Color arguably isn't essential, but an awful lot of work goes into it. There are, literally, books written about nothing but the use of color in film. Hero was a particularly dramatic example in recent years, if you haven't seen it.
Well..the cinemas are making some money out of 3d for a while - even with a tv, it's a lot different when it's 30 feet tall. People say they don't see the point in the theater any more and I think thy're insane for not wanting to see a film the way it was meant to be seen.
> People say they don't see the point in the theater any more and I think thy're insane for not wanting to see a film the way it was meant to be seen.
Some films are meant to be seen on a huge screen, but some films aren't. Off the top of my head, '7 Pounds' doesn't need to be seen on a 30' screen to be appreciated. Films that are especially character-driven with little 'action' don't need to be seen on a huge screen (barring other things like shots of vast landscapes that set the tone for parts of the movie,etc).
I've seen Hero. There are films that make great use of color. Even looking at blockbusters like The Matrix, the mood of the film is set by the tone of the colors used and the lack of saturation throughout (and the 'lady in the red dress' scene wouldn't have made as much sense in b&w). Films like Amelie and (arguably it's spiritual successor.. though a tv series) Pushing Daisies also make great use of color (though it's much more in-your-face in Hero).
I can't email you, but if you'd like an inside look at how color is manipulated for use in film you might find this interesting: http://vimeo.com/5298634
Well..the cinemas are making some money out of 3d for a while - even with a tv, it's a lot different when it's 30 feet tall. People say they don't see the point in the theater any more and I think thy're insane for not wanting to see a film the way it was meant to be seen.