Red in Film

Red in film
Color has been used in cinema to allow filmmakers to convey intense emotions, signal impending threats, or emphasize characters' positions of power. While all color has meaning, the use of each color in film can have be interpreted in many different ways. One of the most widely used colors in film is red, which can stand for many different emotions, some of the most common uses being:

Power
While these emotions don't share the same emotional space, they feed off the same emotional energy. If someone sees the color red, many people will think of it as the color of anger; some may find it energetic, and others could find it close to the feeling of determination.

The Use of Red in Film
Many great directors have used red in very creative and imaginative ways. Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List is one of the most renowned uses of red and color in general. Leaving only the red coat of the little girl in color throughout the entirety of the film. We Need to Talk About Kevin is another movie that uses the color red in a unique fashion. Throughout the movie, Tilda Swinton is bathed in red, haunting her day and night, whether in dreams or the real world. Starting with her dream of being covered in the red tomatoes of the Spanish Tomato Festival, La Tomitina and progresses into a red cloud that haunts every move she makes in trying to live a life that doesn't bear the tragedy that her son caused. Throughout the film, the red also serves as an alarm for lurking danger; before she sees the woman in the grocery store, the red at the end of the aisle signals impending danger and ends in full panic, with the red Campbell's Soup cans filling in the background behind Eva. Red can have many negative connotations within film. However, In films such as Only God Forgives color can have several different meanings within only one scene. One of the most striking is the comparison scenes of Ryan Gosling's Character, Julian and his mother. His mother sits in a male muscle club bathed in blue light, symbolizing her icy disposition on life and the situation at hand, while Julian sits in the fight club backrooms bathed in red light, accentuating his passion and rage for the situation that his deceased brother has put him and his family in. Not only does this scene symbolize both Julian's and his mother Crystal's Personalities, but it also creates a great juxtaposition of the characters. It shows how Julian and Crystal are complete opposites in every way possible, from setting to personality. This film also bathes Julian heavily in prominently red and warm lighting, which is only cooled in the presence of his mother or others who work for her. For Julian, the color means Power, Strength, and Passion. He's the only one with the strength to stand up to his mother, the power to determine his own will, and a passion to do what is right, which becomes evident through his decisions.

Films such as We Need to Talk About Kevin and Only God Forgives that use colors like red try to make the colors stand out and mean something so that they're in your face, allowing you to get the full context of how this moment is making the protagonist feel. While many films use this method to convey things that may be missed, there is an inverse to this effect. In 1972, Ingmar Bergman's Cries and Whispers used a bright crimson red as its primary color for the walls of the room in which the sisters spend the majority of their time. In contrast, many may think that this would be overwhelming and distract the audience from what's happening on screen. In reality, it offers the inverse effect. Due to the overwhelming amount of red, the color almost seems to drop back, and what catches the eye is the absence of red. The sisters all wear white dresses, embodying the absence of power due to being unable to heal their sick sister.

While the presence of the color red in film often varies in size, it is rarely missed. Visually, red draws attention and creates focal points within scenes, allowing filmmakers to guide viewers' focus and emphasize particular elements. The intentional use of red lighting, props, costumes, or set design serves as a visual cue, directing the audience's focus to key narrative elements or emotional beats. Through this intentional manipulation of color, filmmakers harness the captivating quality of red to enhance the overall visual impact of a film, contributing to its mood, symbolism, and storytelling. From there, the interpretation is up to the audience. While the director often shoots the scene with a certain emotional depth in mind, the color can sometimes take on a life of its own.

Resources

 * 1) https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/10-great-films-that-make-striking-use-colour-red
 * 2) https://nofilmschool.com/The-color-red-in-movies
 * 3) https://medium.com/@jayleen.suliveres.12/the-importance-of-red-in-film-d99a058da25f
 * 4) https://www.tasteofcinema.com/2015/18-great-films-that-make-remarkable-use-of-the-color-red/