Lighting can be very powerful. In fact, different tones of light can bring about feelings of excitement, add mystery, or create a sense of calm or peacefulness. Just like photographers use special lighting to enhance a pictures message, cinematographers also use lighting to enrich scenes in a movie. For instance, in the classic film The Godfather the beginning scene of the movie dramatically changes back and forth from dark and dreary to bright and happy. When Don Corleone (Marlon Brando) is in his study, low-key lighting is present. Then, when Don Corleone steps outside to partake in his daughter’s wedding, the lighting dramatically changes to high-key lighting. According to Goodykoont & Jacobs (2014) the purpose of low-key lighting is used to intensify dramatic scenes, and in contrast, high-key lighting has bright light everywhere, which is used to promote a sense of happiness (Section 6.4). In The Godfather the cinematographer used the different lighting tones to show the dramatic discussions (low-key lighting) going on inside the house within the mafia family; then, as soon as the mafia characters stepped outside, the light becomes very bright (high-key lighting) and cheery due to a wedding that is happening outside. In fact, the cinematographer Gordon Willis mentioned in the book Masters of Light that he used lighting in The Godfather as a technique to portray the soul of the picture (Schafer & Selvato, 1984). So, Willis used the inside lighting to portray a very down and menacing feel as the mafia discussions were taking place. Then once the mafia family stepped outside the doors, the sunny bright light was used to portray the happiness of the wedding. The mafia family only discusses their dark secrets “inside” the house. Therefore, when the light dramatically changes from high-key lighting to low-key lighting viewers are visually made aware that the discussions will vividly change in nature. Throughout the movie, the lighting changes and the low-key lighting makes the scenes more intense and the shadows add depth and darkness to the characters. For instance, at times Don Corleone’s face has shadows around his eyes with a soft white light above him. The lighting is focused around Don Corleone and this shows the intensity to hear and listen to what he is saying, as his eyes are not needed to prove the darkness of what he is speaking. The lighting intensifies the characters dark side.
The Godfather film is a gangster genre film, and is a subgenre of a broader genre of crime film. According to Goodykoont & Jacobs (2014) the film realistically depicts the extreme violence that is mundane in the world of organized crime and other gang activities (Section 4.2). The theme of The Godfather movie is dark, evil, and corrupt. In order to make this theme come to fruition, the proper lighting had to be used. If Don Corleone and the mafia family where outside in the high-key lighting discussing their dark schemes, the characters would not have been perceived as a feared mafia family. If the viewers do not trust the characters dark side, then the film’s gangster genre theme would have been missed; therefore we would not be still discussing the movie years later. The lighting gained the authenticity of the gangster genre and the evil feelings associated with it. The cinematographer truly used lighting in The Godfather film to his advantage.
References
Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2014). Film: From watching to seeing (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Schafer, D., & Selvato, L. (1984). Masters of Light: Conversations with Contemporary Cinematographers. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press.
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