This is England Poster Analysis

 

 

 

The poster is a long shot of the majority of the cast. It’s demonstrates the collective mix of individuality that relates to the title of the film ‘This is England’. Their costumes are very in keeping with the set time period 1983 and their natural poses and shaved heads provide a raw reality untouched by many drama films. By tapping into an untouched subject in the drama genre this interests audiences as it is something new and unconventional, presented in a very rough way.
 

By using a flat estate and corrugated fence as a background this creates quite a harsh tone for the audience as a contrast to the sugar coated quintessentially British films that obscure British reality which is what makes ‘This is England’ a drama film. By photographing the young skinhead characters as the main image to promote the film, the poster attracts a demographic of 18-25 years because their defiant nature is relatable even if it has evolved. The imperative strap line ‘A time to stand out from the crowd’ is another technique that arouses young adult interest as it promotes a disobedient rebellion which is frequently suppressed today.
 

The title of the film is in capital letters and a bold font. The patriotic colours of red, white and blue symbolise the dramatic passion felt in the skinhead movement. Patriotism is a good way to appeal to an exclusively British audience as many people remember this tough time during Thatcherism. Many ex-skinheads will be able to relate to this image depicted by poster.
 

The combination of the title of the film 'This is England' in patrotic colours and the urban intimidating stances adopted by the characters also juxtaposes with the multicultural backdrop of youth in England during the 1980s.
 

As the director of this film creates smaller alternative films the choice of font reflects this. The understated spray of graffiti is in keeping with the photographed image and does not leap out at you. This keeps the prestige of the director in proportion to the size of the film and does not over shadow the initial impression of the poster.  
 

This is England was made of a very small budget with an independent film company. This means the success of its distribution is largely based on word of mouth and reviews so by putting the awards and quotes given to the film at the top becomes a good way of effectively convincing an audience the film is well worth a watch as it has been given critical acknowledgement.