A good poster can help make or break a horror film. Many people base their decision to go to a movie on their first impression of the poster. There are many reasons horror movie posters attract viewers. Some include details about the stars of the film or the makers of the film, while others use symbolism and art to peak a viewer’s interest.
The cinema posters for a film should work on several levels. It should give basic information about the feature such as who is starring in it and who made it. It should also give some idea of what the movie is about and why it is scary. But it should not give away too much information or viewers may be turned off about seeing it.
Lists exist of what are considered the “best” horror film posters. Some of these lists have only a few entries, while others contain dozens of them. Though each list has its own reasoning behind its poster choices, many of them agree that some posters are better than others for multiple reasons.
One of the most ubiquitous horror movie posters is that for the film “Jaws”. Starring Roy Schneider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss, this movie about a man-eating Great White shark was directed by Steven Spielberg. The poster is minimal in details, showing only a female swimmer, a beautiful stretch of blue ocean water, and a giant, toothy shark rearing up from the deep. It makes its point in a simple, straightforward manner.
The 1979 remake film, “Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht”, starred Klaus Kinski as a demonic looking vampire who terrorizes a small village. The poster was simple, made up of mostly black and white line art mixed in with a few brushes of color. The vampire is twisted and ugly looking, and holds in his arms an unconscious woman. It is obvious from this poster that this vampire is not sexy or romantic like many modern day vampires appear to be.
A poster from the film “House”, starring George Wendt, Richard Moll, and William Katt, also takes the simple approach. It features only a hand reaching out with its index finger to press a doorbell. The hand itself is severed from the rest of a human body. It is rotting away, giant chunks of flesh removed to show bones, muscles, and veins waving forth.
While the film “Forbidden Planet”, starring Leslie Nielson and Anne Francis, could be viewed as science fiction, the poster speaks of its more horror-based undertones. Here a giant robot looms up from an alien landscape with an unconscious woman held captive in his arms. While artistically rendered, the feel of the poster is more ominous than cartoonish.
There is almost nothing as frightening as the sense of vulnerability you feel while you sleep. Anything could happen to you. The poster for “A Nightmare on Elm Street” plays on these fears. A pretty teen played by Heather Langenkamp lays in bed with a look of surprise and horror on her face as a clawed hand reaches out of her dreams to attack her.
