Andrew Scott is the protagonist of Ripley, the new miniseries to watch on Netflix. But why is it in black and white? The creator, screenwriter and director Steven Zaillian provides clarity.
One of the most common questions regarding Ripley is as follows: because the miniseries of Netflix was accomplished in black and white? The answer comes from the creator, screenwriter and director Steven Zaillianwho made this decision supported by the director of photography Robert Elswit for a very specific reason. Available in streaming with eight episodes, the story of Ripley it is taken from the novel The talent of Mr. Ripley Of Patricia Highsmith. The choice to set the miniseries in black and white is a tribute to the novel, according to Zaillian.
Ripley: Why was it made in black and white?
With a story set in the 60s that is divided between New York and Italy, Ripley follows with a close eye the devious plan of a man, such Tom Ripley, sent to Italy to recover a man, Dickie, and bring him home. Tom, however, gets lost in the middle and, once he arrives in Italy, implements an insidious plan that will compromise numerous lives. As in the novel, Ripley is a skilled and charismatic con man who manages to get away with a series of murders. Although the novel has already inspired some film adaptations, Zaillian’s intention was to create a product different from all the others, starting from the choice of color. The creator said he had drawn inspiration from the great noir classics of the 40s so that the locations immortalized would not lose their beauty. From the beginning, in fact, Zaillian was aware that the adaptation would use a “high-contrast film noir” style, adapting to the “sinister and dark” nature of the story.
Through a black and white narrative, Ripley accentuated it even more suspense, despite being able to count on little action. According to the director of photography, as reported Colliderthrough black and white it was possible to emphasize the internalized performance by Andrew Scott, the protagonist, who “had such an expressive face and dominates the series in a way. It was fun to find an interesting way to create contrast and shadows on his face.” Furthermore, the creator wanted to make homage to the original novel, revealing that he owns an edition with a striking black-and-white photograph on the cover. She had exactly that image in her mind when she began developing the miniseries, now on Netflix.
