Color in film is far more than a visual choice; it’s a language that speaks directly to emotion, theme, and storytelling. From the golden dreams of La La Land to the haunting reds of Crimson Peak, filmmakers use color to shape how we see, feel, and understand their worlds.
Here’s a list of my favorite examples of color theory on the big screen.
- La La Land (2016)
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La La Land is a title that, for many who have seen it, sparks feelings of betrayal and loss, despite its romantic genre. The story is filled with bright blues, yellows, and reds as a nod to the old Hollywood musicals. In the early scenes, the colors are bold and entirely captivating, reflecting the characters’ excitement as they chase their dreams.
As the story turns bittersweet, however, the colors fade into cooler tones, showing how passion can dim with time. If you have not seen this movie yet, it is a must-watch, colorful experience!
- Crimson Peak (2015)
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In Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak, color is a key part of the storytelling.
Red — the color of blood, love, and danger — spreads through the house like a warning of what’s hidden beneath (literally and figuratively!). The yellow butterflies and black moths depicted early on symbolize opposing characters: the butterflies represent Edith, a bright and fragile young woman with dreams of becoming a writer, while the moths represent Lucille, whose dark, twisted love threatens to consume everyone around her. Their warring colors represent how innocence is slowly overtaken by corruption.
Crimson Peak turns color into a means of showing both beauty and horror, capturing the attention of audiences everywhere.
- The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-Present)
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The Handmaid’s Tale uses color to show power and control in its dystopian world.
Each group in society has its own color: Handmaids wear red for fertility, Wives wear blue for purity, Marthas wear green for servitude, and Aunts wear brown for authority. These colors make people easy to identify and keep them trapped in their roles. Even the cold whites and grays of government buildings add to the feeling of control and oppression.
- The Wizard of Oz (1939)
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One of the most iconic films of all time, The Wizard of Oz, is a textbook example of color theory and its use in cinema. While it was not the first movie to ever use Technicolor, the film led a groundbreaking movement in using colors to invoke emotions and form a richer story.
As the brown-toned sepia of Kansas, which symbolized day-to-day life, was transformed into the dazzling spectacle of the land of Oz, the audience’s attention was wholly captured. The movie illustrated the mundane becoming extraordinary and beautiful, which resonated deeply with audiences in 1940, struggling with the impacts of World War II.
Color in cinema shows us that life is anything but black and white. The joy of living (and watching!) lies in the complexity of the in-between.Â
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