Color Lens In The Film 'Swallowtail Butterfly'

On the contrary, this flask back scene in Swallowtail Butterfly is more like a pursuit of art film. The immediate change of distinct color lens is a technique 6th generation directors rarely, or never, use in their films. The color lens change from yellow to green to purple to black and white and to purple and to yellow, and the colors are not bright but faded to recall a style of reminiscence. The faded color tone here further stresses the fact that this random capture of sceneries is an implication of a process of Ageha’s memory. Additionally, besides serving narrative meaning, the use of different color lens creates striking visual effect to build up artistic value for the whole movie, leaving the audience an impression about Shunji Iwai’s unique filming style. The use of background music is also incredible here. Different from the documentary style of simple music with realistic sounds in Suzhou River, the music has exquisite melody played by violin and horn and accompanied by orchestra. This flash-back scene uncovering Ageha’s childhood memory is long with those different sceneries, Ageha playing in the bathroom, Ageha’s mom making love and a butterfly flying around; the single piece of classical music smoothly connects those

In other word, the multiculturalism in the movie seems to be somehow against the conventional concept of kokusaika: the rise of Japan’s economic status, affluence and