DVD cover analysis.

Rendition is a film starring Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep and Jake Gyllenhaal. The three main characters in the film are the three dominant faces on the front of the DVD cover, because by using three major Hollywood a-Lister's in your film and on your cover, people are more likely too buy the film, because the actors already have a reputation. The worried look on the faces of the actors also tells us that the film is going to be fall of The DVD cover, shows various images, faintly in the background, which gives us a indication as to what happens in the film. In the background you can see a shot of the Whitehouse, showing that this film is a political thriller. The cover is almost divided into three sections and these section are representative of which character is located where in the movie, for example Meryl Steep is in Washington, because she is a senator and handles the situation from back home and Jake Gyllenhaal face is set against a background of him in a run down area of the middle east. You can also see the slogan on the front cover of the DVD. The question, 'What if someone you loved just disappeared?' This is a direct address to the viewer and it shows that this film may also be about morale confrontation as the viewer is being asked what they would do if they were in the position of the characters.



The main image on the front of the DVD cover to The Bourne Identity shows the main actor, Matt Dillan. By putting the main character on the front cover of the DVD it can help sell a film because people may want to watch the film just because of who is in it. Like on the cover of Rendition there are stills in the background of the cover, which shows the audience the different themes of the movie e.g. we can see two characters kissing, showing that there is going to be love and romance in the film and there is also another still of two people fighting. By including these two stills on the front cover of the DVD you are appealing to two different audiences . The fighting will appeal to men whilst the kissing still will appeal to women. This cover therefore helps broaden the appeal of the film. On the cover there is a target, which suggests violence and death in the film. The two different colours on the cover show the two different elements of the film. The blue side represents the cold, calculated side of the films whilst the orange side shows the passion in the film.





The front cover of Shallow Grave makes it extremely clear to the reader that this film is a thriller movie. There is a man on the cover that appears to be dead, already showing the viewer that this film is going to be very open about death. The body, which is lying on the bed is covered in a red sheet, and red is a colour that is very prominent on the cover of this film because the word 'grave' is also in red. The red represents the blood from the murder in the film and because red is the most prominent colour on the cover of the movie it shows that death will be a major theme in the film. Th films tag line, 'Whats a little murder between friends?' is shown below the title and the picture of the three actors, instantly creates an enigma code as the audience is left wondering if these three friends are involved in the murder of the man on the bed? and if so how they have come to be involved.





The front cover of The Silence of the Lambs is chilling. The woman's face, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), is very ghost-like, which has been achieved by using colours that are very cold, such as white and blue. By making this character look like a ghost, the DVD is hinting towards death and murder in this film. Covering Clarice mouth is a butterfly, which links with the title of the film 'silence', as it suggests that this character is going to have control taken away from her and she is not going to be able to talk. We also wonder what relevance a butterfly has to the story. The colours of the butterfly also matches the colour of her eyes, which is the only prominent colour on the front cover of this DVD. By doing this to the eye's, it makes them stand out and it makes it feel as though she is watching us. This DVD cover is powereful because it is simple and lets the images do the talking and although it has a-list hollywood actors in it, it chooses not to display their faces (except for Jodie Foster and this picture of her is not obviously her at first glance) and the names are only very small at the bottom of the cover, just above the title.



The front cover to The Talented Mr Ripley, clearly displays the three main charcters faces, perticualr Matt Dillan, who is the main lead in the film and probably the most famous of the three actors on the front cover of the film, this is again an example of how the makers of the film is trying to sell the film to the audience. By including the three charcters on the front cover of the DVD it creates an enigma code as it leaves the audience to question how these three charcters and link and how their lives are all involved in the story? The colours on the front cover of the DVD are fairly dark, with browns, oranges and yellows. These colours create a sense of darkness and terror to the film, but its is contrast to the still of Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law in the background, which shows them in love. By including this still they are also including broden the target audience of this film because it means that women are more likely to come and see the film.