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| In the Hand of Dante: Black and White vs Colour Explained as Fans Decode the Film's Visual Mystery. (Credits: IMDb) |
One of the first things viewers notice in In the Hand of Dante is that the film refuses to stick to one visual style. One moment the screen bursts with rich colour, the next everything slips into black and white without warning. It is not a technical glitch or a quirky artistic stunt. The dramatic switch is carefully designed to separate two worlds while quietly revealing the film's biggest ideas about creativity, obsession and the changing value of art.
The story unfolds across two timelines that constantly mirror one another. In medieval Italy, Dante Alighieri struggles to find inspiration while writing The Divine Comedy, searching for meaning through love, faith and personal hardship.
Hundreds of years later, writer Nick Tosches embarks on a very different journey. Instead of chasing artistic inspiration, he becomes entangled in the dangerous pursuit of what is believed to be Dante's original manuscript, a priceless object that attracts greed far faster than admiration.
Because both timelines are deeply connected, the film needed a simple but effective way to help audiences navigate the constant jumps between centuries.
Rather than relying on subtitles or lengthy explanations, director Julian Schnabel lets the visuals do the work.
The medieval storyline is presented in vivid Technicolor, while Nick's modern-day world appears almost entirely in black and white, allowing viewers to instantly recognise which chapter of the story they are watching.
The decision might initially feel backwards. Most films tend to paint history in faded tones while modern life enjoys full colour.
In the Hand of Dante flips that expectation on its head. Instead of presenting the past as dull and distant, it argues that Dante's world was alive with imagination and creative purpose.
Meanwhile, today's world, despite all its technology and wealth, is portrayed in monochrome, almost as though something essential has quietly faded away. It is a bold visual statement that asks whether society has become richer financially but poorer creatively.
Director Julian Schnabel has explained that the idea grew from watching classic films made in both black and white and colour.
Rather than choosing one style over the other, he embraced both to create two parallel realities that constantly reflect each other.
The approach also strengthens the connection between the characters, many of whom appear as visual counterparts despite living centuries apart.
Faces repeat, relationships echo across time and history seems determined to recycle itself, just with better tailoring.
Beyond helping audiences follow the timeline, the contrasting visuals reinforce one of the film's central themes. Dante creates art because he feels compelled to express something deeply human. His writing is driven by emotion, spirituality and personal experience.
Nick, however, spends much of his journey surrounded by people interested less in literature and more in the staggering financial value attached to an ancient manuscript. Somewhere between poetry and profit, the meaning of art starts collecting dust.
That contrast becomes increasingly sharp as the story unfolds. The colourful medieval scenes celebrate imagination and creative ambition, while the black-and-white modern world often feels emotionally drained despite its endless pursuit of wealth.
It is a subtle criticism wrapped inside an elegant visual design. The film quietly suggests that today's greatest masterpieces may spend more time locked inside private collections than inspiring readers. Apparently, nothing says cultural appreciation quite like buying something you never intend to read.
Fans and netizens have shared plenty of opinions about the unusual cinematography. Some praised the bold decision, calling it one of the film's most intelligent storytelling devices because it gives every timeline its own emotional identity.
Others admitted they were initially confused by the sudden shifts before gradually recognising the deeper symbolism.
Several viewers also appreciated how the reversed colour scheme challenged familiar cinematic traditions, while others joked that the modern world looking grey felt uncomfortably accurate after scrolling through the daily news.
Whether audiences see the colour changes as brilliant visual storytelling or simply an ambitious artistic experiment, there is little doubt that In the Hand of Dante gives viewers plenty to think about long after the credits roll.
The black-and-white sequences are not just a stylistic flourish but a reflection of how the film views modern society's relationship with creativity and culture. Did the visual contrast work for you, or would you have preferred a more traditional approach