Significance of the colour red.

Just finished watching this classic for the first time as part of a film studies class. Seeing as we'll be disgussing the film in classs this friday i wanted to know any ideas you had about the significance of the colour red in the film.

It's no where near as significant as say, oranges and the colour orange in the godfather, but it seems quite significant that the three main characters at some point each wear a very violent shade of red.

- Judy's red coat and lipstick in the police station at the start of the film
- Jimmy's red jacket from the chickie run scene onwards, which he eventually gives to Plato
- Plato's odd red sock

I didn't notice anyone else wearing such vibrant shades of red throughout the film, but please correct me if i'm mistaken.

The basic conclusion's i can come to about red is that it is a violent colour. It is a colour of danger, of warning, of anger, of passion, of lust. Within the context of the film i saw it as one way in which the main characters choose to rebel against their families, against society and so on. That's a pretty standard, easy to come to conclusion, so i'd love any ideas on more thought out responses.

Judy's red coat and lipstick. Judy is accused by the policeman of being on the streets looking for company. A woman in red roaming the streets at night, whether looking for company or not (and i feel she was merely trying to escape her father than soliciting herself) that alarming red does add a sexual element to her character.

Jim's red jacket. For one it appears to be in the same style as most of the gangs black jacket, however it is red, possibly alluring to the idea that he isn't really your usual 'rebellious teenager into beating up anyone' stereotype character. His refusal (at first) to fight Buzz, and confessing his guilt and confusion with what he has been doing with his life so far to his parents reveal depths of his character that you usually don't expect from the Rebel stereotype. His actions at the end of the film further reinforce this.

Plato's red sock. Well, from the beginning we know Plato has some deep and worrying mental issues. Cruelty towards animals (the shooting of the puppies) often leads towards cruelty and violence towards humans. Plato's one red sock on (was it navy?) reinforce his oddball ways. It is also a metaphor - he is both the scared little boy wanting a family (the navy sock) and the mentally ill violent young man (the red sock). In the end, as he breaks free from Judy, brandishing his gun, his shoe falls off, revealing the red sock. That is the side of him that broke through in the end, leading to his demise.

That's what i came up with on the fly, anything else anyone would like to add/ argue about my points?

can't talk. eating brains