Colour in cinema has a history older than digital images
Tinting and other processes show that older imagery is not simply divided into black and white or naturalistic colour.
More than one route
Colour history includes techniques applied to film stock and systems of recording and reproduction. The BFI brings together examples of this variety. Cinema did not move instantly from black and white to a single colour standard.
Appearance does not establish origin
A colour image from an old film may result from a historical process or a later intervention. The copy’s description helps distinguish them. Appearance alone is insufficient to identify how a version was produced.
Read the edition’s introduction
When watching a restoration, look for notes about materials and colour decisions. Then notice how hues are distributed between scenes. You may discover expressive uses that do not aim to reproduce everyday vision exactly. Keep historical choices distinct from recent colourisation.
Sources and further reading
Further reading: BFI — The 10 best film colour systems ↗Produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence. See the references and our Editorial policy.
Image: AI-generated editorial illustration; it does not depict a specific production.
