This document analyzes and compares two horror film posters: Day of the Dead (2008) and Alone in the Dark (2005). For the Day of the Dead poster, the analysis notes that the graveyard setting and use of red, black, and grey colors suggests danger, death, and darkness. The text placement and size also implies a focus on death. For the Alone in the Dark poster, the internal body setting and black color suggests something supernatural will possess a human. The large font of "Alone" and "Dark" and the capitalized "evil awakens" text conveys a dark, ominous tone. Both posters reinforce the horror genre stereotype of tragedy through their settings, but do not explicitly depict

1. Two Drama Posters Analysis
Kate-Lyn Aranda
Jordan Williams
Laurel Wilson Gayle

2. Film 1:
Day of the Dead
(2008)
Film 2:
Alone in the dark
(2005)

3. Film 1: Denotation/ Connotation
Graveyard
Hand The hand could show
that it’s a zombie
rising from the dead.
Because the setting
is at a graveyard, it
is normally
associated with
zombies and
darkness.

4. Film posters to analyse
Film 1:
Day of the Dead (2008)

5. Setting/ Location
• The setting/location looks
like the movie is going to be
set in a graveyard.
• The location may have
something to do with the
word “Dead” in the title.

6. Colour Symbolism
• The colours mainly
used in this poster is:
red, black and grey.
• Red is associated to
danger, blood and
death where as black
and grey can be
associated to
darkness, death and
mysteriousness.

7. Language of film title & Catch Phrases
In the catchphrase “D-Day
is coming” it may associate
with someone's death as
the background on this
poster is at a graveyard
which links back to the
catchphrase and title.

8. Text Analysis
The title of the film is in
red. Red can be associated
with blood and danger.
The words “DAY” and
“DEAD” is in a larger font
than the rest of the title.
This may imply that the
whole movie is based on
death which is expected in
a horror film.

9. Framing & CAMSAMC
A close up shot is used
to show the hand
gesture.

10. Stereotype
What are the stereotypes in your genre?
• There are stereotypes such as there will be a
tragic scene and death and one of the
characters will be a victim.
Are they reinforced or challenged in the
poster?
The stereotype of body language is portrayed
in this poster through hand gestures however
there is no evidence of death.

11. Film Posters to Analyse
Film 2:
Alone in the Dark (2005)

12. Film 2: Denotation/ Connation
Denotation: Ribcage
Connotation: This
image look as if
there is a demon/
supernatural inside
the ribcage. Denotation: Claws
Connotation: This
might give the
audience a clue as
to what

13. Setting/Location
The setting shows that it is inside a
body which associates with body/
supernatural horror.
Because in this poster the
setting is inside a body this may
give the target audience a clue
that something supernatural
will posses a human.

14. Colour Symbolism
• The colours used in this
poster is mainly black.
Black is manly associated
to darkness, death and
mysteriousness.

15. Language of film title & Catch Phrases
• The fact that “Alone” and “Dark”
stands out in a bigger font may
suggest that the whole film is set
in a dark atmosphere.
• The catchphrase “evil awakens”
supports the image as it shows it
is a human body.
• This catchphrase will make the
audience feel uneasy.
• Also, because the catchphrase is
in capitals it shows its
significance.

16. Text analysis
• Because the title is bigger
than everything suggests that
the entire film is going to be
set in darkness and there also
may be one victim.
• The catchphrase is in capitals
which shows that
something/someone evil is in
this film which will make the
audience suspicious.

17. Stereotypes
What are the stereotypes in your genre?
• There are stereotypes such as there will be a
tragic scene and death and one of the
characters will be a victim.
Are they reinforced or challenged in the poster?
• The stereotype tragedy is reinforced in our
poster through the setting in the background
but there will be no evidence of death.