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City of God is the powerful story of hoodlum kids growing up in the projects of Brazil. Rocket and Lil Dice [later becomes Lil Ze] are the predominate characters of the story. Rocket grows up to get out of the ghetto and out of the gang face, while Lil Dice become the head boss and later on killed. His murder ended up being Rocket’s in to the competitive field of journalism photography.
The director Fernando Meirelles mostly used dark and or muted tones through out the film. At times he chooses to contrast with bright neutral colors. When someone is the main focus of a certain shot, they are, whether it is because the lighting mainly on them, or just having them darker then the rest of the shot. The mood lighting within the entire movie is amazing. There are scenes throughout the entire movie that with just one slight change it would have ruined it. For instance, at the end of the movie when Lil Ze is getting confronted by the children of the City of God, there is a perspective shot with lighting that gives the effect that you are watching with Rocket.
When it comes to the wardrobes of the characters, the color of the clothes chosen, go hand in hand with the character and with the mood of the particular part of the film. From the very beginning where the story starts, the young boys are in white shirts, white depicting innocents. After they rob the truck they being to run, tearing off their clothes, stripping themselves of the purity of the white t-shirts. During the climax of the movie, Benny is decideding he wants to change his style. He begins wearing warming colors and clothes that people can identify with, instead of the harder, harsher colors and clothes the crowd he runs with wears.
A particular scene that stands out in my head with amazing color, lighting, and wardrobe is the scene where everyone is at Benny’s going away party. Everyone is having a grand ol time and the colors are vibrant, with the effect that