HORROR FILM POSTER ANALYSIS

THE WOMAN IN BLACK

BACKGROUNDClouds and fog look stormy and unnatural, telling us something is not right and the blue and black tones suggest supernatural things.The area behind looks like a forest/moor with the large tree and others behind, and land that stretches a far way with a large manor/house in the left side. This shows the setting is very isolated and is a stock setting for a horror film. There is also a single cross gravestone and a cloaked figure to the left which reinforces the fact it is a supernatural theme. LANGUAGE/TYPOGRAPHYThe title of the film is a glowing white text with slight distortion and there are glares coming of the top and bottom of the letters. This shows us the genre of the film is thriller and has themes of supernatural, because the lettering is surreal and has no hint of blood or gore. The “Woman” and “Black” of the name of the film are the largest words on the page, because it is meant to draw the audience in. The tag line of the film is “Fear her curse” making the audience want to know who “her” is and what her curse is.

COLOUR – the blue and white tones show the supernatural is probably a theme in the film, especially the glowing white tones that look surreal, especially with the black tones. The dark shadows are more on the right, and on the character, pulling our focus to the left and the face of the man, the most important.

LIGHTINGThe lighting is unusual and we know it is created artificially to suggest a more supernatural environment and create atmosphere. It is not only the ghost/figure or the house that looks strange, but the whole place looks haunted or cursed.

RULE OF THIRDS The middle sector is the main character - film is focused on him and the fate of the movie is in his hands. The left third had dark and overhangs into the middle third over the character. The left third contains the light, and the supernatural imagery.

THE HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET

BACKGROUNDThe main focus in the background is the house, as this is a main factor in the film as we can tell by the title. The house is isolated as it surrounded by dark trees, and it is detached like most houses in horror films. The windows in the house are mostly covered with curtains, showing there could be something to hide inside, and the window with the light on has a silhouette, further suggesting there is something wrong with the house. The yellow in this window links to the yellow in the background and text, similar to the purple blind in the other window, also linking with the background colour. The trees are bare and surround the sides of the poster, creating a creepy atmosphere.

COLOUR – the purple and yellow colour scheme is unusual and not a common horror poster theme. It could convey a strange theme in the film and something unusual happening, maybe hinting there is a twist in the plot.

CHARACTER – the girl is on the left of the poster shown next to the house showing she is a key part of the plot. Her eye contact looks as if it's direct but not strongly, as if she is looking at something else behind, hinting there is a character which will be a twist in the film.

TYPOGRAPHY AND LANGUAGE – the main title looks scratched and broken up, which could suggest that someone may be trapped, trying to scratch and break to get out. The pull quote gives us an idea of what the film will be like and the “twist” makes people want to see the film for themselves.

COMPOSITION – the girl takes us a large proportion on the left, showing she has a key part in the film. The house is further back, showing its something she may go into and is what she has to fear as there is a glow around the house. The dark vignette around the poster creates a focus into the middle and could hint there is no way back as other views are blocked out creating a single view

NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

MAIN IMAGE – the main focus of the poster is the character (obviously the villain) as he takes up most of the poster and is centred. His head is looking down, with the hat tilted over most of his face, being only able to see his smirk and deformed face, by burning. This shows he is a mysterious character. His hands are also visible, and he is holding them up in a position which looks slightly menacing, showing he is planning his killings. The blade, coming from behind one of his hands show his murder weapon, and the glisten in the metal adds a fear to the weapon and makes it catch our eye. The main things shown by the poster lets us recognise the character, as the hat, jumper and blade hand are his character motifs.

LIGHTING – the lighting is mainly coming from behind, around his face creating a backlit low key lighting effect. The general light is gloomy and only highlights his main features. The other light is coming from the top, highlighting blade/face

COLOUR – the colours in the poster are mainly red, brown and black, with a bright red text and dull, gloomy, dark, tones which suggest darkness, nightmares and hell, as well as the red for blood and danger showing gore and people's deaths. The small glints of light create a mysterious feel.

TYPOGRAPHY AND LANGUAGE – The main title shows the “nightmare” as the biggest word on the poster, as it is the most important, as a main theme of the film. The next largest are “elm street” as this is the setting and also a main part of the film. The lettering is splattered, linking to murder and blood as they look like smudged blood.

The tag line “welcome to your nightmare” links to the theme in the film, and is talking directly to the audience. This makes you wonder what the nightmare is and draws the audience in. The poster creates an enigma because of the lighting and the iconography, and these factors make the poster as we can automatically recognise Freddy Krueger