Lintels & Lallies: Hunger Games Design

When I watch a movie the first time, I tend to notice only the major design elements but try hard not to let my mind stray so that I can follow the storyline. It isn’t until my second preview, that I really become consumed by the design details.

This weekend we re-watched the “Hunger Games”. Really great storyline, however even the first time I watched it I found the styles/design to be so jarring! By the second viewing, it drove me nuts.

My husband had read the book, so I asked him if there was great description of what people wore and the settings…naturally he didn’t remember, but I’m willing to bet it was Hollywood that just didn’t “knock this one outta the ball park”. With the movie’s success, I’m hoping the subsequent movies will be better.

In case you haven’t watched it, here is a quick synopsis:

It takes place in the future. After an apocalyptic event poor districts are formed around a wealthy capitol. As punishment for rebelling against the capitol, and as a reminder of the history, a televised “Hunger Games” takes place where each district has to enter a boy & girl (lottery style) to fight to the death, leaving one survivor.

The beginning of the film has a very somber feeling influenced by the depression era. When I first watched the movie I remembered the mood the sepia & wardrobe evoked. As the districts are marching to the reaping, it is almost a snapshot of the 1940’s. This definitely set the stage for what you should experience while watching the opening, but it displaced the timeline of the movie. I think they could have still achieved the correct atmosphere by using the sepia screen, and posture of the characters…the wardrobe, to me, was too ‘authentic’. Even if they made their own clothing, I don’t think every district would select 1940’s patterns…just saying. Check out the images below & see the lack of cohesion I'm talking about...