RAIN MAN POSTER ANALYSIS

Emma Whelan

The main image

The main image presents Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffmans characters in the center of the poster. The image takes up the entirety of the poster and therefore focuses the film on the relationship between the two main characters presented. The lighting used to bring darkness on Cruises character emphasizes the innocence of the character Ray who is shown in angle swingers etc. presenting him as the socially awkward brother in comparison to the dark jacket and sunglasses worn by Cruises character

The Title
The title Rain Man appears in the lower third of the magazine diminishing its effectiveness as a title. The serif font is heavily spaced suggesting a disjointed nature to the relationships within the film and emphasizing the importance of the story rather than its title/

Although the typography used is bold it is less appealing to the eye as the advertisement of the actors Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise who instantly draw the readers attention.

Colours Used
The dark grey of the pavement walked on by the two main characters is emphasised through the shallow focus on the brothers walking down the path. This suggest the film tells a story of two men on a journey down a long road and suggests at times this journey will be tough. The poster is almost dulled down to highlight the sadness in the life of Ray who suffers with autism. The poster serves to highlight the struggles faced by those coping with a mental illness.

The main image shows a 2 shot of the two brothers highlighting their differences and making Raymond appear as different before the film has been seen. The image captures the brothers mid-step suggesting they are on a continuing journey emphasised through the concrete road they walk on