Blog 1- The Interview

The Interview

Whenever we find ourselves in line at the movie theater, it is usually to buy a ticket for a movie that we are eager to see. There are many reasons why this movie may have stood out to us, enticing us to see it. Maybe it was the trailer, the actors in the movie, or, perhaps, the movie poster. A movie’s poster is definitely an important part in what convinces us to see a movie. We sometimes overlook the importance of this aspect in our subconscious mind. Movie posters contain ethos, logos, and pathos, which are all very important characteristics that make the poster what it is.

            Looking at the movie poster for the movie, The Interview, we can identify many important parts from top to bottom that catch our eyes. First we see the tag line at the very top of the poster. This suggests ethos because it gives the producers credit for not only this film, but two other very popular films as well. The pathos that is identified in the tag line is the humor we pick up when the producers refer to themselves as “western capitalist pigs.” This identifies a lighthearted attitude right from the start. What stand out the most in the poster are the pictures that are positioned front and center. Seeing the pictures of both Seth Rogan and James Franco side-by-side appeals to us because they are both very well known actors. Their names are also listed directly beneath, so this gives us the idea that they are probably the main characters in the film. They both have very determined looks on their faces, which makes them look like they are the “good guys” in this movie. This would be appealing to someone viewing the movie poster. In addition to the names and faces, another aspect of the poster that stands out is the words that are written in Korean. This gives us insight that Korea (or in this case North Korea) will most likely be a main part of the film. In addition, the face of the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un, is pictured in the middle of the bottom half of the movie poster, which leads us to believe that he also has an important role in the movie.

            If we look at what is going on the background of the poster, our eyes are drawn, first, to the Korean men at the top that have guns. These two mean also have angry facial expressions, which leads us to believe that they are the “bad guys” in this film. In addition, there are rockets coming from either side of the poster with something written in Korean on them. This gives us more insight that the Koreans are villainous in this movie. The poster as a whole has a “cartoonish” look to it, which represents humor and lightheartedness. The main colors being orange, red and yellow also give us an upbeat feeling because they are warm colors as opposed to dark or cold colors that have negative connotations. The title, “The Interview,” is misleading based on the poster. Usually when we think of an interview, we think of a very serious and important event. After watching the movie, we find out that this particular interview isn’t serious at all, but more of a fun and engaging interview. The star printed in the middle of the “R” does include some spunk in the way we read it. The majority of this poster gives off a fun and cheerful vibe, with the exception of some the background aspects. This movie poster as a whole represents the movie well.