"Saw" Film Poster Analysis

This poster is from the film 'Saw'

Most commonly known for its connotations with torture and pain, I think this poster fits in well.

The simple image creates a huge, cringing impact on the viewer. This makes them maybe feel some pain just looking at it (I definately can feel a toothache coming on...)

The image is a good representation of the film, as the same experiences are shared throughout all seven grousome editions. Any first time viewer with expectations from this poster would not have any disappointment.

Aside from the teeth, there is a very subtle reference to an actual saw at the top of the poster. This is to reiterate the name of the film, which has been made to look like part of the main image.

The same font for the film title is used in every film, so any returning Saw viewers would see this as an iconic image of the film.

The colour scheme is also very important to the poster. This is because every Saw film poster is essentially the same, with a different image to accompany it. Here are some examples

"Orphan" Film Poster Analysis

This film poster is for the film 'Orphan'

First glances at this poster made me feel quite uneasy, which I suppose was the desired effect.

They have broken the stereotype of not seeing the face of the 'bad guy' (or girl) on the poster. Somehow, I think this has worked out very well.

A common image used to creep people out is the Little Girl.

This little girl has a piercing stare which looks straight at you. I think this is why I felt uneasy at first.

We assume this girl is the main character, and probably the villan within the plot. The name 'Orphan' fits well with this main image, as the girl appears to be alone. Another common 'little girl' feature is the use of 'old fashioned' appearance. For example, a frock with collars and ribbons around her pigtails. This image is used alot to give the idea of strange goings on. This trait was most commonly shown in the original 'Nightmare on Elm Street' films, where young girls dressed similarly to this one would play hopscotch just before Freddy appeared.

The font of the title also works well, as they have purposely made it look like the handwriting of a small child.

There are an unusual 2 taglines on this poster.

'THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH ESTHER'

and

'CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?'

This creates a code of enigma for the film, 'what IS wrong with Esther?'

The billing block is also kept to a minimum as not to distract you from the eyes of the girl.

"Identity" Film Poster Analysis

This poster is from the film 'Identity'

It is a very minimalistic poster, which has a very clever main image.

At first glance, the main image looks like just a handprint, but if you look more closely there are clues to the film within it.

The fingers of the print are actually the shapes of the characters within the film. After seeing the film, I then made the connection of why each person is a 'finger'.

The plot of the film includes five people stranded at a motel in a storm. As each person gets killed in turn, they realise they all have things in common, such as hometowns, birthdays, reasons for being on the road, and many other traits. I thought this might be the reason for them all being slightly linked in the poster. However, I then got to the end of the film and found they were all just a figment of someone's mind. Someone who suffered from schizophrenia. This then explained why the handprint was so pivital, as all of the characters were actually the same person.

I thought this image was very clever but very simple.

The colour scheme is kept to a minimum, possibly to make the viewer focus on the main image

I really like this poster and may take some features from it to expand my own subsidary task

"The Collector" Film Poster Analysis

This poster is from the film 'The Collector'

I think the darkness of the poster sets a mysterious atmosphere, as there is limited view of our surroundings. The setting of the house makes the viewer more worried as it is a relatable atmosphere.

The fact we cannot see the persons' face is a common Psychological Thriller trait, as it leaves a sense of mystery and fear as to who the assuming murderer is.

I like the use of bold red text for the film title, as it stands out very clearly from the background which is prodominantly black and grey

The film poster also includes 'FROM THE WRITERS OF SAW IV, I & VI'.

This would set a standard of what is expected from the film from audiences of the other films the writer has been involved with.

They also include a rating at the top of the poster, trying to show critics have watched the film and rated it four stars out of five. The rating is also from 'Empire' magazine, which is a magazine aimed at the same target audience of the film.

Overall, I think this is a very effective film poster!