Horror Poster Analysis: POLTERGEIST

_{H o r  r o r   P o s t er    A n a l y s I s:}

P O L T E R G E I S T

Like most horror film posters from the 80’s this one is set in a kind of non-existent location. we are given the connotation by the darkness that it is night time however we have no idea unless we have watched the film where the girl is sat. she Is in fact depicted sitting in front of the living room television.

Straight away we can see that the only colors used are blue and black, this gives connotations of night and represents isolation, it also is conventional to the iconography of old static televisions that created that eerie blue glow. This helps to establish a theme that revolves around television. The Image of the girl sat before the television has also been made to look very grainy like it’s on a screen, this makes the viewer feel like they are looking at a television connoting fear and anticipation and representing the theme that causes horror in the narrative itself. Even the typography follows the television theme by appearing to be lit up by the same eerie blue light.

The text above the image that says ‘’they’re here’’ is given meaning by the girl peering into the television, this motivated choice of composition denotes to the viewer that whoever ‘they’ are, they are inside the television which the girl is dangerously close to which creates a sense of suspense due to our natural instinct to protect children.  The other line of text beneath the film title sparks the viewer off thinking about what scares them which momentarily connotes fear and terror, they make a connection between these connotations and the film itself which creates appeal for its supposed scariness. The use of a little girl connotes danger and makes the viewer feel like they somewhat have a responsibility to see the film and make sure that the child makes it out okay. The need to care and nurture is a basic human need listed in the Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs which is exploited perfectly here.

Overall a feeling of standstill and isolation is created by the Poster, we are given the sense that in the vast darkness that surrounds the girl, she has turned to the one source of light which is in fact the evil. This contradiction of human instinct represents how no one will be safe in the film.

Horror Poster Analysis: SCREAM 4

_{Horror Poster Analysis:}

SCREAM 4

The first thing we look at in this poster is how the iconic scream mask is transformed into the blade of a knife. For anyone that hasn’t seen the film this would tell them right away that this is a conventional slasher horror. Slasher horrors almost always feature an antagonist with a mask and bladed weapon much like Halloween, Friday the 13th and Texas chainsaw.


The mask appears to be the only thing lit in what looks like infinite darkness which connotes not only a sense of isolation but fear of the fact that in this darkness, the only company you have is this masked killer. The mask is ghostly and skull like which is a representation of the dead and death is the most important part of the iconography of horror. The knife part of the face Is made to look painstakingly real with its clean metal finish and the blade its self is detailed in a way that denotes it has just been sharpened.

The shine on the end of the blade suggests to the viewer that it is brand new and ready to strike into its next victim. The scream San-serif font is very clean with its straight sharp edges all representing the very nature of bladed objects. This poster being for the 4th film cleverly incorporated the 4 into the text as the A. The 4, the date and slogan are written in a blood red font which is a direct representation of spilling blood from a victim. The red also connotes fear and danger to the viewer. The scream mask in its self is a representation of fear and death, so the mask turning into a knife is conventional to the iconography of the slasher Horror genre.

Total Film Magazine Analysis: TRON

_{M o v i e   Ma g a z i n e    A n a l y s I s:}

_TRON

This Tron poster is set somewhere in the ‘Grid’ a place made of data and electronic information inside the narrative of Tron. Nothing in the image can help us determine what time of day it is for the characters however the use of pale blue lighting connotes a sense of night time representing moonlight. The characters are all wearing costumes similar to the very location they are stood at: black and pale blue, which is also the same for the magazine issue’s masthead and main cover line. A kind of ambience is created by the main subject holding an iconic movie prop at the right height for it to be one of the letters for the movie title. The characters on the main cover are lit from below to make it appear that the typography is in fact lighting them, this again represents a kind of ambience.

The way in which the characters are standing gives the shot a sense of narrative. They are positioned into a triangular formation holding their futuristic weapons representing defence. The style of the entire issue follows the iconography of Tron, the sleek black shapes with fluorescent edges lit in pale blue; a vogue that was a large part of futuristic films during the time that the first Tron film was released (July 1982). Both men have very stern facial expressions connoting anger and representing masculinity while the women is posed in a way that shows the curves of her body connoting femininity and representing sexualisation.



Overall the use of blacks and pail blues connote a strong sense of purity and represent the nature of data and electricity. This is conventional to the iconography of most arthouse style science fiction films.

Empire Magazine Analysis: INCEPTION

_{M o v i e   Ma g a z i n e    A n a l y s I s:}

_{I N C E P T I O N}

We can see straight away that the character in the main cover image of this Empire magazine is in a dream-scape type environment that can be found in the narrative of the film, this sets the theme for the issue.

Leo has been lit with low-key lighting in this image which goes well with the stormy coloured background behind him, it connotes darkness and seriousness. He has also been photographed from a low angle which represents his power in the plot of the film. A bright red has been used for the Empire masthead and Inception main cover line. The red gives connotations of threat and warning representing danger. The typography to the left and right of Leo has been sized in a way that creates a corridor like form creating a sense of isolation and gives the image an extra dimension which is conventional to the iconography of the film with its rotating corridors and primrose stair sets.

The character in the main cover image has been posed in a way that gives relaxed connotations which contrasts strongly with his facial expression and pistol. This has been done to represent the unhinged part of the characters persona which creates interest for the viewer. The characters costume is also very corporate in style which leads to the influence of having a corporate style font for the cover lines.

As a whole the magazine cover looks quite enigmatic, with a business man nonchalantly holding a glock pistol with a very serious look on his face and text that creates the form of a corridor with pieces of folding city in the background. Together these signs create connotations of complexity and mystery and represent the films psychological nature.

Total Film Magazine Analysis: Bond

_{M o v i e   Ma g a z i n e    A n a l y s I s:}

_{B O N D}

This front cover is set outside of a casino where bond is shown mid-dramatic stride. The shot of the casino has been cut into the outline of a woman which gives heterosexual connotations of femininity and is a direct representation of the male gaze. Daniel Craig who plays James Bond in the particular film that this magazine is reviewing has been superimposed over the masthead, giving connotations of importance and representing power. Daniels face and blazer have been artificially lit in post-production to appear as though they are being lit by the shine coming from the metallic background; this anchors the prestigious connotations being produced by the foil like background to James Bonds character and represents James Bond and the bond franchise as being prestigious. Big bold san serif fonts throughout the main cover connote urgency and action and represent the nature of the Bond films.

Daniel is shot, dressed and posed in a way that connotes strong masculinity; this represents one of Bonds main characteristics in the Film and is conventional to the iconography of action films. 

In terms of narrative, Bond appears to have just left the casino and is prepared for a chase. His pose suggests that he is mid stride and his facial expression connotes anger and concentration. Daniel’s indirect mode of address represents Bonds concentration in his present task, he hasn’t time to stop and look at the consumer through the magazine cover.