Film poster analysis

• Anchorage- words that accompany the picture e.g. 'The past never dies it kills'
  I think the anchorage is used as one of the main focus points of the poster because of the crisp white italics harshly contrasting against the faded black background. The colour tone and contrasting immediately catch the audiences eye. In addition, the short and snappy anchorage has a underlying dark message personifying the past which makes it interesting so, draws in the audience in.

• Preferred reading- When audiences respond to the product the way media producers want/expect them to: I feel that the audience responds to the poster with a burst of adrenaline and terror due to the graphic and eye- catching image which is the producers aim. In addition, when I first saw the poster I felt on edge and shocked at how realistic the image is. I think the producers aim for the audience to feel extremely on edge to convey the full effect of demonic possession and all the other underlying symbolism. On the other hand, the producers expect a slight rush of exultation of a fresh new thriller film which is exciting but frightening at the same time.

Tone and register- How the poster addresses the audience.

Register- vocabulary, style and grammar used by speakers and writers according to a certain situation. There are degrees of formality when it comes to register.

An example of tone and register in this poster: 'The past never dies it kills'

I think this addresses the audience by how short and sharp the vocabulary is which makes it very effective as its a clever and snappy expression enticing the target audience. The tone of this anchorage is dark and mysterious 

• Intertextual references- When one text refers to another text: 'The Return' makes distinct links and references to the film 'Possession' also starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. This connection implies the main themes are possession, demons and evil forces which creates the style of the plot for the audience.

• Ideology and values- ideas about the way the world is and ought to be: I believe it is how the past can affect something or someone's life greatly by death, evil, demonic possession, decay, corruption etc... the film focuses on how effective the past can be in a negative sense. Furthermore, the 'never' in the anchorage conveys how the past is eternal and everlasting so, the effect it causes whether its pain, joy, hope etc.. is endless.

• Previous credits- used as a form of guarantee and as a means of prompting audience expectation: the use of presenting the name of Sarah Michelle Gellar on the poster because she is a talented and well known actress so, it will increase higher expectations from target audience. 

• The title: 'The Return' The 'R' in the title is backwards which could link to the idea of the past and the motion of going back in time to a corrupt time. The title is slightly blurred which may connote the ideology of how timeless the past is and how endless the destructibility of it is. Also, it could portray how fast the past goes by consistently moving forwards in time and how vulnerable and powerless humans are to change the past. 

• Film's star: Sarah Michelle Gellar- This will increase attraction and popularity of the film simply by the actresses name being used on the front of the poster.  Furthermore, she specializes in mainly the thriller genre which entices the target audience in. Gellar made her name in a Vampire series so this film is building on her reputation in that genre.
  
  
  KEY:
  
  
  RED: Definition of key conventions.
  BLUE: Example
  GREEN: Analysis