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Sunday 3 November 2013

OUGD401 (Study Task 4) Drive Movie Poster - Semiotic Analysis



Above is an alternative poster designed by Luis Fernando Cruz for the film Drive which was released in 2011 and was directed by Nicholas Winding Refn. One of the most prominent elements of this poster is the use of the colour pink which symbolises love and compassion. These are strong themes present in the film. The colour pink is a tone down from the physical passion signified by red and instead brings in purity, goodness and decency which symbolised by the addition of white.

The black silhouette of the male lead character connotes guilt, darkness, impurity, mystery and suggests that it is not necessarily him that is the hero of the film despite what the tag line might suggest. Mythic elements of the film are suggested furthermore by the contrast in colours used as the pink brushes that appear to be exploding out of the dark silhouette and it is the male character overcoming the darkness (good vs evil) suggesting a struggle within between compassion and immorality. This fits into western myths of male and female sexuality being significant opposites and based on male dominance.

The title ‘Drive’ indicates movement and change. The type for the word ‘Drive’ is in pink; the use of a script font signifies femininity and delicacy and indicates that the female character is the one who is driving change. Adding the masked figure, which may only be clear that it is him after watching the film, connotes multiple aspects of his life. The mask signifies a double life as it is put on when he is about to commit an immoral and dark act and symbolises the alternate side of his personality. The positioning of his hand to his mouth could signify doubt, regret, guilt and a conscience leading to issues of immorality and an internal struggle that tie into the said emotions and is not necessarily a physical conflict.

The poster has effectively managed to cover the key themes and codes in western society that are found in the film through appropriate use of type, colour, form and image. The end result being a high impact and aesthetically pleasing poster made to capture the attention of its audience.   


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