Color + Environment _ FILM ANALYSIS_M.4

ASAD SIDDIQUI

Hero by Zhang Yimou (2002)

“Hero” is about heroism, the ideal of a willingness to sacrifice oneself for the welfare of others. The story is about four warriors who work together to assassinate the man who is trying to become the first emperor of China. The movie unfolds as a story being told by a nameless prefect of the government who has defeated three of the emperor’s fiercest enemies. Each enemy defeated has earned this hero of the empire a chance to be closer to his king. He gets to within 10 paces, only for the emperor to reveal that he knows the story being told is a lie. This would-be hero is part of the assassination plot. But the emperor also tells the hero about his motivation for building an empire and crushing any rebels in his way. Upon realization of the wisdom of three words, “All under Heaven” or universal brotherhood, he abandon’s the plot. The emperor has no choice but to execute him for his attempted crime. Order must be preserved for the greater good, and the hero sacrifices himself courageously without a fight. There are eight distinct scenes, each with its own theme and color scheme. Each is visual poetry.

FILM SUMMARY

COLOR PALETTE – grey (warm)

SCENE 1 ANALYSIS

Grey tones the Chess Hall

Main Characters: Nameless, Sky, Musician Place: a Chess Hall Time: a rainy afternoon, no shadows The most prominent color is the robe worn by Sky. The architectural setting were the battle between the two takes place has warm grey tones. The water on the floor adds a gloss to the scene. The scene has no emotional need for bright colors. We only need to know that one of the characters is important and thus he is given a olive color to wear.

Olive Green for Sky

Black for the Nameless prefect

COLOR PALETTE - red

SCENE 2 ANALYSIS

Red tones of calligraphy school

Main Characters: Flying Snow, Broken Sword, Soldiers Place: Calligraphy School Time: mid-day shadows and light from windows The main characters wear red, the architectural setting is made of a wood in red tones as if the main characters are not meant to stand out from their setting. Even the calligraphy that Broken sword writes a 20th variation on the word “sword” is in red, symbolic of passion and courage. The red hues are invaded by the black arrows that shot by the emperors archers.

Red worn by main characters

Black arrows

COLOR PALETTE - yellow

SCENE 3 ANALYSIS

Yellow shades of leaves

Main Characters: Flying Snow and Moon Place: forest Time: under a clear mid day sky After Flying Snow kills Broken Sword, Moon fights to avenge her master amidst the yellow leaves which turn red after Moon is killed. The red they wear stands out amidst the yellow, and the brown tree trunks give the setting a depth and grandeur.

Red worn by main characters

Brown Tree trunks for dimension

COLOR PALETTE – grey (cool)

SCENE 4 ANALYSIS

Cool Grey tones of the stone floor

Main Characters: All of the plotters Place: Library Time: Mid day sun light, no shadows In this scene, all the main characters wear white and the only color in the scene comes from the wooden scrolls around the circle in which they fight.

White clothes

Brown scrolls

COLOR PALETTE - blue

SCENE 5 ANALYSIS

Soft Blue tones of the sky

Main Characters: Broken Sword and Nameless Place: Lake in the mountains Time: late afternoon, no bright light Broken Sword wears a calming and comfortable blue as he mourns the loss of his lover in a moss covered kiosk in the middle of a lake. He and Nameless then fight in their imagination amidst the fog and gliding over the calm water.

Brighter blue worn by Broken Sword

Green moss in kiosk

COLOR PALETTE - green

SCENE 6 ANALYSIS

Grey floor

Main Characters: Emperor and Broken Sword Place: Emperor’s Palace Time: no shadows The relaxed comfortable feeling that comes from green color is broken by the fluttering of the cloth and the intense fight choreography. This is one of the most important scenes of the film as it reveals why Broken Sword did not kill the king. It is the King who is made stands out in this scene as his black clothing is clearer to see.

Green cloth and rebel’s robe

Black clothes of emperor

COLOR PALETTE - brown

SCENE 7 ANALYSIS

Brown shades for rock

Main Characters: Broken Sword and Flying Snow Place: Desert Canyon Time: high noon The Final scene of the heroic sacrifice of Broken Sword to prove himself to his lover, who also joins him in sacrifice with the same sword. The two wear white clothes symbolic of their pure intentions, in a earth setting where the brown evokes the sadness they feel knowing it is the end, while also evoking the peace they feel knowing that they are together.

White robes of the

Sandy earth

COLOR PALETTE - black

SCENE 8 ANALYSIS

Black worn by all characters

Main Characters: Emperor and Nameless Place: Emperor’s palace Time: late afternoon All is black and grey except the red in the calligraphy, feathers on helmets of the soldiers and red shroud of the hero who sacrificed his life in the name of unity and peace. Red symbolic of the blood shed to preserve unity.

Red of calligraphy, shroud, feathers

Grey pillars and stone