Of Movies and Colours: 5 Movies with Best Colour Themes

Am I colourful enough? Oh yes, each of us is full of colours. The colours we like, momentarily, may even decide the mood we are in at that moment. That is very much applicable to me. And at this moment, I am drawn mostly to the jewel tones of solid red, green, blue, garnet, etc. As a regular Google University student, my quick research helped me determine some theoretical reasons why I am drawn to these colours. Let me first enlist:

1. Jewel tones evoke confidence

2. It looks sophisticated and powerful

3. It looks luxurious

This is what Google has to say. For me, these tones are flattering on my complexion; it's as simple as that. (Perhaps the ghost of my beauty blogging past is still haunting me). Well, that's about my choice of colour of late. And I am aware that the topic suggests that too. 

But let me talk movies today- movies where colours play a significant role, somehow. Here are a few films of my choice and the colours they highlight.

1. Schindler's List (Red): Imagine a world devoid of colours- a world that's there only in the form of black, white and shades of grey. A world that is smoky, dull, and painful to the eyes. And then you suddenly witness a hint of red amidst that monotony. Once it appears near, you see a little girl in a red coat, walking past the soldiers in black, confidently. It is a mark of hope and life amidst death and destruction. For me, the black and grey here symbolise a lack of blood, remorse, and, overall, a dearth of humanity. But the red- the colour of blood and life in contrast brings out the power of the new, the importance of life and the impact of humanity. This scene from Schindler's List is, for me, the most symbolic and effective use of colour in cinema I have ever seen. 

2. Black Swan (Black): A ballerina, haunted by her own insecurities and alter ego, faces the world each day with her hidden shades of grey, which are slowly taking over control of her mind- a very complex theme and an equally compelling cinematography, this is Black Swan. Black in the entire film- be it the lead character's mask or her black feather dress on the cover, poster, which sheds its feathers, plays a very important role in highlighting the character's dark side. 

3. Atonement (Green): The green dress that the female lead wears, which strikingly contrasts with the brown woody background of the rooms and library in the background, brings a fresh stir of a beautiful, passionate romance with the male lead in the movie Atonement. It is gentle, secretive, but intense, just like the colour of the dress. On the contrary, as the wearer's sister catches her secretive romance, her jealousy leads her to lie and falsely blame her elder sister's lover of rape. Green, the colour of envy, still shows prominence in this area. Overall, the green in this movie has been used in a very artistic and meaningful way, evoking various perspectives of the film.

4. Legally Blonde ( Pink): The main character, in Legally Blonde, with her cuteness and cheerful and friendly confidence, wins tough cases in court without altering her Pink attire. Pink plays a very significant role in this film. As a colour, it has often been underestimated for kids, happiness, joy, and playfulness, and it overall depicts a light-hearted mood. However, challenging every usual concept, the lead character, who had often been pulled down due to her somewhat superficial way of looking at the world through rose-coloured glasses, shows the power of the colour by wearing it to the courtroom while defending her case. This was a classic case of not judging a book by its cover, as well as common misconceptions about judging people based on their attire and lifestyle. 

5. It (Yellow): Yellow- the colour of youthfulness and positivity, and also, alternatively, a hue that represents caution and alertness, can be seen in the poster as a raincoat worn by a little boy, who is being lured by a red balloon by a shady clown. This scene from the film It and the poster become the film's entire theme: it is about the crushing of innocence and positivity by temptation. While Red almost resembles the red apple in the fairy tale of Snow White, the yellow raincoat can also be compared to Snow White's yellow skirt ( a mark of her innocence). I personally love seeing the impact of yellow in this film in this particular way.

I would love to know in the comments section which other films colour plays an important role in. I know there's a huge list out there.

The idea and views expressed in the post are entirely mine. 

This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop