“Hero” is a Chinese wuxia film that was directed by Zhang Yimou. Jet Li, who is the starring, acts as a nameless protagonist. Hero is based on the assassination of Jing Ke. In ancient China, when the first emperor had not started to reign, six kingdoms in the region plot to assassinate Qin who happened to be the most powerful leader during that time. When one of the officials defeated Qin’s enemies, Qin summoned him to the palace so that he could explain how he achieved the victory (Robert, 24). Hero is a film that can be recognized as a traditional Chinese genre. This paper aims at discussing the characteristics of color so as to determine the functions of color in the film, “Hero”.
Use of colors in films usually involves an association at various levels. They include; 1) the physical, how color affects viewers giving them less or more pleasing feeling; 2) the aesthetic, the effects the colors produce regarding their proportion, composition, and balance in a film 3) the psychological, the psychological responses stimulated by colors. Color is the element used for non-realist purposes. Use of color and sound in a film helps to achieve an aura of preserving, enhancing reality and authenticity (Maria, 333). Color is an important element that can be used to approximate the film’s likeness to reality.
In the film “Hero”, the color symbolic and subjective expression of publicity, each color has a certain meaning, which inspires each character in the subconscious of the imagination, but there is no specific point. In the film “Hero”, Zhang Yimou uses numerous visual metaphor of the color to express and imply the truth of the fictional story (Robert, 18). Color in this film is used to express the theme and the mood of the characters. The situations faced by characters are also strengthened by use of different colors. Color in this film provides an internal critical commentary and a subversive counterpoint. Color in this film shows an alternative vision of history that is mainly centered on desire and emotion.
Section 1: Technology
This spectacular film is a movie that was quite different from the rest. ‘Hero’ is a film that retells and tells one story in three different ways. The first one is how an unknown assassin defeats three Chinese rivals. One version is true while the other two are false. The three rivals come from various regions: a white one, a blue one, and a red one. The tale is dominated by different shades of black, and several flashbacks presented using green. The colors used seem to be the theme of the movie (Robert, 19). Different stories covered in the film are colored in a personal perception.
In Hero, there are differently colored memory sequences that are rendered in intense white, blue, red, and green. The colors used for different sections are juxtaposed to show signify the discourse of martyrdom and sacrifice for the country’s unification which dominates the sequences that are presented in muted tones of grey and black. The coloration of memory scenes mostly emphasizes the ‘nuxia pian’ and female knights can be alternatively interpreted as the individual sacrifice made by characters in the film (Robert, 33). The color used in the film could also have a cultural meaning.
Blue is used on the top right since the film makers decided to bring out the climax of the second story on the lake found in Jiuzhaigou cq region of China. The color of what is blue. The blue color of water inspired the blue color of the section. The section was shot in interesting parts of China that were not shot before. On the other hand, white is used on the bottom left in the third section of the film. White in most cases means peace or living in a conducive environment. In this section, Maggie Cheung makes efforts of saving her lover. The filmmakers decided to pick the white part of the desert to make the costumes too (Mackey, 7). Shooting at noon in the desert was unendurable but beautiful.
Green color is also used to present various flashbacks. For instance, Mr. Leung goes into a palace where there are floating green curtains. Processing the movie in unusual ways and use of filters was done to bring out colors. In this case, there had to be an actual green color. Green is used as a color of knowledge. It also shows plentiful of life in other cases. Green was used for the palace to probably show wisdom and plenty of knowledge from the occupants of the place (Mackey, 9). Green was also used to show that everything was going on well in the palace at that time.
The palace of the king is grey/black which is enlivened by small splashes of red. The colors form the end and the beginning of the story. Red occupies a large proportion of the story’s first version where the calligraphy school is described. In the same section there are attacks by the army of Qin. Stabbing of Broken Sword also happens followed by a fight between Moon and Flying Snow. Red in this case signifies danger and war (Mackey, 4). Green is also used to cover the meeting between Flying Snow and Broken Sword in addition to the assassination attempt that failed.
Green in the film represents reminiscing; blue also shows the struggle faced by Flying Moon, Broken Sword, and Nameless. The layout is different from other wuxia films. The layout presents an artistic love story. The film is not about vying for martial arts manuals and seeking vengeance which leads to killings and endless fights. White signifies compassion and love of heroes as well as their magnanimity (Mackey, 9). Blue is used to present the king of Qin’s story as a sign of imagination.
Section 2: Aesthetic History
Curse of the Golden Flower is martial arts dram film which revolves around the themes of dysfunction and betrayal. In the film there is battle for power, also, the marriage between the emperor and his wife is not successful. As the film begins, the audience sees a scene that is rich in color and has attention to detail. Most parts of the film are based in the gold and red palace. Red and yellow are also used in the film to portray the characters’ power. Gold covers the path to destruction. Therefore, gold creates a lustrous, radiant atmosphere. According to Chinese culture, red symbolizes happiness, joy, and good fortune while yellow and gold symbolize good luck and neutrality. It is ironic that the film does not bring happiness, joy and good fortune. Everything in the film appears beautiful but the people acting are tainted. Their personalities and morals are morphed with evil. The golden armour of the emperor shows that he has a lot of power (Chan, 035). The empress wears gold to symbolize her power too.
In House of Flying Daggers film, Color has also been used to symbolize different things and the personality of characters. The last scene is quite impressive since it is covered in snow. The white section could possibly symbolize peace and the end. In this section the viewer sees how the forest of red, green, yellow, and purple trees gets covered under pure white snow. The section unfolds the events that would follow. The pure white in this case shows symbolizes a new beginning and the end of the previous activities. White symbolizes the end because the blood of the characters in the film is covered by snow (Portegies, 49). It symbolizes the end of Mei, Jin, and Leo.
In Red Sorghum movie, red is the dominant color in the film. The landscape is red in color. It can also be noted that the landscape is introduced by an image of the solar eclipse. The bloodshed and reflection of violence shows the struggle against Japanese rivals. The color also shows the character’s spiritual freedom, passion, and love of life (Newmyer, 485). The red also symbolizes boldness, and passion of the characters.
In all the above films, color has been used to symbolize different aspects, to bring out the mood and the theme of the films. The colors used mainly serve the purpose of expressing the Chinese culture and belief of different happenings. The films also have different sections that cover different issues addressed in different colors. Red is a common color in the films where it is used to symbolize power. The power possessed by different characters lead to war thus bloodshed. According to Chinese culture the red used in the films symbolizes joy, good fortune, and happiness. White is also used in the films to symbolize the end of events and a new beginning. Gold and yellow only appear in Curse of the Golden Flower to symbolize fortune and good lack. The color possibly does not apply to other films due to the aspects of war and bad lack that befalls some characters.
Section 3: Cultural History
Hero film is an illustration of Chinese history to the current ‘politically correct’ conclusion. According to Zhang, the blood-thirsty emperors of China later became the greatest heroes. Jin Ke is a Chinese hero who lived 2200 years ago who set a mission to assassinate King Ying Zheng of Qin (Robert, 32). King Zheng also represents Chinese collectivism and totalitarian. Since those old days, the confrontation between Jin Ke and King Ying Zheng gave Chinese artists and writers the urge to examine the nature of different social organizations in China. The reign of Qin Shi Huang is viewed as controversial in the context of Warring States Period in China between (476 BCE – 221 BCE) (Hsiao, 50). During that time, Zhou dynasty had fallen since it broke into separate states. People moaned the disunity of China such that they had no positive hopes for their future. Most of the concerned individuals felt that China was falling in the hands of evil people (Newmyer, 483). It is also said that Warring States Period was productive and fertile. Most technical, scientific, and world-leading innovations occurred then.
Conclusion
Color in films plays an important role especially in bringing out the theme, mood, and the personality of characters. In the films discussed in this paper, some of the colors used are red, white, gold, blue, and green. In Hero, blue shows the struggle faced, white signifies love and passion of the heroes while blue symbolized the imagination of the king. In other films such as ‘Red sorghum’ and ‘House of Flying Daggers’, red symbolizes happiness, joy, and good fortune. In ‘Curse of the Golden Flower’, yellow and gold symbolize good luck and neutrality. Color is seen to be an important element in filming since it helps understand the theme of the films discussed in this paper.
Works Cited
Chan, W. A. N. G. “Analysis of the culture-specific words in the subtitle of” the Curse of Golden Flower.” Journal of Hubei Normal University (Philosophy and Social Sciences), Vol. 4 (2010): 035.
Hsiao, Kung-chuan. History of Chinese Political Thought, Volume 1: From the Beginnings to the Sixth Century, AD. Vol. 1. Princeton University Press, (2015): 49-83
Mackey, Robert. “FILM; Cracking The Color Code of ‘Hero'”. Nytimes.Com, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/15/movies/film-cracking-the-color-code-of-hero.html?_r=0. Accessed 9 Dec. 2016
Maria, Helena Braga e Vaz da Costa. “Color in Films: A Critical Overview”. vol. 6, no. 1, 2011. pp.333-348
Newmyer, Jacqueline. “The revolution in military affairs with Chinese characteristics.” The Journal of Strategic Studies, vol.33, no.4, 2010, pp.483-504.
Portegies, Ariane. “Places on my mind: Exploring contextuality in film in between the global and the local.” Tourism and Hospitality Planning & Development vol.7, no.1, 2010, pp.48-58.
Robert, Burgoyne. “Color in the Epic Film.” Alexander and Hero, (2011), pp.18-36
