When first viewing the poster “Sweeney Todd” (Director Tim Burton) we notice the deepness of the red chair that the antagonist is seated on. The brightness of the chair stands out from the rest of the dull, dismal surroundings; this is because the colour red signifies danger. Red is often associated with the with either danger or lust, in this case it is made clear that it is representing danger as the gloominess of the rest of the picture sets the tone of a dark movie. This is reinforced by the only other image of colour within the poster, which is a smear of blood, again in a deep red.
The expression on the antagonists face is another key indicator as to what genre this movie is, as it is not a happy smile but a sinister stare straight at the viewer. The impact of this is huge as it instantly informs us that he is not only the antagonist but the character we shall be following.
The gloomy, grey colours also help set the tone as they are usually connotations of darkness and sadness. The fact that it is an empty space behind the man gives the impression of simple, as if his life evolves around the chair and the barber’s knife that we can see in his hand. This indicates obsession
In the background there’s a big window where you can see the “Big Ben” building, this gives us a sense of location as it is clearly set in the middle of London, however it is also clear that he himself is not in a tall building indicating he’s in the cheaper side of London, backing this up is the dirtiness of the window.
The extended title “Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” tells the audience instantly of its hybrid genre of Horror/Thriller, and with the smear of blood behind it, it is obvious at first glance of the genre and tone of the movie. The poster successfully uses all the tools of a classic Thriller motion and appeals to its target audience.
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