'Malcolm & Marie': Why was Zendaya and John Washington movie shot entirely in black and white?
'Malcolm & Marie' is a Netflix movie starring Zendaya and John David Washington in the lead roles. The film that centers around one night in the life of a couple portrays a disagreement that explodes into a slew of accusations that each of them spews at each other. The film, shot during the pandemic in black and white, is directed by Sam Levinson. Both Zendaya and Washington serve as producers on the film along with Levinson, Kevin Turen and Ashley Levinson.
The film is not only about being pretty visually because of it being shot in the monochrome, but it is also about how the team wanted the film to be perceived as timeless. In an interview with Good Morning America, Zendaya had shared more about the reason behind doing for the film in black and white and said, "It adds timelessness to it."
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She further explained, "There was a thought also about reclaiming the narrative of black and white Hollywood and black actors really having their moment at that time..." adding, "We weren't as present in the black and white era." It is interesting because there is a considerable part of the film that talks about how any movie by a Black director that portrays the life of a Black person is dissected to its bone to conform to a political belief of the viewers, mainly White viewers.
Washington, who plays the role of film director Malcolm, specifically speaks about how his film about a Black woman who tries to reclaim her life or fails to will not be seen as a universal film but watched through a filter that reduces everything in the film to woke political references. Is he wrong in airing his frustrations? There is definitely no point in getting defensive when what he refers to is true. A lot of opinions that surface about films have become a way for people to flex their "college education", in Malcolm's words.
Zendaya did say that this was not a new idea and said instead, "Pay tribute to that era and reclaim that beauty and that elegance with these two black actors [herself and John David]."
The film also opens with Washington and Zendaya entering their home, and Washington dancing to the tune of James Brown's 'Down and Out in New York City'. It is of course a play at how the movie in its entirety had been shot with the crew and cast being locked within the location of the shoot. It is also a moment of lightness, a breath of air before the film drowns you in a claustrophobic row between an extremely self-involved couple. If you want to talk about privilege, definitely take lessons from Zendaya who ends up calling Malcolm out for an err that she refuses to forget.
'Malcolm & Marie' is slated to release on February 5 and can be streamed on Netflix.
