The visual quality of films has ignited very passionate, polarizing discussion amongst viewers and critics over the past few years. The work’s musical reimagining, Wicked, has recently been attacked, saw its entire visual aesthetic for the film get lifted off the ground in a collective barrage of backlash. Others have taken the comparison even further into fantasyland. They compare it to the evocative look and feel of a TV commercial. This conversation around “Wicked” echoes broader trends within the film industry, where filmmakers grapple with the balance between color use and storytelling.
Jon M. Chu, director of the upcoming “Wicked,” explained his film’s approach in an interview with The Globe and Mail. He wanted to make sure people understood the purpose behind the film’s color palette and visual style. The intention was to allow audiences to feel what the protagonists, Glinda and Elphaba, were feeling. This immersive and ground-breaking storytelling technique aims to transport audiences into the colorful world of Oz. Many of those same critiques have undermined the program’s execution.
The sequel, “Wicked: For Good,” has received mixed responses related to its use of color. Film critics were quick to note the visual story the movie attempted to fabricate. More often than not, it fails to provide the rich and saturated colors that viewers are wanting from these types of adaptations.
Cinematography lecturer Laura Hillard weighed in on these challenges, noting that the prevalence of flat monotone images in contemporary film and television stems from changes in camera technology and insufficient color grading work. Her observations underscore how deep a worry this is across the industry about the aesthetic quality of today’s productions in a broader sense.
Hootan Haghshenas, a digital colorist, expressed agreement with Hillard. He noticed a movement in the direction of less contrast, softer highlights and a more desaturated color palette with a lot of films nowadays. “What I’m noticing these days is a move towards lower contrast, softer highlights, more muted colour palettes, and a less visible lighting style,” he stated. In it, he addressed the negative stigma around darker shots in film. He wanted to make clear that these types of decisions aren’t merely focused on saving money, but rather on artistic choices that build tension and bring emotional weight to a narrative.
If you’ve heard critics complain that movies and shows such as “Game of Thrones” or “The Walking Dead” are too dark, it should come as no surprise. This issue is driving an increasing anger among the audiences. Netflix has been criticized recently for its confusing visual language. Its overly strict camera lists can ruin gorgeous visual design.
The biggest difference between the hit musical ‘Wicked’ and classic film adaptations like ‘The Wizard of Oz’. Both films employed Technicolor to vibrantly paint epic tableaux that dazzled audiences. The recent AI-enhanced version of “The Wizard of Oz,” currently hosted at the Las Vegas Sphere, illustrates how advancements in technology can lead to renewed interest in color-rich storytelling.
Despite these challenges, filmmakers continue to experiment with abstraction and immersion in their works, aiming to make viewers feel as though they are experiencing reality on screen. Haghshenas acknowledged that darker images can sometimes contribute added intimacy and realism, if done in a deliberate way. “There’s a strong creative preference at play. A lot of directors really desire a visual world that feels immersive, impressionistic and emotionally authentic,” he explained.
Perhaps that’s why audiences have been so split on the visual approach of the “Wicked” movie. Other critics have pointed out how mismatches in lighting and color saturation kill the cinematic experience. Justin Chang articulated this sentiment succinctly: “Why is everything in this movie… either too dim or too bright – so blindingly backlit that Oz seems to be under perpetual thermonuclear attack, or so murky that you could scarcely tell a monkey from a Munchkin?”
Despite the implications of an increased budget, Chu is holding onto optimism stemming from the film’s artistic direction. He expressed his desire to immerse viewers in Oz, making it feel like a tangible place rather than just another digital backdrop. “I think what we wanted to do was immerse people into Oz, to make it a real place,” he stated.
As filmmakers navigate these complex challenges, they are faced with an evolving landscape influenced by technological advancements and audience expectations. Pro cinematic trends Jon Constantinou noted that modern trends often use more wide angle camera lenses. Putting these lenses right up next to the action completely changes a film’s aesthetic.