Why The Seats in Movie Theaters Are Red? (2024)

Have you ever wondered why the seats in movie theaters are red? The answer to this question can be explained in an interesting way, both historically and scientifically. In this article, we will try to explain the reasons for the red color preference of movie theaters.

The first reason for the red color preference of movie theaters is the influence of opera houses. In Italy, the center of opera art, red and gold colors were used in the first opera building built in Venice. These colors represented the royal family. As opera spread to the rest of Europe, other opera houses imitated the same color palette. Only the French preferred the color blue to red, representing the royal family.

Over time, interest in opera waned and was replaced by theater and cinema. Theater and cinema halls also continued the opera tradition and used the color red in their halls. This color made the audience feel emotions such as happiness, enthusiasm, vitality, energy, passion and action. In addition, when red color is combined with a material such as velvet, it adds a luxurious and prestigious atmosphere to the halls. For this reason, cinema chair manufacturers have generally preferred red colored velvet fabrics.

The second reason why movie theaters prefer red color can be explained scientifically. The human eye perceives colors with two types of cells in its retina, called rods and cones. In normal light, the cone cells perceive colors, while in low light, the work of perceiving colors falls to the rod cells. Rod cells perceive mostly green light, but not red light. Cone cells, on the other hand, perceive all colors. Therefore, red is the first color we lose vision in low light.

This shows that it is advantageous to use red color in movie theaters. Because, when the lights are dimmed in movie theaters, red seats and curtains become invisible more easily than blue or green colors. This makes it easier for the audience to focus and adapt to the movie they are watching. In addition, the color red increases the contrast of colors in the film, improving image quality.

In conclusion, there are both historically and scientifically logical reasons for red seats in movie theaters. The use of the color red in movie theaters provides the audience with a good experience both emotionally and visually. Therefore, the color red in movie theaters has become a tradition.