The Shawshank Redemption poster analysis

 Poster mise-en-scene analysis:

 The Shawshank Redemption

 

 

 

The poster I have chosen is from the film ‘The Shawshank Redemption’. I not only chose this poster because it is from one of my favourite films, but also because it very effectively uses mise-en-scene. The poster shows, in large, the two main characters Elis Boyd (Red), and Andy Dufresne played by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, and a collection of other main characters including brooks and the warden. The focus of the poster is directed to the image of Andy Dufresne basking in the rain, representing the scene in the film where he escapes from the prison. The expressions on Red’s and Andy’s faces connote that it is a serious film, as they both stare off into the distance with perhaps concerned looks on their faces. Although the poster has no image of the Shawshank prison on it, if you look close enough, it is easy enough to assume the environment that the majority of the film is set. In the central-left part of the poster, there is what looks like a police officer, or someone of a similar occupation, connoting that there is some form of crime supposedly committed during the film. Although there is little about the warden on the poster that suggests his role in the film, Red is wearing a very basic collared shirt in the same colour as his hat, suggesting that he is wearing a uniform that could be issued by a prison. Also, the image of Andy Dufresne in the rain shows him wearing tattered and ripped clothes, almost like rags. This connotes that he either has been given poor pieces of clothing to wear, or he cannot afford nice clothes. Also, since he is standing with his arms out, almost embracing the rain, it suggests that he has escaped from somewhere connoting that the plot is about him breaking out of prison. On the poster, there are no women, and during the film there are no real reoccurring women roles. However, Andy Dufresne is wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his wife but since that is at the start of the movie, her part isn’t seen as all that significant. Also, in the film, there are many times where the prison inmates sexualise famous women by swapping posters and putting them up on their wall. The light across all of Reds, Andy’s, Brookes and the other inmates faces on the poster show that despite being in prison, they are the good guys in the film, which is a countertype to what we usually associate people in prisons with. The actor who plays Brookes, as shown on the poster looks old frail, and fragile, allowing people to instantly sympathise with him as a character. Since he is shown in the poster as almost see through or transparent against Andy, it connotes that maybe he will not last the entire film. Shown on the poster wearing the same clothing as Red tells us that they are together in some way in the film (e.g. in the same prison), and he also shares the same worried look making the consumer already tense as they wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to someone who looks so feeble. Also, the warden and the police officer are mostly in the dark, connoting that they are the bad guys. The wardens clothing is unclear, but you can see his tie and shirt denoting that he is formally dressed. This connotes that he is perhaps an authoritative figure in the film. The font in which Morgan Freeman’s name, Tim Robbin’s name and the name of the film are written using is very simplistic and clear, which juxtaposes the complexity of the rest of the poster, which connotes that it could also juxtapose the complexity of the film and the situation the characters are in within it. Going back to the figure of Andy Dufresne in the middle of the poster, it shows him under a bolt of lightning. His face is lit up, and it also lights the rest of his body, including what can be seen under his shirt, which is a white t-shirt. This shows that on the exterior, Andy is shown in black clothing, connoting that perhaps he is a bad character, but this is then there is a complete contrast showing that he is wearing white, which reflects the fact that deep down, he is innocent, pure and good.