I completely agree with you. When I learned this was all studio-produced - no location filming - I was surprised, impressed, and amazed. Indeed this absolutely looks like a dazzlingly produced location-shot film, and hard to believe that it's not!

Incredible sets, backdrops, and cinematography that was done for/on this.

PS: May Hallatt's performance as Angu Ayah is really hard to take.

Yes, the Himalayan backdrops are all done on painted glass, merged brilliantly w/shots of the soundstage convent. Some of the exterior landscape/garden shots were done outside near the studio. Unfortunately for Kathleen Byron, her portrayal of the mentally disturbed nun was so powerful and memorable that it got her typecast and stunted her career briefly. But her talent was so strong that she recovered and went on to a very prolific career.

I really liked this movie, gave it an 8/10. I first saw it as a child when I was going through a phase when I wanted to be a nun. It was very powerful.

@bratface said:

I really liked this movie, gave it an 8/10. I first saw it as a child when I was going through a phase when I wanted to be a nun. It was very powerful.

I'm guessing Sister Ruth may have dissuaded you from the idea ;)

I swear that climactic scene, with its magnificently demonic red tints, can stand up to any horror flick today. Powell Pressburger really knew how to work colors to the max. I thought The Red Shoes was as good as it'll ever get, but then I saw Black Narcissus and I gotta agree this knocks it outta the park.

@rooprect said:

@bratface said:

I really liked this movie, gave it an 8/10. I first saw it as a child when I was going through a phase when I wanted to be a nun. It was very powerful.

I'm guessing Sister Ruth may have dissuaded you from the idea ;)

I swear that climactic scene, with its magnificently demonic red tints, can stand up to any horror flick today. Powell Pressburger really knew how to work colors to the max. I thought The Red Shoes was as good as it'll ever get, but then I saw Black Narcissus and I gotta agree this knocks it outta the park.

Not really. There were so many others at the time (50s, early 60s). But around a year later I changed my mind & wanted to be a stripper, not the kind they have now but the old burlesque type with the fans, feathers, etc.

@bratface said:

@rooprect said:

@bratface said:

I really liked this movie, gave it an 8/10. I first saw it as a child when I was going through a phase when I wanted to be a nun. It was very powerful.

I'm guessing Sister Ruth may have dissuaded you from the idea ;)

I swear that climactic scene, with its magnificently demonic red tints, can stand up to any horror flick today. Powell Pressburger really knew how to work colors to the max. I thought The Red Shoes was as good as it'll ever get, but then I saw Black Narcissus and I gotta agree this knocks it outta the park.

Not really. There were so many others at the time (50s, early 60s). But around a year later I changed my mind & wanted to be a stripper, not the kind they have now but the old burlesque type with the fans, feathers, etc.

Now that's what I call a career change. Did you end up doing it? There's been a bit of a revival of burlesque in recent years, I think it's way cool.

A little OT but on the subject of nun flicks of the 50s-60s, did you see "The Singing Nun" with Debbie Reynolds? I haven't seen it, but I recently stumbled on the true story (and outstanding music) of the nun Jeannine Deckers whose real life was unfortunately far more tragic than the movie ever let on. Hollywood did tend to glamorize convent life, and it makes me wonder how many young girls were enticed to sign up for lifelong service without knowing what they were getting into. A lot like what the propaganda war flicks did for boys at the time.

@rooprect said:

@bratface said:

@rooprect said:

@bratface said:

I really liked this movie, gave it an 8/10. I first saw it as a child when I was going through a phase when I wanted to be a nun. It was very powerful.

I'm guessing Sister Ruth may have dissuaded you from the idea ;)

I swear that climactic scene, with its magnificently demonic red tints, can stand up to any horror flick today. Powell Pressburger really knew how to work colors to the max. I thought The Red Shoes was as good as it'll ever get, but then I saw Black Narcissus and I gotta agree this knocks it outta the park.

Not really. There were so many others at the time (50s, early 60s). But around a year later I changed my mind & wanted to be a stripper, not the kind they have now but the old burlesque type with the fans, feathers, etc.

Now that's what I call a career change. Did you end up doing it? There's been a bit of a revival of burlesque in recent years, I think it's way cool.

A little OT but on the subject of nun flicks of the 50s-60s, did you see "The Singing Nun" with Debbie Reynolds? I haven't seen it, but I recently stumbled on the true story (and outstanding music) of the nun Jeannine Deckers whose real life was unfortunately far more tragic than the movie ever let on. Hollywood did tend to glamorize convent life, and it makes me wonder how many young girls were enticed to sign up for lifelong service without knowing what they were getting into. A lot like what the propaganda war flicks did for boys at the time.

No, I was only 10. The Singing Nun was dumb (IMHO) & yes the real story was tragic. I wanted to be a nun because everything looked so beautiful, the churches, the paintings, statues, etc., & I had a friend who was Catholic & I would occasionally go to church with her. But I was young?

@rudely_murray said:

The beauty of this film, visual and emotional, has to be experienced to be believed.

Yes, it is perhaps the greatest example of the Technicolor process--not only in it's sheer beauty, but also in it's use of color restraint. Unlike many of the early Technicolor films, many of the interior shots have the look of a Vermeer painting.

@SixtiesHoldout said:

@rudely_murray said:

The beauty of this film, visual and emotional, has to be experienced to be believed.

Yes, it is perhaps the greatest example of the Technicolor process--not only in it's sheer beauty, but also in it's use of color restraint. Unlike many of the early Technicolor films, many of the interior shots have the look of a Vermeer painting.

Great comparison to Vermeer, similar palette especially with cream colors contrasted against something bold (for example the early scene when Sister Ruth runs in with blood on her habit).

I think they also did a brilliant job using Technicolor to achieve a tinted monochrome look, like the climactic scene where Sister Clodagh is praying in the dark chapel and the entire space is tinted red with the sunrise through the windows. When the camera cuts to Sister Ruth's silhouette scurrying up the stairs, it looks like something out of the silent b&w era ("Passion of Joan of Arc", "Vampyr", "Nosferatu"). Like you said, restraint can be more effective than bombarding the audience with the full technicolor spectrum.