Shutter Island

Film Poster

Convention of a psychological thriller to have a dark colour scheme to go with the dark theme of the film. Sets a sombre tone.

Rough sea and stormy weather creates a depressing atmosphere and anticipates that something bad will happen.

Red, almost distorted,

sketchy typography – colour has connotations of blood, signifying the thriller genre. The sketchy style suggests that something is not quite right.Image of island is made

up of a montage of smaller images, making it disjointed. This suggests that on this island, everything is distorted and nothing is as it seems.

Large image of the protagonist in low lighting - mysterious

‘Someone is missing.’ Simple tagline that doesn’t give much away. Typical of psychological thrillers to give up limited amounts of narrative and to keep audiences guessing. As they cannot rely on the plot to draw in an audience, it is important they make good use of the posters visual attraction.

Island is isolated and cut off from the rest of the world - typical location for a psychological thriller to take place, as characters are trapped.

Instantly recognisable as a dark thriller/horror – colours, weather, image all fit audience expectations.

Magazine CoverCreates a brand image with similar colours, setting, typography and same character used.

Shutter island theme takes up entire cover. Its font is used for all other features, and image fills whole cover.

Repeated use of dark depressing colours, characters serious facial expression and eerie weather conveys the genre and also the tone of the film.

This cover hints more towards the plot of the film than the poster. We learn more about the character, seeing his police badge and gun (policeman is typical figure in a thriller) he appears to be the hero. The lighthouse in the background also seems key to the story. Cover gives away more, but not plot - audience want to see the film to find out.

Informal use of actor/directors names ‘Leo’ and ‘Marty’ draws in audience – makes them seem more on their level.

Use of red font throughout suggests blood or death, pointing towards the darker, horror elements to the film

Taglines makes use of words ‘asylum’ and ‘madhouse’ which confirms the psychological element of the genre.

Buzzwords such as ‘greatest’ and ‘exclusive’ make magazine seem worth buying.

Protagonist looking down on slightly low angle shot and is wearing a suit– power and status? However, his rugged, unkempt appearance contrasts with this.

Establishing shot of island shows how cut off and isolated it is.

Dark, cloudy weather and low lighting - Makes it seem depressing and foreshadows the bad things that happen.

Point of view shot from protagonist - seeing things from his mindset. Supposed to empathise with him?

Trailer - Shot 1

Trailer – Shot 2

A series of shots show the island under strict security – audience realise how dangerous the patients are.

Accompanied by loud music, setting the audience on edge. Fear for protagonists safety.

Guards appear suspicious and wary of protagonist – reason to fear him too?

Trailer – Shot 3

Close up emphasises the gun being handed over

Gun represents power, violence, authority/status etc.

Handing gun over to the guard, represents shift in power from Marshal to Island. Gives protagonist less authority.

Reluctant to hand it over - untrusting, afraid?

Even a Federal Marshal must obey the Island guards – powerful and in control.

Trailer - Shot 4Close up of chained woman with slit across throat - sets audience on edge as it shows what people on the island are capable of.

Finger to lips – reference to some kind of secret. Trailer makes audience want to know what.

Manacled – dangerous, can’t be trusted

Pale skin and blackened eyes, making her appears ghostly - mental illness - ghost of a person?

Trailer – Shot 5

Close up snapshot of notepad with the word ‘run’ smudged by rain

Run – another hint towards some kind of dark (and now seemingly dangerous) secret.

Builds up tension – moment audience realise something is seriously wrong.

Smudged – adds extra emphasis and eeriness to it.

Trailer – Shot 6Over the shot shoulder – almost as though they are being watched.

Focus of shot is on the door – looks as though something is about to come bursting out

Dark ad damp, flickering lighting – eerie, builds suspense. Typical thriller/horror scene.

Two characters are brightly lit up - contrast to rest of room

Trailer – Shot 7

A disorientating aerial shot is used which pans around in a circle – shows uncertainty setting in.

Coincides with dialogue “You’re a rat in a maze” – shot seems to demonstrate this.

Trailer - Shot 8These two shots follow one another. Shows the contrast between the two men.

Protagonist is in military SS uniform (shows violence, danger, unpredictability) Other character in lab coat (shows intelligence, well respected, high status)

Based on this, we should trust the man in the lab coat, however the trailer has built it up so that we don’t. Audience are as confused as protagonist and are unsure of who to believe – in similar situation and so empathise.

Also, by this stage in the trailer, the shots are becoming shorter and faster, conveying the action, confusion and desperation.

Trailer – Shot 9

Protagonist gone from wearing Marshal uniform to wearing the patients clothing – degraded by island, power taken away, now one of them.

He is also looking far more rugged and unkempt than at the beginning – lots of action, situation taking its toll.

Rats – symbolises phrase of ‘smelling a rat’ – protagonist believing scientists on island are lying to him. Connotations of sneaky, deceit, dirty, lowest of the low etc.

Almost in greyscale – dark, bleak

Fire is a recurring theme throughout the trailer, much of it in imagined scenarios – insight into subconscious of protagonist? (set own house alight)

Fire connotates anger, devastation, passion etc. – all key themes in the film.

Second shot – mother and child standing next to blaze. Contrast of innocence/purity against raging, destructive fire. Looking directly into camera – feel for them. Hoping to be saved? Echoes later line ‘You should have saved us’

First shot – scar across face makes character look dangerous and evasive. Appears deranged – not the type of person you want to see holding a lit match – builds tension.

Trailer – Shot 10

Genre Theory• Robert Warshaw – audience want film to be new and original, but still expect it

to meet their expectations and to see the typical conventions of the genre. Shutter Island fulfils the conventions of a thriller, through Mise-en-scene including guns, police officers and fast paced action. However, it is also original as it is set in a different location and holds an unusual plot twist at the end.

• Audience watch film as a form of escapism from their day to day life – thriller is far more exciting. Although nobody would particularly wish to be in the character’s situation, they enjoy watching something exciting unfold, and rise to the challenge of thinking and trying to make sense of the psychological element.

• Lawrence Alloyway – A genre is defined through symbols; including character types, settings and props. Directors use these to communicate with an audience, and generally know how they will react. Martin Scorsese makes use of strong symbols to set the tone of the film. These symbols make the film appealing and meet the expectations of an audience going to see a psychological thriller.