The poster for 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose', as accessed here, is quite simple, mainly using the element of mystery in order to create interest from the audience. The main element of the poster is the misty background, hiding most information in the image and dulling most of the colours. With most information about the image obscured, the viewer's imagination may create more from it, involving them in the poster and creating more interest in seeing the film in order to see whether their theories or ideas were correct. The mist can also create an ominous or threatening tone, as it stops the viewer from seeing very much and therefore seems to leave them quite vulnerable to what may be in the image. This could play into a fear of the dark or being unable to see that is often used in possessive horrors. The dull colouring of the image contrasts with the text at the bottom of the image, which uses the colour of dark red. This colour is common within horror films, such as 'The Last Exorcism', due to the connotations of blood or danger that it can evoke in viewers. Therefore its use in this poster supports the horror genre while also making the title stand out against the background in order to show its importance.
The word 'Exorcism' is the largest word in the text, making it stand out and showing that it is significant to the story. Its large size, coupled with the positioning in the centre at the base of the page, suggest that it is the event that the entire movie is based on, and therefore shows the possessive genre is hugely involved. The large size of the eye-catching text compared to the slightly smaller image of the girl shows again that the possessive nature of the film is key to the narrative. This could also suggest the power of the supernatural element, as 'Exorcism' overpowers the personal touch of the name 'Emily Rose' by being much larger and above it, with the E and M on either side as if trapping it. This could suggest themes of imprisonment or paranoia. The name makes the title more personal, involving the audience in the girl's story so that they are more likely to watch the movie in order to find out what happens to her. The name is normal and the flower name as a surname would usually suggest purity or happiness, but due to the large 'Exorcism', the supernatural is seen to be taking over even a normal life. This could hint that the events of the movie could happen to anyone, creating more tension and fear from audiences.
The image only shows one girl, suggesting that she is significant to the plot although due to her positioning of walking away, it is not possible to tell whether she is the protagonist or antagonist, if either. Therefore questions are created about her character. Due to the shapeless pale dress and dark hair, which are costume elements that have become common in possessive horrors such as 'The Last Exorcism', it might be suggested that the girl is Emily Rose, and has been possessed by some form of supernatural spirit. She is shown to be walking away from camera, making the audience unsure as to what she is doing or what is happening to her. The awkward positioning of her hands could suggest the idea of distortion that can accompany haunting, which is often linked with the supernatural and spirits and would therefore support the genre. Her positioning could equally suggest that she is trying to escape from something, again suggesting that she is Emily Rose and showing her to be a character to be pitied or sympathised with, making her appear vulnerable. The tree in the image is in the distance, suggesting along with the mist that the girl is outside. She seems separated from civilisation or any urban areas, suggesting an isolation that is also emphasised by the lack of anything else in shot. The suggested isolation could support the idea that she is vulnerable.
The text above the title shows that the movie is 'based on a true story', making it more appealing as it encourages the audience to become interested in what is really possible. This could create a degree of fear, as it suggests that the events could happen to anyone, and therefore the audience may need to know something from the movie in order to avoid anything supernatural. The production information is underneath the image for those in possible audiences that would be interested in who was involved in the creation of the movie. This acts to broaden audiences, as a certain directing or soundtrack style may sway possible viewers to watch the movie.
-Emily
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