Discussion Topic
Talk about the use of color in the film, specifically the colors white and red. What do the washed out horizons that are seen throughout the film serve to do for the tone and feeling of the those scenes, and what happens with the color red when its juxtaposed up against the white snow?
56 comments:
As we all know, color can change any mood for any scene. The way the director uses color in the wood chipper scene is to create a dramatic sense of feeling. He wants you to wonder what exactly is going on in this scene. The way he uses red against white. Red being the blood and white being the snow it makes a stronger tone of terror/scared feeling. When you see the red blood flying out of the wood chipper it makes you feel as if its real, plus it gives you the sense of reality. The director does a superb job with the colors against each other, it really shapes the tone of the scene.
The use of color in the film is significant to how the audience views it. Because the horizons are washed out, everything is forced to stand out. That is why when blood or anything red in is the frame, the audience's eyes are immediately drawn to the object. Also, since it is washed out, the story seems to be more realistic than if it were a depper hue.
The red is a sharp contrast to the white snow, just like the behavior of the men in the film stands out in the quiet Minnesota towns. The violence is magnified because those types of things aren't supposed to happen in sleepy Midwestern cities. It stands out more because it doesn't fit in the surroundings, just like the hateful red blood in the pure white snow.
The washed out horizons convey feelings of hopelessness and uncertainty. You can't see what is coming up and what you do see certainly doesn't lift your spirits. It makes it easier for the viewer to see why Jerry would feel the need to hire people to kidnap his wife. How can one remain upbeat and hopeful in such a bleak, uncertain landscape.
the washed out horizons give the film a hopeless and bleek feel. Since everything is white any color that is used has extra meaning. The blood on the snow in extra harsh and really emphisises the danger of the whole situation.
The colors in the movie Fargo seem to correlate with the underlying meaning of the film about white culture. Since the movie is set in the winter months so the recurring color is "snow" white. I think this color is used to help set the mood and theme of the story by making us feel that the color white is surrounding, covering and blanketing everything. Showing that white culture is overpowering. The color red was chosen to provide a striking contrast to the white and somewhat monotone look to the rest of the film and the snow that blankets Fargo. There is something about the sight of bright red blood on pure white snow that makes the murder depicted in the film all the more grisly and gruesome.
Throughout the movie Fargo, Coen uses color schemes as an important part of symbolism. Like in many other instances, black and white serve as opposite entities. Coen uses dark colors, especially black, to signify malicious and wicked behaviors; this is illustrated when the two criminals, Carl Showalter (Buscemi) and Gaear Grimsrud (Stormare), break-in Lundegaard’s home to kidnap Jean. Dressed in all black, these crooks portray Coen’s use of the color as immoral. White is a color that indicates innocence and purity. The white snow storm in Brainerd helps to show the virtuousness and remarkably oblivious attitude of the citizens in the city. Coen also repeatedly relates red into the color symbolism equation. Universally, red has been shown to represent death and any elements thereof.
Coen’s use of washed out horizons help to demonstrate a vagueness that exists in the background. This also helps to add a mysterious element in the picture. When red is juxtaposed upon a white background, the red clearly stands out. In one of the final scenes with the wood-chipper, blood is strewn amongst the white blankets of snow. This unmistakably shows the relationship between red vs. white and death vs. purity.
I believe that the colors white and red were definitely significant, mostly because white is pretty much a plain color, used for more plain situations, while red stands out more. I feel that the white gives the movies its more serious tone, with a touch of reality in the sense that it seems very blunt in most parts and straigh to the point. The red however, gave the movie its more surprising side, such as the killing spree that the fugitives go on during their night on the highway and when the "weird looking" man gets shot in the face as well. Also, definitely the wood chipper part gave the most gruesome scene to the entire movie, showing, to me that is, how even in the most plain situations, there will always be things involved to shock you.
I think that the colors used in fargo really showed the feeling of the movie. The area the movie takes place in is really very dull,and the use of the washed out landscape shows that hum drum feeling.
Then you have the color red set on that dreary grey background. The vibrant, violent color shows that there is some definet crazyness in this otherwise dull society.
I also go the feeling that it would be easy to go a little crazy with the weather in fargo. There were several times when you couldn't see any difference between the sky and the ground, it was all greyish white. I think i would go insane if i couldn't tell the where the ground stopped and the horizon began.
Connor McVey
Throughout much of the film, the main colors used are red and white. Most of the time the background colors are white because much of the film occurs in the snow. This makes the audience focus on the characters and objects juxtaposed to the snow because white is very bland and washes out the background. Red is a very bold color and white is simple and often represents purity. Red is a very stark contrast to white. many times during the film, I believe that the contrast of red to white is used to represent a destruction of purity, such as when the blood coming from the woodchipper stains the snow or when the blood from the police officer stains the white face of Carl. I feel that it also simply serves as a way for the audience to focus on one specific person or object such as when the man who saw the police officer being dragged off the road is running through the snow and gunned down by Gaear. This is also true in the woodchipper scene because the wood, woodchipper, and blood are red and this cause the audiences attention to focus on these objects.
First of all I would like to start by saying this movie is a great tragicomedy. Even though some of the scenes seem to be humorous, most parts are not. The movie are based on some of the tragics events that take place in our society on daily basis such as, men vs. men, men vs. society and vs. himself. Furthermore, in term of technicality the use of the wash out horizon give a sad mood to the movie
When the color red juxtaposed up against the white snow it froze instantly and the color changed from red to a mixture of red and Grey.
The colors in Fargo create a cold atmosphere in the movie. Usually the color white symbolizes light and purity, but in this movie it is the complete opposite. I think creates a kind of dull atmosphere, which ties into the dullness of each character's personality, and the dry sense of humor in the movie. The completely white scenery from the snow also allows certain elements to stand out. The audience automatically knows what the red is symbolizing in the white snow. The red in this movie shows that something significant has just happened such as, the death of someone or when the money was hidden it was marked by a red axe.
The color of this film is vey dull, and the lighting is dim. It adds to the feeling of winter and helps the audience to feel like they are actually in this small town. The snow serves as a high contrast element in this film. In the woodchopper scene it adds to the disgust of the actual act because the blood stands out against the bone white snow.
I think that the use of colors, especially white and red, was perfect for the film. I think that it fit the tone of the movie and really went well with everything. I think that the washed out horizons went well with the kind of dull feeling to the movie. There seemed to be a dreary and somber feeling throughout the whole movie. With everything happening with the kidnapping and all the messed up stuff that was going on throughout the movie it was very fitting. I think that the washed out horizons during certain scenes just gave you that somber and almost sad feeling. In general, the movie wasn't a very colorful and happy movie. The personalities of the people also fit well with the movie. I felt like they were very unenthusiastic. It seemed like they were just going through the motions of everyday. There was no real excitement. The colors red and white were very important to the film. The color white is a pure color and almost represents purity. Then when you put the color red on top of that it is very violent and bright. It catches your eye and stands out. The red obviously in this moving being blood represents violence with the pure white background. I think that red really stands out especially because of the somber mood to the whole film. It is really the only bright part of the movie and it used during the violent, intense scenes of the movie.
There was a lot of red and white in this film. I think white meant purity and innocence while the red was the complete opposite. The washed out horizons made it kind of dreary and gloomy. It definitely didn't make it a bright movie. When the red is on the white it really stands out and makes it more prominent. It shows that the innocence of the town is getting ruined by the murders and all the blood shed
I think that the washed out horizons show a lack of depth and emotion throughout the movie. The white does this as well. It makes it seem like a blank slate, as if there is nothing there, which really makes you focus on what's happening. Usually white is used as a sign of innocence and purity, but this movie seemed almost completely opposite. There was very little innocence in the entire movie.
Red was a sign of danger in most of this movie. Often times it was blood. The red blood on the white snow made it look brownish almost in the scene with the woodchipper. It was a really dark red. It almost seemed as if it were trying to prove a point that not everything is innocent...there are certain points where things get rough and people act strange.
I really enjoy this movie. It is strange and alluring.
The use of colors in films usually play a big part in the tone and feeling you get from a scene. Normally a darker, grayer setting would hint towards a not so happy feeling; and bright shining skies would convey the opposite. In this movie there isn't really any color. It's mostly stark white back drops. Besides the fact that its supposed to be the dead of winter I think that means that the scenes or the mood can be anything at that point in time. The blank backdrops are like blank slates. In the movie the plan, if executed properly, would have gone well and everyone except the traumatized wife would be happy. But without warning everything took a turn for the worse and continued to go downhill. In the movie when the color red, usually in the form of blood, was put against the white snow it became very noticeable. There was no hiding the blood, just like there was no hiding the crimes committed by various characters in the movie.
I believe the colors white and red were used throughout the movie to enhance the underlying theme of the movie- the greed and incompotence of white people. I believe the enormous use of the color white was supposed to represent the hording white man taking everything he can. The use of red, blood red, as it was sprayed over the snow by the wood chipper was representative of the white mans disreguard for others. I liked the movie, but I thought it was a little twisted and weird.
The use of color adds intense contrast to many scenes in Fargo. White allows all colr to stand out because it is literally a blank slate. in several scenes blood is showed against this blank backdrop that adds so much to the intensity of the blood. these contrasts help to add a strong visual element which adds to the events of the movie. Also by using washed out horizons you are more involved in the specific scene and less worried about other events outside of what is right in front of you.
The use of color in the movie was brillent. Especially the colors white on red because of such a big contrast in colors,and it makes the viewers eyes focus on the red immediately. THe colors don't blend together, so it makes the scene 'pop'. Throughout the movie when the washed out colors would appear, it would give the vibe that this part was cold, sad, depressing. Nothing really light and happy about anything things in those scenes. And when the director added red to that it just inhanced the feel of lost and confusion, and the viewer knows hat something is up, or notes the importantance of the color. Because it starts to feel as when ever red comes into the picture something happens.
The dierector of the film did a great job using contrasting colors in this film. Having red blood being splattered onto the bright white, as seen in the provided clip, give the audience a great visual as to what is going on. As for the washed out horzons in these scenes, i think that they add the perfect background for what is happening. The washed out horizons give an eerie effect that set a mood for the audience to become taken in by.
The use of color in the film creates an interesting effect. Specifically the use of contrast. The red against the the white snow stands out rather harshly especially when there is little to no color differenciation in the rest of the frame. The barely visible horizons serve to create an almost "empty space" effect, like in cartoons when characters are in a sea of white, all alone. The effect makes the landscape look as if it almost in another world because such blending between land and horizon rarely occurs in nature.
The washed out horizons throughout the film makes everything seem neutral. Being in North Dakota and Minnesota, everything seems dreary, dull, and lifeless. The white color throughout the movie makes the red very significant to the viewer because all of the colors are boring and when seeing red against the snow, it is very eye opening. The blood against the snow from people being shot or killed from a wood chipper makes each death more powerful and shocking. The color red against the white snow contrasts extremely well. After seeing white during the entire movie, when the color red is shown against the white snow, it makes each shot extremely powerful.
The use of color in the film was very vivid. The white was vivid, so was the red, and black. When the director used the washed out horizons on this film, it made the scenes stand out more. It also made the tone and feeling of the scenes more dramatic. When the color red is juxaposed up against the snow, it makes it look like the snow is bleeding. The red stays vivid, and stands out.
The use of the colors red and white in the film serve an important purpose. The white snow covers most of the frame, giving the landscape a dull, gloomy feel. The vibrant shade of blood red does the exact opposite. The red snow stuck out in the frame which told me the dull setting was no longer so innocent.
Throughout the film, snow is involved in a majority of the scenes and colors are contrasted against the white of the snow. I think white represents innocence and purity and in the case of the film, I think that Jerry's plan was essentially harmless to the people involved. He did not want anyone to get hurt as a result and all he wanted was money to repay his debts. The red in the film represents blood and the amount of bloodshed that actually happened as a result of Jerry's plan. The seemingly harmless plan resulted in a number of deaths and I think that is where the red and white, blood and snow contrast becomes symbolic. I think, overall,the colors in the film give the viewer a feeling of both sadness and blandness and when colors are introduced, it is in scenes containing bloodshed offering a sense of irony.
The point of all of the white and washed out colors was to give the audience a feeling of bleakness and helplessness. The color red on these washed out backgrounds is vibrant and harsh, which helps the audience feel the seriousness of the crimes that are being committed. When the man was putting his dead friend through the woodchipper, the audience laughed, but the harsh crimson color on the snow was very intense.
The white snow shows the unexpected events of the movie and the red is seen sporadically throughout the movie showing the violence and brutality in the murder mystery. For example, at the beginning of the movie the interior of Jerry’s car is red as you look onto the white snow when he is leaving the meeting on his way home right before he “finds” his wife missing , then he tries to scrape his car window with a bright red tool. After the guys kid nap the wife they kill a cop and the blood oozes out and then the kid running away is wearing a bright red jacket. It seems a lot of the mystery is circled around the color red. The other colors used in the movie are earthy tones and dull so that the red and white stands out the most. To me the red was just the signs or something bad occurring; like the numerous deaths that did take place. There was red all throughout the movie located in the snow which set off the pureness and simplicity of the initial deal. The deal was suppose to be so simple and no one was to get hurt but instead it was bloody and totally different than expected.
The horizon was faded out most of the time to hide away the secrets of the deal. It also served as a shallow depth of field with the focus being on the foreground figures and blurring out the background.
In the movie fargo, the washed out horizons serve in the film this feeling of being deserted out in the snow. It gives you a sence that no one is around and that your main focus is on the scene right in front of you. The red when its juxtaposed against the white snow is so bright and makes you only see the red becuase the white and red are two differnet but bright colors.
I think the use of color contrast of red and white, like the snow, was applyed to make an emphasize on the blood showing the extreme gruesomeness of the situation. This was especially apparent in the scene shown at the end of the movie when the blood was shooting from the woodchipper onto the pure white snow. I think it maybe a symbol of how his act took something clean and innocent and ruined it.
Also, the scenes with washed out backgrounds were trying to make the focus evident, leaving the rest unimportant as well as giving an indistinct feel of what was occuring to the viewer, leaving a bit more to think about.
The colors white and red play an important role in this film. It's as if they made most of the film white to show that it is about White culture. The film opens with a scene of a snowstorm, showing that White is a suffocating force. In the few scenes in which color is used it is red, which represents the bloodshed. This is the White race's legacy in North America according to the filmmakers.
I think that the way they chose to sort of blur out the background was so that it would draw attention to the foreground (where the action was occuring) which would make the scene more dramatic. The red up against the white snow was a way to make the murder in the woodchipper scene seem more evident. You probably wouldnt be able to tell at first that someone was being murdered if there was not the bright red up against the white snow.
The use of color in the film Fargo is very important, especially the use of white. The color white appears in the opening scene of the movie where everything is covered with white snow. The color red has an important significance in the film in the scene where one of the kidnappers is stuffing the kidnapped woman’s body into the wood chipper and blood is spraying everywhere, all over the snow. During this scene the juxtaposition between the white snow and the red blood is that everything is no longer pure and white. The tone that the blood on the snow sets for the scene is a very dark, grave type tone. The shot where you see the blood spraying all over the snow makes the audience want to cringe. In reference to other colors used in the film, there aren’t many bold, bright colors except for red, which when used makes a big impact on the tone of the scene.
The use of colors in this film help to make a stronger impact on the audience. The color red on top of the white snow makes for a very sharp contrast. Also, the red blood makes a stronger emphasis because it is on the white snow. The washed out horizons that are seen throughout the film serves to force everything to stand out. It also gives the feeling that there is nothing else in the background. The lighting is dim giving a bleek feel.
The use of color in this film is to dramatize what is going on in each scene. The white backdrop is to give you the feeling of being cold and having everything 'normal'. But, when you see the red blood it is 'not-normal'. Against a white backing red pops out and is very eyecatching and you feel as if the situation is worse than it would be had the backdrop been dark or black. The director wanted his audience to have a feeling of hopelessness. If you don't see a horizon you don't see a way out. You feel despair and abandonment. The director felt that the story line coupled with these small details gives the viewer a heightened sense of reality with the dramatic contrast.
The washed out horizons and the constant appearance of snow allows the town to seem almost pathetic. When the color red is put against such a bland background it creates a completely different atmosphere. This is shown best in the wood chipper scene because the entire scene is white except for the blood spurting out everywhere. It ignites a feeling a terror and repulse in the viewer. The contrast between the two colors throughout the movie allows the viewer to feel more emotion than if there had been no contrast.
Color creates a strong mental sense of feeling, most of us dont even notice that a collor can be so powerful. This movie uses two very bright colors. Red and white. Red, to me, is a scary color. It creates a sense of fear. Used in the woodchipper scene the color red, the blood, really pops off the white snow. It is very noticeable, and the veiwer has to wonder how these evidence are ever going to be hid. Clearly the blood now has sprayed all over a wide range of the snow, and the man must be scared he is goign to be caught by the police. The fuzzy horizon forces the veiwer to look at what is in focus. I suppose it makes it easier on us because there is an entire part of the screen that we dont have to look at and worry abuot what is taking place in. It also creates a sence of distance because you can not really see where it goes or where it ends. When the man is running form the police woman he looks as if he will be running for a long time untill he is shot of course. I think the fuzziness gave a momentary sense of hope for the man, for a second it looked as if he was actually going to get away. The director had a brillant use of color expecially in this scene but also used bring "poping" colors through the entire film.
I feel like the use of colors in this film had a lot to do with the story itself. The colors used are very bland and somewhat dreary and they relate to the story very well. The white is used a lot due to the season and also the fact that it makes the audience focus more on whats going on with the characters. The red used in the film, especially in the scene with the wood chipper, is very dramatic. it allows the audience to feel the impact of the action that the character has taken.
The Coen Brothers seemed to have embarked on the task of simply utilizing COLOR in order to induce dramatic tension and engage the both the audience's eye and emotions.
The washed-out horizons are indicative of the vast, bleak wasteland that exists just beyond the frame of the film. Also, as we have seen in countless films before, RED is a such a dynamic and potent color for arousing interest and giving visual authority to a particular point of focus onscreen (ex. red is everywhere in "American Beauty" or the girl in the red dress in the all B&W "Schindler's List")
Joel Coen masterfully places white and red against one another to symbollize the violent clash that is occuring over the "Blood Money" vs. the usual purity and simplicity of small town life.
Throughout the film “Fargo”, many outdoor scenes have washed out horizons in them. This helps to give the feeling of isolation, and allows the feelings that are conveyed to be more focused so that the viewer is able to become enthralled with the characters better.
All of the colors in the film are very soft in their presentation, allowing a more “smooth” appearance. The only exception to all of this are the colors red and white, as these are always presented quite harshly in the film. In the scene where the man is chopping up the other one in the woodchopper, the color red, for once, is shown with a stark contrast, implying a climax in the storyline.
Right from the beginning, Fargo's use of color describes the tone of the movie. First of all, the use of the color white mainly displays an absence of color to symbolize dispairity. The whole setting is snowy and white, descibing the chilling winters of Minniesota. The whole idea behind the use of white and the washed out horizons is how it symbolizes indefiniteness, heartlessness, emptyness, and the immensity of the universe. The red in the snow exemplifies how powerful death can be in such a small town. Now things are starting to change and things are no longer white, but now there are these massive colors of red, violence, and significance.
The use of color is used to set the mood of certain scenes in the film. By having a white background, anything else placed in view will stand out, ultimatly gaining the attention of the viewer. For example, by having the scenes constantly white and snowy, red cars, blood, and the woodchipper are forced to stand out. This makes all the attention on what the director wants the focus to be on. The horizons and the snow generate an unknowing tone of hopelessness and uncertainty.
Color plays a very important role in the film. The all white scenes and the washed out horizons create a depressing mood that goes along with the tone of the plot. The contrasting colors, such as the red blood on the snow, always catches your eye and stands out every time.
The way that all the colors in the scene are washed out and faded looking really emphasize the red. It gives it an extra erie and repulsive feel to it. It also brings a lot more attention to the red as opposed to if there was a lot more color in the film. And lastley it brings a sense of extreme realness to a somewhat boring place otherwise untouched by such colors.
The use of certain colors on top or mixed in with others can express a mood or feeling that is meant to be portrayed within the film. The use of the color red on top of the pure white snow shows the impurity and the crime that was committed. The purpose of blurring the background is to bring more focus onto the character in the shot.
I think the juxtaposition in color is to assist in the consistency of mood throughout the movie. The lighthearted antics of the midwestern characters in the serious light of the events that are taking place between them. In the final scene as one of the killers is running to the distance in an attempt to escape, your primary colors are the white of the snow and the browns of the killers clothes. Once the police officer shoots the killer, the red from the bullit wound helps create a more dramatic effect in the event from an emotional/pyschological viewpoint.
Color in the film Fargo was extremely significant. The background being all white and a splash of color, blood red, draws the viewers attention straight to the wood chipper and the blood being sprayed from it. The horizon is dull and there is an extreme lack of color, also complementing the intensity of the grim happenings on the screen.
The use of red and white in this movie, especially in the scene shown, gives a dramatic feeling to the viewer. At the beginning of the scene you see the woodchipper and man through several trees, but it is unseen what is being put into the chipper, but it is spraying red out onto the snow. The red blood on the white snow contrasts a lot more that had there been no snow and adds more gore to the scene.
As previously mentioned, color within a specific fram can change the mood or setting. The directors' idea of color in this film was used as a key element to move the audience. By using white snow and the red blood, the director can move an audience emotions toward the particular scene by making it easy for the audience to distinguish between light and dark (good and evil). In my opinion, color goes even further that what it really is. The color isnt just "color" used to set mood, it is also a parody of the stories plot itself. We can all mark the color of snow as something good, and can distinguish blood as being bad or evil. Good and evil is also portrayed in the movie as shown by the main character's conflict. His intentions were good from the start, but soon evil lurked and took over once things got out of control.
The use of colors is pretty effective it does help set the mood. What stands out in particular is when the guy is grinding up the body.. pretty gross but the red blood against the white is striking, the horizions washed out to me shows something blurred and wrong, like how everything went wrong in the movie and leave it open to question.
The blanket of white creates a mood of sadness and a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. The area where the action takes place is out in the open. Except for scenes of the Twin Cities, the entire movie takes place in a rural area. During the initial killing scene, there was nobody around to call for help, and nobody around to witness what had happened. When the parking garage attendant was killed, even his booth was painted white inside. Finally, we see the killer during the woodchipper scene stumbling into a sea of nothing but white. The stark red color against the white background grabs the audience's attention. It says, "Whoa! Something important is happening!" It draws the viewer's eye away from the distance in the background and right up to the the foreground.
The use of color in the film convey the mood in that particular scene. It gives you this dramatic feeling. The blood on the snow makes it seem stronger and bolder having you have a sence of suspense and terror. When the blood was coming out of the wood chipper it seemed realistic as if you were in the woods with the police officer.
In the movie fargo, the use of color was very well planned to set the mood and tone of the film. The reoccuring washed out horizons tend to bring more of a focus to the action at any moment. Also, the contrasting brilliant colors, such as the red blood and white snow, makes everything in the scene more dramatic and easy to notice. For instance, when the blood hits the snow, your attention is immediately drawn to the blood, and nothing else.
Colors usually envoke feelings in people and usually red is associated with passion, love, or rage. White is more of a pure color in realtionship to innocence and peace. The way the director uses color in Fargo, especially the wood shipper scene, allows the red to give a sense of something wrong contrasted with the crisp white snow.
The faded out horizons allow the viewer to focus on the item up close. The director didn't was the audience to be distracted by the scenery or anything else that may have been in the background.
The contrast of red and white in the scene shows how disruptive the recent events had been on he small town. The white shows how calm and peaceful the town used to be but then the red depicts the problems that have happened. The red is the evil of the movie. The horizons show how everything is unclear things are in the background but that the things that are not washed out are important and clear to the viewer.
First off when you think of colors epically if used as a metaphor. White is a symbol of purity and red would be a symbol for passion. Or in this case it might not be passion as for love but just as intense opposite of the purity of white. During the winter epically when there is snow covering almost everything it’s almost natural that the horizon is to be washed out. Epically if there are clouds in the sky. So that brings a since or realism to the movie, and just as in realize not being able to distinguish where the earth ends and sky begins it brings a sense of confusion and uncertainty.
There weren't a lot of bright colors in this movie it was kind of dull and boring color wise. The washed out horizons made it kind of gloomy. And when the red was against the white it made it stand out more and drew your attention to it.
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