Colour in horror - movie posters and colour palettes

I came across this website when researching colour in horror films. This website outlines the colour palette selections for various horror movie posters. Below, I have picked out my favourite of these movie posters, its matching colour palette and my own analysis detailing why I have chosen this example, what relevance this example has to the development of my project and why I think this colour palette is effective in promoting the title.

Jaws (1975)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2075/2052789998_6cd6eeb203.jpg?v=0

http://www.colourlovers.com/images/badges/p/732/732769_Jaws_Movie_Poster.png

• Why have I chosen this example?

Jaws was a personal childhood favourite, my first aquatic themed horror film which like everyone else who saw it at a young age, made a sacred vow NEVER to go into the ocean without an oxygen tank and a rifle. This film used a first person camera perspective and was suspense driven, inspiring future works of horror such as Halloween (1978), Blair Witch Project (1999), [REC] (2007) and Grave Encounters (2011).

• Why is this colour palette effective in promoting this title?

The light toned cyan is used for the colour of the ocean which blends with the dark shaded silver of the sharks skin, depicting the metaphorical imagery that the monster is one with the ocean, invisible as a shadow amongst the waters it stalks. The white is used to both contrast with the bright red of the title and to symbolise action in the water i.e. the splashing of the swimmer, the movement of the shark and the air bubbles below the surface. The black is used to outline the entire poster, making everything in the foreground stand out.

• What relevance does this have to the development of my project?

Colour palettes are important for more than just promoting a title, they help visualise themes. Horror being the theme of my project, I have to be able to project this atmosphere with colour as well as other visual attributes.



Film posters/colour palettes site:
http://buildinternet.com/2009/03/color-scheme-inspiration-vintage-horror-movie-posters/