In the film industry, the various amount of different types of film are incredible. But as different as films may seem, they all have one element that links them all together. That element is known as Mise-en-scene. Mise-en-scene is a French phrase that means "putting into the scene." Mise-en-scene includes elements such as setting, lighting, costume, and figure movement and expression (acting). In the films Rumble Fish and Meet Me in St. Louis, the elements of mise-en-scene are highly visible. Each movie uses the use of setting, lighting, costume, and acting in a different way to help support the plot of the film.
The film Rumble Fish uses the mise-en-scene element of setting to help the plot of the movie evolve. Elements such as color, props, and location add to the atmosphere of the film. One huge mise-en-scene element of the film is its use of color, or more specified its lack of color. The entire film is filmed in black and white. One would think that this film is an older film, for most modern films are filmed in color, but this film chose to film in black and white on purpose. The black and white in this film helps to convey the primitive and chaotic world that the characters live in. It dulls the world that the characters live in, for colors often express emotion or feelings. For example, a director can use color in a fight scene to show a character's emotion. If a character's face is red, it shows one's anger or fatigue from a fight. Black and white film does not allow that. Portrayal of emotion must be exhibited in some other way.
I believe the main reason the director of the film decided to shoot the film in black and white was because he was showing the film through the eyes of Motorcycle Boy. Motorcycle Boy could only see in black and white, and even though the film did not revolve around him completely, it was shown from his point of view. Another aspect telling that the film was from Motorcycle Boy's point of view was that in parts of the film, mainly the parts where Motorcycle Boy was in the scene, the sound would be blurry or murmured because Motorcycle Boy's hearing was the best either.