The Godfather Poster Analysis

The Godfather

This poster for the 2009 film, 'The Godfather' displays the classic thriller/gangster film features through the basic colours of the poster. The poster is mostly black and white apart from the little drop of red on his blazer collar from the rose. The use of contrast between light and dark is a common and important thriller feature. Light and dark are usually in place to represent good and evil (light being good and dark being evil). This is especially true in film-noires. The use of this lighting can help to develop the sinister and threatening atmosphere. The colours symbolising good and evil can also show the audience that the film will involve a battle between good and evil.

The only colour in the poster is a rose that is red. The rose stands out from the rest of the poster due to it being the only colour on the poster. The colour red can signify different things as red can symbolise: Anger, rage, violence, blood and revenge which gives the film the connotation of having these characteristics; the rose tells the audience that the film involves violence. 

The man in the poster is wearing a tuxedo/suit which could be argued to be a classic feature of thriller and gangster films (mainly in film-noires); it is common for characters in film-noires to wear suits because all suits were fairly the same and familiar to the audience. The suit also gives the impression of sophistication, professionalism and class to the character in the poster.

The fact that the character on the poster is male is also a key feature of gangster and thriller films, mainly the older films including the film-noires have male protagonists. Having a man in the poster also suggests that he may be the main character in the film. This shows that the poster and the film may appeal more to a male audience.

The man's face in the poster appears to be emotionless; the man's eyes are blacked out and he is neither smiling nor frowning. Not being able to see his eyes and him having an expressionless face adds to the cold and sinister feeling of the poster which indicates that his character may be cold-hearted like most gangsters are represented to be.This also helps to add a dramatic effect to the poster and can leave the audience intrigued.