Colour-Related Conceptual Metaphors in The Context of The Film La La Land

Aura Caro Sampedro

Authors

Aura Caro Sampedro University Jaume I, Spain

Abstract

Cinema is more than a purely visual experience. It offers rich semiotic system and the elements of mise-en-scène, such as lighting, set design, costumes, and props, work together to shape viewers’ emotional responses. Among these elements, colour plays a particularly significant role as both a narrative and thematic device. This paper examines the use of colour in the film La La Land (2016), focusing on how red, blue, and purple function as carriers of meaning within the film. Drawing on Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980), the study analyses how these colours are systematically associated with abstract concepts and how such associations are visually constructed. The analysis unveils the main colour metaphors in the movie (FANTASY IS BLUE, REALITY IS RED, and LOVE IS PURPLE), provides a justification for their conceptualisation, and discusses the means by which the main metaphorical expressions are visually displayed in the film. The results reveal how each of these three colours is used to convey specific ideas and themes throughout the film, particularly those related to fantasy, reality, and love.

Author Biography

Aura Caro Sampedro, University Jaume I, Spain

Aura Caro Sampedro holds a bachelor’s degree in English Studies from Universitat Jaume I (Spain) as well as a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education. Her research interests bridge the study and acquisition of English language and multimodal communication, focusing on conceptual metaphor theory and cognitive approaches to learning.

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