Analysing Film Posters

As an introduction to Media Studies, I learnt about the two levels of analysis; denotation and connotation. Creating an understanding of these levels allowed me to analyse clearly film posters as well as discuss what I literally see and what this represents on the poster, potentially revealing things about the film itself.

Run Lola Run

When denoting poster, I was first drawn to the bold red text, the colour red initiated to me that this film has a dangerous element to it. Therefore perhaps being of the genre, thriller or action-drama.

The overall use of colour on this poster is quite clever. The actress, Franka Potente, who clearly plays 'Lola' has bright hot-red hair. As the colour red suggests to me a sense of danger, I suspect that her character is either in or creates danger and problems. However, this use of warm colours (being bright red) contrasts with the cold colours (being a grey-blue) on her clothes and in the background. These cold colours suggests an almost a dark and unwanted vibe to the image, perhaps revealing that she is the only light running from a dark place. In addition, these grey-blue colours present a sci-fi theme. Furthermore, the quote from a newspaper article in the New York Times at the top of the poster describes the film as being "post-human" also suggests the film's genre is sci-fi.

The way in which the picture is heavily blurred in the background and slightly blurred on Lola who is evidently running gives me an idea of the narrative of the film. As 'Lola' is the focal point of the poster and a little blurred, I understand the sense that she is running at a fast speed towards something as her hair is blown back. There is no show of equipment e.g a gun being worn, therefore suggesting she could be running to get somewhere urgently. The safety of something or someone, even Lola, may be the importance of the film and it's Lola's job to secure this safety. As the background of the image is heavily blurred, this may suggest that if Lola is running from something, it is not a someone, but the entire place/city. I thought of this as if she was running from a specific person, the poster would probably show a figure in the background, running after Lola.

Children of Men

To begin, the tag lines on this poster can present many ideas on the genre of the film and its narrative. Stating that the film is set in ' THE YEAR 2027' immediately indicates that the genre of 'Children of Men' is science-fiction as this date is over a decade into the future. The collaboration of the colours red, white and a greyish-silver suggests a dystopian future.

The broken glass may equal to a broken world in which the film is based in. The actor, Clive Owen,  is captured behind the broken glass, suggesting he is trapped and is needing to escape. Perhaps the broken glass may also suggest the brokenness of his character. As he is looking into the centre of the camera, this draws the attention to people looking at this poster. He has an intense, yet sad facial expression. Owen looks unkempt, with scruffy looking facial hair and furrowed eyebrows creates a disturbed character living on the rough side of life, yet strong and willing to fight for the "last days of the human race".

The bloody-red colour on the poster is used for the tagline text as well as a small image of a baby inside and eye, which appears to have a tear. The red eye equals an evil society in which people live in. Matching the tagline "No child has been born for 18 years" suggests that this baby inside the eye could be the first to be born after all that time. Nevertheless, this baby is obviously in immense danger and so Clive Owen's character must fight to save this unborn baby, who will "protect" the "only hope" for the human race to continue.

Pulp Fiction

Firstly, the immediate attraction to this film poster is the actress, Uma Thurman. She is shown laying down in a bedroom in a seductive manner, showing a little cleavage. This creates a sultry image, inviting us into and understanding of her type of character within the film. Above all, the cigarette in had, facial expression along with red bold lipstick being the only colour Thurman is shown wearing (other than black) suggests she is a femme fatal - the red helps highlight a sense of danger. The gun placed on the pillow in front of Thurman indicates the genre of this film as crime and perhaps action.

The poster has much dark lighting, the main light on the poster urges towards the cigarette in hand, the gun and the Pulp Fiction Magazine - this may suggest to the viewer that these objects are a key part of the film. I first believe that this film is packed with crime and danger all because of the femme fatal. However, the Pulp Fiction magazine, within the Pulp Fiction film poster is quite comedic to me. With this in mind, I begin to think that this crime film may have some elements of comedy and is a mix genre.

The frayed edges of the poster, text font and 10c price sign equals classic fifties potboilers. The use of red and yellow colours together imitates a slight western feel. Also, the cast list is written in bold yellow font - this helps attract an audience with an interest to any of these well-known actors.