What the Color Green Means in the Coen Brothers’ Movies

August 1, 2016 5:00 am
US directors Ethan (L) and Joel Coen hold their Oscars�� for Achievement in Directing as well as Adapted Screenplay for 'No Country for Old Men' at the 80th annual Academy Awards�� at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (Photo by Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images)
Ethan and Joel Coen hold their Oscars for Achievement in Directing and Adapted Screenplay for ‘No Country for Old Men’ at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images)

 

Since their 1984 debut with Blood Simple, the Coen Brothers have produced one of the greatest bodies of work in modern American film history. Whether they’re attempting horror, Western, musical, or gangster films, the Coens always bring their own unique sensibility to the table.

Jacob T. Swinney looks at how the directors use the color green throughout their varied output, desaturating nongreen hues to better highlight the green ones. Covering 14 films over 32 years, it’s an interesting new viewpoint on the Coen Brothers’ work, and a great excuse to look back at some classic movies. Watch Swinney’s video below.

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