This document analyzes and summarizes several horror movie posters. It discusses elements like color, font, images, language and layout used in the posters and how they relate to horror movie conventions. For each poster, it examines things like how the dark colors create an eerie atmosphere, how the fonts appear ghostly or jagged, how central images hide identities or show violence, and how minimal language and positioning of text is typical for the genre. Overall, it provides insights into how visual design features of posters communicate genre and tone for horror movies.

1. Horror Film
Poster Research and
Analysis
By Harry Appleyard

2. Mist – Connotations of
mystery. Creates a
wintry atmosphere.
Tree without leaves
hidden in fog. Symbol
of death?
Serif font presented in
red, fading from bright
to dark, resembling
blood. Capitals possibly
used to attract male
audiences.
Link to website, giving
target audiences the
chance to keep up-to-
date with the
promotion of the film
through use of other
media.
An exact date for the
film’s release is not
shown, suggesting this
is an early
poster, possibly first
released in 2004.
Girl wearing old, dirty
clothes and only
partially visible
amongst the fog.
Appears ghost-like. Eye
level suggests she holds
the same level of power
as those viewing the
poster.
Girl appears to walking
towards the tree.
Possibly a significant
part of the plot.
Cast and crew names as
well as production
company logos.
Target audience often
interested in horror
stories based on true
events.
Character’s identity is
hidden, creating
connotations of
mystery. Friend or foe?

3. Woodland – Common
setting for horror films.
Often linked with
mystery.
Surrounded by
darkness.
Vulnerable, lost and
afraid.
Red and white stand
out well from the
background, drawing
attention to the Blair
Witch symbol and text.
The documentary and
footage are not
described, encouraging
audiences to see the
film.
Production companies
shown and website
address, which unlike
other movie website
names, does not
featuring the word
“film” or
“movie”, suggesting the
film or the Blair Witch
is real.
Font appears
jagged, resembling
branches of trees.
Direct address, creating
personal relationships
with viewers. Camera
shot used is eye level,
suggesting the
character holds the
same amount of power
as the poster’s viewers.

4. Eye shine and blood
suggest the doll is
living. Dolls are
commonly associated
with the horror genre.
Cracks could be linked
to the doll’s old
age, but may have been
used to resemble veins.
Font written in large
capitals, which are
likely to attract male
audiences more than
female audiences.
Tagline used to give
ideas about the film’s
plot. Death often
associated with the
genre.
Certificate is “R”, indicating this is an
American poster. In the UK, the movie
is rated 15.
Like many other posters, this includes
names of cast and crew, but not a
release date, suggesting this is an early
poster.
Font appears to be
moving/fading, seemin
g faint and
ghostly, suggesting the
film will relate to the
paranormal.
Lighting varies, giving
various connotations.
Brighter light on the left
could be linked to
positivity and the light
on the right could be
linked to mystery and
dark themes.

5. By Georgina Cross

6. C- The colours on the magazine are very stereotypical to this kind of supernatural horror
movie. For example, the colour red connotes the death and destruction that it in the movie. As
well as this, it could show the amount of blood that is included in the movie. The dark green
colour in the leaves shows that the movie has been shot in some woods which is very
stereotypical in a horror movie as they are usually set in similar locations.
F-The font used on the cover on this magazine is not very conventional to the usual magazine
promoting this genre. This is because the font is quite normal looking. However the word
‘demon’ is written in a different font which makes it stand out from the rest of the writing on
the magazine cover.
I-the image that has been used on the front of the magazine
cover is really effective because it is set in the stereotypical
location for a horror movie, in the woods. As well as
this, because there is a field that looks quite abandoned, one
man being stood in it makes it look quite scary and like the
person with the camera shouldn’t be there.
LL- The language used on the poster is quite simplistic and uses
key words that would relate to the horror movie genre. As well
as this, the layout is also quite stereotypical of a horror magazine
as it has the main, quite dark images spread across the page with
the writing over it.

7. C- The colours used on this poster are quite different from the previous one because they are
much darker and are full of browns, blacks and grey. This connotes the darkness of the movie
and it also makes it seem quite mysterious. As well as this, the face on the poster is filled with
similar colours which makes it hard to make out.
F- The font used on this poster is quite stereotypical of
the horror genre. The thin letters makes the poster look
cold and eerie and it also gives a hint to the audience as
to what kind of scary movie it is. For example, by the font
I would guess that this is a movie that is based around
paranormal events, similar of that which we intend to
base our trailer around.
I- The main image on this poster is very mysterious as
you can’t really make up the main features on their
persons face making it difficult to work out what will
be going on in the movie. This is good because it
keeps the audience interested and makes them want
to read it.
LL- The layout is, similar to the last one, stereotypical
of the horror genre as the main image takes up the
writing on the top of the image. There is not much
language used on here and therefore it is makes it
seem mysterious as you do not know much about it.

8. C- The colours used on this poster are similar to the others and are quite dark, using blue’s and
other dark colours. The white of the face in the middle makes it stand out from the rest of the
page, this is similar to the teeth as they stand out because the inside of her mouth is black and
so is the surrounding area.
F- The font used on this magazine is once again
similar to the previous ones at the letters are thin
and look very cold. As well as this, the tinge of
light on the tops of the letters makes it stand out
from the rest of the poster, even though the main
image is the most eye catching aspect.
I- The main image on the page is the most eye
catching aspect. The way that the face takes up
the majority of the page is similar to that of the
conventional poster for the genre. As well as
this, the special effects have been added in really
well, especially the glass shattering around it.
LL- There is not much language used on the page
but the line at the top of the poster, ‘rest in pieces’
coincides with that in the picture. The layout is
similar to that of every other horror poster as there
is a background image with the writing layered on
the top.

9. C- The colours on this poster are similar to that which you would find on the conventional poster
for this genre. The dark colours such as blue, black and grey add a eerie and mystical feel to the
poster itself. However it is different from the conventions in the way that they use orange as the
colour for the texts to most probably connote the colour of a pumpkin that you would see on
Halloween.
F- The font on this is once again similar to that of the
conventional horror movies as it is long and thin.
However the word ‘Halloween’ is written in a slightly
thicker font which makes it stand out from the page
and the conventional poster of the genre.
I- The main image on the page is once again a face
that takes up the majority of the page. The colours
used on the faces gives a dark and cold feel and it
makes the audience question who this face belongs
to. As well as this, the knife that is being held up by
his face shows that the movie has some violence and
may be gruesome.
LL- The language used on here is conventional to
that of the genre and also has the tag line written at
the top. As well as this, it also has all of the extra
information at the bottom of the page which is also
conventional to that of the genre.

10. Bradley Clarke

11. Colour
Font
Image
Language
Layout
Bright lighting on one side
of child’s face, showing
innocence, but the other
side of her face is hidden.
This is the only light source
on the entire image,
showing she is the focus.
Majority of space is
taken by darker
colours and the
mother figure.
Mother is dirty, showing possible
neglect. Or possibly emphasising
how long she has been dead.
Bradley Clarke
Butterflies have
connotations of
lifelines and
playfulness, much like
a child, but in this
image they are
colourless and possible
not alive.
Serif font shows femininity and
correlates with the name of the
movie. The glow around the
lettering shows possible purity
but it is not bright showing that
the subject may not be as pure as
it seems.
Lack of text helps keep the enigma codes.
The girl is holding onto the mother,
showing there is a strong bond, even
if the mother is deceased.

12. Pitch black takes up
the majority of the
poster, signifying
evil, darkness and
mystery.
Colour purple has
connotations of
mystery and magic.
Possibly hinting that
there is something to
do with these themes
in the film.
Tag line is a good
example of an enigma
code, leads the
audience to wonder
why this man is going
to this house.
The silouette is in a
beam of light showing
that his identity is
secret. The light
surrounds him
showing his purity.
Colour
Font
Image
Language
LayoutBradley Clarke

13. Colour
Font
Image
Language
Layout
Blood on the saw leads
the audience to
believe that it was
used to sever the hand
from its owner
Savage cut from its
owner showing it was
forced. Blood trickles
and spatters also show
that they were
probably still alive.
Dirty fingers to show
that possible
imprisonment in a
dirty place. Also shows
that its owner might
not be pure.
Custom font which is
in a dark red, with the
red giving
connotations of
danger and blood, and
the darker nature
giving meanings of evil
and darkness.
White background
could have
connotations of purity
but this contrasts with
the bloodied saw and
the cut off limb.