For the screening analysis project I watched Goodfellas (1990) directed by Martin Scorsese. While watching the film, I noticed that Martin Scorsese carefully coordinated color to emphasis meaning and support the narrative. Throughout the film, Scorsese seemed to want to make the gangsters stand out from everyone else. This was accomplished with the style of clothes that the gangsters wore and the color of clothes they wore as well. The gangsters in the film wore dark colors such as black, grey, brown, and tan. The gangsters also wore formal clothing throughout the film as well.

In the photo above, the gangsters are clearly distinctive from the crowd around them. This is because their dark colored clothes stand out from the lighter colors surrounding them such as white, purple and light brown.

Scorsese also uses color to emphasis contrasts within the film. One particular scene in which I noticed this use of color was when Karen (Lorraine Bracco) woke Henry (Ray Liotta) up by pointed a gun at him.

In this shot, Henry’s blue clothes match the blue bed he is laying on and Karen’s tan, light brown, pink, and white colored outfit match the rest of the room. It is also interesting to note that the colors that match Henry also match his position in the shot, underneath Karen and laying horizontally. Similarly all the colors that match Karen are above Henry and moving vertically. All of this emphasizes the conflict between the two characters, while also supporting the idea that Karen clearly has the upper hand in this situation. To further emphasis this conflict between the characters, soon after this shot Henry knocks Karen onto the floor. I was unable to find a clear image of this shot, but while Henry is on top of Karen on the ground with the gun in his hand this time, the bed is also above Karen and the cream colored carpet that she is lying on.

Another strong use of color that is shown throughout the film is Henry’s growing divide with his fellow gangsters. As the film progresses Henry begins to distance himself from the gangsters as he starts his own business selling cocaine without the leader of their gangs permission. While going through this secretive process, Henry begins to wear less formal, lighter colored clothes.

This photo is from one of the final scenes in the film. Henry is at the climax of his cocaine business as the police are following his every move. The style of clothes that Henry wears in this shot are vastly different from the dark colored suits that he and his gangster friends wear throughout the film.  Henry has already made the decision to focus on his own business instead of continuing his crimes with his fellow gangsters prior to this scene. The contrasts in clothes with his friends and his prior self clearly support this narrative.

I enjoyed watching this film and learned a lot about the use of camera movements and color to support and emphasize the narrative that I want to portray throughout the film.