The document describes common design elements and techniques used on horror film covers. Many covers use dark colors like black, dark reds and oranges contrasted with white. They often feature the main antagonist or protagonist in the central area and include the film's title either at the top or bottom center. Additional common elements are weapons, spooky imagery, critics' ratings, slogans and age restrictions in the corners. The covers aim to depict the tone and key characters of the films through stylised fonts, positioning and selective use of color.

1. Horror Film Covers

2. The Town that dreaded sundown
Knife (weapon)
Use of dark colours
Main antagonist on the
front
A more stylised font used
for the title etc.
Use of light colours like red
(blood) and orange (fire)
Almost ‘empty’
background - skull
Title at the centre
bottom of the
cover
Antagonist (main
character) in the centre
middle of the cover
Use of the colour white
– to contrast against
darker colours

3. Deliver us from evil
Use of the colour
red (blood)
Use of the colour
black
Religious symbols
(crucifix)
Main character at
the top of the cover
Main character
More stylised font
Disordered room -
setting
Title in the centre
of the cover
Use of the colour white – to contrast against
darker colours

4. The Town that dreaded sundown
Use of the colour
red (blood)
Use of the colour white
– to contrast against
darker colours
Use of the
colour black
More stylised font
Main character -
protagonist
Main character positions at
the bottom centre of the
cover
Title at the centre
middle of the cover
Gun (weapon)
Fire
Slogan

5. The Town that dreaded sundown
Use of plain colours
(black and white)
Use of the colour red
(blood)
Main character
Main character
positioned on the
bottom centre of the
cover Title positioned on
the middle centre of
the cover
Creepy woods as
background - setting
Use of strange
(maybe religious)
symbol Stylised font
Age restrictions –
bottoms corners

6. The Town that dreaded sundown
Use of the colour red
(blood)
More stylised
font
Title at the bottom
centre of the cover
Use of the colour black
Main characters
Imagery/main character at
the centre middle of the
cover
Slogan
Critics statements
and ratings
Age restriction –
bottom corners

7. The Town that dreaded sundown
Stylised font
Use of the colour red
(blood)
Critic ratings
Title top centre of
the cover
Main character below the
title
Main character
(antagonist
Use of the colour
white
Spooky imagery
(skull?)
Age restriction a –
bottom corners

8. mama
Use of the colour white
– contrasts the darker
colours
Use of darker colours
(grey, black, etc.)
Age restrictions in the
bottom corners of the
cover
Stylised font
Title at top centre of
the cover
Main characters
(antagonist)
Main characters – fill
most of the cover
background
Film Slogan
Use of the colour
black

9. American Psycho
Mask – hidden nature
Extensive use
of the colour
white
Main character Title middle centre of
Stylised font
Film slogan
the cover
Main character in the
background of the
whole cover
Age restriction
in the corner of
he cover

10. The Exorcist
Title at the top
centre of the
cover
Age restriction at the
bottom corner of the
cover
Use of the colour
black
Use of lighter colour to
contract black
Main character –
protagonist or
antagonist?
Main character
positioned near the
middle centre of the
cover
Film setting in the
background of the
cover
More stylised font

11. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Main character
Main character (antagonist)
takes up most of the
background of the
cover
Critics reviews
Title at the bottom centre
of the cover
Stylised font
Use of the colour red
(blood)
Use of the colour black
Use of the colour
white
Age restriction in the
bottom corner of the
cover

12. The silence of the lambs
Title of the film at
the top centre of the
cover
Use of the colour white
to contrast black
Stylised font for
the title
Red/orange colour
used (fire/blood)
Main character
Face of main character
(protagonist) in the
background
Use of the colour
black
Age restrictions –
bottoms corners
Moth – significant
to the plot