1937 • 0h 5m • English
Trade Tattoo
Trade Tattoo went even further than Rainbow Dance in its manipulation of the Gasparcolor process. The original black and white footage consisted of outtakes from GPO Film Unit documentaries such as Night Mail. Lye transformed this footage in what has been described as the most intricate job of film printing and color grading ever attempted. Animated words and patterns combine with the live-action footage to create images as complex and multi-layered as a Cubist painting. Music was provided by the Cuban Lecuona Band. With its dynamic rhythms, the film seeks (in Lye’s words) to convey “a romanticism about the work of the everyday in all walks of life."
Ratings & WatchWise score
Every source shown as published, plus a vote-aware combined score.
- · Rated by only a few hundred people, so the score is less reliable.
- · Middling scores: fine for a casual watch, not a must-see.
- · Short and done in under an hour and a half.
IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Letterboxd appear here once their data licences are in place.
Reviews from creators
Popular, helpful and relevant — not only the biggest channels.
No review videos found yet.
Box-office performance
Worldwide gross compared with estimated budget (TMDB estimates, USD converted at ₹84).
Budget and collection figures aren't on record for this title.
Cast & crew
