A movie poster is the first impression, we as viewers, get about an upcoming movie. The movie, The Devil Wears Prada, has an interesting poster as it does not give much to any detail to the movie itself. Most posters show the main actors and actresses or a memorable scene. The Devil Wears Prada has none of these things.

            When first looking at the movie poster, it is hard to see anything but the shiny red pump with a devils trident as the heal. Without any prior knowledge about the film, this could be very confusing. Normally, any reference to the devil would be a clear indication that the film is in the horror genre. In contrast, a shiny red pump would be associated with women’s fashion and probably some type of chick flick. These two factors create a very fascinating and different image that does not give a clear idea of what this movie will actually be about.

           

            The title also creates an area of mystery about the movie. While the devil trident only references a devil theme, the word devil is in the actual tile. To perfectly reference the shoe and the devil, The Devil Wears Prada title effortlessly brings together both the fashion and devilish allusion. While the shoe and title go hand in hand, it does not bring the audience any closer to finding out the true plot of the movie. From these two very unlike ideas, the movie could be anywhere in the genre of chick flicks to horror and maybe somewhere in between.

            One of the main references that could give viewers an idea that this movie is fact is not a horror film is the name of the two main actresses, Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. Meryl Streep is an extremely well known and well-respected actress. Her movies typically range from dramas, to romance, to romantic comedy. Anne Hathaway, while not as famous as Streep, is also known to be in the same genre of movies. For two women, who are usually cast in a certain type of film, to be cast in a horror movie seems very unlikely. Having both Streep and Hathaway’s names on the poster, give the movie credibility, ethos. The name Streep alone would draw many women and men to this movie, even without deciphering the shoe, solely because they have enjoyed her movies before. It is also not necessary to show Streep’s picture. Most audiences will know exactly who Streep is just by seeing her name.   

            The bright color of the ruby red shoe against the white background also make the poster pop. Instantly, pathos is seen, as the rich color gives off a sensual and mysterious feel. Pared with the sassy, devilish font in which the poster reads, The Devil Wears Prada. Even with these emotions, the movie plot is still not transparent by the poster.

            Under the shoe, in small almost illegible font, is the information about the film. It was produced by 20^th Century fox and rated PG-13. Both of these pieces of information give more insight into the movie itself. The rating shows that there are some segments not appropriate for children and young teenagers. Also, 20^th Century Fox is a well-known and trusted film production firm, giving the movie more credibility. Both ethos and logos are shown in the bottom information.

           

            Overall, I do not think that the movie poster gave much insight to what the movie is really about. The Devil Wears Prada shows the struggle of making it in the fashion and journalism world while working under one of the most reputable and demanding bosses. While Streep’s character does represent the devil of the fashion world, the posters is very deceiving in its meaning.

-Taylor Dennis