Kalmus Psychology

The psychological application of Kalmus’ color theory define the way that Carter learns to adapt to the differing conditions of life on Earth and the continual interaction with angelic or heavenly forces in the Other World. Powell’s ability to direct the internal psychological function of Carter’s mind works well with the lighting options used by jack Cardiff to depict a cosmic and heavenly sequence of events that could typically be deemed “hallucinations” as a form of character development. More so, the interplay in the hospital and the heavenly courtroom defines one aspect of Carter’s condition, which shows the coloration of his life on earth as a psychological window into the perceived hallucinations of the courtroom during the surgical

In fact, Carter is being represented by the symbolic “life” of color as a means in which to contrast the next scene, which shows Dr. Reeves acting as a his counsel in the black and white court of the Other World. Perhaps this is one aspect of the neutral coloration of the film’s presentation of psychological distress, which defines Kalmus’ (1935) representation of these intermediary aspects of Carter’s characterization as a individual trapped between life and death: “gray suggests skies and rain. It is gloomy, dreary, and represents solemnity and maturity. From its complete neutrality…it represents mediocrity…vagueness” (144). However, the various splashes of color in these scenes defines the Technicolor technique, which seems to imply this type of neutrality in colorization, since Carter is depicted as a psychological aspect of Powell’s ability to direct this type of film. In fact, Kalmus’ influence on Powell’s ability to represent psychological distortions through black/white and color scene sequences define these complex details in the use of Technicolor and dye=monochrome filling

The development of Carter’s mind worked in coordination with the hallucinatory aspects of Powell’s understanding of the coloration and lighting of the Other World and the spatial arrangement of black and white scenes that depict his trial. Powell utilized Jack Cardiff’s use of heavenly lighting and the pearly shine of dye-monochrome to present the courtroom amphitheater of the Other World (Powell and Pressburger 1:16:36). This large-scale scene shows a ‘crown” of light that emerges from the back of a large stone structure and the encircling seating for the judges, lawyers, and courtroom observes. This scene defines the “hallucination” that is supposed to be occurring within Carter’s mind, which shows he intensive detail to lighting as a means of countering a lack of color in a black and white scene. Powell was keenly aware of this aspect of Carter’s psychological point of view, which conveyed the highly “neutral” aspects of gray, black, and white shades being used in this scene: “Michael Powell carefully included accurate, subtle details about complex partial seizures in portraying Peter Carter’s hallucinations and impending death (Friedman 30). More so, the presentation of the massive “stairway to heaven” also reveals the contrasting liberation of