Fabian Barrett-Brooks - Saw 3D Poster Textual Analysis

The chief narrative focus of the mise en scene is the film poster of the up and coming movie Saw 3D: The Final Chapter. This film will be released on Thursday 28th October 2010, which is coincidently three days before the annual holiday of Halloween. The will be the first and last time that Liongate will be releasing a 3D film of the franchise as this is the last of the Saw series, which will be more of a selling point for cinema. As we are familiar with the previous sequels, The Saw franchise connote the genre of horror, connoting good timing and a buzz ready for the Halloween weekend. This poster is a good way to tease the target audience, as the main image consists of an eye ball, connoting confusion and awareness, as this could be the main aspect used within the film. This eyeball what we can see is obviously edited to keep away from simplicity, and this also contrasts the style of Saw as the film consists of the different styles of torture and killing using unusual items, rather than the ordinary knife stabbing and gun shooting etc. The tagline ‘In eye popping 3D’ is the text used to compliment the main image, which is seen at the top of the page in a sans serif font using the text Times New Roman, visually connoting a modern feel with only one use of punctuation. A ‘dash’ has been used between the words ‘eye’ and ‘popping’, bring the two words together forming an adjective, connoting some form of gesture, as it is promoting the use of 3D technology. The eyeball is a aspect that could have many connotations, but so far connotes an enigma, as we are not quite sure of what this actually means. The one thing that stands out about the main images is the graphics that has been added to emphasise its aesthetic performance, which would appeal to the target audience, making them interested of what this means. The main image is seen at a close up shot, making it more visible to see the detail of what consists around the sclera, which is the white part of the eye. A ‘splashing’ effect has been used to show the different tools of used to torture or even kill in the film, such as blades, knives, hooks. Body parts such as foots and hands have been seen, as they can be used to harm, by kicking or punching. I also notice that grinding gears have been used, as this the main aspect that has been used throughout the Saw franchise. I believe that this connotes the use of time within the films, as Jigsaw, the main character, always uses this element to torture his victims. I have also noticed two faces within the main image, which could connote the few of many main characters within the film. What I find interesting is the colour of the iris, as it consists of a very unusual mix, blue and brown, as you would never come across and eye colour as such. This obviously has some form of definition behind it, which for now remains as an enigma until whether it is brought up in the film. The colour of the sclera seems the constant the colour theme of the whole poster, which seems to be white with a grey filter used. The use of lighting has been used to a certain degree; hence the white spot on the left hand side of the pupil and the shading on the right hand side of the sclera. The title of the film, 'Saw' is in red, connoting blood, danger and anger, of which most horror films would use. The font used looks as if it may have been customised, connoting its unique sence of style, as it looks like it has been drawn with blood, standing out from the other text that has been used within the poster. The '3D' part is the same text as the tagline, to create simplity, and to make the title more different that any other. The red on white background connotes innosence, as this represents the blood of the victims, creating a more serious but attention seeking mood. The then have some brief infomation about its spomsers and when the film will be released, 'This October'. This is then followed by 'The traps come alive in real D 3D', connoting that that it will be more of an experience when watching this film in 3D. This film is definatly taking advantage of the new technology that is out there, and I feel that Liongate has done this not just to make more of a profit, but to also change the way the target audiences watch movies at the cinema, giving them the experience of modern day technology.