Posters Analysis

Paula Graham

I have chosen to analyse the horror movie poster for the movie ‘sinister(2012)’. In this poster you are instantly drawn to the girl smearing blood on the wall and forming a picture of demon. The used the main girl in the movie to link it to the poster. The blood on the wall of a demon tells the audience that there is some significance to it and implies that the movie is about the demon. Also the tagline underneath the title ‘Once you see him, nothing can save you’. This suggests danger and that something will hurt them which emphasises the horror movie genre. At the top of the poster it says ‘from the producer of paranormal activity and insidious’, this will attract the fans from those films to come and see it. The cracks in the wall (background) suggest that there is a crack between the human world and the demon world.

Famous films are mentioned to gain fans of the famous films to come and see film to see if it’s as good as those.

Creepy tag line that suggests the audience that he’s waiting to be seen and suggests danger.

Little girl which will gain sympathy and suggests she’s vulnerable.

Little girl has smeared blood across the wall into a face, causes the audience to ask why.

Iconography of blood, resembles death

The masthead ‘Sinister’ has a dripping effect, this resembles the blood that is leaking from the wall.

I have decided to analyse the poster for ‘The Blair Witch Project (1999)’ Looks like the picture was taken by a hand held camera. This seems like this shot is taken from a scene in the film resulting in the audience thinking that this is filmed by a handheld camera. By having the hand held camera it creates a sense of audience interactivity, this makes the audience feel like it will be a real life event. The hand held camera gives it an unnatural angle, this does’t conform with the usual code and conventions of normal camerawork.

Extreme close up makes the audience see her deeply frightened expression

Shows the audience that it was taken in an isolated area, makes the audience feel trapped.

Using the masthead to draw attention to the anchor image of the girl

I have decided to analyse the poster for ‘Uninvited (2009)’. The person or thing in the picture catches your attention, which is the main selling point in the film as audiences will want to know who or what it is. The female is staring directly into who ever is looking at the poster, This is the same as in ‘The Blair Witch Project(1999). Both posters have images that are directed at the audience but also establishing a relationship between the audience. Just like ‘The Blair Witch Project’ the area is isolated, this is a main convention of many horror movies