The Grudge Poster Analysis

Poster One



When looking at The Grudge poster (poster one) it is quite simple yet effective. The image of the girls eye gives the idea that she is looking straight into the camera, engaging to us as the audience almost as if she is watching us. It conveys the image and the stereotype of horror very effectively its intense and frightening, the image is shot in a dark light with strong black eye makeup on which is the only part of her face which is shown. This adds mystery and darkness to the image . Sarah Michelle Gellar’s the main actress in the film is printed above the headline this is a good sell line as she is a well known actress which will attract an audience to watch the film. The headline of “The Grudge” is printed in thick red writing the colour conveys blood, danger and anger towards us as the audience. The text looks rough which reflects the genre of the film, it also stands out on the black background. There is a tagline at the bottom of the poster which reads “It never forgives. It never forgets”, this creates enigma about the film but also links it to the film trailer as these lines are also shown. The release month of the film is printed in large red font which stands out from the rest of the text and also links in with the headline “The Grudge”. The month of which the film is released is quite significant as it is released in October which is not only the same month as Halloween but also the same month as half term from looking at the poster I think that it is aimed late teens. But will appeal to both boys and girls.

Poster Two



In this poster the Headline again is in deep red which gives the image of smeared blood. The image or images are different from the first poster one is of the a female character which i presume is the main character. She seems to be looking in a mirror and in the background you can see “the thing” or “the Grudge”, again her skin is pale and dirty her eyes seem to be covered by her hair, the face seems to be in pain this gives us an insight into what the film is about. The other is off what looks like an old house it is quite dirty and warn it looks eeire as though something isn’t right there. It conveys an image of horror. Sarah Michelle Gellar’s name is again above in bold writing and in a place where it is ease ably seen. The release date of the film is not shown on the poster.

The Grudge Film Trailer Analysis

The Grudge film trailer starts with Sarah Michelle Gellar introducing the film, this is unusual of film trailers. We then get a state of equilibrium as we get and image of a busy city on a sunny day, with people doing their normal day to day routines and everything seems to be “normal” and “happy”. But with the deep whistling non digetic sound in the background builds tension giving us as the audience a slight clue that everything might not be as it seems.
When we are introduced to the first female character the lighting is very dim giving us a sense of danger horror which creates and uneasiness, she seems to be looking at the ceiling after hearing a strange sound, this creates an enigma as it gets us asking questions about what is happening. The positioning of the camera represents the female character as being vulnerable, this is typical of a horror film.
Throughout the film trailer text fades in and out giving us as the audience an insight into what is happening, yet it still makes you ask questions “when someone dies”.... “a curse is left behind” this indicates evil something strange. The text is shown on a misty white background creating an eeire atmosphere. The colour scheme of the text is dark blue/black which represents the horror genre well, as black tends to represent darkness and death. The colour scheme is the same throughout the trailer.
The next character we see is another female she has long blonde hair and is unfamiliar with her surroundings stereotypical of a horror film. The digetic sound of her voice saying “the whole time I was in the house, I felt something was wrong” as we know that she is in a house where there is something strange happening. Behind her we then see a shadow quickly passing by, which looks like a girl with long black hair her identity isn’t revealed also typical of a horror film. This builds tension.
With the constant flashing in and out of darkness adds to the terror and tension of the trailer, the screams and loud screeching noises also adds to this. The expression of the woman’s face becomes more fearful and as more things begin to happen. This starts to show her in a state of panic.
We then see more text “it never forgives” and “it never forgets” this creates alot of enigmas for the audience making them want to go and see the film. The music in the background becomes louder and more rapid rising the tension. We see abnormal behavior by a Chinese girl who is shown throughout the trailer, we see her climbing down the stairs on her hands and knees with them bent in strange places her skin is very pale and dirty. And she seems to have blood on her face. This adds to the horror of the trailer.
The film trailer ends with what seems to be a purple hand emerging out of the back of the women’s head while she is in the shower, this could mean that the “curse” may be on her know. The title of the film is shown in bold white writing with the music reaching a climax.