Poster Deconstructions: The Hole (2001)

The Hole (2001) - Film Poster

• Typography- “THE” Is in small font within the letter H creating emphasis on the word “HOLE” drawing the viewer’s attention to the word. Which is bold to contrast against the dark background.

• They use the colour white, inverting the typical connotations of the colour being a symbolism for light, purity and good. But, is instead being used to highlight the noun “HOLE” which is both literally associated with the idea of darkness, and also is being suggested to be a place of evil and disturbance.

• The title could also being playing of the phrase “you’ve dug yourself a hole” which refers to a person being in trouble or something wrong.  And normal uses of the word “HOLE” would suggest something underground- underground places being stereotypically menacing settings within the thriller genre. 

• Layout- In each corner there is a different focus for the audience. The main focus being the title, there is a large closeup of the main protagonist to the centre left and then directly above the title to the left there are three more closeups of the other main protagonists to the right almost in parallel to the girl- as though they are mirroring her.
•  It is typically conventional in film posters to include close up shots of the protagonists that will feature in the film, this works to make the audience identify with both the characters of the film and the film itself. 
• The use of lighting- the three protagonists are less exposed leaving there faces more in shadow and creating shade under their eyes, giving them a weary and eerie look possibly mirroring the darkness of the plot the characters will become involved in? This contrasts to  the lone close up of the other girls image, which is highly exposed and larger than the others, making her face clearer to see, and possibly suggesting she plays a more prominent part in the storyline of the film. 
• The separation of the three other protagonists, too the close up of the girl in the foreground, creates an idea of division is their tension between these characters?

• The effect of this lighting makes it appear to the viewer that the characters in the top right corner may be the antagonists in the film as they appear more eerie and dark. And that the character of the girl in the bottom may be the innocent, victim as her face appears concerned ad she looks up towards them- but it also hints that they may be in fear of her as she gazes at them in the poster and they seem to have retreated into the shadows- suggesting two possible means.

• Also centred on the bottom is another obscured image, it appears to be a long shot of an unknown item and is possibly the thing 'dying' to get out? Or simply other elements that will be involved in the plot? 

• At the very bottom of the poster is cinema information- informative to the viewer.

•  “Something is dying to get out”- Tag line in smaller font encouraging the viewer to take longer viewing the poster.
•  The use of the word “something”- has an enigmatic effect as it doesn’t reveal very much to the audience, and “dying” creates a sense of desperation. It can also be taken for its literal meaning- does something need to escape.