Colour Connotations

Brief Film description

Character one walks into the house and calls out for his roommate (character two)  and when she does not respond he continues into the kitchen. Discovers the body of his roommate (character two). Flash back ends and Character one is talking to a detective (character three) about the murder of his roommate (character two). The murder weapon (Knife) was left behind and can be seen in an evidence bag on the table. 

Lone Star

Lone Star (John Sayles, 1996)

This often overlooked southern murder mystery stars Chris Cooper as Sam Deeds, the sheriff of a small Texan town. When an old skeleton is discovered in the desert, Sam is sent to investigate and during the process begins to uncover many buried secrets of his community, such as past relationships of his hero father. The case spins Sam’s life out of control as the complexities of the case continue to spread.

The murder case allows for Sayles to explore much broader aspects of society, such as familial relations, tradition and racism. By digging up the sordid past of his community, Sam brings out the awful truth that many of the town’s inhabitants would rather forget or never know to begin with. This brings up a fascinating moral dilemma that conflicts with what might be best for society. Exploring both the culture of small towns as well as important universal themes, Lone Star is a gripping and insightful crime thriller.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Robert Zemeckis, 1988)

Combining live action with animation, this inventive comedy spoofs the classic detective story while telling a thrilling crime mystery. In a world populated by both people and cartoons, Bob Hoskins stars as the private eye Eddie Valiant who despises toons ever since his brother was killed by one. Initially hired to investigate infidelity in the marriage of cartoon star Roger Rabbit and his wife Jessica Rabbit, Valiant’s case becomes more complicated following a murder, leading to the discovery of a malicious conspiracy.

By combining the goofy toons with mature references and themes, the film provides fun entertainment for both kids and adults. Many classic cartoon characters make cameo appearances throughout the film, like Betty Boop, Donald Duck and Daffy Duck, and the film also introduces many new memorable characters like the menacing Judge Doom played by Christopher Lloyd. Who Framed Roger Rabbit, while slightly bizarre, is a highly original and engrossing crime tale.

Manhattan Murder Mystery

Manhattan Murder Mystery (Woody Allen, 1993)

Woody Allen’s take on the classic murder mystery combines the traditional format of a detective film with his trademark neurotic humor. Woody Allen and his frequent co-star Diane Keaton lead the film as the central couple Larry and Carol Lipton. When one of their neighbors suddenly dies of a heart attack, Carol starts to suspect the husband, Paul, of committing murder and begins to tail him. As the investigation continues, more characters, doppelgangers and motives surface, complicating the truth.
Also starring Alan Alda and Anjelica Huston, Manhattan Murder Mystery is a well crafted and wild dark comedy. The characters are predictably zany and semi-likable, as is typical of Allen’s films. Although the film does not do many original things with either the murder mystery or comedic aspects of the film, Manhattan Murder Mystery still succeeds as as an entertaining crime comedy, paying tribute to the many mysteries that inspired it.