Examining Akira Kurosawa’s use of color as a director and painter: an example of the movie “Ran”

Abstract

Cinema is a complex structure formed by the combination of many visual and sonic elements. When considered together with factors such as scenes, plans changing with the movement of the camera, visual compositions and editing, the strategic importance of each unit that creates meaning comes to the fore. Among these elements, color appears as an important element that is effective both in the context of visual aesthetics and composition, as well as in the context of human psychology, emotions and identification.

Color has been the focus of directors and researchers since the early years of cinema, which started with black and white. Unlike the research conducted in this field, this article focuses on Akira Kurosawa, a director whose first relationship with color was established through the art of painting and who gained worldwide recognition with his original films, and his film Ran (1985). The research examines the effect of the director's painter identity on the use of color in the film and the functions and use of colors on visual composition, character representation and dramatic structure in cinematic productions.

In this context, Kurosawa's approach to color in the paintings he made before shooting was determined, and a color-oriented visual and content analysis was carried out by following the plot that forms the narrative in the movie Ran. As a result of this analysis, it was seen that Kurosawa used the color element consciously, versatilely and functionally in his movie "Ran". Color palettes in warm-vibrant or cold-dark tones used throughout the film are used to convey the atmosphere and dramatic structure of the scenes to the audience in a more intense and profound way, to express the main characters, their characteristics and their ongoing journey throughout the film in the most effective way that the audience can identify with. It was concluded that he used it to ensure that the audience could easily follow the movie during crowded battle scenes. The findings provide important inferences about how colors can be an effective tool in film narrative and aim to offer new perspectives for studies in the field of cinema and color.