Despite the introduction of color technology, many films were still being produced in black and white in the mid to late 1960s for several reasons. Firstly, black and white filming provided a distinct visual style that could significantly impact a film's tone and atmosphere. The lack of color created stark contrasts and a dreamlike quality that could enhance the story's emotional impact. A notable example of this is Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List (1993), which used black and white to evoke the World War II era and deepen the film's emotional resonance.
Furthermore, black and white filming offered filmmakers the opportunity to use color sparingly to highlight key scenes and signal shifts in time. This technique could create a powerful visual impact, making a film stand out from the many color films being produced. The choice of black and white could also be seen as a deliberate artistic decision, rather than a budgetary one. By the late 1950s, most Hollywood productions were shot in color, but by the mid-1960s, new black and white releases were less about cost and more about creating a particular visual style. Additionally, audiences were more likely to show up for colorized versions of old black and white films than for the original black and white versions. Overall, the use of black and white filming in the 1960s was a deliberate choice by filmmakers to create a particular visual style and enhance the emotional impact of their films.