Three Colors: Red (1994)
Red is always the most cinematic color.
Presentation:
Three Colors: Blue was good, but it didn’t leave a resonating impression with me. So admittedly the main reason I watched this film is because of my obsession with red. As a result, I naturally love the visuals of the set design, which incorporates gratuitous splashes of red, burgundy and crimson. The grade otherwise has a rustic look, which I also found to complement the red theme. But the main themes are really in the symbolic ideas, done with masterful literary prowess. The story that holds everything together is also quite well done despite being unassuming for most of it. The way everything ties together by the end makes up for its unclear narrative, which worried me at first. Rest assured, this is not simply an ambiguous metaphorical art house film, though the themes are done with tasteful subtlety. This execution allows for natural storytelling to perfectly call attention to the main characters’ relationships. Valentine’s character has an intriguing beauty that has more naiveté see in Blue. Her performance is quite fitting and her chemistry with the old man has an unlikely magic that holds our attention for the entire film.
Analysis:
To dissect every theme in this film would required several paragraphs so I’ll focus on the main one: Intervention and taking control of one’s life. The major theme in the film will naturally be confronted through the main characters, which include the retired judge and the fashion model. Red is a great fit because it often evokes passion but also alert/caution as seen through the many traffic signals in the background. The man eavesdrops and importantly claims that no matter what anyone does, it doesn’t make a difference. Valentine is a model and student and much more naive, a perfect foil to his cynical experience.
There is a cyclical interconnectedness in this film with history repeating itself, positing that nothing ever changes. He also crosses the English Channel and sees the woman he loves die in an accident. As a result, he shuts himself off and never loves again. He constantly asks for weather reports to try to make some sense out of life, perhaps have some semblance of predictable control. It turns out life is not predictable and there is a storm (a motif that appears several times of epiphany/revelation), which kills many. But at the end of this film, the cycle is broken because Valentine survives and thus why he cries out of relief. Perhaps the reason Valentine (love) survives is beause she symbolizes her fearless approach to life. It is perhaps more than just luck as referenced through the slot machine. There is something about her daring compassion for animals and people that allows her to connect with others, surviving as opposed the retired judge whom has symbolically died along with his lover all those years ago. The theme of human connection is very apparent in this film as seen in the opening abstract sequence of the phone line connection across the waters. The willingness to connect rather than passively listen at a distance is what makes us alive, perfectly represented through the birth of 7 puppies and the man’s newfound love for them. So this is indeed a romance film, just on a literary interpretation of love.
Conclusion:
I can’t really tell if this is actually a romance film, but it felt more romantic than many dedicated romance films. Something about their bond feels organic and I loved seeing their contrasting personalities battle it out. What is the film really about? There are so many rich themes appropriate blended with each other that this film transcends above a singular idea into simply the cinema of life. This intricate script is the first film you should watch in the Three Colors Trilogy and is deserving of Villeneuve’s title of “heavy cinema shit.” The references to other films are also well thought out. What makes it a masterpiece is that even if you don’t understand what is going on, it engrosses you in a way where you’ll still know you witnessed something special and enjoy every minute. There’s a reason why red is always the most cinematic color.
Recommendations
Red is always the most cinematic color.