The Crazies

Horror Genre According To DISTINCT

Idea

Pinhead

Horror Film Poster Analysis'

Sinister (2012, UK) Horror, Mystery, Thriller

No clear victim is present in the poster. However there is a blood image of a sinister looking face. As the only colour on the page the eye is immediately drawn to face making it the dominant figure on the poster. There is what looks like a young woman dressed in white pyjamas – connoting innocence/purity. She is dragging her hand across the cracking wall to create a portrait of the face. All together the image is quite graphic and can give a clear indicator to the audience as to the nature of the films contents.

The background looks like that of an abandoned room - with all white walls which are cracked and peeling. the meaning of the word sinister is "giving the impression that something harmful or evil is happening or will happen". As an eye level focal point of the poster the title plays an important part in portraying the story of the film. With the use of bold, dark and capital letters the emphasis is primarily on the word sinister.

“Once you see him, nothing can save you” – the tagline emphasis the thriller aspect to the movie. Since the audience can only see the face of the killer, it goes hand in hand with the tagline with the implication that you only have to see the killer to become a target, this sets the fear element of horror. Along with its demonic look, below the face are snakes which are also often used to connote demonic status.

The top of the poster states other films that the producer has made, this opens up the opportunity for another audience who have a particularly interest in that producers work to want to watch this film regardless of the posters first impression. Conventionally an indication for the release date has been placed at the bottom of the poster.

I would presume that the audience for this movie would be those who have a particular interest in both the gory and mystery side of horror films.

The Strangers (2008, UK) Horror, Mystery, Thriller

 

 The image contains all main characters within the film however the identity of all characters is hidden. The killers dominate the poster and as the majority of the lighting is facing them it reinforces their importance. Their stance of standing above the intended victims suggests power and control within the film. All the killers are dressed plain and ‘normally’ with no distinct features except the masks of which the killers are all wearing different ones. With hidden identities it instils fear – the fear of the unknown especially.  Two of the masks have the impression of make-up on them which gives the characters a suggested identity as female and with the other mask being plain it suggests that character is male. The male is in the centre and the tallest which suggest he is the dominant figure amongst the three killers.

The identity of the victims is also hidden as they are facing the other, they are also tied up/being held hostage and are therefore in danger. By doing this, it can create the illusion that the audeince sitting down could also be the person sat down looking up at the killers

Typical of a horror film poster the colour scheme is mainly dark and dull which connotes mystery and death which is an key part of horror iconography. In comparison to the top, the bottom half of the bottom is just black connoting that the victims have no hope.

The setting for the poster is in a home environment and along with the tag line “because you were home” we can presume the film happens in a house/home. Therefore, the audience can relate to the poster since they will either be watching it within their homes or are familiar with a home setting and by doing so, the audience sense of realism will make the film seem scarier and/or more real to them. Both the title and the tag line together imprint fear in the audience’s mind as it proposes strangers are invading a home that was vacant. Since this is something people fear in real life it increases the fear factor of the storyline.

The title is brighter than the background it is placed on so it stands out clearly. A typical characteristic for a horror poster is to use capital letters for the title, this poster has used lowercase on the title. However the colour of the font is similar to that of a flickering candle and is a bright white. With the placement and colour of the title it stands out sufficiently. Above the title are names of an actor and actress, this could draw in another audience who specifically likes any of the actor/actresses named. Despite the tag line being in capitals, the colour is a dull beige and a simple font, the writing has also been placed towards the top of the poster which has made it less immediately eye catching.

I would presume that the audience for this movie would be those who have a particular interest in the mystery side of horror films.

A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010, UK) Horror, Mystery, Thriller

No victims are shown on this poster and the killer is the only character present on the poster hence reinforcing the importance of that character in the film. Although the image is not eye level, enough of the man is visible to be able to notice his disfigure face and body – this intrigues the audience. At a glance, the rest of the image seems normal but the eye is quickly drawn to the weapon attached to his hand. The weapon particularly stands out on the poster since there isn’t much else going on, the end of the weapon is predominantly obvious as there is a light glistening on the sharper end.

The characters eyes are hidden but you can get a good view of his disfigured face/body which intrigues the audience into the character itself. He is wearing torn clothing with suggests he has already been through something dangerous. With a slight smirk on his face and

The main colours on the poster are a dark red and brown this is fitting with a horror poster as it connotes that of blood. The dark tones of colour set the overall tone of the film as dark, mysterious and generally are fitting for the horror genre. The use of the colour black on the poster symbolises death.

As the brightest colour present, the title clearly stands out from the rest of the poster. It is also written all in capitals which makes it bolder and stand out. “Welcome to your new nightmare” – this tagline gives an indication to the audience of what the storyline is about hence preparing the audience before watching it and letting their imagination play a part in elaborating the fear factor present within the film. Conventionally the release date for the film has been placed at the bottom of the poster.

I would presume that the audience for this movie would be those who have a particular interest in the gory side of horror films.

History of the Horror Genre