This document analyzes film posters for classical noir and neo noir films. For the classical noir poster of "Killers", it summarizes that the poster uses symbolism like the male cradling the femme fatale to show her manipulation of him, and two men carrying guns and casting shadows to represent violence and the protagonists hiding from their crimes. For the neo noir poster of "The Dark Knight", it summarizes that the dark color scheme represents violence and doom, while modern elements like the billing box update the classic noir style for modern audiences. The analysis provides insight into features to include in a noir film poster.

1. Film Poster Analysis – Noir and
Neo Noir
Josh Clarke

2. Classical Noir Poster
In this poster you can see the distribution company, main actors,
the director and a clear title. The image is full of symbolism and
meaning, lets start with the female and the male. Their stance, it
is typical of classical noir films, the man is seen to be cradling the
femme fatale, almost protecting her yet the female seems
disinterested. This is typical of noir as the femme fatale is known
to manipulate the protagonist and bend him to her will, this is
exemplified through the picture.
The two men at the bottom carrying guns and casting shadows is
also typical of noir, the guns connote violence and crime which is
a huge key theme of noir and the shadow is a form of chiaroscuro
lighting, casting images through light. The shadow also symbolises
more than that, though. The two men are seen to be looking back,
almost to check what is behind them in their shadows, and the
male and female are within those shadows, connoting that they
are hiding from the two men, and hiding from the world what
they have done, this is also typical of noir and a key theme.

3. • The colour scheme is does not have huge
inferences or connotations, the red of the
title could be seen to connote blood and
danger, especially as the word is ‘Killers’. A
more interesting inference would be the fact
that the clothes of the female and male
seem to be of the same colour of the
shadow they are hiding in, again implying
they are keeping something from the world.
• This poster has given me insight into
features that I should incorporate into my
film poster, like symbolism, and the
connotations of encoded pictures such as
the male and femme fatale.

4. Neo Noir
This is the poster for ‘The Dark Knight’. It has many elements of
noir in it, but in a more updated way. For example, the colour
scheme is extremely dark and grey which connotes violence and
could potentially go as far as to say a sense of impending doom,
which is another typical convention of noir. The only exception
being the bat-shaped fire, which is creating smoke – another
typical convention of noir.
The billing box at the bottom is also another more modern take
of film posters that is not seen on classical noir.
The low angle of the protagonist on the screen makes it seem as
if he is someone of power and influence, yet the clothes he is
wearing are dark and drab, implying another side to him?
Unreliable narrators are key conventions of noir.
This poster is really useful in the sense that it tells me the types
of features of classical noir that need to be implemented into my
poster so it remains of that genre, but how updated takes on it
can keep it looking new and refreshed for a wider target
audience.