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Bigger Than Life (1956)

Directed by Nicholas Ray · Cinematography by Joseph MacDonald

Approved95 min39 frames

Drama

The story of the handful of hope that became a fistful of hell!

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Stills, screencaps & shots from Bigger Than Life

16 of 39 frames — the full set is searchable by lighting, lens, shot size, color and mood with a free account.

Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: medium — A hospital room with a view of trees through a window on the right. A man wearing a hospital gown sits…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: medium — A dimly lit domestic hallway with an olive green wall and a framed poster. A woman stands on the left…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: wide — A wood-paneled study features a fireplace with a map and shelves filled with books. A man stands behind…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: wide — A refined mid-century retail space with heavy floor-to-ceiling curtains and a large standing mirror. A…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: medium — A dark bedroom shows a family of three nestled together on a mattress. The parents and child are…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: medium — A man looks into a shattered mirror inside a room with translucent lace curtains. The reflection of…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: medium — A sterile medical setting features light-colored walls and a wall-mounted garment hook. Four people…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: medium — A dimly lit indoor space features a wall with visible window-pane shadow patterns. A woman…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: wide — A darkroom features heavy curtains and large technical equipment under a red glow. Several people occupy…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: medium — A 1950s kitchen with patterned wallpaper and plain wooden cabinets. A group of four people gather in…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: medium — A man sits behind a wood desk in an office with paneled walls. He wears a suit and bowtie while…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: medium — A plain wall in a hallway with an orange warning light and a sign. A young boy stands by the wall…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: medium — An interior residential entrance features a wooden staircase and a back doorway with glass. A man…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: closeup — A man stands against a blurred, indistinct background in a dimly lit indoor space. He gazes straight…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: wide — A 1950s professional space with wood paneling and a tufted leather sofa. A man and woman converse while…Bigger Than Life (1956) movie still: medium — Three people sit in the front and rear seats of a vintage automobile. They face forward while smiling…
Bigger Than Life (1956) — © 20th Century Fox

Bigger Than Life — official trailer

What is Bigger Than Life about?

A friendly, successful suburban teacher and father grows dangerously addicted to cortisone, resulting in his transformation into a household despot.

Where can you watch Bigger Than Life?

US availability for Bigger Than Life (1956). Data by JustWatch, listings on TMDB. Availability changes — check the provider for current listings.

Who stars in Bigger Than Life?

Who made Bigger Than Life?

What does the cinematography of Bigger Than Life look like?

Sampled across 39 frames, the coverage of Bigger Than Life leans on medium shots and wide compositions. Cinematographer Joseph MacDonald keeps much of it in soft, low-key light. Night and dusk account for much of the film. Anamorphic glass shapes the frame. Focus stays shallow in most of the frames, isolating subjects from their surroundings. The production design places the film in the 1950s.

What is the color palette of Bigger Than Life?

The dominant colors across the sampled frames of Bigger Than Life (1956) are #302c2a, #4f4d4a, #d5d2ca, #938976, #8f9088, #0e0c0b — measured from the per-frame color data FrameThrower extracts for every film.

  • #302c2a
  • #4f4d4a
  • #d5d2ca
  • #938976
  • #8f9088
  • #0e0c0b

See the full Bigger Than Life colour palette — every hex with its share, plus warmth, saturation and luminance.

A reference database for filmmakers

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Techniques in this film

More films by Nicholas Ray

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