Analysing Horror Film Posters - 'Terrifier 2'

The poster for 'Terrifier 2' contains a number of conventions typical of the horror genre:

• Low-key lighting and side lighting casts shadows on the character's face, creating a sinister unsettling effect for the audience.
• The use of black and red as dominant colours, which connote danger, blood, death and evil (common colours used in the horror genre). The orange flames reinforce this sense of danger.
• The poster includes mise-en-scene associated with the genre and death, such as the prop of the club with nails sticking out of it, the carved pumpkin and the skulls/skeletons.
• The central character (monster) is a clown, a typical character type found within the horror genre.
• Aspects of mise-en-scene are typical of the genre, such as the isolated settings of an abandoned funhouse and the gates at the end of an isolated bridge.
• The font is bold, suggesting the seriousness of the narrative, but it is also altered with a smudgea faded, crumpled effect, which is typical of fonts used in the horror genre. The font is like that used in 1960s/1970s horror films.
• The main character wears a mask, a typical prop/aspect of costume found within the horror genre.
• The release date, October, is a time common for the release of horror films (because of its association with Halloween).
• The production companies Scream Box and Bloody Disgusting are companies associated with making low budget horror movies.
• The tagline is typical of films from the horror genre as it directly addresses the audience with a question.