Film has a particular way of drawing those in to the way it should be viewed; the use of colour and how it is controlled is one such way. Tom Ford’s film A Single Man highlights the use of a controlled colour palette to create the atmosphere of the film. It relies on aspects of mise-en-scène such as positioning of objects on screen, colour aspects such as comparison of colours used between certain characters and comparison of colour between scenes and the reasons for such. A Single Man uses these aspects to create a connection between the mental states and personalities of the characters presented within the film.
A Single Man is presented with a very washed out colour palette, with the frequent use of grey and brown throughout but mostly …show more content…
George’s clothing is very dull, mostly consisting of black and brown, particularly in the scenes that take place in the present. This is in direct contrast with Jim’s clothing that is almost exclusively brighter colours, mostly yellow and blue. These contrast greatly as Jim only appears in flashbacks and memories which are almost exclusively portrayed in an oversaturated colour palette. Jim’s bright clothing could only exist in these spaces in the film as the rest of George’s life has become devoid of colour. Another comparison of clothing is that of George and Charley, particularly in the scene where they have dinner together – once again there is a distinct contrast between Charley’s boldly patterned, bright clothing and George’s darker more conserved suit. Timothy Corrigan writes: ". . . you should continue to question why characters look and dress the way they do. Do their costumes suggest how they view themselves, or how they wish to be viewed by others?" (Corrigan, 2012) The costumes used within A Single Man are specific to each character, setting them apart from each other – this connect with Corrigan’s statement as each of the characters are identifiable by their clothing alone. George’s clothing, straightforward business attire which is neat and coordinated, creates the impression of somebody …show more content…
The use of colour can shape not only the tone of the film but the personalities of its characters and how they are viewed. Colour is a very powerful tool and the way it is used can have a profound impact, the washed out palette of A Single Man conveys George’s depression and the contrast between scenes of happiness and its use of oversaturation and an orange-red colour grading emphasises this. Furthermore, colour through presentation helps further the ideas presented in the film, particularly regarding the characters and how they are viewed, such as George’s organisation compared to Charley’s disorganised chaos; the settings greatly contrast both between the way they are organised but also the colours used in them. Charley, being surrounded by colour and personal touches in a disorganised way highlights her attachment but also the inherent warmth to her character, compared against George whose stark backgrounds of greys and whites makes the brightness of Charley’s background that much more apparent. All these aspects serve to create a dynamic appearance to A Single Man and shapes the films identity as a
A Single Man is presented with a very washed out colour palette, with the frequent use of grey and brown throughout but mostly …show more content…
George’s clothing is very dull, mostly consisting of black and brown, particularly in the scenes that take place in the present. This is in direct contrast with Jim’s clothing that is almost exclusively brighter colours, mostly yellow and blue. These contrast greatly as Jim only appears in flashbacks and memories which are almost exclusively portrayed in an oversaturated colour palette. Jim’s bright clothing could only exist in these spaces in the film as the rest of George’s life has become devoid of colour. Another comparison of clothing is that of George and Charley, particularly in the scene where they have dinner together – once again there is a distinct contrast between Charley’s boldly patterned, bright clothing and George’s darker more conserved suit. Timothy Corrigan writes: ". . . you should continue to question why characters look and dress the way they do. Do their costumes suggest how they view themselves, or how they wish to be viewed by others?" (Corrigan, 2012) The costumes used within A Single Man are specific to each character, setting them apart from each other – this connect with Corrigan’s statement as each of the characters are identifiable by their clothing alone. George’s clothing, straightforward business attire which is neat and coordinated, creates the impression of somebody …show more content…
The use of colour can shape not only the tone of the film but the personalities of its characters and how they are viewed. Colour is a very powerful tool and the way it is used can have a profound impact, the washed out palette of A Single Man conveys George’s depression and the contrast between scenes of happiness and its use of oversaturation and an orange-red colour grading emphasises this. Furthermore, colour through presentation helps further the ideas presented in the film, particularly regarding the characters and how they are viewed, such as George’s organisation compared to Charley’s disorganised chaos; the settings greatly contrast both between the way they are organised but also the colours used in them. Charley, being surrounded by colour and personal touches in a disorganised way highlights her attachment but also the inherent warmth to her character, compared against George whose stark backgrounds of greys and whites makes the brightness of Charley’s background that much more apparent. All these aspects serve to create a dynamic appearance to A Single Man and shapes the films identity as a