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anyways, about the colors in the village. I think the reds and the yellows are a bit too much at points. this might just be because the colors serve a narrative purpose as well as a thematic one, and that makes it seem a bit heavy handed sometimes. what i was more interested in were the subdued colors of everything else. the yellow-greens, grey-whites, all those dark earth tones, and the faded sky blues.
I'm guess these colors were made like this to make them push back in the visual plain to make those bright reds and yellows even more obvious, and though visually pleasing, mentally abrasive. The light colors also speak to the townspeople's innocence and overall "simple-mindedness". I am unsure of the blues though, they only pop up like a few times and on all sorts of characters.
BLUE!any thoughts on the blue???

E-mail subscription

As I stay up far too late at night, I realized that this might help the rest of the class. It's not about color, but it will help you talk about it! It's sometimes hard to remember to check the blog on regular occasion, so I thought I'd share with everyone the ability to get updates to the blog e-mailed to you. Here it is!

Subscribe to Kino Chroma by Email

Just go there, put in your e-mail (they won't spam you—promise), and you'll get an e-mail in the morning whenever the site has been updated.

Hooray!

Work

I realize this post may only reach those who have actually registered for the blog (just over half the class).

I want to reiterate that when I ask the class to participate in the blog discussion of the reading assignment, that this is not optional! It is an assignment and requirement for the class, just as the reading is, just as registering for the blog is (which nearly half the class also has not managed to do yet).

I also am curious as to why I have only received 8 creative project proposals so far, when this was due for everyone in the class on Monday? So I should have 15 of them by now. This is not just disappointing, but perplexing.

A seminar is an upper-level course requiring a higher level of work than an introductory or core class. If some of you aren't capable of keeping up with the assignments, you might want to consider dropping the class. Failing to keep up with the weekly workload (which is considerably lighter than it is in many other seminar courses) will impact negatively on your grade and your continued progress in the course.

Scott Higgins' article on Far from Heaven

I'd like to get some discussion going on this article. So please feel free to respond to any of these questions.

Do you agree that the film's use of color is "moving" as well as consciously artificial, as Higgins suggests? Why or why not?

Does Higgins' assessment of the "meaning" of the colors orange and blue (desire and loss) feel accurate? How doe these colors follow the film's seasonal timeline and plot elements?

How does Higgins' description of the first meeting of Cathy and Raymond help define the film's entire color aesthetic?

How does Higgins' discussion of color lighting assist in an understanding of the film's color palette? Do you agree or disagree that Haynes' use of gels is "bizarre" or that it (negatively) affects viewers' emotional connection to the film text?

What other colors play a part in Higgins' discussion of the film's palette?

Flaws inherent in the ending of "Rosemary's Baby"

This was my second time viewing Rosemary's Baby. (The first time was actually in the first class I ever took with Peg- Concept Development!) I appreciated it the first time around, but I enjoyed it quite a bit more this time. I think the suspense is rather masterfully subtle, but still really effective.

The color scheme is also very impressive. The use of primary colors can often be very overwhelming and childlike, but RB mutes the colors in such a way that they seem totally natural to the environment. However, I feel that there is one instance where this is completely negated.


THE BIG HULKING BLACK BASSINET OF DOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

This big mass appears at the end, completely breaking the tension. The black chiffon drapes alongside the upside-down cross just seems so completely cartoonish to me.

Why not utilize some deep red drapes instead? It seems that would have followed the mood and the tone a great deal better.

Red? or Blue? On color and cognition

This article was mentioned on an online news site; very interesting study about color and cognitive tasks and thinking. The Science Magazine requires a membership to download the entire article; AOL news has a summary of it here.
Happy medium between the two sources? The New York Times article interviewing the study's authors.

FREE Wong Kar Wei screenings

The Harvard Film Archive will be showing FREE screenings over the next three Tuesdays beginning TONIGHT of of Wong Kar Wei's In the Mood for Love (February 3 and 10 at 7 pm) and 2046 (Febuary 17 at 7 pm). This is a wonderful opportunity to see these stunning films on the big screen, so don't miss out.

If you have never been to the HFA before, check out their website at http://hcl.harvard.edu/hfa/

FYI, No food or beverages are allowed in the theatre.

Chapter discussion

As sometimes happens in classroom discussions, not everyone gets heard from. To allow everyone a chance to participate, I'd like to hear/read your thoughts on the reading and the questions I asked you to think about. Don't be shy and please let's get the ball rolling so this blog can be a place where we can discuss topics we may not have time to get to in class, and where people who have not had a chance yet to speak up can do so.

Over to you.