Last night I went to see "Jurassic World". I went in with low expectations and I was not disappointed. Good actors, decent story, though largely it was an updated version of the original (sorry, that might have been a spoiler. I will try to keep the rest spoiler free, aside from the fact there are dinosaurs, they escape, and there is conflict with humans, but that seems largely like a big given). What I found most interesting about the movie was the use of color, specifically, purple, and it has to do with something I read about how it was used in the movie "Up".
To me, the opening in Pixar's "Up" is in the pantheon of saddest movie scenes ever. It is up there with "Old Yeller", Goose dying in "Top Gun" and Jessie's song "When Somebody Loved Me" from "Toy Story 2". (Side note - I really hate how those bastages at Pixar can toy with my emotions so easily. I hate and envy them for it). What I didn't notice at the time I saw "Up" was how the color
purple was used throughout the movie. One of my favorite movie sites is "Last Exit to Nowhere". They sell movie inspired t-shirts and accessories, but they have great discussions on movies on their Facebook page. Someone once noted in "Up" that purple was Ellie's color, and when she (spoiler alert) passes away, the color purple basically disappears from the movie. It only starts to reappear, very slowly, as Carl starts his adventure. As he gets closer to Paradise Falls, more and more of the color purple is used, symbolically representing that Carl is becoming more adventures and heroic - like Ellie.
While watching "Jurassic World" last night I noticed, they are doing the same thing.
Traditionally associated with royalty in Western Cultures, the color purple is used to represent heroism, a role the characters should all striving to achieve. It was an interesting play on color symbolism, and once I started noting it, the movie became far more interesting to me.
I didn't notice it at first; I first noticed it when Bryce Dallas Howard went from corporate mode to hero mode. In the beginning of the movie, she is dressed all in white; she is very distant and does not have a strong connection to her nephews (not even knowing their ages - bad aunt!).
However, as the movie progresses and (spoiler alert), she has to step up to protect them, she takes of her coat and top, revealing - surprise, surprise - a purple top, previously not visible. At first, it is still partially covered, but as the movie progresses, she looses the top, in effect, showing more purple, reflecting her growing heroism.
If purple is the most heroic color, then the proximity of of other colors on a color wheel, reflects their relative level of heroism. Namely, blue and maroon, become the next most heroic colors, which can be seen on the other heroes of the movie, most noticeably Chris Pratt. Although he is the face of the movie on the trailers, he is not in fact the hero. The one who saves the day is Bryce Dallas Howard; however, Chris has the next most important heroic role, which is acknowledged in being draped in blues and some purple. Interestingly, his costume makes a color shift during the movie. Early on in the movie, he appears more in green and brown, as seen in the lower photo. But as the movie progresses, the outfit he wears drifts more to purple (top photo). Other characters go through a color change as well, too, most noticeably Irrfan Khan and Nick Robinson.
Irrfan, is an interesting character, who you can't tell early on if he is greedy or heroic, as evident with his purple shirt under his grey suit. However, when the challenge arises, and it is time for him to be a hero, he easily doffs his coat (dramatically for the camera), exposing his heroic purple shirt before he takes the controls of the helicopter to pilot a very difficult, dangerous, and heroic mission. The older brother, Nick Robinson, also sheds his non-heroic clothes when he has to protect his brother, a point that is specifically made in the movie when then find his button down shirt, revealing a maroon t-shirt underneath - not completely heroic but a big swing from his previous moodiness.
Rounding out the heroic side is Omar Sy, associate and friend of Chris Pratt's who is the loyal companion and resource throughout the movie. While not quite as heroic as Bryce Dallas Howard, his heroism and good qualities are noted in his pinkish hued shirt.
On the opposite side, we have two characters who did not display heroism in anyway, and if anything were greedy and manipulative, namely BD Wong and Vincent D'Onofrio.
BD Wong, the doctor has made some morally questionable choices, and he is greedy, but there is no evidence of evil. He is in a difficult position and he is trying to make all his masters happy, which he does by making morally void decisions. Not surprisingly, he is dressed in black and white; a total absence of color. Vincent D'Onofrio on the other hand has another agenda and he does not care about the loss of life he needs to see it through. He is the opposite of heroic and as such, he is draped in tan, the color on the opposite end of the color wheel from purple.
And if you need one more piece of evidence, which comes with a BIG SPOILER ALERT: what was the name and the color of the raptor who came to their rescue at the end of the movie. Yep, Blue.
Overall rating, worse than the original, better than Jurassic Park 2; I never saw part 3. This movie solidified to me that Steven Spielberg is still a completely underrated director. This one just didn't have the magic of the original. It is a shame that most of his best movies came out at a time when being a popular, successful movie decreased your chances for winning an Oscar. Honestly, he should have at least 3-5 more Best Director awards from the Academy, and this movie proves it, IMHO.
To me, the opening in Pixar's "Up" is in the pantheon of saddest movie scenes ever. It is up there with "Old Yeller", Goose dying in "Top Gun" and Jessie's song "When Somebody Loved Me" from "Toy Story 2". (Side note - I really hate how those bastages at Pixar can toy with my emotions so easily. I hate and envy them for it). What I didn't notice at the time I saw "Up" was how the color
While watching "Jurassic World" last night I noticed, they are doing the same thing.
Traditionally associated with royalty in Western Cultures, the color purple is used to represent heroism, a role the characters should all striving to achieve. It was an interesting play on color symbolism, and once I started noting it, the movie became far more interesting to me.I didn't notice it at first; I first noticed it when Bryce Dallas Howard went from corporate mode to hero mode. In the beginning of the movie, she is dressed all in white; she is very distant and does not have a strong connection to her nephews (not even knowing their ages - bad aunt!).
If purple is the most heroic color, then the proximity of of other colors on a color wheel, reflects their relative level of heroism. Namely, blue and maroon, become the next most heroic colors, which can be seen on the other heroes of the movie, most noticeably Chris Pratt. Although he is the face of the movie on the trailers, he is not in fact the hero. The one who saves the day is Bryce Dallas Howard; however, Chris has the next most important heroic role, which is acknowledged in being draped in blues and some purple. Interestingly, his costume makes a color shift during the movie. Early on in the movie, he appears more in green and brown, as seen in the lower photo. But as the movie progresses, the outfit he wears drifts more to purple (top photo). Other characters go through a color change as well, too, most noticeably Irrfan Khan and Nick Robinson.
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| Before |
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| After |
Rounding out the heroic side is Omar Sy, associate and friend of Chris Pratt's who is the loyal companion and resource throughout the movie. While not quite as heroic as Bryce Dallas Howard, his heroism and good qualities are noted in his pinkish hued shirt. 
On the opposite side, we have two characters who did not display heroism in anyway, and if anything were greedy and manipulative, namely BD Wong and Vincent D'Onofrio. BD Wong, the doctor has made some morally questionable choices, and he is greedy, but there is no evidence of evil. He is in a difficult position and he is trying to make all his masters happy, which he does by making morally void decisions. Not surprisingly, he is dressed in black and white; a total absence of color. Vincent D'Onofrio on the other hand has another agenda and he does not care about the loss of life he needs to see it through. He is the opposite of heroic and as such, he is draped in tan, the color on the opposite end of the color wheel from purple.
And if you need one more piece of evidence, which comes with a BIG SPOILER ALERT: what was the name and the color of the raptor who came to their rescue at the end of the movie. Yep, Blue.
Overall rating, worse than the original, better than Jurassic Park 2; I never saw part 3. This movie solidified to me that Steven Spielberg is still a completely underrated director. This one just didn't have the magic of the original. It is a shame that most of his best movies came out at a time when being a popular, successful movie decreased your chances for winning an Oscar. Honestly, he should have at least 3-5 more Best Director awards from the Academy, and this movie proves it, IMHO.
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