How blue are black boys, in Moonlight?
You there, are you feeling blue? Blue, the colour of the sky and the sea, with connotations of how beautiful yet dangerous the ocean can be. Depicted in many films as the colour of sadness, blue is portrayed as a subject of depressing feelings which are illustrated through its many shades.
Moonlight by Barry Jenkins brings out many themes involving identity, strength, vulnerability and these all are encompassed with the use of the colour blue in the film. Whether it be words, lighting, background or music, the messages enclosed in the film all relate to blue. How could a colour be used so intricately that it develops a definition, which the characters can feel and share?
Jenkins was not clueless here, and stumbled upon this, blue was inserted in scenes so subtly and in a way, which portrays the more negative emotions brought out. The quote “Running around, catching up all that light” metaphorically brings out the colours in the film. In moonlight, “black boys look blue” portrays how the blue radiates off the individuals. Blue represents tranquility, peace and especially in this film, finding your true self from within rather than from what others say.
Most characters who are not kind and are going through problems in the film radiate pink coloured lights or are surrounded by pink or yellow light. Examples of this include the portrayal of Paula entering her bedroom or special room in which she takes in random men each week for some hot pink activities. This not only illustrates her acts she partakes in but the struggle she is going through. We have all had our pink moments, some more than others, but in this stage, Paula is unable to find the light in the end of her dark tunnel. Later on she is depicted wearing blue but the scene of her begging Chiron is fuzzy and yellow lighted which brings out the colours of uneasiness. Ooft, that’s a lot for just colours, I used to think colours were only things artists paint with, but here Jenkins paints the pictures in our minds and in the film.
Sending the sad thoughts away, Jenkins then connects the use of blue in the linking stages of the chapters, layering them together like an onion. Moonlight opens the stereotypes in what way black men are portrayed. For example, having a hard strong exterior yet the thoughts of Black do not match with his exterior. The vulnerability displayed throughout the stages of Chiron’s life, being a child, itself provides vulnerability and the build up to these situations have respective colours.
After bringing out the sadder thoughts, Jenkins displays the happier thoughts and unravels them from clear to blue. “I’m a classic man” what a song, but notice the colours associated, not as dark more vibrant a subtle hint of blue. In addition, Black refreshing his face in the water is allowing the blue environment to take in all his worries and thoughts as he tries to find himself again before confronting Kevin. The colour blue truly represents finding one’s self as around Kevin, most things seem, well blue.
The ending scene of the blue environment, the blue moonlight, the blue ocean, stunning brings us the whole world of Chiron’s into one frame, after he has been through all what he has, to finally become himself and find his identity.
Ultimately, blue is blue. A colour that is used to show identity and finding one’s inner self. Blue symbolises the balance in life even though the waves can be unsteady, it will always come back to being still. Moonlight truly uses blue as its strongest weapon, it weaves through every scene and finally, illustrates how blue Chiron’s world really is, what that means is up to you…
By Mont Real
