I found the video “How The Grand Budapest Hotel Uses Colour To Tell a Story” very interesting because it focuses on the colors highlighted in the film. It is embedded within the mise-en-scène’s elements through aspects such as setting, costume, and lighting.
The film has a structure of a frame narrative where multiple timelines are present. The film’s use of color and saturation shifts with each time period. The video highlights that in the 1930s, the golden age of the hotel, the film uses colors to establish a distinct mood. Specifically, vivid pinks, purples, and reds are used in the film to create a glamorous and romantic atmosphere. The significance of the era’s color reminded me of the prestige of the Grand Budapest Hotel in its prime throughout the film.
However, the post-war scenes (the 1960s) use calm beige, orange, and pastel blue tones to change the mood, emphasizing the Hotel’s decline and nostalgia for its former glory. The faded colors in the post-war scenes made me feel that the strong identity and prestige of the Grand Budapest Hotel had vanished.
The film uses more natural colors when the timeline is in the present, the 1980s. These color and saturation differences from each time period let the audience recognize how the film changes its narrative. The color itself is not an independent element of mise-en-scène; rather, it works together with setting, costume, and lighting. These aspects create an iconic style and atmosphere for each time period in the film.
The video also mentioned how the aspect ratio changed for each narrative frame. The film used a 1.37:1 ratio in the 1930s scenes, a 2.35:1 ratio in the 1960s, and a 1.85:1 ratio in the 1980s. It was fascinating that the film employed different aspect ratios for each time period, each reflecting the most common ratio of its time. These ratios highlight how mise-en-scène is not only decorative but also a narrative strategy that links the style with historical meaning.
Overall, the use of colors and aspect ratios in the film creates a stunning visual experience, one that I highly recommend watching.
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