Thursday 6 October 2011

The Last Exorcism Poster Deconstruction









The background of the posteras accessed here,  shows the location to be a building, although the blank walls and flooring could suggest that the building is abandoned or in disrepair, already creating a slightly tense tone and hinting at isolation from the normal world. The blank location contrasts with the stark figure in the center of the image, showing her significance to the plot and also suggesting the power of her character. The figure is in an unnatural position which immediately suggests some kind of supernatural element to the movie. Her dress is also covered in blood, hinting at some form of violence and clearly showing the movie to be of the horror genre. Due to the lack of other colour on the poster, the red stands out on the dress and in the title text, showing the colour of blood or danger to be an important theme within the movie narrative. The figure's positioning makes the audience unsure whether to feel pity or fear for her, as her isolation on the image suggests that she is integral to the narrative but it is not revealed in which way. She could be either a protagonist or an antagonist.


The figure is in a similar costume to 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose' of a pale dress with dark hair, clearly showing that this is a theme linked with the genre of possessive horrors. This costuming could suggest a loss or corruption of innocence. The figure's face is pale and seems distorted and unnatural, reflecting her possible possession and the evil that is suggested to be involved. The shadow behind the girl is large and very dark, perhaps suggesting a predatory force or hinting at the possessive spirit. It also acts to make her seem darker and create an ominous tone, emphasising fear.


The tagline 'Believe in him' is shown, although it is unclear to whom it is referring. It could be referring to the Devil, due to the unnatural and blunt image below, but could equally be referring to God due to the crucifix that is on the wall above the girl. This tagline, and therefore the theme of the entire movie, is playing on the fear of religious punishment that many people have, bringing in audiences as they want to see what happens and which entity is being referred to. The blunt sentence suggests that there will be proof in the movie, or it is in the audience's best interests to do as they say.


Above the title, the producer of the film and the main production company are mentioned. Below the title, the writers and director are also mentioned. These pull in audiences that enjoy their previous work. The title and names are in dark red, standing out with the blood on the dress against the background to suggest that it is prominant within the movie. The text is also capitalised, as the text often is on other movie posters, suggesting the harsh and serious content of the movie. There is also other information such as the website address and the other production teams involved in the movie, in small font at the bottom of the poster. The font is slightly decorative, and appears a little smudged as though by spots of blood, continuing the suggested theme of violence and pain. The words 'Last' and 'Exorcism' are large, showing their importance.


-Emily




Also see... The Last Exorcism Trailer Deconstruction

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