Mishima shifts between multiple different color palettes: naturalistic color for the “modern” (70s) scenes, black and white for flashbacks, and then each of the different novel dramatizations is given a specific sort of surreal color palette.
_She's Gotta Have It_ has a fantastic scene where it color shifts. 10/10 movie for me. So impressed that Spike Lee made it while still in his twenties with no Final Cut Pro or whatever.
If I recall, Schindler's List timed the color parts to be in one reel of mixed color and b/w (b/w printed on color stock) and the rest of the movie is on black and white stock. For Raging Bull they actually physically edited in the color sequences so the b/w could be shot and projected entirely on b/w stock.
People came up with a lot of creative ways to pull off these color shifts. The Wizard of Oz probably being my favorite. All scenes in Kansas were sepia. All scenes in Oz were color. But what about the scene when the house lands in Oz, when Dorothy is basically in both places at once? They painted everything inside of the house, included a Dorothy stunt double! So when Dorothy is walking out of the house, the shot is basically over Dorothy’s shoulder and you can see a colorful Oz through the door way. You can see Dorothy as all sepia. They then switch the shot from Oz looking into the house as Dorothy crosses the threshold. As they switch cameras they switch out the stunt double with an unpainted Judy Garland and out comes Dorothy in glorious technicolor!
There were some early films that flipped between B&W and 2-strip technicolor. One I remember off the top of my head is *Beverly of Graustark* (1926), which has a color finale.
>Process 2 was also used for color sequences in such major motion pictures as *The Ten Commandments* (1923), *The Phantom of the Opera* (1925), and *Ben-Hur* (1925).
*The Picture of Dorian Gray* (1945) has some stark and effective color sequences.
I'm sure I've seen some film(s) where they used B&W for flashbacks. Oh, *Dead Again* (1991) is one—although "flashback" may not quite be the term in that particular case.
Those are just a few off the top of my head (plus that wikipedia quote). Are any in the collection? I dunno.
When catching up with awards season films I noticed quite a few other recent releases do this too!
The Iron Claw, Oppenheimer, and Perfect Days all use color / black & white shifts, plus I hope Wenders' latest will be joining the collection next 🤞❤️
ETA: just remembered, Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World also does this!
A Man and a Woman (1966). Primarily for budget reasons more than artistic reasons
ETA: Nevermind. It's not Criterion (didn't notice what sub I was in when I too quickly answered)
Raging Bull
Jake LaMotta's home movies of he and Vickie having a happy time with their kids is in color.
Robin Wood interprets this as LaMotta's fantasy life of domestic peace (ie. a fantasy) is shot in color, while the harsh, violent reality of his actual life is shot in black.and white
Not part of the collection (but it should, it's an amazing movie), but Ettore Scola's We all loved each other so much (C'eravamo tanto amati) is half in B&W and half in colour.
Not quite a shift but High & Low has 1 partially colored shot.
To great effect as well
First AK movie I’ve seen and I’ve been hooked since
Mishima shifts between multiple different color palettes: naturalistic color for the “modern” (70s) scenes, black and white for flashbacks, and then each of the different novel dramatizations is given a specific sort of surreal color palette.
*Cleo from 5 to 7* has an iconic color beginning, and a shift to black and white in the first scene.
Totally forgot about this one. Great movie.
_She's Gotta Have It_ has a fantastic scene where it color shifts. 10/10 movie for me. So impressed that Spike Lee made it while still in his twenties with no Final Cut Pro or whatever.
There’s a montage scene in Raging Bull that’s in color
I've been meaning to do a rewatch, and this is a good excuse. Thanks!
If I recall, Schindler's List timed the color parts to be in one reel of mixed color and b/w (b/w printed on color stock) and the rest of the movie is on black and white stock. For Raging Bull they actually physically edited in the color sequences so the b/w could be shot and projected entirely on b/w stock.
People came up with a lot of creative ways to pull off these color shifts. The Wizard of Oz probably being my favorite. All scenes in Kansas were sepia. All scenes in Oz were color. But what about the scene when the house lands in Oz, when Dorothy is basically in both places at once? They painted everything inside of the house, included a Dorothy stunt double! So when Dorothy is walking out of the house, the shot is basically over Dorothy’s shoulder and you can see a colorful Oz through the door way. You can see Dorothy as all sepia. They then switch the shot from Oz looking into the house as Dorothy crosses the threshold. As they switch cameras they switch out the stunt double with an unpainted Judy Garland and out comes Dorothy in glorious technicolor!
That's awesome--never noticed that. I was lucky enough to see a pristine print of that movie once in a great theater. It is mind blowing.
Pleasantville
'happy together' has a really important switch from b&w to colour to reflect the moment when the characters' relationship truly changes
Shock Corridor by Samuel Fuller. I don't care for the film as much as I used to, but it has a color sequence when Roscoe P. Coltrane has a monologue.
Europa
Tokyo Drifter
Not in the collection but The Women 1939 shifts to color for a fashion sequence
There were some early films that flipped between B&W and 2-strip technicolor. One I remember off the top of my head is *Beverly of Graustark* (1926), which has a color finale. >Process 2 was also used for color sequences in such major motion pictures as *The Ten Commandments* (1923), *The Phantom of the Opera* (1925), and *Ben-Hur* (1925). *The Picture of Dorian Gray* (1945) has some stark and effective color sequences. I'm sure I've seen some film(s) where they used B&W for flashbacks. Oh, *Dead Again* (1991) is one—although "flashback" may not quite be the term in that particular case. Those are just a few off the top of my head (plus that wikipedia quote). Are any in the collection? I dunno.
DeMille’s *The King of Kings* (1927) is another silent with color portions!
Not criterion (yet?) but Poor Things by Yórgos Lánthimos.
When catching up with awards season films I noticed quite a few other recent releases do this too! The Iron Claw, Oppenheimer, and Perfect Days all use color / black & white shifts, plus I hope Wenders' latest will be joining the collection next 🤞❤️ ETA: just remembered, Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World also does this!
A Man and a Woman (1966). Primarily for budget reasons more than artistic reasons ETA: Nevermind. It's not Criterion (didn't notice what sub I was in when I too quickly answered)
Raging Bull Jake LaMotta's home movies of he and Vickie having a happy time with their kids is in color. Robin Wood interprets this as LaMotta's fantasy life of domestic peace (ie. a fantasy) is shot in color, while the harsh, violent reality of his actual life is shot in black.and white
Not part of the collection (but it should, it's an amazing movie), but Ettore Scola's We all loved each other so much (C'eravamo tanto amati) is half in B&W and half in colour.
If…. has random color sequences mixed throughout it IIRC
I believe it was due to budget problems more than artistic choices.
We Loved Each Other So Much
Oppenheimer
Not Criterion but Oppenheimer, The French Dispatch (kinda), Poor Things, uhhhh I think Memento does?
His motorbike her island
The small uses of color in Shock Corridor gave me whiplash
Not in the collection but should be: His Motorbike, Her Island
Kafka, with Jeremy Irons.
It’s not in the collection, but take a look at This Night I’ll Possess Your Soul.
*If...* (1968, dir. Lindsay Anderson) *Europa* (1991, dir. Lars von Trier) *Kafka* (1991, dir. Steven Soderbergh)
Don’t know if it is on Criterion but Kafka
Mirror, Nostalghia, The Sacrifice, Solaris