
The Art of Rainy Movie Scenes
Gediz Doğanca
Rainy settings are often used by directors to convey a certain emotion, act as a symbol, or to simply allow the cinematographers to play with a unique atmosphere and color palette. Sometimes, rain and sadness go hand in hand. Other times, it can be used to represent freedom achieved by a certain character. Such is the case for one of my favorite movies of all time: Blade Runner.
One way to deduct how rain contributes to a film is by looking at the characters’ reactions to it. If the character decides to embrace the rain instead of trying to escape it, then it can reflect a kind of acceptance or freedom. In the ending of the cult sci-fi movie, Blade Runner, Roy, an advanced combat robot (pictured above) comes to terms with the futility of fighting against time while also defying his superiors’ orders to kill the protagonist, opting instead to save them. All of which occur on a rain-drenched rooftop in a cyberpunk Los Angeles.
