The interweaving of the sounds, setting, lights, costumes, and colors creates an atmosphere unlike any other. The story almost becomes secondary to the visual effects. None of the choices the director made were mistakes, they were all obviously intentional to create the perfect ambiance in the film.
Most of the colors in the film are typical western colors. Browns and blacks are dominant. However, when other colors are used, they are accentuated to bring your attention to the important aspects of the scene. Color is very important to this film. At some points, it almost appears to be black and white, such as when the characters are outside at night. However, there is always a slight illumination coming from a lamp or flame which perfectly highlights the features and mood.
The set and location of the film also play an important part in the overall impression of the plot. The town appears dreary, muddy, and gray. It accentuates the dullness which surrounds the average little town. The town has a monotone feel, and the setting adds to this. The snow against the grayness of the buildings creates a look of endless uniformity, just like the residents and attitude of the town.
The naturalistic lighting of McCabe and Mrs. Miller is very important to the overall feel of the film. It seems almost as if the director used no stage lights, but just the natural light of the sun outside and small lamps inside. This really puts you into the film and makes it seem more realistic. The faces of the characters are also accentuated by the sparse light. Even in dark settings, the available light always hit's the characters in just the right way to show their mood and the setting of the scene. .
The costumes are quite typically western, with mostly dull colors which blend into the setting of the town. No one is dressed too elegantly, just average western clothing. The costumes of course help to draw attention to the time and place of the film.
In the late Sixties and early seventies, there was a revisionist movement in Hollywood. This revision of genre's included the western genre. In this essay, I will analyze the differences between the classic Western, and the revisionist westerns. The movies which are considered to be revisionist west...
