list of shots arranged in alphabetical order, there are two rules for selecting the films— and thereby, the shots:
One film from each year;
The same director cannot be featured twice.
What films from the 1950s era do you like best? What shots do you love from them? If your favorite films and shots aren’t included, please share your answers in the comments!
Rashōmon — Akira Kurosawa, 1950
A Streetcar Named Desire — Elia Kazan, 1951
Singin’ In The Rain — Gene Kelly and Stanley Donan, 1952
Le Salaire de la Peur — Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1953
Rear Window — Alfred Hitchcock, 1954
The Night of the Hunter — Charles Laughton, 1955
The Searchers — John Ford, 1956
The Seventh Seal — Ingmar Bergman, 1957
Dracula — Terence Fisher, 1958
Some Like It Hot — Billy Wilder, 1959
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Long live the movies!
D.L. Holmes