The Shining - Film Poster Analysis

Genre

The genre of this film is a thriller/horror

Codes and Conventions

Conventions:

1. The only bright colour in the image is the actual title, it is of the colour red which may depict blood.

2. There is a image within the poster of a axe which is depicting violence.

3.The facial expressions of the two people in the image show there position as characters. The man on the left seems to be a psychopathic killer and the axe may also strike this thought, and the women seems to be in danger due to the axe, her facial expressions show fear.

Codes:

1.Technical Code - Images are taken at different angles and shots, the man on the left displays a close up shot  for example.

2.Symbolic Code -Images are used, these include characters with there own look

3.Written Code - Text is used in the image, this includes the names of the film makers and the title.

Key Signifiers

The key signifier's in this image has without a doubt got to be the images, the axe depicts the film is violent and graphic. The expressions of the characters depict there personalities and there positions in the film, and the aesthetics of the individuals tell us a lot about the characters also.
The title of the film stands out due to the fact it is red and is the only bright colour used in the image, every other colour is quite dull. It is larger than other text due to the significance of it.

Denotative Levels

Images and text has been used in the poster. The images have been used because they imply a purpose and send a certain message to audiences, and text has been used for the title of the film, it has also been used where the names of the film makers are shown, however the title text stands out more for a purpose.

Connotative Levels

The imagery and text used in the poster has been done for a purpose, usually to send a message to the audience. For example the specific images used in the poster are of two characters (female and male) and an axe. The axe maybe used to resemble violence and the women who looks as if she is in danger of the axe, could be used to show her vulnerability, however the man seems to give the impression of a psychopath who is in domination of the women.
The text is big, bold and bright, to catch the audiences eye. It is of the colour red because it may resemble blood which links to the axe which again links to violence. The reason the film makers names are smaller in text than the title of the film is because they are not as important and less appealing to audiences.

Audience Response

The reason such connotative and denotative levels have been used in the image is because they imply a specific message for the audience. Due to previous analysis violence and fear has got to be something which has been themed in this poster.