Scream Poster Analysis

Scream was made in 1996 and it is about a teenage girl called Sidney who becomes the target of a killer who has stalked and killed several people. Sydney’s mum got killed a year ago and now Sidney suspects that her mother’s death and the new deaths are related. When looking at this poster, the image stands out straight away as it covers up the whole poster. This would interest people who enjoy horror films and would be successful in persuading them to go and see the film

Main Picture:
The main picture on the poster is of a girl screaming with a hand covering her mouth. It covers most of the poster which emphasises the image which links to the title of the film as she is trying to scream but the hand is stopping her. The viewer cannot tell whose hand it is and this creates a sense of mystery as it could be someone else’s hand. The characters skin is very pale which could suggest that she is scared or dead. The only colour on the poster is of her bright blue eyes and her red lips which contrasts with her pale skin. The colour of her eyes draws attention to the character and the colour blue could be a connotation for the characters innocence, which would suggest that she is the victim.

Background colour:
The colour of the background is black, which contrasts with the main picture drawing the viewer’s attention to the girl. It fades out to the picture which could suggest that the colour black is linked the character, which connotates death and evil.

The title of the film:
The title of the film is in a white font and in capitals. It shows up clearly against the black background as it is in bold capitals so people know the title of the film. It is placed underneath the main picture so the viewer can see the picture clearly, and then see the film title. The letters are spaced out evenly across the poster so it takes up more room and so it is more visible. The font of the last letter ‘M’ goes into a point, which could be a connotation for a knife or a weapon, suggesting that someone is going to be killed. Underneath the title of the film, there is a list of seven names, which are the main characters in the film. This adds to the appeal of the film as it has got some well known actors and actresses starring in it.

The release date:
The poster does not have a release date on it, which would mean that the poster came out a couple of months before the film was released. Therefore, if someone wanted to see the film, they would have to find out further information on when it is going to be released. Also there is not a website on the poster which shows that the film is quite old because the use of film websites was not as common when this film was made.

The slogan:
The slogan of the film “Someone has taken their love of scary movies one step too far. Solving the mystery is going to murder” is placed at the top of the poster in a white font so it stands out. This creates suspense as it gives a hint of what the film is going to be about, but it does not give the plot away. It suggests that if someone who likes horror films cannot solve ‘the mystery’, they will be murdered. Furthermore, at the bottom of the poster, it says “the highly acclaimed new thriller from Wes Craven” which will persuade people to go and see it because it shows that it will be good. Also if people have seen other films that Wes Craven has made and they like them, then they will want to see it even more.

Main Credits:
These are at the bottom of the poster in a block of white font, which is a convention of a film poster and they are usually found at the bottom as in this poster.