Why Modern Movies Have Become Awash in Increasingly Desaturated Colors

Video essayist USELESS REVIEWS took a deep dive into what he calls the death of color in cinema", noting how the days of brilliant Technicolor movies have given way to desaturated neutral tones due to LUTs color grading in post-production.

We explore the death of color in cinema and break down how Hollywood color grading, digital cinematography, and post-production LUTs have made blockbuster films look dull and lifeless. ...and how digital color correction and cinematic desaturation have replaced the bold, expressive look of Technicolor movies.

He notes that the first blockbuster film to utilize this technique wasThe Matrix,which added a sense of the future. From there, the colors dimmed. This can be seen in the HBO series Game of Thrones, as well as in movies such as The Lord of the Rings, Justice League, and The Batman. While the lack of color conveys moodiness, it is often used in post-production to correct color errors.

Desaturation isn't just aesthetic. Sometimes it's straight up damage control. VFX not finished. Dull the colors. Lord of the Rings extended editions look flatter because the extra scenes weren't fully polished. Solution: blur it all with gray. Lighting sucks. Just bury it in darkness. Remember Game of Thrones Long Night? People thought their TVs were broken. It's more cinematic, they said. ...Post production chaos. Slap on a gray LUT and pray.

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