The Godfather lighting was done in low-key. This style of lighting not only intensified each character, but it also brought their personalities to life. At the beginning of The Godfather Don “Vito” Corleone is sitting in a room behind a desk. The mood is dark and mysterious. The low key lighting adds a sense of power to Marlon Brando’s character. His surrounding is dark and shadowed while light enhances his facial features with the exception of his eyes that remain dark throughout the scene. This low key lighting is effectively distributed among each character as they meet with the godfather, expecting a favor. The lighting on the other characters, although dark and also in low key, added a different kind of insight into their personalities. It was positioned to display their weakness, only making the godfather appear stronger.
The low key lighting added to the desperation, necessity, pressure, and seriousness of the films theme. Throughout the film, the scenes that defined its theme were shot in low key lighting, to heighten the sense of urgency of the Corleone families fight to survive a mafia war. The Godfather lighting was complimented with dark bluish green lighting that added to the power of the film and its characters. Desaturation was used to turn down the colors to almost a black look. If different lighting had been used to brighten the scenes, the mood would have changed to a more less intense setting, taking away from the power of the film and its characters.
Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2011). Film: From watching to seeing. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
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