An analysis of the 'Friday the 13th' film poster.

1. Poster Analysis: Friday The 13th
Thisposteris an analysisof ‘Fridaythe 13th
’,a horror filmthatpromotesthe slashersub-genre.The
filmssummaryplotincludesamaskedpsychoticmankillingagroup of teenagers,playing almosta
wildgoose chase inthe forestas well assome scenesbeingsetinahighschool. Thisposterfollows
the most traditional horrorslasherconventions.Thisposterfollowsbothgeneral andthe typical
conventionsof the compositionof the poster.The mainimage of the posteristhe forefrontof this
filmposterasit encompassesthe antagonistof the filmwhichisthe main focusof the filmas he is
the thrill of the film.Thissohappenstocreate a symbiosisbetweenthe filmandthe poster.
Whenpromotinga horror filmitisonlyconventionalforthe antagonisttobe promoted,every
horror filmsurroundsthe plotaroundthe maskedantagonistandhisownunique backgroundstory
and himkillinghisvictims.We cantell thatthisis a slasherfilmposterbecause of the mainimage
showsa tall man toweringoverthe camerausingdirectaddresstointimidate the audience andalso

2. the use of backlightingcreatesadarkfigure of the antagonistthissuggeststhatthe fact that there Is
no lightonhimthat there isno hope. Othertext-basedconventionsfeature also,the film’stitle
placesat the bottomof the page withthe institutionalinformation,whichsitsinthe conventional
position because usuallyslasherpostersplace the antagonistata low angle whichleavesthe
antagonistmainlytakingupthe topof the page.Thisleavesonlyenoughspace forminimal
information.Featuringadditionaltext suchas‘Fromthe producersof The TexasChainsaw Massacre.
Thiswill drawthe audience in,astheymayrecognise the successof thisfilmandassure themthat
thisfilmtoowill be a successor be similar.
In termsof locationand setting the theme ismainlysurroundedbywoodlandandforestry.Thisisa
typical conventionof aslashersettingbecause itisoutof reachfrom society’shelpalso,itisa
perfectplace forthe antagonistchase hisvictimswithoutanexit.Thissettingisthe accompaniedby
the tagline stating‘Welcome toCrystal lake’.The tone of thismessage istoverymuchscare the
audience because theyknow thattheyaren’treallywelcome.Thisfilmposterdripfeedsthe
audience of whatthe narrative couldbe,as theyalreadyknow whatthe antagonistlookslike and
whathis character islike includingwhere itisandfinallypeople will be victims tothishorror. Other
than the settingandmainimage of the antagonistanotherpiece of mise-en-scene whichaddstothe
fearis lightingwhichisverydarkanddismal.Furthermore,the use of colourssuchas navy,black and
grey.The colour greyisshownina wayof smoke orfog whichsuggestshidingthe unknownfromthe
audience,blackrepresentsdeath andnohope andfinallythe navyinthe skyreflectssymbiosis
betweenthe lake andthe deathsthatsurroundsit.Thiscolourand lightingfollows basicconventions
of horrorsuch as the fear of beingindarkness.The backlightingof the mainimage suggeststhatthe
antagonistisina spotlightitlookslikehe rose fromthe dead.The fact that he blocksthe lightmakes
the audience fearof nohope or no way of freedom.
Mise-en-scene withinthe Fridaythe 13th
postersuccessfullypresentsthe sub-genre of horror
throughcostume.The antagonistisalwaysseenwearingadarkcostume,alsoa costume that
emphasisestheirphysique tolookandfeel strongerwhichaddsmuchmore fearfor the audience
and victims. The mainpiece of the costume thatmake thisposterconventional andunderstandwho
the character is,is throughthe mask,most slasherhorrorsthe antagonisthideshisidentitythrough
masksor has a disfiguredface,the audience will recognise bythe maskthatthischaracter isthe
antagonist.The use of a white mask symbolisesthe antagonist’sinnocence of hispast,suchas
havinga mental disabilitywhichsuggestsvulnerabilityandthe factthathe isstill remindedof his
late mother.Also,the factthat he hideshisdeformedface maybe due tothe fearof showingpeople
thisall can be the reasonsbehindthe white maskandshow the humane side of the antagonist.
Howeverthe factthat he is hidinghisidentitystripshimof beingahumanandfearsthe audience
and victimswill fearthisthe most.Withoutseeingaface withemotionsforvictimsandaudience to
see itcreatesdisconnectfromhumanityandcompassion.
Alternatively, iconographyfeaturedinthe mainimage of the postershowsamachete inthe
foregroundof the mainimage,thisisa conventional tool withinaslasherfilmposterbecause each
antagonisthasa signature weaponin whichhe choosestokill hisvictimswith,anditisusually
horrificandagonising.The compositionof the antagonistandthe wayhe is holdingthe machete isin
a threateningposition.Ashe isstood,feetapartmachete inhisrighthandtoweringoverthe camera
at a lowangledshot,itsuggeststhatthe audience isonthe flooraboutto get slaughteredjustashe
wouldtohisvictims.Thiscouldaccount as directaddressinwhichthe audience shouldfear.
Whenthe audience lookfurtherdownfromthe mainimage theywill come tofindthe title of the
filmwhichis‘Fridaythe 13th
’ in the colourredwhichsymbolisesbloodshedwouldbe heldonthat
day anda worldof bad luckand horror.Alsowe can see a black thinline acrossthe textwhich

3. suggestsa cut froma machete.Thisfurtherinsinuatesgore,painfulandslow deaths.Thisname will
instantlybe recognisedbyslasherfansastheyknow thisdayis a popularday thatis feared.
Whenrelatingthe title tothe narrative the factthat there are thirteenvictimsof the date of the 13th
showsthat the killingsare wellorganisedandplanned.The antagonistsisjustwaitingforhis
moment.The restof the posterdoesn’tgive anythingmore awayof the filmwhichwill encourage
the audience togo awayand viewthe filmtrailerandanyothermediathatrelatestothe release of
the film. The tagline withinthe posterhelpsanchorthe image withthe settingof the film.It
heightensthe fearforthe audience because we were alwaystoldsince childhoodnottoplayin
woodsbecause it’sdangerousandnowthatthe filmisbasedsomewhere inawoodlandsettingwith
a lake justadds thoughtsintothe audiencesheadsof whatmighthappen.Also,the use of ‘Crystal
Lake’soundsso luxuriousandappealingwhichof course iscontradictedbythe mainimage of a dark
gloomysetting.Italmostsuggeststousthat the antagonistisphrasingthe tagline andisintroducing
his‘home’andas evil ashe is the ironysuggeststhathis visionof ‘home’looksalotlike hell.
Finallythe institutional informationandthe date the filmisreleasedisplacedatthe bottomof the
posteras thisisimportantinformationtothe audience sothattheycan see whenthe filmisoutas
well asrecognisingtheirfavourite creators.However,the positionof the textandthe fontsize
suggeststhatthe informationisn’timportantenoughtograbthe audience’sattentionastheycan
viewthisanywhere onthe internetif theywantedto.Whereasthe release date isinamuch bigger
fontas it has more significance of whenaudiencescanview the film.The factthatthe release date is
at the bottomisbecause itisthe lastthingthe audience will seeandthereforethe firstthingthey
remember.
Overall,thisslasherfilmpostersuccessfullyhasshowntrue conventionsof the sub-genreandhas
able to showusthe sub-genre throughmanyelementsof mis-en-scene.Byusingthissuccessful
piece Iwill be ensuringtouse these techniqueswithinmyownmediapiece.