Over the past two decades, horror movies have improved their masks, storylines, effects, and, naturally, their advertising methods. For a horror movie to be successful, the promotional poster is one of the key factors that the production has to pay attention to. They tend to be scary, eye-catching, and often provoke disgust in the audience, but this is the exact effect that fills the movie theaters.
Horror movie posters are often written off as shlocky, over-done works intending to shock audiences, but these 10 pieces prove that shock value can go a long way!
The Mist (2007)
The Mist was written by the legendary Stephen King in 1980, twenty-seven years later it was directed by Frank Darabont. The storyline is filled with real-life situations that are scarier than any supernatural force, as the agony and fear are much more relatable to the audience.
The poster was designed by the famous American poster designer Drew Struzan, who has designed over 150 movie posters for films such as Blade Runner, Back to the Future, and various Star Wars films.
Let Me In (2010)
Let Me In was written by the Swedish writer John Ajvide Lindqvist and later on directed by Matt Reeves. The movie had several movie nominations such as Empire Award for Best Horror, People’s Choice Award for Favorite Horror Movie, and Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Horror/Thriller.
The poster for the movie is considered to be very shocking by the helpless position of the little girl, evoking a tense sense of hopelessness and desperation in the viewer.
Cloverfield (2008)
Bad Robot Productions had a clear marketing vision for promoting the movie Cloverfield. They made sure that any information was kept secret, and even the final poster was kept hidden until the last moments. This method of marketing caused a high level of expectation among the audience, and it increased the turnout drastically, so the movie was a big success.
The movie had a spectacular poster that was initially inspired by the movie Escape from New York that came out in the early 80s where the head of The Statue of Liberty was positioned on the streets of New York. The shot was considered shocking and a great plot for a movie.
The Happening (2008)
The Happening was definitely not as successful as its official release poster. The film was received poorly, and it can be considered as a black spot on M. Night Shyamalan’s filmography. Despite the bad reviews, the movie managed to gross over $160 million at the box office.
The poster, on the other hand, did an incredible job, as it presents a mystical scene that leaves the audience with many questions. This led the viewers to the movie theaters in order to hopefully have those burning questions answered.
Insidious (2010)
The 2010 horror movie Insidious had an eye-catching poster of the main character, Dalton, who is wearing pajamas and by being outside of the house hints that he possessed. Another small detail indicating that he has been possessed would be the shadow in one of his eyes. The entire image is tilted, which creates a brilliant distortion that confuses the audience and makes an already tense scenario all the more disturbing.
Saw (2004)
One of the best-known American horror franchises started with Saw in 2004, then, in 2005, they released Saw II, which was followed by six additional movies that total to eight movies to this day. The poster for the first movie has the key components that act as eye-catchers.
First is the distorted front, a violent act, and the third and final component is the overall brutality of the poster. Altogether, the image creates a certain disgust, yet it simultaneously builds excitement and anticipation.
The Human Centipede (2009)
The Human Centipede has such a brutal poster that, once seen, it cannot be forgotten. It provokes many questions about the movie, and, for an audience that loves to watch horror movies, this is a real treat. The person that has been placed on the glass looks like he or she is screaming, and it is so vividly portrayed that the viewer can almost hear the scream.
The additional hands are an indication that the person on the poster has been captured and something he or she is experiencing excruciating pain. The effect of the matte glass gives the final mystical touch to complete the poster.
The Grudge (2004)
The Grudge is a famous supernatural horror film directed by Takashi Shimizu. The movie is as freaky as the poster itself. The only thing that really catches the eye is the actual eye of the protagonist which implicates how vulnerable and distressed she is.
The messy hair, black background, and the title covered in scratch lines are adding thrill to the already creepy image. The poster is definitely memorable, and the stare is something the audience will remember for a long time.
The Descent (2005)
The Descent is a British horror film that tells the story of six women who embark on an expedition in a cave who find themselves stuck with nowhere to escape. On the official movie poster, the artist has used the bodies of the six women to create a shape of a skull. As the light shines on their figures enlightening their terror, there is also one more important detail, there are all kinds of creatures surrounding the girls that indicate their existence in the movie.
Slither (2006)
The 2006 American science-fiction horror Slither has one of the most epic movie posters ever made. The creatures that are emerging in the bathtub can be described as one part tongue, one part tadpole, one part worm, and one part absolutely disgusting. Also, the fact that the woman in the bathtub is entirely calm and unaware of what is about to happen to her is causing extra chills to everyone who lays an eye on the poster.
