Magazine analyses

Scream Magazine Analysis

The main colour scheme in this particular issue of scream is red, black and white. All three of these colours are colours that can be associated with the horror genre. Black is a very dark colour and creates enigma as when used it doesn’t show the whole image. Black is a conventional colour used in horror films as it is a very powerful colour and evokes strong emotions. It also creates the sense of evil, fear and mystery. Black is the colour of darkness and many horror films are set at night as it creates more tension and fear for the audience as they are unable to clearly see what is going on as people can’t see through the darkness. Black represents the lack of colour and light which also signifies the lack or loss or lack of hope.

The word scream really stands out to the audience, as it is in a bold font and in the colour red. The red title very stereotypically fits in with the horror theme as the title has blood dripping down it which immediately gives the title a creepier feel.

The image on the front cover of the magazine automatically stands out to the audience. This is because of the piercing white eyes that are used to scare the audience. The direct gaze into the camera makes the audience feel as though the eyes are looking right through them. The axe in the image is used to show connotations of slasher horror or gore and the close up gives it a more terrifying feel as it makes us feel the pain of what an axe could potentially do.

One of the coverlines ‘Hell raiser’ stands out as it is in capital letters making it more noticeable. The connotation of hell is nearly always representing something bad and is a signifier of death.  

Entertainment Weekly Magazine Analysis

The main image on Entertainment weekly’s magazine cover is very eye capturing. This certainly fits in with the horror genre due to the overall look of the image. The outfit that this ‘monster’ is wearing is very simple yet still manages to be effective. The plain black hoodie (as well as the mask) covers up any human features that it may possibly have making it look more abnormal. The mask that the monster is wearing covers up the entirety of its face, leaving the audience to speculate what is behind this ghoulish accessory. The mask also is a way of covering up the true person’s identity and making him more scary to look at.

The red background makes the image look even more prominent. The colour of red is very symbolic in horror as it connotes blood, anger, threat and potentially even death. Therefore, the use of the colour red in the background really fits in well to the horror theme. Also the colour red connotes danger and in horror there is always a sense of danger which makes the audience nervous- fulfilling the purpose of the horror genre. 

The coverline ‘scream returns!’ is positioned on the right hand of the page. As it is so close to the image, it makes it very noticeable in the audience’s eye. The use of the explanation mark establishes its importance and really put emphasis on the word scream. For someone to scream this shows connotations that they are scared or perhaps even terrified. The word scream also relates and makes the picture even more noticeable as the word matches the action of what the person in the image is doing.

Empire Magazine Analysis

The title ‘Empire’ is placed at the top of the magazine, making it instantly jump out to the audience. It is very large and takes up a big chunk of the page which is successfully promoting the magazine company. The title is in red, which contrasts well with the black background, and moreover stands out even more due to it being a more prominent colour. The colour red is very commonly associated with the horror genre, showing connotations of blood, danger, anger and even the devil.

The title of the film ‘The Shining’ is also in very big letters. The Shining is a very famous film, and therefore would likely attract a large audience as it is well known and people would want to read about their favourite film.

The Cover line ‘The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time’ implies that as well as the horror genre it includes a variety of different genres and therefore will draw in a bigger audience. It also implies that the magazine has a good knowledge of films.

The image on the front of this magazine is a close up of someone’s face. It is instantly recognisable that he is from a horror film. This is because although he is not looking at the camera we can see that the face he is pulling is very sinister and it makes him look evil. The fact that he seems to be looking at something, implies to the audience that maybe he is looking at someone- and the creepy but pleasant look on his face could suggest that he has found his victim.