This document provides analyses of two horror film posters - The Woman in Black (2012) and The Amityville Horror (2005). For the first poster, it examines the denotations and connotations of the visual elements, as well as the language of the film title and catchphrase. It analyzes the text, framing, character representation, setting/location, and color symbolism used. For the second poster, a similar analysis is performed looking at denotations, language elements, text analysis, framing, character representation, color symbolism, setting, and how stereotypes are reinforced.

1. Assignment 10: Two Horror
Poster Analysis
Gelsomina
Kelly
Tayla
Chelsea

2. Film 1: The Woman in Black
(2012)
Film 2: Amityville Horror
(2005)

3. Film 1
The Woman In Black (2012)
Gelsomina & Kelly

4. Denotations and Connotations
Women dressed in
black looking
towards faded
children.
Standing in the middle
of no where.
The authority which the
women in black projects is
that she may have been the
mother of these children as
in Victorian society, there
was many death of children
and therefore she could be
looking at their ghosts.
Stereotypically, a horror
is based in a haunted
house in the middle of
nowhere and as there
are ghosts in the middle
of no where, this hints
towards that there may
be a haunted house in
the movie.

5. Language of Film Title & Catchphrase
• “She’ll never let go”.
• It gives the sense of possessiveness, attachment, forever a
curse or evilness.
• On the other hand, it should be a sense of loving or
mourning.
• The tone is echoing and eerie which fit into the genre of
horror.
• The mode of address gives the impression as if someone
is directing telling us the catchphrase from their personal
experience.
• The Woman in Black has many interpretations. For
example, by calling it ‘The Woman’ it means that it is a
specific women. However, it can be gathered that this is
because she has no name and therefore is referred to her
gender and costume.
• The ‘Black’ can either mean she is a women in mourning
or she is a women of evil intentions.
• The tone is harsh and straight to the point.
•The mode of address is direct to The Women in Black. It is
a descriptive basic imagery of her.

6. Text Analysis
• The main actors name is at the top of the poster.
• This is a way of marketing the movie as Daniel Radcliffe
naturally has a big fan base due to Harry Potter and
therefore, by mentioning his name in a big font, creates a
larger audience and large profit.
•The Women in Black is in large Victorian font which fits in with
the time period in which the movie is based in.
• The effect on the font seems ghostly as it is faded white
which fits into the story line of the film.
• ‘Women’ and ‘Black’ are bigger than the other two words
which shows emphasis on her. This could be because it is a
form of identification towards her and how she is referred too.

7. Framing and CAM SAMC
• There seems to be ghost
children in the background
and she seems to be looking
at them. This shows a sense a
dominance towards them and
a sense of importance.
• She is placed in the middle of
the frame which means that out
attention goes straight to her.
• Furthermore, she is isolated
which adds to how our attention
draws to her immediately.
• From this we can gather that
she may be the women in black.
• The long shot is used to show
her costume more which also
links to the audience realising
that she may be the women in
black.

8. Character Representation
The children are
faded showing that
they could be
ghosts. It also
demeans them and
makes them seem
less important
unlike the woman.
We are then able
to understand that
the woman is the
main character
This character has been
represented as a Victorian
lady through her costume.
There's a wide shot of the
women in black in front of
little children suggesting
how she's has control.

9. Setting/Location
The setting is not clear
as it is in black and
grey. However, it
seems as if the
location is in the
middle of nowhere
which fits into the
horror stereotype.
Even though the
location is not clear, it
is obvious that she is
outside as there is a
lake behind the ghost
children.
Misty and mysterious
which adds to the layer
of horror as it makes
the setting unclear.

10. Colour Symbolism
The colour white
symbolises the children’s
purity.
The poster is mostly in
black symbolising
death of the place.
The colour black of the
woman's dress suggest how
•
She's evil
• Heartless/unhappy
It can also symbolise the
anger and fear of the
character

11. Stereotypes
• What are the stereotypes in your genre?
The stereotypes in our genre usually involves an abandoned house or a house situated
in the middle of no where being haunted by one or multiple ghosts.
• Are they reinforced or challenged in your
poster?
•
This stereotype is reinforced as we see ghost children in the background looking
towards ‘the Women in Black’ and the setting/location looks disserted which fits
into the ghost/horror conventions.

12. Film 2
The Amityville Horror
Tayla & Chelsea

13. Denotation/Connotation
A house
A man
walking
towards the
house
A shotgun
A catchphrase
This is perhaps the house
that the family are living
and experiencing strange
occurrences in
This could either show someone
attempting to intrude or the
male trying to protect his family
This could either
represent a man being
protective or
intentionally trying to
cause harm
This based on a true
story catchphrase
causes the audience
to be more on edge
and nervous about
watching the film

14. Language of Film Title & Catchphrase
Amityville Horror
The film is based on a true story that occurred in Amityville which is a
village in the town of Babylon in New York.
Using ‘The’ gives the title purpose and emphasises the reality of this
Horror.
The title evidently gives the genre of the film by using Horror in the
title.
The catchphrase: “Almighty God , Bless and Sanctify this House’’ this is
typically what you would find happening in a exorcism suggesting that
the storyline is supernatural.

15. Text Analysis
Dark colours of black are used to generate the Horror genre. By
making the text large and red it makes the title stand out and
suggests blood and gore.
Amityville is texted much larger than the rest of the title
which allocates the setting.
Gothic font creates the sense of horror and also the
religious aspect to the supernatural. The colour red
connotes blood

16. Framing & CAM SAMC
By placing a long shot of a character in the middle without detail
perhaps portrays and un identified character and creates more
mystery to the plot. It also shows that the darkness of the
character indicates that the paranormal have possessed this
character. This is re enforced through his posture of slouching.
The house is made the largest object in the poster which suggests
its daunting allocation especially as it is the main setting based on
the true story.
The size of the character and house perhaps shows the intense
supernatural activity happening in the house compared to the
character who is portrayed small and vulnerable when compared.

17. Character representation
The character in this poster appears to be holding a
shotgun whilst heading in the direction of the house.
This shows that he is trying to protect his family from
what is inside the house. However due to his posture
you are able to tell that he is weak, perhaps due to the
strength of what is in the house.
His ‘slouchy’ posture could suggest the possession of
the demonic figure is controlling his movements.

18. Colour symbolisation
The greenish tint in this section of the poster is
often used to identify the paranormal, an
example of this would be the exorcist
The black symbolises darkness which is associated
with most horror films
The characters white t-shirt symbolises innocence but as it
is tarnished with blood it suggests his innocence has been
taken from him.
The title of the poster is written in red symbolising
bloodshed, this also links to the shotgun that the
man holds.

19. Setting/location
The poster is set just outside the family
home, this indicates that the family home is
the bases of the film. An association with
homes in horror films usually tends to lead to
the family becoming victims either through
hauntings or trespassers.
The woodland is a stereotypical aspect of horror
films, along with paranormal. The poster combines
the two to create a fusion of stereotypes, perhaps
trying to contrast being trapped with escape

20. Stereotypes
• What are the stereotypes in your genre?
•
The stereotypes in our genre are usually involving people running through
woods, becoming possessed or a masked murderer.
• Are they reinforced or challenged in your
poster?
•
These stereotypes are reinforced in the poster as the colour symbolisation
represents paranormal activity and the trees suggest there is a forest involved