Sherlock Holmes - Front Cover Deconstruction

• Holmes is represented as the dominant male, intimidating and violent; as depicted by his stern facial expressions and the cuts on his face and hands. In addition, the character is positioned in the centre of the page, with small advertisements surrounding him – he is the main focus, and his beady eyes particularly hint threat, confidence and anger.
• His character positioning creates intrigue amongst the audience, as Holmes looks like he is planning something (as hinted by his hands).
• Due to Sherlock Holmes being portrayed in a ‘rough, tough’ way; one would assume that the film is purposely created for adults and older children, due to the connotations of violence and danger.
• Sherlock Holmes is a well known narrative, therefore the film creators have a desired target audience – he is known as the ‘world’s greatest detective’. By creating a different slant, or ‘rebirth’ of the story; portraying Holmes in a contrasting way; the audience are appealed to watching the film. It stands as a teaser, as the audience are intrigued about the ‘new’ version of Holmes.
• The title ‘Sherlock Holmes’ is striking due to its capitalisation, its position in the middle of the page, and the contrasting colours to his costuming.