Poster Analysis

Silent Hill

The poster’s main image features a young girl in the centre. She takes up most of the frame and the audience’s attention is immediately drawn by her. We know she is a child because we can see some of her clothes that look like a school uniform. Equally, her complexion is youthful, soft and flawless in a way that only a child’s could be. We straight away notice that something is wrong with her face and are intrigued, wanting to know what has happened to her. Her eyes have no pupils and look almost glassy and vacant. They say that the eyes act as windows to the soul, so her malformed eyes could mean that something is wrong with her soul and that, perhaps, something unnatural lurks within. This could also be seen as a way in which the poster is signifying that the sub-genre of the film is supernatural, as corrupted souls and possession are common themes in these10 types of horror. The female character’s mouth is also missing, which could mean that she knows something she’s not allowed to tell or is being prevented from telling. At the same time, this creates a look that is unnatural and unnerving. However she has long wavy hair which makes her look more childlike, innocent and as though she has no control over what is happening to her. Finally, the image has an effect that makes it look like it was painted on a canvas a long time ago. The canvas is cracking and makes the girl look like she is deteriorating along with it. Or it could represent that the girl’s mind is cracking.

The background is very dark and makes the character look like she is being drawn into a dark world. The darkness also contrasts with her bright face, which makes her look more innocent, but also quite ghostly. Her clothes and their style make her seem childlike and the blue colour can be associated with the innocent Virgin Mary. In addition to this, the cold adds a cold feel to the poster.

The title is ‘Silent Hill’ and it’s written in white bold san-serif font. It looks like the title was written with chalk, which is something we would expect children to play with. The title appears to have been smudged, possibly by the girl herself in a panic. This could be the girl trying to warn the people that this is a dangerous place and to protect anyone from going in or prevent anything from escaping. Unable to speak, this could have been her only way of communicating danger.

There is also some smaller text at the bottom, revealing the time when the film will be revealed. It is presented in simple bold sans serif font in uppercase so that it’s clear and easy to read. The date is non-specific so the audience would have to inquire to find out more about specific release date, but it does give that audience a time period when they can expect the film to come out. There is also a bit of institutional information at the very bottom which reinforces the convention that all less important information goes at the bottom of the poster.

The layout of this poster is very simple. All text is positioned at the bottom of the poster, allowing the main image to take up almost all of the space in the frame. Since the image is so powerful and unusual and likely to communicate meaning to the audience more than anything else, it’s logical to make sure that text is minimal and that the image takes up most of the space on the poster. The image is placed so that we see the girl from the shoulders up. This close up shot of her face can make the audience feel uncomfortable but leaves no place for our eyes to go except to the image and the title. The use of a close-up allows us to see more powerfully the vacant expression in her eyes and to appreciate the fact that this child could have a tormented soul.

In conclusion, I think this is an effective horror poster and that it successfully promotes the film as a supernatural. It does well in following the conventions of a horror poster, except for the institutional information, but I assume it was not included so there could be as less distracting text on the poster as possible. Some posters do not have a big block of institutional info. These are known as teaser posters and feature just an image and minimal text. They are used quite widely to draw in audiences.

Gothika

This is the poster for ‘Gothika’. The main image is of a young woman in the rain, pressed up against glass. She is only wearing a small shirt which makes her look very vulnerable and makes us wonder why she would be out in such weather wearing only that. Her slightly messed up hair also signifies that she has been through something rough that has left her feeling unstable. The way she is pressing against the glass is creating the idea that she is trapped inside the poster, ergo; she is trapped in what looks like a cold and unforgiving world and is trying to escape. This pose also makes it seem as if she is looking through a window and trying to get a better look at something, but there is no way of telling what. Her facial expression is not one of fright, but of shock and anxiety, which also increases our curiosity at what she could possibly be looking that would cause her to react that way. We see that on her left forearm, the words ‘NOT ALONE’ are presented. It appears as if the words have been scratched onto her arm, perhaps to serve as a warning or as some kind of twisted comfort. If the words have been scratched on by the protagonist, it could indicate mental instability and emotional despair. If not, the words could have been etched on her arm by some dangerous and unknown presence.  Perhaps the thing that this female protagonist is seeing might be the thing that wrote the message or caused her to feel distress. The message is presented in the same display font as the title, ‘Gothika’, suggesting a link between the two.

The background of this poster is very dark and practically envelopes the female protagonist in darkness. This is another way the poster is trying to show that the protagonist is trapped in a nightmare that is slowly drawing her in.

The entire poster seems to have a blue filter on it.  Blue is the colour we typically associate with sadness, hostility and coldness. Adding this filler enhances the fact that this is a ‘cold’ and cruel place that will ultimately bring whoever enters it sadness and grief. This is emphasised further by the rain that appears to be falling down the window/glass that the protagonist is pressed up against.

The title of the film is ‘Gothika’. The meaning of ‘Gothika’ is when a person is able to see and feel things others don’t. This would lead them to believe that the protagonist in the poster is insane or that she is experiencing some kind of supernatural force or presence in her life. This gives potential clues as to what the narrative of the film is and suggests to the audience that this is a psychological or supernatural horror. It is written in bold DISPLAY font and is the largest text on the poster, which is in keeping with the conventions of film posters. It looks as if the title was scratched into the glass she is pressing up against, etched on to the glass in the same way that the words ‘Not Alone’ are etched onto the arm of the protagonist, cementing the connection between them. This could suggest that the thing that only she can see has left its mark on both her and the glass. The title is white and surrounded by a pearly, luminescent glow, which instantly creates a ghostly, eerie feel and complements the poster’s overall mood.

Other text on the poster includes the tag line which reads ‘Because someone is dead doesn’t mean they’re gone.’ After reading this, the target audiences’ minds would drift to the idea of spirits and ghosts, identifying the film as a supernatural horror, and the audience will guess that the narrative includes the return of someone the protagonist has known or been involved with, albeit in spirit form. There is also the name of the main actress, Halle Berry, placed at the top of the poster, as well as other actors, such as Robert Downey Jr. right under the title. Fans of these actors could be more enticed to go see the film, whilst the idea that the film features such big names given it kudos and a touch of respectability. There is also the date of release at the very bottom in plain san-serif font so that it’s easy to read. Interestingly, it is potentially the last thing the audience will see, making it more likely that the audience will remember this. The institutional information, which is the smallest text, is also at the bottom because it includes the least important information.

The layout of this poster is set up so that all the text is moved from the centre. This has happened to allow us to concentrate solely on her facial expression and decipher what kinds of emotions are running through her mind. The tag line seems to be placed in an odd spot, under the writing on her arm, as if once you read what is on her arm, you must read the tag line and become aware that these two statements are somehow related. The audience will automatically wonder whether the returning spirit is the author of the words that are etched into the arm of the protagonist.

Finally, I think this poster successfully promotes the film as a supernatural and follows all of the conventions of a horror film poster.  It is able to present the audience with mystery and make them wonder and worry how did this character ended up is this dangerous looking situation. It’s also effective because it doesn’t give too much away, so the audience are left to speculate about the plot, which would lead them to wanting to find out the truth and watch the film.

Sinister

This is the poster for the supernatural horror ‘Sinister’. The main image is showing a young woman walking in her pyjamas and smearing blood against a wall. The blood drips down to the floor and creates a sinister looking face. This face doesn't look human which hints at the supernatural genre where the villains can be otherworldly. The woman is barefoot which could mean she is sleepwalking, or even possibly is being controlled by this mysterious person on the wall. Either way, it seems her actions are being carried out unconsciously, as she appears to be carrying out the operation seamlessly, without true awareness of what she is doing. The fact that she is in pyjamas and is blonde makes her seem weak and vulnerable. The pyjamas make you think of sleeping, which is when we are all most vulnerable. You can also link this to dreaming, which would make this whole scenario look like some kind of nightmare. In horror films, it is these kinds of characters who usually perish first. We cannot see her face, which makes us wonder if she is even still human or sane, thus creating further fear in the audience. The blood on the wall where the face is and the blood the woman is spreading are linked, so we could think that this evil thing is seeping into the woman. This makes is seem like whatever it is, it’s breaking into the real world through using the woman as a vessel. On the floor, we see an old fashioned film reel and pieces of cut up film. The film is right below the face, so it appears as though the blood is merging with the film and we may assume that this film reel is the source of the evil. The background is of an old, decaying wall with paint peeling off. This could signify that the female’s mind is cracking, or that the presence of this ominous being is causing reality to deteriorate and life to become ugly and corrupt. The female appears quite small and insignificant against the walled background, which suggests that she is powerless against the forces that surround her and the evil that now exists in her world.

Most of the colours in this poster are quite dull and dreary. It looks kind of washed out as if we’re in a dream, where not everything is clear and weir not always sure about what is happening. The bloody face however, stands out against the pallid white background, as it is dark red.  It is as if this being is trying to make his presence known and to overpower everything else that exist in the world it has entered into. The left side of the image, where the female is walking to, has more shadows, possibly to imply that she is about to enter a dark place. With her white pyjamas, meanwhile, and blonde hair, the female in the frame appears to almost blend into the pale background, an additional indication that she is defenceless, insignificant and will be perhaps too weak to fight back against the ‘sinister’ threat.

The title is ‘Sinister’, and it is written in bold serif-style font. The title has the effect that makes it look like it is rusting and the rust is running down the wall. It is also placed in the middle of the wall, making it look like it is part of the scenery. This could signify that the sinister evil is slowly seeping into the real world and becoming a fixed part of it, while the rusting of the title suggests that the force will corrupt and destroy everything it touches. Since the title and bloodied face in main image both appear to be running down the wall, a connection is created between them and, we can establish that this face belongs to someone with a ‘sinister’ personality.

Other text on the poster includes the tag line which is “Once you see him, nothing can save you”. This phrase is quite straight forward, implying, quite simply, that when you see a dangerous someone, you are doomed. The target audience then assumes that the “him”, refers to this strange, evil face on the wall, which, in turn, will anchor their understanding that the face belongs to a sinister presence. It could also result in the audience looking at the fact and feeling doomed as well. Either way, the tagline suggests a lack of hope and indicates the enormous power of the film’s antagonist. This could serve as a reason for them to watch the film, in order to discover what’s going to happen to the characters that have already seen them and to find out if they do or do not survive.

At the top, we see text that reads, “From the producer of ‘Paranormal Activity’ and ‘Insidious’”, which were both successful supernatural horrors, so it points in the direction that this will also be a supernatural horror. This will entice the target audience to see this film if they were fans of the previous films. If it has the same producer, then whatever made them enjoy the other films, will also hopefully make them enjoy this one. The fact that the other films were so popular and successful will allow the audience to have faith in the idea that this one will be too. At the bottom, we see that the film is ‘coming soon’ in plain uppercase serif font so that it’s easily readable so the audience can clearly know when the film is being released. The use of the words ‘coming soon’ rather than an actual release date creates intrigue and anticipation for the audience, who will now be on the look out for when the film is actual going to be released at the cinema, which will make them more aware of upcoming promo material. There is also the institutional information at the bottom in small sized font. This information is the least important so it is placed inconspicuously at the bottom where it doesn’t draw attention away from the rest of the poster.

The poster is laid out, so that the text, except for the title, is pushed from the middle and the main focus falls on the main image. This way you have no choice but to look at the bloody face, then see the tag line and realise it was a mistake because now you feel as though this monster will come after you and if you watch the film, you will be able to see how the characters will deal with the same problem. The audience will feel as though they can relate with the characters in the film.

In conclusion, I think this is a successful supernatural horror poster. It indicates well that it is a supernatural horror and follows all of the conventions of a horror film poster. It presents an image of something that’s not discussing, but disturbing, so even though you feel disturbed looking at the poster, you can’t help but be fascinated and continue to stare at it out of curiosity and find out more about the film.