Wrong Turn Film Poster Analysis

The poster contains standard poster features such as: picture, tagline, credit block and use of star names. The poster uses star names instead of director names because they are likely to be more easily recognisable and the director might not be well-known.

The main colours used are red, black and yellow. The red in the poster is used to link to evil, it connotes danger and fear because red is associated with the antagonist of the film. Red is also associated with violence, it can connote brutal or visceral murders. Black is used to connote death and mystery, it’s used to show that the film will contain deaths from an unknown killer. Yellow often causes agitation, it’s used on the poster to show tension in the film.

There aren’t any symbols on the poster that the audience would need to decode or have any prior knowledge of the film, this makes it more appealing to an audience because they don’t have to work to understand the film.

The main objects in the poster are represented photographically. This is done to create a more eerie feeling in audiences because it is likely to be more terrifying if the film seems more realistic. The main objects are the protagonist in the foreground (Jessie Burlingame, portrayed by Eliza Dushku) and the antagonist in the background. The setting of the film, a forest, can also be seen in the background. From the poster the audience can already have an idea of where the film will take place, who the protagonist is and who is the villain of the film is.

The messages are both visual and verbal. In the poster there are clear images of the protagonist, antagonist and setting, but there is also clear use of tagline and star names. By showing some of the main characters in the poster it gives an audience a vague idea of what to expect from the film, from the expression on the Jessie’s (Eliza Dushku) face the audience can tell that it’s a horror film because of the look of fear or possibly disgust. The use of the villain in the background also shows that it’s a horror because he looks threatening, using this image is likely to disturb or scare audiences and will therefore draw attention to the film because the image is memorable. The verbal messages use star names and tagline, the star names are likely going to interest audiences if they have heard of the actors in the film. The tagline “It’s the last one you’ll ever take” is used to make the audience uneasy, by using the word “last” is shows a sense of finality and hints at death – it gives audiences an eerie feeling.

The intended audience for this film is likely to be young people, it’s rated an 18 so it’s aimed at people in their late teens to young adult. The film is also centred around young people and includes a lot of violence and gore, the film therefore wouldn’t appeal to adults.

Horror films are often set in isolated places where there is little chance of rescue, in the poster there’s a forest in the background – showing this convention. Red and black are often used, this can also be seen on the poster. Lighting is also used to create shadows because it makes the characters more mysterious and therefore more scary, this convention is used on the poster because the main character (Jessie) and one of the villains are both covered in shadows. The villains in horror films are also often mutated, disfigured or a monster, in the background of this poster one of the mutated antagonists can be seen.

Eliza Dushku has featured in Buffy the Vampire Slayer before the film so people are likely to recognise her from her role in the show. Desmond Harrington could also be used as a USP, he had appeared in horror films such as The Hole and Ghost Ship before appearing in Wrong Turn so audiences are more likely to recognise him for the genre.

Horror is promised in the poster, there are clear conventions of the horror genre and therefore audiences expect to see it.

Attention is gained from the familiar face of Eliza Dushku, she had appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer before the film so audiences are likely to recognise her. The eerie images on the poster of a deserted woodland and a mutated man in the background are also likely to gain attention for the film.

The tagline “It’s the last one you’ll ever take” is used to create an eerie feeling about the film, it intrigues audiences as to what happens when they take a wrong turn and what’s so bad that makes it their “last”.

Overall I would say that the poster is good, it makes the genre clear and uses star names and a familiar face in a way that draws the attention of the audience. The tagline is eerie, yet intriguing which makes audiences interested in the film. However, the various images on the poster could be slightly overwhelming for audiences and one clear image may make the poster better. The colours used on the poster also makes it eye-catching and helps to convey the genre. The images are creepy enough to disturb audiences and could make them more inclined to watch the film if they are interested in horror.

The film communicates effectively with its audience, the target audience of fans of horror and teens to young adults are targeted using the age rating and the images on the poster. The age rating shows that the film is aimed at 18+ and the images on the poster convey the horror genre.

There aren’t any clear alternative readings, but the poster could be considered offensive. The villain in the background of the poster is an inbred Redneck in the movie, presenting Rednecks in this way could be hugely offensive and could deter people from watching the film.