The Dark Knight movie poster analysis

List of A-list Actor’s names entitled on the front of the poster connotes the size and quality of the movie. With such “big name” actor’s within the movie it shows how important the film is and that it is a film you cannot afford to miss.

The dark cloudy weather connotes a struggle where the characters go through a dark time and face personal battles. This connotes the underlining theme of the movie to be dark, with chaos and suffering.

The tagline “Welcome to a World without rules” once again connotes the darkness of this film. It connotes how the film represents dark, scary themes of a world where the peace is broken and society is enveloped in evil and corruption. The words themselves are a dark gradient, which further represents darkness and a sinister atmosphere throughout the film.

At the bottom of the poster in a small font the films website is present. This connotes the size of the film as they have their own website and encourages the readers of the poster to visit it.

The iconic bat symbol is used and outlined in the building centred behind the main character. This immediately enables fans to identify the movie. The fact that the symbol is highlighted in fire and destruction connotes how the character is the cause of destruction in the movie and represents a darker side to a character iconically identified as good.

The main character is half in the light, half in the dark connoting that they have both a good and a dark side of themselves. The character questions whether they are in fact doing the right thing and engages in a personal struggle where they are forced to look at the darker side of themselves. The bits of debris that is falling out of the sky with him standing in the centre of it also connotes that everything is falling apart in the characters life and that they are the cause for all the destruction as they are in the middle of it.

The film title is positioned in the centre of the poster just beneath the character and is in a bold large font. This connotes the importance of the film as the reader can immediately see the title and therefore know what it is and will easily remember it.  It also includes the iconography of the bat symbol, which is then immediately identified as the batman franchise. The symbol itself is dark but highlighted in a light colour further connoting the contrasting themes of good and evil within this film.

The release date for the film is positioned at the centre of the bottom of the poster in a large bold font. This connotes the importance of this date and how the reader cannot afford to miss this film and therefore makes certain of the fact that they will know the date it is released.

More iconography is present as the DC logo is located at the bottom of the poster and therefore fans of the DC comic book franchise immediately know this film relates directly to their interests.

The Warner Brothers logo is also present at the bottom of the poster. This connotes the size and importance of the film as Warner Brothers are a large Worldwide institution.

Total Film magazine analysis

Large masthead and is centred covering the width of the magazine with the main image in front of it connoting the magazine is a big magazine and should be bought.

Magazine website located in a small font within the masthead. This connotes that this is a multi-media organisation and encourages readers to visit their website.

The background for the magazine cover is the background for the main image. This is of terminators in what appears to be the dust cloud from explosions connoting this film is about war and suffering in a desolate wasteland.

By using the words “World Exclusive” connotes that this is the only magazine where you will be able to get this level of information from and therefore means you must buy it in order to gain this knowledge.

The main image covers the magazine and is at the centre of the magazine drawing the reader’s gaze directly to it. This connotes the importance of the film and the characters displayed and how it is the main focus of the summer.

Dark gloomy colours are used connoting the sinister, dark nature of the film. The film is referred to as “The summer’s darkest blockbuster” with the theme of darkness continuously being used.  The two characters are shrouded by a dark shadow which connotes dark times for these characters in this movie. However, there is an ominous glow behind the characters which connotes that perhaps there will be a balance of good and evil.

Many other films are featured within the magazine front cover. It appears to be a common convention of film magazines to have one main image of the main article and surrounded by text of other featured films in the magazine.

SFX magazine analysis

Masthead centred, stretched over the top of the magazine. Masthead is in front of main image. This goes against common conventions, which connotes that this magazine is unlike any ordinary movie magazine and entices the reader to buy it.

Tony’s facial expression is very stern and dark and his face is shaded so that there is a dark shadow over it and the same is noticeable in terms of his armour. This connotes the darkness of the character which is also shown through the background colour of the magazine front cover which is also dark with a orange fire type glow which also connotes that there is something dark within the character building up ready to explode.

Puffs used to try and grab the reader’s attention. Connotes the magazine has more to offer therefore you should buy it.

The magazine is surrounded with captions of what else the magazine has to offer.

Main image covering the entire front cover with the background of the image being the background for the magazine. They use a medium close up shot as to emphasise the character connoting the importance of the character and the film itself.

Many references to “Marvel” films and people involved with the films. This is used to draw attention as to what the main article is about in this issue of the magazine. It also helps build hype for the upcoming film featured in the main article “Iron Man 2”.

The tagline “There’s a dark side to Tony Stark” connotes that this is a darker film and this is represented through the magazine cover as darker tones and shades are used.

The title of the film is centred in large text so you know what the film is. This connotes that this is a big film that people must read about in this magazine.

The Word “Meltdown” is used and then the image of a fire or lava like substance is used to connote how “hot” and exciting this issue of “SFX” is and therefore the reader must buy it.

Empire magazine cover analysis

Masthead in a large font and is centred covering the width of the magazine with the main image in front of it. This connotes how important the character is and that they are the main subject in the magazine.

Slogan for the magazine located beneath the magazine masthead “The worlds biggest movie magazine”. This connotes that this is the movie magazine that everyone reads and therefore so should you.

Magazine website located in a small font underneath the masthead. This connotes how successful the magazine is as it has it’s own website and encourages readers to visit it.

Puff used to further entice the reader to purchase the magazine. The words “Massive Oscars special” connotes that this covers everything that the reader needs to know and that this is something that can’t be missed.

There are many other films featured within the magazine. However, it appears to be a common convention of film magazines to have one main image of the main article and surrounded by text of other films that are featured. The text used for certain films is much larger than others. For example “The Dark Knight” is in a much bigger font than “Australia”. This connotes how big that certain movie is and the importance of it.

The main image covers the magazine and is at the centre of the magazine, which draws the reader’s gaze directly to it.

The background for the magazine cover is the background for the main image. This is a cloudy stormy background which connotes something being covered up in the movie or shrouded by darkness.

The image used of Wolverine on the magazine is covered by light which connotes that he is the hero in the film. Almost his entire figure is surrounded by an ominous glow with his face and figure being lit up depicting him as the light amongst darkness. There are constant references to the colour white such as his vest and even the word “Wolverine” which connotes innocence and purity which tells us he is most likely the victim in this film.