Project developed for English 102, Global Issues, at Wilbur Wright College in Chicago in 2013.

1. Luciana M. Pereira
Professor Helen Doss
English Composition 102 C8
Film Poster Analysis
American History X
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2. Outline
American History X
• Synopsis
• Film`s Thesis & My Thesis
• Quick View to the 3 Posters
• Slide 1- USA
• Slide 2- Germany
• Slide 3- Korea
• Comparing the Slides
• Conclusion- Most Effective
• Conclusion- Less Effectives
• Works Cited
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3. Synopsis
American History X is a story about two
young brothers, Derek (Edward Norton), who is a
skinhead and leader of a Neo-Nazi group, and
Danny (Edward Furlong), his little brother. They
have their lives transformed after Derek kills two
black men and goes to jail for 3 years. After many
situations in jail, Derek changes his concepts and
back to the streets he decides to keep his
brother far from that violent world.
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4. Film`s Thesis
My Own Thesis
The main point of the film is that racism does not
make anybody’s life better. But contrarily, can put you
and everything that you have and love down,
transforming lives forever because of violence.
The film is successful in presenting and convincing
its audience because the choices made by the director,
Kaye, (actors, narrative style, setting, music, and colors)
are cleaver, and everything in this plot is used as a way to
remember the audience that this is a film about racism,
even though some meanings are inferred in the scenes.
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5. Quick View to the 3 Posters
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6. Pereira 6
Slide 1
USA
Intended Audience
Most men over 17 years old that
like drama, violent movies, and
real stories that happen in our
society.
Central Message of the
Poster
The message of it is how proud
these two young men are to be
part of a Neo-Nazi group and
they defend with honor the
supremacism regime.

7. Calm but
proud
Loyalty Swastika
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Slide 1
USA
Skinheads
Respect
Powerful
ideology
Ethos
Pathos
To show
the main
characters
of the film.
To use
black and
white.
To mix
photographic
with painting.
White
Skin
Black and
white has
opposite
meanings
Designer choses to:
To show the
symbols of
Nazism.

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Slide 1
USA
Kairos
Logos
1
3
2
The Swastika and
skinheads
convinces us that
the movie is
about
supremacism.
Audience is
convinced that
the focus of this
film will be in
Norton`s
character.
Once that it has
Neo-Nazis, the film
also involves
violence and heavy
scenes.
And Furlong
will appears
in second
plan.

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Slide 2
Germany
Intended Audience
Adults, male that like American
movies that involves action and also
some kind of drama.
ER IST SEIN BRUDER. UND SEIN OPFER.
Translation for English:
HE IS HIS BROTHER. AND HIS VICTIM.
Central Message of the Poster
It`s a story about a man that is
involved with violence, making his
own brother his victim.

10. Hidden
Imposes
himself
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Slide 2
Germany
Ethos
Pathos
To show
the main
characters
of the film.
To keep
its main
colors
red and
black.
To mix
photographic
with
painting.
Seriousness
Protection
Red color =
Power,
Danger.
Young
guys
To hide the
Swastika or
Nazism`
symbols clearly.
Fearless
Black color
= Death
Designer choses to:

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Slide 2
Germany
Kairos
Logos
Designer
convinces us
that is just an
American
movie.
That it is a
drama with two
brothers.
Norton is the
first main
character that
will protects his
brother.
It has nothing
with Neo-
Nazism and
Germany`s past.
1 2

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Slide 3
Korea
Intended Audience
Adults, most male that enjoy
American violent movies, but also
that involves justice.
The poster translation for English is,
“Describing again a story of
violence.”
Central Message of the Poster
It`s another violent American story
that involves a young man, but
justice will be make in the end.

13. Impotent
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Slide 3
Korea
Ethos
To remove the
character`s
swastika.
To show Derek
in his position
when
arrested, with
handcuffs.
To mix
photographic
with
painting.
To use
shades of
gray.
Gray= color
between black
and white;
undecided; in
transition.
To show just
Derek in the
it.
Pathos
Not so
proud!
Powerless
Feckless
Designer choses to:

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Slide 3
Korea
Kairos
Logos
Audience is
convinced that is
a story about
violence and
crime.
Norton is a
criminal guy.
About an
American story
that is not
involved with
other country.
Norton will
pay in jail for
his crimes.
1
2
3

15. Comparing the slides
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16. Conclusion - Most Effective
It shows how
proud they
are/were for
this ideology.
It uses black
and white as in
the movie
scenes in the
past.
The name of
the film is in a
visible size.
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Because it shows the
Nazism symbols,
mainly the Swastika
(does not hide
information).
Danny always behind
Derek, as a way to
show that Derek is
his brother influence
for bad or good.
It shows both main
characters once
that the film is
about both
brothers.
It makes clear that
the movie is about
intolerance, so
involves violence.
It makes clear
in images the
thesis of the
film.

17. Conclusion- Less Effectives
* In a way to get the audience in Germany and Korea, the designers of
these posters opted to hide Derek`s swastika Tattoo, but hiding information
many times can be a problem, causing a lot of bad critics and reviews, once
that the media was not clear enough with the audience.
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It hides the
symbols of
Nazism, ignoring
the past in
German`s history
and how sad was
the Holocaust.
It shows just
Derek, even
though Danny is
also a main
character.
The name of
the film is
too small.
However, uses
well the
handcuff on his
hand , which
shows
punishment.
Uses well the
red and black
colors (Danger
and Death).
Uses well the two
brothers, showing
that Derek is Danny`s
influence, for good or
bad.

18. Works Cited
American History X. Advertisiment.
www.nordicposters.com. 22 Oct. 2013
American History X. Advertisiment.
www.moviepostersdb.com. 22 Oct. 2013
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