Poll: Most Iconic Use of Colors in Movies

Results of 889 votes:

1. 1.
   

   Oliwia Dabrowska in Schindler's List (1993)

    

   B&W frames but with discordant use of red in a single scene to display powerful emotion.
2. 2.
   

   Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, and Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz (1939)

    

   Colors associated with emotions, characters and background.
3. 3.
   

   Saoirse Ronan and Tony Revolori in The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

    

   Monochromatic color schemes. Costumes illustrated with different colors for symbolic significance or to make actors/objects stand out in a scene.
4. 4.
   

   Ryan Gosling in Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

    

   Monochromatic red/yellow/orange (Rustic backgrounds). Colors assigned to different distances and Sets
5. 5.
   

   Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington in Avatar (2009)

    

   Separating fantasy from reality by colors.
6. 6.
   

   Jessica Harper in Suspiria (1977)

    

   Creating emotions such as fear, power, uncertainty by use of colors
7. 7.
   

   Uma Thurman and Tetsurô Shimaguchi in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

    

   Monochromatic yellow, B&W scenes and background colors were always synced with characters and their emotions.
8. 8.
   

   Claire Maurier and Audrey Tautou in Amélie (2001)

    

   Complementary color schemes. Discordant use of color. Synced with emotions.
9. 9.
   

   Bruce Willis and Jessica Alba in Sin City (2005)

    

   B&W frames with discordant use of other colors.
10. 10.
    

    Tobey Maguire and Marley Shelton in Pleasantville (1998)

     

    Discordant use of color to make characters/objects stand out from the rest of the film.
11. 11.
    

    James Stewart and Kim Novak in Vertigo (1958)

     

    Using associative colors to create connections between characters.
12. 12.
    

    Keanu Reeves as Thomas

     

    Monochromatic green and clever lighting techniques. lighting was used to in different intensities but always from the top of the screen. (Maybe to imply that the movie was watching through a digital …
13. 13.
    

    "2001: A Space Odyssey," MGM 1968. Gary Lockwood

     

    Discordant use of color, Associative colors. Synced with emotions.
14. 14.
    

    Lewis Black, Bill Hader, Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, and Mindy Kaling in Inside Out (2015)

     

    Associative colors for characters related to their 'emotions', discordant use of colors.
15. 15.
    

    Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, and Bob Anderson in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

     

    Colors associated with characters, representing character traits
16. 16.
    

    In the Mood for Love (2000)

     

    Complementary color schemes. Discordant use of color. Synced with emotions. Associative colors
17. 17.
    

    Dick Tracy (1990)

     

    discordant use of other colors, associative colors
18. 18.
    

    Bruce Boxleitner and Jeff Bridges in Tron (1982)

     

    Associative colors representing character traits.
19. 19.
    

    Leon Vitali in Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

     

    Analogous color schemes, Discordant use of color
20. 20.
    

    Helen Mirren, Tim Roth, Ciarán Hinds, Michael Gambon, Richard Bohringer, Alan Howard, Gary Olsen, and Liz Smith in The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)

     

    Associative colors, Complementary color schemes
21. 21.
    

    Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come (1998)

     

    Discordant use of color,Synced with emotions.
22. 22.
    

    Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jacek Koman, and Caroline O'Connor in Moulin Rouge! (2001)

     

    Discordant use of color
23. 23.
    

    Robin Smith, Jeetu Verma, Leo Bill, Emil Hostina, and Marcus Wesley in The Fall (2006)

     

    Complementary color palettes, Discordant use of color
24. 24.
    

    "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" 1971 Paramount

     

    Discordant used of colors. Associated colors.
25. 25.
    

    Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

     

    Colors associated with emotions
26. 26.
    

    Brooklynn Prince and Valeria Cotto in The Florida Project (2017)

     

    Complementary color palettes, Discordant use of color
27. 27.
    

    Suraj Sharma in Life of Pi (2012)

     

    Complementary color palettes, Discordant use of color
28. 28.
    

    John Marley in The Godfather (1972)

     

    Associative colors for death by using orange. And in this scene its also a discordant use of color because it's centered and highlighted.
29. 29.
    

    Color Blind (2002)

     

    I'm color blind, so I wouldn't know.
30. 30.
    

    Edward Norton, Tommy Nelson, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, L.J. Foley, Lucas Hedges, Chandler Frantz, Max Derderian, Gabriel Rush, Charlie Kilgore, Andreas Sheikh, and Robert Hadlock in Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

     

    Monochromatic color schemes for both background and costumes. Synced with emotions.
31. 31.
    

    Michael Cera, Mark Webber, and Johnny Simmons in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

     

    Discordant use of color, Complementary color schemes
32. 32.
    

    Garrett Hedlund in Tron: Legacy (2010)

     

    Associative colors representing character traits
33. 33.
    

    Malcolm McDowell, Warren Clarke, and James Marcus in A Clockwork Orange (1971)

     

    Monochromatic color schemes, creating emotions such as fear, power, uncertainty by use of colors
34. 34.
    

    Jodie Foster and David Morse in Contact (1997)

     

    Separating fantasy from reality by colors.
35. 35.
    

    Paul Benjamin, Frankie Faison, and Robin Harris in Do the Right Thing (1989)

     

    Discordant use of color