Film Poster Research- The Last Samurai

The Last Samurai Poster


The Last Samurai is a 2003 American Epic Drama starring Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe. It is set during towards the end of the 19th century, specifically in 1876. It is about an American war captain who is kidnapped during an attack of the Samurai and learns the skills and their ways of life.

The main attraction of the film poster is the iconic image of Tom Cruise. It draws your focus to him and it will help to attract a wider audience. This is because the film may be aimed at men and young teens becuase of the fact, it's about a war. However, Tom Cruise is seen as a sex symbol in the film industry and is vetry well-known throughout a range of ages. So therefore, the film can attract women as well. Although, it can be suggested that he may not have been acting for a while previously before he made this film so he can be using this poster as a way to re-start his careeer.The spacing between the letters of his name is to take up space on the poster as it would look a little strange if the font was all bunched together. The background image behind Tom is plain because of the fact he's face takes up the majority of the poster. If the background was an actual image rather than just plain colours, it would not work with the rest of the poster and it would look cluttered.

The use of the foreground image of the men riding to war, can also be seen as iconic as it tells the audience an insight as to what the film is about. Again, it is used to take up space but also gives an idea as to the time the film is set. Which is also shown through the title. The use of the font is plain and simple as the main focus of the poster is Tom Cruise and the fact that he is in a new film. The billing block on this poster is quite big and therefore shows how to take up space. The use of the Black background behind is effective because it draws your eye to it. Which isn't usually a fcous with films posters.

It gives me the idea that doing that makes it useful because then you cna equalise the use of the colours and fonts that you use on the film poster. Another idea I might take is the use of the plain background, it menas that you can use more layers to make the poster more eye-ctaching and it's more simple and makes it more effective.