Monday, September 07, 2009

Color Story: The Red in The Deep End

BeRightBack here, with a little Labor Day post brought on by rewatching the 2001 thriller The Deep End.


I was impressed this time not only what I'd remembered about it - Tilda Swinton's gritty, understated work in the central role - but also the careful manipulation of color.


As the film forces Tilda's character to plumb inner reservoirs of strength, the blues that have muted her trademark hair are interrupted by sudden reds -- a blazing coat, a split lip.

This culminates in a climactic scene in an overturned red sportscar, opposite a handsomely bleeding Goran Visnjic, her red hair filtering the light, refracting her character's strength and beauty, illuminating the heart of the film and her performance.


Definitely worth the second look. Happy Labor Day!

6 comments:

mrripley said...

this was something i don't get renee zellweger halle berry all better than swinton here no way.

Fernando Moss said...

I think the best of that year was Naomi Watts... but that's just me...

the other four form me would have been

Sissy Spacek, Tilda Swinton, Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst.

NATHANIEL R said...

I remember this movie having great cinematography (and particularly remember that car shot you include) and it's Giles Nuttgen who also did Young Adam (another Tilda picture) Battlefield Earth (?!?) and Water

P.S. remember when Josh Lucas seemed like an exciting dangerous actor?!?

BeRightBack said...

Nathaniel R: I just got done watching You Can Count on Me for the first time today. Josh Lucas was there being all sleazy in that movie too! It was an inadvertent Josh Lucas In Small Sleazy Roles Film Fest this three-day weekend!

Anonymous said...

Gilles Nuttgens is a really talented cinematographer. He shot a lot of good film; for example I like his sodalice with acclaimed director DEEPA MEHTA, he worked with her also in the Oscar nominated WATER and his contribution to the film was incredible!

by the way, I'm one of the few people in the world who appreciated THE BEE SEASON...I wish McGehee/Siegel could work more and I also I hope I could watch their lates effort, UNCERTAINTY, sooner or later...

mirko

Eduardo said...

Tilda Swinton gave perhaps her best peformance in The Deep End.