2. There is no date of
release featured on
the poster, which is
an incentive for
people to actually
research the film, and
consequently
increases in a wider
publicity.
The black in the
poster contrasts the
red really well- the red
connoting blood,
danger and death and
the black also
signifies death and
gloominess. The
black gradient frame
gives the illusion of
entrapment and
isolation; a
convention of horror
movies and
immediately we can
tell the film may be to
do with a chase and
failure to escape.
This film poster is
very anonymous. The
silhouette as the
central image draws
us to the unknown;
there’s no face or
features we can
obtain to therefore
apply to our
expectations of the
film.
There is, however, a
human abnormality of
the hand, or perhaps
a weapon used
towards victims that
we can see. The
villain appears to be
male, a typical horror
paradigm.
3. The focus of the
image is the eye.
Since the insert shot
in ‘Psycho’, eyes have
become associated
with horror, deriving
from studies saying
we identify people
initially by their eyes;
any danger to the
eyes means a danger
to identity, leaving
them unknown and
mysterious.
The font of the film
title is blurred slightly
and unfocused to
portray an eerie
sense, knowing that
something isn’t quite
right.
The main image is a
baby doll; children are
used as victims
commonly in horror
movies due to their
innocence and
naivety. Their
vulnerability is usually
taken advantage of.
Dolls are a horror
convention, as alot of
people have a phobia
towards them. The
cracked porcelain
also signifies
imperfection which
generally ends in a
character’s downfall. Crying blood is a
typical horror movie
convention. The scare
among humans when
blood is cried or just
even present within a
situation is to do with
the danger that
caused it and
consequently causes
fear.
4. This poster contains
religious themes; The
title and the type of
dress the girl is
wearing. Religion can
be played on a lot in
horror movies, shown
successfully in
‘Halloween’. Society
has different views on
religion, that a lot of
people are involved
in, so the idea can
capture a large target
audience.
The white/cream
dress and
background connotes
innocence. But being
tarnished red with
blood, shows it is
tainted and is
therefore a deception.
We know that the
character represented
as innocent, is in fact
evil.
Having a masked
villain is a typical
horror paradigm.
Their identity remains
hidden which causes
more frustration and
fear for victims being
left in the darkness
without knowing the
villain’s true face.
The background
wallpaper looks as if it
is peeling off and
ripping. This shows
that the setting could
be somewhere
derelict or uncared
for. From this, we
know people aren’t
around to upkeep the
place and therefore
foreshadows isolation
and entrapment
without help of others
nearby.
5. Not looking directly at
the camera, shows us
that she’s either
hiding something or is
afraid. The fact she
was targeted and
therefore changed
into an object of fear
as a result of her lies,
could be the
explanation.
The cover lines of the
magazine all inform
us that the magazine
is based around
horror; each story has
a horror theme and
contrast well as a
bright colour against
the black background.
The font of Fangoria
allows a clear
symbolisation of a
horror genre. The
blood red colour,
edginess and the
fang-like stylisation all
create a unique
house style with clear
meaning.
Using an actress
known for her
sexiness, is a great
selling point for films.
Stereotypically, any
character involved in
sexual activities will
consequently lead in
their downfall or
death. We can tell
that something has
tainted her beauty by
the fanged teeth and
blood shown. Her
white vest top,
connoting innocence,
is also blood stained;
reflective of her
tainted innocence.
A well known actress
name is featured to
draw attention to the
reader and capture
their attention.
6. The font used here is
associated with
anonymous threats,
raising fear and
anxiety.
Empire’s title font is
so distinctive and
populated, that the
image can cover part
of it and readers can
still identify the
magazine without
losing some of the
central image too.
The villain choice in
Batman is very clever.
Following a quote
from Shakespeare’s
‘Macbeth’ “Look like
the innocent flower,
but be the serpent
beneath it”, deception
from someone who’s
meant to be safe and
innocent is in fact
portrayed as fearful.
Role reversal is
common in horror
movies, showing you
can’t trust anyone and
raising awareness of
that among people.
This font looks like
scrawny handwriting,
as if written in a rush
as a result of danger
or by a dead villain.
The heavy make up
worm by the joker, is
acting like a mask in
order to hide identity.
The pale white face,
shows the play on
innocence again, the
red lips connoting
danger and blood
and the black eyes
symbolising
darkness and
mystery.
7. Even without masks,
the make-up is still
quite fearful. We can
tell this magazine isn’t
recent due to the
coloration and quality
of images, yet is still
portrayed as ‘scary’
without the
postmodern influence.
Sex is a theme
integrated into horror.
Characters taking part
in sexual encounters
are likely to be
victimised and lead to
death. It foreshadows
doom within the
movie.
The alien shown as
the central image
could be seen as an
object of fear. The
misplacement of eyes
on the hands and the
skin of the alien
makes the audience
‘freak out’ at what is
presented.
The little thumbnails
to support the story
are a great seller for
the magazine, it gives
the audience a visual
insight to the story
advertised.
