Trick 'r Treat Film Poster Analysis

Trick ‘r Treat is an American comedy/horror/thriller written and directed by Michael Dougherty in 2007. The main image is of one of the killers in the film that appears to be a young child. The idea of a child is usually cute and adorable, but in this context, with a sack mask and bloody clothes the stereotype of a young kid is done away with and replaced with a horrible looking child that makes a viewer feel very surreal making it stick in their mind. The lollipop that the killer is holding signifies Halloween and trick or treating which is the whole concept of the movie. It has a bite out of it which subtly hints at violence and the fact that it is a pumpkin symbolises Halloween which is already made clear by the title of the movie. The background of the image is very plain with a few blood stains to make it simple but effective. Also as the post goes up in gradually gets darker to the point where half of the killers face is shrouded in darkness which gives it that mysterious and uneasy feel that every good horror movie needs. The colour of the title is in fluorescent/neon red making it stand out and easily readable over the dull, gloomy background. This is contrasting to the dark, empty look of the killer above which creates an intense, edgy vibe which is sure to keep the viewer remember the poster. The font used is an old, and is not formal and equal size, but instead is messy and crooked emphasising the uneasy feel and sense of danger the poster gives off. The tagline of the film on the poster is ‘Poison, drowning, claw or knife, so many ways to take a life’. This is a very effective tagline as it takes advantage of the child killer and the child stereotype as a whole. It’s normal to relate a peaceful, jolly little rhyme with a young child that parents and other people will find cute and adorable, and this is played with in the poster. Instead of the happy, funny rhyme it is replaced with a sinister, evil one that jokes about murder and sends chills down the viewers’ spine. Based on the poster, I would say the target audience is aimed at Halloween fans who love a jump or two. The age range would most likely be between 15 and 25 as you need to be at a certain age to understand the concept of the movie. Also the target also has to be open minded and have a sinister to side to appreciate the uneasy looking view on a child and not be offended by it.