There are no star names on the front and therefore this may mean that the film is low-budget, the film company is Helicon SK which is not very well know, and also draws me to the conclusion that the film has a low-budget. However, the only focus is on the executive producer, Francis Ford Coppola, as they have also produced previous films that have been successful, for example, Sleepy Hollow and Apocalypse Now, this would also increase audience’s interest in the film. Also, on the front are critic’s reviews, and the words that will increase audience interest are in capital letters or they have increased the font size, for example, ‘record breaking, hit, best U.S., horror movie and 10 years’. This could also be persuasive language to make audiences watch it. (who are the quotes from?)
In my opinion, there is a predominance of image over text. (why? – horrors are often aimed at teenage audiences who might be less inclined to read big long explanations about the film)
They have also used technical codes, (every media text uses some sort of technical codes – it would be better to either write – the technical codes used are also common to most horror movies – or don’t mention the term technical codes, just write about them) such as low-key lighting, which has a dramatic effect.
The font design looks as if it has been cut; (by what) this effect has also been used on the stills from the film on the back of the box cover. This tells us this is a slasher film. The tag line ‘Evil is right behind you’ suggests that something evil is following them and therefore is right behind them.
On the back of the video box cover they also have used reviews from critic’s which are in red text, and therefore this reinforces that it is a horror film. There is also an enigmatic image in the background, as it shows the silhouette of a person holding an axe, and the audiences are left wondering what is it and whom are they planning to kill? Also, in the background are trees, which is a referential code for woods. (are there overtones of Blairwitch Project in this? In the stills, we see the young woman wearing a red top, which could be symbolic for blood, danger and death. Therefore, the red top is polysemic. The person in the background is wearing black, which is symbolic for evil and death. )
The order of the Billing block is correct. (?)
The language used on the video box cover is descriptive and has been carefully chosen to create interest and anticipation. They also use first person narrative and seems as if it is speaking to the audience.
The blurb on the back of the video box cover gives us some clues about the film’ narrative, for example, it is about two teenagers returning home from college. Along the way they are followed down a deserted highway which leads them to a shocking discovery.
The certificate is 15, and therefore this may be around the age of the target audience. I think this because the main characters in the film are teenagers, and therefore they will be able to relate to them more than if they were older. This would also appeal to audiences who enjoy horror films, and are fans of the director or producer.
A decent basic analysis, you could also consider its similarity to Blairwitch – it sounds as if it uses a lot of references to this, without actually mentioning it – how does this set up audience expectations? When doing these sorts of textual analyses, always ask yourself – why? – why have the different elements been chosen? Although don’t cut down on the what? as this is the bit that people often don’t do so well, and your descriptions are pretty accurate and solid.
