A SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF THE CURSE OF ’S MOVIE POSTER

Dwi Nitisari Prodi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra dan Budaya, Universitas Gunadarma Jl. Margonda Raya No. 100, Pondok Cina, Depok [email protected]

ABSTRACT

The aims of this research are to find out verbal elements in ’s movie poster and to find out non-verbal elements found in the The Curse of La Llorona’s movie poster. The method of this research is qualitative method because the data of this research are in words not in numbers. The source of this research is The Curse of La Llorona’s movie poster. After analyzing the semiotic signs, the researcher concluded that the semiotic signs found in the movie poster of The Curse of La Llorona’s can be analyzed through a semiotic approach using Saussure’s theory (signifier and signified). In the result of the research, it is showed that there are two elements of semiotics sign in ‘The Curse of La Llorona’s movie poster, namely seven data in verbal element (1 datum of headlines, 2 data of sub headlines, 3 data of body copy, and 1 datum of baseline) and 3 data in non-verbal element (1 datum of illustration, 1 datum of typography, and1 datum of color).

Key words: Semiotics, Movie Poster, Verbal-Non-Verbal, Saussure

INTRODUCTION

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A picture can represent something and has its meaning for those who see it. Images have a variety of functions, usually used to introduce a product. The film industry is one of the fields that always use images as its advertising media. The picture can provide an explanation of the elements in it and the meaning of these elements. This relates to

Saussure's dichotomy theory, signifier, and signified.

Semiotics is the study of signs. For Saussure semiotics or semiosis is a general science of signs, a science that examines the life of signs in society. Ferdinand de Saussure revealed a theory about semiotics namely Saussure's dichotomy, signifier, and signified theory. Signifier refers to something that is in a material form (physical), explicitly exist and can be distinguished by human senses. Signified refers to something that is in a mental form. In this analysis, the researcher will focus on Saussure's semiotic theory which deals with the relationship between signifier and signified based on convention, commonly called signification.I am interested in analyzing The Curse of La Llorona movie poster.

The Curse of La Llorona is a 2019 American supernatural directed by Michael

Chaves based on Latin American folklore La Llorona, following a mother in Los Angeles in 1973 who had to save her children from evil spirits who tried to steal them. The film was produced by and written by Mikki Daughtry and . This is the sixth installment in Universe franchise.

Ghost figures and characters are described in the poster film. The film poster indirectly describes the film. The analysis of the film poster uses Saussure's semiotic theory which explains the significant and signified relations contained in the elements in the poster.

Semiotics and Visual Representations

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Semiotics is simply defined as a theory of signs or sign systems. While the sign is something that has meaning, which communicates messages to someone. Therefore, everything can be a sign, for example, books, films, building people, and also advertisements. A sign in the system is separated into two components, namely signifier and signified. Signifiers are material that carries meaning, while signified is the meaning.

Signifiers refer to the concrete dimensions of the sign, while signified is the abstract content of the sign, meaning placed on the sign.

Semiotics, as explained by Ferdinand de Saussure, is "the study of the role of signs as part of social life". Semiotics is the study of the structure, types, typologies, and relation relations in their use within the public. Therefore, semiotics study the relations between these components with the user community. The semiotic analysis seeks to find the meaning of signs including things hidden behind a sign (text, advertisement, news).

Because the sign system is very contextual and depends on the user of the sign. The thinking of the sign user is the result of the influence of various social constructions in which the user of the sign is located.

Saussure’s Semiotics Theory

The existence of Saussure's semiotics is the relation between signifier and signified based on convention, commonly referred to as signification. Semiotic signification is a sign system that studies the relation of sign elements in a system based on certain rules or conventions. Social agreement is needed to be able to interpret the sign. According to

Saussure, signs consist of; sounds and images, called signifiers, and concepts of sounds and images, called signified.

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According to Saussure, a sign has two entities, namely signifier and signified. Sign according to Saussure is a combination of a concept and an inseparable sound-image. The relationship between signifier and signified is arbitrary. There is no definite logical connection between the two, which makes the text or sign both interesting and problematic at the same time.

Movie Poster

In the Oxford Dictionary, the poster is a large notice, often with a picture on it, which is put in a public place to advertise something. Posters are also a form of two- dimensional graphic art that combines letters, numbers, and images on large paper media.

Generally affixed to areas with flat surfaces, such as walls or boards, in crowded centers.

Posters have a variety of functions. The main purpose is usually as a media for publication to be read by the wider community. The specific purpose is as a form of invitation delivered by the poster to be subjective, depending on what the poster maker wants. It can be due to commercial purposes, trying to win public sympathy, steal attention, and so on.

In the film industry, posters are needed as media for publication and promotion.

Since decades ago, posters are still a good choice for advertising or promotion. In a film poster, there are usually the main actors or actresses, titles, names of the crew involved, and others. Movie posters usually depict the essence of the film. Besides, film posters are also a medium of communication to the public because there is some information on it.

METHOD

The method of this research is qualitative method because the data of this research are in words not in numbers. The source of this research is a movie poster title The Curse of La Llorona. The movie poster is taken from the Amazon.com that is accessed on June

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10, 2020). The collection data is done by note taking technique (Sugiyono: 2006 in

Mahajani at, al.:2017) namely: downloading the The Curse of La Llorona movie poster, paying attention to the elements of the parasite movie poster, giving note of each verbal and non-verbal in The Curse of La Llorona movie poster, and classifying the verbal and non-verbal elements of the movie poster according to the theory of signifier and signified of Saussure. After collecting the data of verbal and non-verbal element, the researcher making an analyzing technique namely: breaking down the part of verbal elements into table, analyzing of each part in verbal element using the theory, breaking down the part of non-verbal elements into table, analyzing each part in non-verbal elements using the theory of colour, then making conclusion.

Result of the Research

After categorizing the elements in the The Curse of La Llorona movie poster the researcher found the result as follows:

NO SIGNS ELEMENTS AMOUNT

Headlines 1

Sub Headlines 2 1 VERBAL Body copy 3

Baseline 1

Illustration 1 NON- 2 Typography 1 VERBAL Colors 1

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Discussion

Most print advertisements, in this case movie posters, contain two elements, namely verbal and visual elements. Verbal elements consist of headline, sub headline, body copy, and baseline (slogans or company names and addresses). While the visual elements in the form of illustrations, typography, colour and layout.

Both elements of the Movie Poster will be analysed to find out its meaning as a film publication media. The following will be presented the results of the analysis of the movie poster The Curse of La Llorona, which is the results of this research:

Verbal Elements

Headline

Headlines are verbal messages that are most highlighted and are texts that are expected to be read first by the target audience. The location can be anywhere, but it is usually presented in a larger font size than others.

The Curse of La Llorona movie poster has a headline namely film product title.

Here are the headline images found on The Curse of La Llorona movie poster:

Pictures 2.1 Poster Headline

Headline Text: The Curse of La Llorona

SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIED “The Curse of La Llorona” text is a signifier The phrase “The Curse of La Llorona” is one of urban of the movie title with the same text. legend from . A long time ago, there was a beautiful lady who married an ordinary man and they had two sons. One day, the second child his mom trying to kill his brother by drowned in the river. He got caught and killed too. Their mother killed herself in the same river. Since that, she haunted for children to carry

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with her. The reason why she killed her sons and herself was because her husband didn’t love her. She was refused to entry the heaven until she found the souls of her two sons. She was called La Llorona or the weeping woman because she always cried to get an attention from children.

At signifier level, there is the “The Curse of La Llorona” text. This text is a signifier for its movie title. At signified level, the phrase “The Curse of La Llorona” which is a signifier for the movie title, has a signification meaning. In the phrase “The Curse of La

Llorona” as the title of the film reflects the identity of the La Llorona as a horror-themed film.

The color used in the movie title above is white color which is associated as a bright color. The purpose of using white color is to highlight the title because the background is consists’ of dark color. In horror movie poster, the title color is usually white or red to give a sense of a light between the dark colors.

Signification or meaning to be delivered in the headline of The Curse of La Llorona movie is to brand the title of the movie. The chosen film title is to represent the theme of the movie. The visual form of the text “The Curse of La Llorona” is also able to visualize the film theme well.

Sub Headlines

Sub headline is a clarification sentence or a continuation of the headline. Generally located under the headline. This poster has 2 sub headlines.

Here are pictures of The Curse of La Llorona movie sub headline poster which is located below and over the headline:

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Pictures 2.2 Poster Sub Headline

Sub headline text: She Wants Your Children

SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIED The sub headline is “She Wants Your The phrase “She Wants Your Children” describe the Children” text. or La Llorona that always hunting for children because she wanted to find the souls of her two sons. This urban legend was spread throughout Mexico. The Mexican said that if you saw La Llorona who wears white gown with the veil, it would bring a bad luck or misfortune. Every woman in Mexico need to look after their children and prevent them from play near the river or lake and misbehave to their parents.

At signifier level, there is the “She Wants Your Children” text. The signifier text found at the top of the poster. At signified level, the phrase tells the audiences that La

Llorona is always hunting for the children. She is looking for her two sons’ souls because she lost it because of what she did to them. She is hunt for children on the earth so she could bring them with her.

Signification or meaning to be delivered in the La Llorona movie sub headline is that the audience need to find what that phrase tells and describes in the movie. It makes the audience wondering why La Llorona wants your children.

Pictures 2.3 Poster Sub Headline

Sub headline text: From the Producers of

SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIED The sub headline is “From the Producers of The phrase “From the Producers of The Conjuring The Conjuring Universe” text. “The Universe” its shows that the producer of this movie is same with the producer of The Conjuring Universe,

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Conjuring” in its current logotype, carved in James Wan. This movie is produces by James Wan. He two rows with bright red color. is also the producer from The Conjuring movies, movies, and The Nun. The Curse of La Llorona may not have much to do with other films in The Conjuring Universe, such as The Conjuring with Annabelle and The Nun. But there is the same character that show up in the movie, Father Perez. That phrase also uses for gains a lot of audience because James Wan always nailed it for horror movies.

At signifier level, there is the “From the Producers of The Conjuring Universe” text. The signifier text found at the top of movie title in the poster. The Conjuring phrase carved in two rows with bright red color to give a highlight that “The Curse of La Llorona” movie is made by the producers who made the conjuring movie. At signified level, the sub headline that placed over the headline, it shows that the conjuring producers is participated in making the movie.

Signification or meaning to be delivered is that the producers of the conjuring universe, James Wan, take a participate in making the movie. For some people who likes horror movie, they must be knows James Wan. He is known as the key of success of horror movie that include in The Conjuring Universe. The Conjuring was nailed as the horror movie because of him. That phrase placed above the headline is to make the audience wants to watch this movie too because of James Wan.

Body Copy

Poster of The Curse of La Llorona movie has body copy as described in the following picture:

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Pictures 2.4 Poster Body Copy

Body Copy text: Only in Theaters April 19 Experience it in IMAX

SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIED

The body copy is “Only in Theaters”, the date The means of the body copy is for advertising the movie. of the movie will release “APRIL 19”, and The movie will be release on April 19 and you can watch “Experience it in IMAX” text. it in any theater. Also, the filmmaker gives a recommend to experience watch this horror movie that will be presented in IMAX.

At signifier level, there are “Only in Theaters”, “April 19”, and “Experience it in

IMAX” as the body copy of the poster. At signified level, there are meanings in three body copy mentioned in the poster. The first body copy, “Only in Theaters” means that for the audience who want to watch the movie it is only available in theaters. Next, “April 19” is the date release for the movie in every theater. Last, “Experience it in IMAX” is how the filmmakers suggest the viewers to watch and experience the movie in IMAX.

Filmmakers do this to attract the viewer’s attention. Unconsciously, the audience was influenced to participate in watching movies which had been facilitated by larger images with higher resolutions than other conventional films. The standard IMAX screen is 22 meters wide and 16 meters long but can be even bigger. Therefore, this body copy function is to attract the viewer’s attention to advertise The Curse of La Llorona movie.

Signification or meaning to be delivered in the movie poster body copy is a text that is implicitly used to advertise The Curse of La Llorona movie. The viewers are expected to interest in watching the movie just by looking at the informative texts contained

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Baseline

The baseline poster for The Curse of La Llorona movie is explained in the following picture:

Pictures 2.5 Poster Baseline

Baseline text:

New Line Cinema presents an Atomic Monster/Emile Gladstone production “The Curse of La Llorona” Linda Cardellini – Raymond Cruz – Patricia Velasquez – Music by – Casting by Rich Delia, CSA – Edited by Peter Gvozdas – Production Designer Melanie Jones – Director of Photography Michael Burgess – Executive Producers Richard Brener – Dave Neustadter – – Michelle Morrissey – Michael Clear – Written by Mikki Daughtry & Tobias Iaconis – Produced by James Wan, p.g.a – , p.g.a – Directed by .

SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIED The movie poster baseline mentions the names Baseline is also part of advertise on movie poster. It of the main actors, followed by the names of usually put on the bottom of the poster. The baseline the crews and then closes with more section is used to mentions all actors and crew or just information about the movie. some of main actors and head of any division of crew who involved in the production of this movie. The purpose is to give them appreciation for their hard work and participation in making the movies.

At signifier level, the baseline placed at the bottom of the poster has the meaning as a credit title for the cast and crew involved in the process of The Curse of La Llorona movie production. At the signified level, the baseline which is used as a credit title is intended as a medium to introduce the cast and crew involved in the movie production

11 process. By including the names of some crew and cast, of course it is expected to be able to attract audiences to know the cast and crew involved.

Signification or meaning to be conveyed in the baseline is a part of appreciation for the cast and crew involved in the production of The Curse of La Llorona movie.

International and national movie posters also generally provide credit titles for the cast and crew in their posters. In addition, by writing the names of the cast on the movie poster, it is expected to attract the attention of the audience, especially using famous cast and proven acting quality in the world of film. Thus, writing the actor’s name on the poster is an advertisement that is expected to attract more audience.

Non-Verbal Elements

Illustration

Illustrations on movie posters are not only images that show the main actor but also the description of the poster’s background. There are two things that describe the poster:

Information

Information in a poster is the most prominent illustration. Here are pictures of prominent illustrations in The Curse of La Llorona movie poster:

Pictures 2.6 Information of the Poster

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Character Analysis

SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIER La Llorona La Llorona is in the middle of a poster that shows that this film tells the story of herself and the terror she committed against other characters in the film. She is described as a woman wearing a white dress and a veil that covers her face according to the stories. La Llorona is portrayed as someone who holds deep sadness, anger, and regret. On the poster, La Llorona wears a white dress like a wedding gown and veil because she died wearing it. According to the story circulating, the figure of La Llorona is wearing a white dress and veil with long black hair. La Llorona's character as a ghost character in the film is depicted as a person who holds a sense of sadness, anger and regret. He was betrayed by her husband and as a result, he had the heart to kill his children by drowning them. Then he regretted and was sad to have done that and went to the human world to look for the spirits of his children which caused him to often terrorize humans who have small children.

Signification or meaning to be delivered in the information of The Curse of La

Llorona movie poster as an illustration is La Llorona as the one of the main characters in the movie and the movie is going to tell the history about her and how she haunted a family with two children.

Decoration

Besides the information as mentioned above. The Curse of La Llorona movie poster has decoration as illustration. The decoration is the background that describes the creepy forest.

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Pictures 2.7 Decoration of the Poster

SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIED The Curse of La Llorona is about supernatural event in a family who fight to not let La Llorona take them with her. Creepy forest with tree’s who has red seed and red leaf as the background because when the woman killed her sons those trees watched her, and the seeds became her weakness. The tree was called Fire Tree.

Creepy forest background

At the signifier level, The Curse of La Llorona movie poster has supporting illustration. The supporting illustration is the creepy forest that fills with Fire Tree and mix

14 colors of red, yellow green, brown, grey, and white. At the signified level, supporting illustration for The Curse of La Llorona movie poster mean that the forest is the scene of the original La Llorona story. That forest filled with Fire Tree is the place where La Llorona kills her two sons. That tree seeds become her weakness to prevent her come to the house.

Signification or meaning to be conveyed in supporting illustration in The Curse of

La Llorona movie poster is to tell the audience about the story of La Llorona began. This place become a witness for what she did. Also, it become a hint why La Llorona can’t coming to the house that have a row of Fire Tree seeds behind the door.

Typography

In visual communication, the physical and non-physical aspects contained in the type of letters are only tools for conveying ideas, concepts, and thoughts. In the making of movie posters, typography is used to make a visual impression on the title, tagline, writing of credit titles, and even some films that use typography in describing their illustrations.

In the headline of The Curse of La Llorona movie poster, the illustrator prefers to use deconstructive serif font as a title movie and sub headlines.

Pictures 2.8 Typography Poster

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SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIED

The font type used to write two sub headlines Serif font is a letter with a hooked tip. This letter was and a headline movie poster above is very popular before the 19th century. Because the letter deconstructive Serif font. is based on the ancient handwriting that has a classic, elegant and formal impression. At the signifier level, in The Curse of La Llorona movie poster use deconstructive serif font as the headline and two sub headlines poster. At the signified level, the font in the movie poster of The Curse of La Llorona use serif font. The type of serif font is a letter with a hooked tip. This letter was very popular before the 19th century. Because the letter is based on the ancient handwriting that has a classic, elegant and formal impression.

Signification or meaning to be conveyed in the selection of font in the headline and sub headlines of The Curse of La Llorona movie poster is to give a classic and horror impression. The horror movie poster usually using deconstructive font to show how scary the movie is. The Curse of La Llorona is a film that use a set of time in the past. Use serif font is suitable for the set of time of the movie.

Colors

The color compositions that appear on The Curse of La Llorona movie poster are mostly colors that create a dark impression. Here are the color compositions in the movie poster Infinity War Avengers:

Pictures 2.9 Color Composition Poster

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SIGNIFIER SIGNIFIED

Black Color Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery. The use of black on the poster because black is often associated with something dark or scary. The black color can support the scary and dark atmosphere on the poster.

Red Color The nearest equivalent of the English word red is in many languages, etymologically related to the word for “blood”. Dark red is associated with vigor, willpower, rage, anger, leadership, courage, longing, malice, and wrath. The red color is used to describe the fire tree that is the background on the poster. In addition, the red color also describes the angry emotions of La Llorona. Grey Color Grey is a neutral and the color of inertia. It symbolizes indecision, monotony and depression in dark tones. Gray dominates the poster to show a darker, mysterious, and deep sadness. The figure of La Llorona is depicted

in a dirty white dress so that the color becomes grayish to show emotions that fill her so that she turns into a scary and haunting figure for a family. This grey color is quite often found on every horror movie poster. Brown Color Brown is mainly dark- grayish orange and dark-grayish or blackish yellow colors. brown can be thought of as the color of the ground; or at least as that color, which is likely to make people think of the ground. Brown is used in addition to the colors on tree trunks as well as to add

to the impression of darkness given. Green Color Yellow green can indicate sickness, cowardice, discord, and jealousy. A little green color that is added is not too thick to add emotion to the figure of La Llorona, full of negative emotions on her.

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White Color White is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. White can also make a product look clear and clean. Like a canvas, the use of white tends to be like colorless, so that every color above the white becomes prominent because white acts as light. In

the poster above, white is given directly behind La Llorona to give the impression that this is the main character in the film. Also, to provide a little light between the darkness that surrounds her.

Signification or meaning to be conveyed in the color composition in The Curse of

La Llorona movie poster is to give the impression of a horror-themed film and entertain the audience. The characteristics color tone in the poster tend to be warm in color associated with black, red, grey, brown, and yellow green.

CONCLUSION

In the poster The Curse of La Llorona, the researcher found some behind meanings on it by using Saussure Theory. There are many signs of the poster which have the signifier and signified meaning whether verbal and non-verbal signs. These signs show not only the images and the words but also show that they have the behind meanings if it is read deeply and all of the signs support the title of this movie poster, they are about the curse of La

Llorona. The reader will know that the descriptions in the poster are appropriate with the title The Curse of La Llorona because all of the pictures refer to La Llorona and her story.

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