F06 :: Feminist Film Studies

< While I watched the piano, I was shocked at how much colors affected the mood, ideas, and actions of the characters. I consider myself an artist (or at least an aspiring one) so I instinctually notice the use of color in media. I found that Jane Campion truly used her pallet of colors to create the beautiful canvass and masterpiece onscreen. While blue was a constant reminder of the sorrow, pain, and lonliness that Ada felt throughout the movie...it was the use of black that interested me more. Campion's use of the color black created a morbid and funeral like ambiance for me while I watched. With Ada shrouded in a thick black dress and bonnet for the majority of the movie, it seemed to me that she was either on her way, or preparing to go to a funeral. That suspicion kept the suspense very high throughout the movie. It is not until the end that the viewer learns that the death would be her own (metaphorically speaking). When she throws her piano overboard, it is as if a part of her is dying...part of her soul has been bruised so deeply by the whole experience, that it too is now black. Furthermore, once she is plunged into the dark blue water, she seems to have no fear...she allows the darkness of the water to engulf her. In addition to her wardrobe, she requests of Baines to be able to "work off" the black keys instead of the white ones. (While there are clearly more white keys than black ones on a piano, and therefore less for her to "work off" this also made a impact on me). It seemed as though the pure white keys were too sacred to her to allow them to be tainted by Baines's advances. Although later in the film, when she falls in love with him, it is the white key that she gives to him. Of all the colors implying things throughout the film, it was Campion's use of black that stood out to me....any one have any other thoughts? >