Colour Symbolism in Film

 Colour Symbolism in Film

Written by Rebecca Laurie. 10/08/2024

Directors will sometimes purposefully use certain colours to dress their characters in to highlight the background to convey different emotions in a scene. Colours can have different meanings- for example, blue could convey a futuristic tone to one film, creating a sense of sadness in another. Let's have a look at some examples from some of my favourite films. Warning: Spoilers ahead!!

Pan's Labyrinth:

Centering around main character Ofelia, Pan's Labyrinth (2007) combines the themes of magical realism and war-drama whilst following her journey into the unkown. At the beginning of the film, Ofelia is dressed in neutral greens and browns, and she blends into the forest around her. At this point she appears as a common girl, the colours green and brown connecting her to nature. Brown represents strength, which she retains throughout the film, allowing her to escape from several monsters. At the end of the film we see a parrellel version of her where she is dressed in a red gown. The colour red asserts her power, status and confidence as part of the royal family in a fantasy world. 

Little Miss Sunshine:

Made in 2006, this film follows the lives of the Hover Family who go on a road trip to get to a pageant. Throughout the film, the colour yellow is a re-occuring symbol of hope and prosperity. Notably, the minivan the Hover family drive to get to the pageant is a bright yellow reflecting their happiness when they realise the love they have for each other after overcoming many problems. Abigail Breslin's character Olive is mainly seen wearing the colour red which represents her boldness and unique personality which give her the confidence to enter the pageant.

I Am Legend:

The dull colour scheme throughout most of the film reflects the post-apocalyptic dystopian world Robert (Will Smith) navigates with his dog. Thinking he is the only survivor he struggles to find food and shelter daily, avoiding the zombies who come out at night. In a violent and tense scene whilst fighting the zombies, a red hue highlights the blood-thirsty creatures and represents danger. We mainly see browns, greys, blacks and dark blues in the film until Anna and Ethan make it to the safe coven of Vermont. In the safe zone their is lush green grass, the sun beams and the sky is a bright blue, all representing a sense of hope for the future of the residents there as the cure is handed in.

Filmography:

Pan's Labyrinth (2007) Directed by Guillermo Del Toro.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris.

I am Legend (2007) Directed by Francis Lawrence.