SHUTTER ISLAND FILM INVESTIGATION (horror genre hybrid with psychological thriller)

FILM POSTER
The film poster for Shutter Island interestingly integrates two different images together to possibly give away details about the movies setting and the presumed protagonist of the movie played by Leanardo Dicaprio. The poster adopts a dark sultry colour tone using a black and white style editing filter over the images to perhaps fit in with genre conventions of the movie being a dark thriller. The way that the island aswell as Dicaprios face on this poster both adopt a dark black and white hue shows a connection between the two images creating an enigma to audiences who would want to find out how dicaprio is associated to the island and what it actually is. The bold red text on this dark monochromatic background is similar to the technique used in marketing for the box office horror hit 'Amytiville horror' which too used stark bold red lettering on a monochrome background to stand out. The white smaller capitalized writing above the movies title flaunts the films unique selling point of having leanardo DiCaprio in as he is a prestigious and well known actor that will draw fans and audiences in to see the film as they know he has only appeared in credible and high income movies.

The way that half of dicaprios face is shadowed with a darker aperture whilst the other half of his face is highlighted hints an alter ego, alternate persona as well as a sense of mystery around the character. This same half shadowed editing technique was used on the batman poster when Harvey Dents character who has an alter villainous antagonistic persona in the film was shown on the poster with half his face shadowed and half brightened to represent some of his physical characteristics in the film. Dicaprios character in this film *spoiler alert* has an alternate persona as he is a mental asylum patient (which is the films big twist) so the half shadowed face accurately creates a visual representation of what his character is like as he has a dark side (revealed in the film as he murdered his own wife). Cleverly also, the match DiCaprio is holding in the movie poster brings light to the poster almost as if it is illuminating everything else in the poster which cleverly makes it seem realistic and almost gives a three dimensional sense. As there is no sunlight or artificial lighting used this match brings a sense of raw lighting and realism to the movie poster as well as fire being connotated with fear and death. The light from the match also highlights the films catchphrase 'someone is missing' which gives a subtle enigma triggering hint about the plot as audiences almost feel as if they have to 'find' the person by watching the film themselves. The match representing light is a physical form of light, however it links metaphorically to Dicaprio perhaps shedding light on the situation of who is missing on the island.

The island depicted on the movie poster has been made up by a collection of sharp focus different images which is evident by the waves breaking at different points in each smaller image. This may suggest a jigsaw style plot where audiences have to peice the story line together by themselves which is associated with crime and thriller genre movies where there is an investigation.

The stormy weather portrayed in the movie poster acts as pathetic fallacy because the storm conveys emotion and feeling to the film creating a sense of darkness and fear by using storm features such as the rain and the large breaking waves, this sets the setting relating to mise en scene for the movie.

                                REVIEW OF THE ENTIRE MOVIE:

"which would be worse – to live as a monster, or to die as a good man?" Teddy Daniels-shutter island

Shutter Island doesn't simply win my vote as my favorite film for the main role played by the strikingly gorgeous Leonardo DiCaprio but but also because the plot devised by best selling novelist Dennis Lehane adapted by screenwriter  Martin scorese is quite frankly ingenuous. DiCaprio himself even  described  the filming as 'emotionally grueling' and whilst he spent endless hours in front of the cameras acting in his 'most challenging film to date' we are presented with a two hour clean cut of of superb indulgence in a superb motion picture. The 'blogsphere' has been awash with debate about what truly happens in the final scene of the movie and in awe of the clever twist-however i don't dare to dig into and reveal as much information as that to any virgins of watching shutter island.          

          Now, shutter island is not some mundane clone of a out-dated book....its more of a teasing enigma encased within a splendid plot inevitable to have huge twists and revelations. Categorized as a thriller; the movie really does inherit themes involving crime(beyond belief) an exciting story and the typical espionage(on a rather small scale although).

          The film revolves around The book's protagonist and the films leading character, Teddy Daniels, who's 'apparently' (you'll understand everything when you watch the film-promise) a US marshal, who turns out to be a deranged killer named Andrew Laeddis. (SPOILER ALERT-sorry) during the film we learn that Laeddis is  a patient in a mental hospital who's been encouraged by his psychiatrist to: 'act out his delusion in the hope that this will dispel it'. This role play fails. Terribly. After experiencing a brief recovery, Andrew relapses into insanity..leading to many subsequent events.         

            The film acquires its title from the island on which the asylum Laeddis is referred to is on. The island is fairly small, meaning all happenings are intensified and portrayed in a condensed stimulating way. The word 'shutter' connotes ideas of disassociation and closure, this is very relevant for the asylum which closes out the exterior world around it. The word island directly juxtaposes with 'shutter' because when we think of an island most people tend to picture beaches, haven and neutrality however the location of the film completely contrasts with this. It is dingy (exaggerated with the low, ambient lighting used), intimidating and unknown. If I'm honest, i cant say that any part of this film is remotely 'jolly'...the pathetic fallacy technique Scorsese uses makes the lighting and weather of the film seem to constantly reflect the low, confused, sad morale of main character Teddy meaning the entirety of the film manages to keep its audience in the darkness...the shadows...the suspense. Only when Teddy has flashbacks to his past does the mood and pathetic fallacy technique vary- as the mise-en-scene completely changes and Teddy is wearing bright clothes, with a gorgeous brightly clothed wife, in a colored brightly lit house with smiles and kisses and dialogue revolved around love.

             When we think of an island, depending on perspective, people can also think of abandonment and loneliness or even being lost, however the people on this island are only lost within themselves...lost in their thoughts...abandoning their moral sanity and mental stability with the only thing left to abandon being hope. For Teddy, the amount of psychiatrists and doctors putting hope into his recovery is short lived when he relapses..showing a huge defeat of the ideology of hope.       

             With that explanation alone, i find it difficult to justify why i wouldn't consider 'Shutter Island' to be one of my favorite films. I also simply love the genre of the film (thriller). My enjoyment of the film was not only maximized by the award winning actors and admired genre, but also because of the amount of happenings and scenes in the play that completely foreshadow the ending-without you even knowing it! The foreshadowing technique Scorsese uses is so subtle so that the outcome is explicitly revealed in such a clever manner and every piece of the puzzle fits together. But not only is the plot a puzzle for the audience the whole entirety of the film- DiCaprio plays such a puzzled character (Teddy) the whole way through so the actual structure of the film itself is based around the main character, this means the confusion that main character Teddy feels is almost replicated by the audience! This is very effective as it allows an even stronger audience connection and association with the film. In addition, the frequent uses of flash backs and past events makes the film more dramatic, with more background, context and meaning...and eventually these flashbacks are the necessity that piece every last bit of the puzzle together.

 MAGAZINE COVER

This magazine cover for Total Film immediately draws audiences to one particular character played by Leanardo Dicaprio which is a unique selling point for the magazine. referred to as 'leo' with the pragmatic understanding audiences will know of this prestigious actor, Dicaprio stands out on the cover as the long shot of his entire body language and expression dominates the page. Readers would probably be unsure of how to connect with Dicaprios character from this image alone because he appears arguably antagonistic with his dark attire, long trench coat, solemn facial expression, gun in his hand, clenched fist and possibly a body beneath his feat. However in an alternate perspective the police badge on his belt and detective style clothing could perhaps hint his movie character could be the protagonist? Total film leaves viewers of the front page with an open enigma.

From the front page of the magazine audiences may presume shutter island is an action thriller due to the prop of a gun in his hand as well as the police badge dicaprio has on his belt. however the red blood connotation gritty font used for the title and smoke editing effect on the image suggests a horror sub genre.

The main image of Dicaprio is covering the masthead of the magazine known as a technique called superimposition. This creates realism and is a technique we would want to adopt when creating out own movie propaganda and posters as it creates a feel of three dimensional reality. It also shows the importance of the film and DiCaprio as a character having prevalence of this front page.

The color scheme of this magazine cover remains consistent with the blue hue of the smoke and background creating color connotations of loneliness and desolation. The blue also makes the red font appear stark and stand out on the page.