Analysis of horror movie posters.

Featuring: The Amityville Horror, Mirrors, Sinister, The Woman In Black and Saw.

I have chosen to analyse the film poster of the horror film ‘The Amityville Horror’. I chose to use this film as you can see what appears to be a house centred in the middle of the poster so you can see that this is what the film will be based on. We are looking up at the house and the man which gives them both power. The main colours in this poster is black, red, grey and a dimmed light. The colour red on the title has connotations of blood and violence and that the letter Y extends which suggests the title is dripping down as if it was blood. The dimmed misty light upon the house draws the attention to it and the figure in front of the house tells us that there is some sort of killer involved. On the side of the darkness it has the phrase ‘katch em & kill em’ which suggests to the audience that there’s someone watching them in the film and how it looks like it’s been scratched into something. Also below the title it states that the film itself is based on a true story which tells you that something like this can happen and can make people want to go see the film even more. Just above the title there is what looks like a faded newspaper article with the words ‘says she was Possessed’ which also brings more to the film as not only has the poster got someone with a weapon in the centre, it talks about possession.

‘Katch em & kill em’ appears to be scratched into something.

Newspaper story that says ‘says she was Possessed’.

Says ‘From the director of Texas Chainsaw Massacre’.

Blood like title as it looks like the blood is dripping down from the Y.

States that it’s based on a true story so it’s realistic.

Old house that we’re looking up at which tells the audience that that is where the movie will be based in.

I have chosen to analyse the film poster for the horror movie ‘Mirrors’. In this poster the main attention drawing thing is what seems to be half of the face of a screaming woman. You can only see half of the mouth like the mouth was being pulled apart which is what happens in the film and the face seems to be emerging from the darkness behind her. The woman’s stand out as she is widening her eyes in fear which suggests that she is being tortured in some way. There is also a tint of red smeared across her face which has connotations of blood and violence. The title is also in red which has the same connotations as the darker shade smeared across her face. The title itself emphasizes that the film is about mirrors as the second R in is reflected back from the other R as a mirror would. At the top of the poster it says ‘From the director of ‘The hills have eyes’ which can attract fans from the famous movie ‘The hills have eyes’ and make them want to see if this film is as good as Kiefer Sutherland’s other famous film.

Director of another famous film which will attract fans of that movie to go and see this one.

Half of a face of what looks like a screaming woman suggesting torture.

What looks like blood smeared across her face.

Famous director of other films which will attract fans from his other films.

Backwards R in a mirror effect to emphasize the fact the film is about mirrors.

Black background that has connotations of danger.

I have chosen to analyse the horror movie poster for the new movie ‘Sinister’. In this poster you are instantly drawn to the little girl smearing a picture of what looks like a clown on the wall in blood with her hand. They’ve used a child in the movie and the poster so people will then have sympathy for her because she’s vulnerable. The blood of the wall created into a clown like character tells the audience that there is some significance to it and it implies that that’s what the film is about. Also the tag line underneath the title ‘Once you see him, nothing can save you.’ which suggests danger and that something will hurt them which emphasises the horror movie genre. At the top of the poster is says ‘from the producer of ‘paranormal activity’ and ‘insidious’ which will make fans of those famous films want to come and see this film to see if it compares to those films. The cracks in the wall (background) suggest that something made those happen and meant to damage the wall suggesting violence. The little girl is dragging the blood across the wall with her hand which will make the audience question why she’s doing it and that a little ‘innocent’ girl wouldn’t do that by choice so someone or something has made her do it.

Little girl which will gain sympathy and suggests she’s vulnerable.

Famous films are mentioned to gain fans of them famous films to come and see this film to see if it’s as good as those.

Creepy tag line that suggests to the audience that he’s waiting to be seen and suggests danger.

Little girl has smeared blood across the wall into a face of a clown which causes the audience to ask questions as to why she’s done that.

I have chosen to analyse the horror movie poster for ‘the Woman in Black’. The main attraction in this poster is the woman dressed in black in the centre of the poster. The colour black has connotations of danger which implies that she is dangerous. Also in front of her are what looks to be the ghosts of young children which will gain sympathy for them. It also leaves the audience wondering why there are ghosts of children in front of her and make people want to go and see the film to find out why. At the top of the poster it states the main actor in the film Daniel Radcliffe who is in the very famous and popular movies Harry Potter. It will make the audience want to see what the actor is doing now that Harry Potter has ended so they will go and see this film. The tag line underneath the woman in black ‘she’ll never let go.’ will make them want to go and see the movie to find out what the tag line means and if it has any relevance to both the woman in the centre of the poster and the ghosts of innocent children in front of her. The background of the poster is in the middle of nowhere which implies there is no help for them. The title is white which has connotations of innocence and purity which differs from the concept of the film.

Famous actors name to draw an audience from his previous films.

A woman dressed in black which refers to the title of the film and she’s in the centre of the poster.

Ghosts of what looks like children which will gain sympathy for them as they represent innocence but the fact they’re ghosts makes the audience wonder why.

The tagline ‘she’ll never let go’ makes the audience want to know what it means.

The background is in the middle of nowhere which suggests there will be no help.

The title is in white which has connotations of innocence and purity which differs from the concept of the film.