Denotation The mast head is in a white and red font in, all the letters are capitalised. The font is a serif font. The anchorage text is slightly faded and is in a white sans serif font, it is also all capitalised. There is also additional text positioned at the top and the bottom of the poster much like the mast head and the anchorage text it’s in a white capitalised serif font. There is also the rating in the right corner. The main image is one of a white picket house in the centre, the house is symmetrical. Dead centre of the image there is a middle aged man standing in an open stance. He is wearing a bomber jacket and (I suspect) a jumper or denim shirt. The top half of the image is in black and white; the bottom half of the magazine is in red and is a reflection if the top half of the image. The mast head connotes a very big imposing feel, the serif font suggests a more elegant story driven film because it’s a break from the tacky conventional fonts used in most horror posters, and the font also feels imposing because it is the biggest thing in the image. The use of red and white fonts make the font stand out much more from the image because they contrast, the use of red in the font connotes danger and blood this works with the slightly knife style font and brings forward the imagery of stabbing. The slight change of font type in “Horror” brings forward the “Amityville” and gives the poster layers and textures. The title is a reference to an earlier film of which this is the sequel “The Amityville Horror”. The Anchorage text “What really went on inside the house” Immediately sets up a mystery that you as a viewer want to solve this makes you want to watch the film. The font follows the house style set out through the rest of the poster. The sans serif style gives the poster a softer aesthetic feel that the magazine would lack without. The slightly faded font makes the gives the background image look like blood or liquid it also helps the main image more noticeable. Along with the Anchorage text there is additional text at the top and bottom of the magazine. The additional text is pleasant because without it the poster would look over simple, the use of alliteration in “An extraordinary, endless fascinating film that demands to be seen again” Is very effective because it’s short snappy and to the point, it perfectly sums up and emphasises the point. “Demands” is a very effective strong word to use and makes the audience feel an obligation to watch the film over and over. “This is the definitive Amity horror story” including a film review adds to the appeal of the film, and will make audiences more likely to watch also if you have been a
fan of the series or have been following the series you will want to watch this film because it’s the last one. The same ideas apply for the use of stars from the reviewers. The Main image quite clearly shows a suburban suburbia or typical American town house. It doesn’t look quite bustle but it doesn’t look secluded either this is a horror convention. The white picket style of the house and of the garden again strengthens the feel. Having the subject of the poster and the film in the direct centre of the image quite clearly shows he is the subject of the film and the main character. He looks aggressive with his bomber jacket and his aggressive open stance. There is a 50/50 split in the image, the top half is black and white and dark showing a much more secluded feel with restricted narration; this is emphasised by the blacked out windows and trees. The bottom half of the poster is in red, this red is also reflecting the image suggesting its blood; the use of blood to reflect the top image connotes a bloody ending to the film or a split personality type situation. The man in the centre of the image seems not fazed by the blood bellow him and is looking directly at the viewer this unnerves us and makes us feel odd, this is an effective use.