Write a Textural Analysis of a Promotional Poster of Batman The Dark Knight

This poster to promote the Dark Knight film is very simple but shows a lot. It is a brick wall with black circle eyes and a red batman figure for a mouth. Above the eyes is the Jokers line ‘why so serious’. Then underneath is the title of the film ‘The Dark Knight’. The dark knight is about the Joker causing destruction in Gotham city due to the fact that criminals are unable to because of batman.

When you first see this poster it is gives us a view that it is graffiti on an ally wall.

When you think of graffiti as a crime, you wouldn’t think that it would be to do with big time criminals, but just by the under minded, inexperience ones. But as Batman cleaned up the streets of all criminals, it is significant as to do a small time/undisturbed crime like graffiti because it wouldn’t be taken seriously to the batman, hence the slogan “why so serious”.

The graffiti face reminds us of the joker’s face of over the top clown makeup. The batman shaped mouth is of Batman. It seems to be painted in a blood red. This is significant because the joker threatens the city with destruction and death if the batman doesn’t give himself. People do die in according to this. It is saying that Batman has peoples blood spilt on him as he won’t compromise with the criminals. The dark circles of eyes symbolises the baggage of the burden that is on the Batman, also the hard darken times it’s for him, hence the title “The Dark Knight.

The poster looking like the Joker is a comparison as usually there will be a promotional poster based on the hero himself. But as the death of Heath Ledger (who plays the Joker) suddenly happened. Warner Bro’s decided to pay tribute and use more posters that were made the Jokers role so it will notify more people. Also, as this poster symbolises the Joker, it shows that this film won’t just be a typical hero defeat villain film. It lets us identify the other side that there is to the film.

The dark knight is a film with action and suspense, when you think of meaning of mystery, which is exactly what this poster gives off. If people haven’t seen the trailer of the dark knight or don’t know the film, when they see the poster they will have to look at it twice. It makes people want to look into it more and understand the idea and concept of this poster and wonder what it has to relate to the film. Although the targeted audience is 16 – 24 males, the poster also targets the film at people who like mystery. as of the death of Heath Ledger, the target audience can be opened to women as well. Because he starred in the film '10 things I hate about you' ( a classic romantic comedy) women might just go to the cinema and see the dark knight, just because of Heath Ledger is playing the joker.