WITHOUT THE VIBRANCY OF COLOUR: THE IMPACT OF BLACK-AND-WHITE DESIGN ON CONVEYING PARASITE’S NARRATIVE

Abstract

Decades have passed since the transition from black-and-white design to colour as the aesthetic default in film. Due to the emergence of a dichotomy between the 2 designs, various symbolic meanings have been associated with the use of monochrome aesthetics in films. These symbolisms persist to this day, as contemporary filmmakers continue to employ monochrome aesthetics in their films that intentionally follow or respond to those associations. Thus, when a film that heavily relies on colour is re-released in black-and-white without any other changes, it allows for a deep analysis into the specific impact of black-and-white design on the presentation of film narratives. This happened to the 2019 release of Parasite, which was swiftly released in black-and-white less than a year later. This thesis aims to dissect that impact, making use of a comparative analysis between the 2 versions to identify the changes to the portrayal of the narrative caused by a shift in design. Through this analysis, aspects such as the film’s tone, the film’s universality and the audience’s focus are found to be heavily affected by the change in design. Therefore, this thesis argues that the use of black-and-white design in contemporary films does not need to be limited to its preconceived associations as it is able to transform the viewer’s understanding of film narratives when used without clear intention.