Thriller Posters

Conventions and Analysis

 Posters are a form of physical advertisement, and are placed in multiple places, such as buses, magazines,
billboards and cinemas themselves. They must grab the audiences attention and engage them within the
concept of the film so they want to watch it.

Common Conventions of Thriller posters:

Colours used are often: black, grey, red, white, blue, yellow and orange. Dark colours presenting an ominous
ambiance and dark themes of the film, colours such as white stand out against these dark colours and make the
font stand out, so the audience take in what is written. Colours such as red, orange and yellow convey blood,
violence and danger.
The poster usually features the protagonist of the film, sometimes the antagonist, or feature scenes or imagery
from the film, sometimes key themes or symbols from the film. Many often feature a glowing light.The audience
are able to identify the genre of the film due to the imagery of the poster.
Font: Usually clear and bold, in white, red, orange or yellow, often capitalised so the audiences attraction is
drawn towards it. The use of font often provides a sense of genre, often Thrillers may use etched and scratched
font, conveying perhaps the gritty themes of the film.
Tagline and Reviews: Tagline often provides a sense of what the film is about and the phrase makes the
audience remember the film and get excited by it. The tagline often creates a sense of mystery and suspense,
which is prominent in the thriller genre. Reviews advertise and sell the films, making audiences want to see it.
Low-Key lighting is often used, providing a sense of mystery and concealment.
Directors, Producers, Actors and Distributors are featured on the poster, well known names increase audience
attraction and will increase the likeliness of them seeing the film.
The date is featured, often in bold, informing audiences on when the film will be released. If a films release date
is not confirmed yet then Coming Soon is used, providing a sense of anticipation within the audience.

Silence of The Lambs (1991)
American horror-thriller film
Directed by Jonathan Demme
Starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins
and Scott Glenn
Based on the Thomas Harris
novel, Clarisse, an FBI trainee
must seek help from imprisoned
serial killer Dr Hannibal Lecter to
hunt down the serial killer,
Buffalo Bill who kills women.

Red eyes- reminiscent of blood,

connoting danger and violence.

Dark and light, black and white- binary oppositions,

ambiguity of whether the character is good or bad,
presenting a theme of moral confrontation.
Highlights the womans face.
Pale- white, innocent, like a lamb. Female
Vulnerability.
Someone who has not seen the film may not be aware
that the protagonist is a female, rather than the victim.
Acherontia atropos/Death's-head hawkmoth- symbolic as an omen of
death in many cultures.
Reference to the films title, with the woman being silenced by the
moth.
The skull pattern on the months back is formed from an arrangement
of womens naked bodies- relating to the antagonist of the film,
Buffalo Bill.
Red/Orange font- warning, hazard, danger, death, violence.
White font stands out
Orphan (2009) After the death of their unborn
Psychological thriller film child, the Coleman couple
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra adopt a 9-year-old orphan
Starring Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, and named Esther, however all is
Isabelle Fuhrman. not what it seems.
Two Taglines:
Theres something wrong with Esther.
Can you keep a Secret?
Esthers dark hair
The white and capitalised letters stands out,
presents her
additionally the red font connotes blood, and implies
opposing
violence and danger.
angelism, with
The title font is sketched and child-like, but sinister.
blonde hair often
The phrases intrigue the audience, especially the
symbolising
use of rhetorical question, and present a facade
innocence.
behind the girl
Pale face, the highlighting on the girls face and the use of
shadowing presents her as sinister, with a skeletal face. This
goes against the traditional cute and angelic portrayal of
children, such as her pigtails.
The choker necklace is peculiar, and the red burgandy colour
connotes blood and danger.

Dark colours- mysterious, suggesting a darker side

to the girl and questioning her morals.
The colour of green, symbolic of the theme of envy
within the film.
 Single White Female Based on the book by John
American psychological erotic thriller film Lutz, the film depicts Allie as
Directed by Barbet Schroeder she advertises for a new
Starring Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason roommate, who seems perfect
Leigh as her new tenant. However,
her behaviour becomes
Dark colours and low lighting presents a sense strange and Allie soon
of mystery and ominous ambiance. A theme of plummets into the darkness of
moral confrontation and good and evil is Hedys past.
presented through the use of lighting, with
lighting on Allie, presenting her as innocent and Positioned parallel to
vulnerable, and Hedy shrouded in darkness, each other through the
presenting her as menacing. door, perhaps implying
Hedy imitating Allie.
The Tagline Reads:
Allie's new roommate is about to borrow a few things without asking.
Her clothes. Her boyfriend. Her life.
Living with a roommate can be murder.
The short sentences and full stops are abrupt and intimidating. The
tagline reveals the acquirement of Allies identity.
The last sentence is ironic, with the phrase being a pun and satire, whilst
foreshadowing the violence and murderous actions later in the film.
The white font makes this stand out.

The title is in the imagery of a newspaper advertisement, which is how Allie

searches for her new roommate. The use of red font however connotes to
blood, providing a sense of foreboding, danger and violence.