'The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas' DVD Cover Analysis

The main image denotes a long shot, canted angle image of a fence which divides two young boys. On the closest side of the fence, a little boy who is dressed smartly is sitting on the fresh grass at a little boy on the other side of the barbed wire fencing. The other boy is dressed in oversized striped pyjamas which are ridden with mud and dirt, and he has a shaved head. On the closest side of the fence, the sky is clear and blue, and the grass is freshly cut and very bright green, whereas the other side of the fence has a grey, cloudy sky and the ground is not visible. This image is effective because it helps the audience to grasp the setting of the scene captured and it gives them an idea of what may be included in the film. The use of high key lighting on the closest side of the fence and the low-key lighting on the other side, connotes that the lives of the two little boys are very different, even though they seem to be very close in the picture. The happiness shown of the first little boy is noticed by the colours used, which promote joy, in comparison to the other little boy who is wearing very dull colours and around him is grey and empty, connoting that he lives a much worse lifestyle compared to the happier little boy.

The cover photo shows that the image is set in a war situation, such as World War II, because of the living conditions of the different boys. For example, the little boy on the other side of the fence is very restricted due to clothing, hairstyle and environment, showing he may have been living in a concentration camp during the wars. The closest character to the camera is sitting side on but facing the other little boy through the gaps between the barbed wire fencing. The other boy is sitting almost as a reflection of the other little boy. This connotes that, although the lives of the boys are very different, they’re hearts are in the same place, and they both are acting as though they do not know that it is forbidden for them to communicate.

The facial expressions of both boys are confused and shocked, connoting that they are both so different, causing them to have a misunderstanding of each other as they want to be friends, but they do not know why it is forbidden for them to be on the same side of this fence. The body language of both of them connotes the same message too.

The anchorage text is presented in an ordinary style, although it is fairly big and bold, which is effective because it connotes that the lives of the little boys comes across as ordinary but there is much more to be revealed about the differences of their lifestyles. The use of the blue and grey creates a sinister tone, which makes the audience wonder and fear for the children seen in the image because they notice how miserable the scene is. On the spine of the DVD cover, we can see a logo for the film, which shows one of the little boys looking deeply at something. We can also see the title of the film and an age rating of 12. This DVD spine is effective because it enables it to stand out when it is lying on a shelf with many other DVD’s. It stands out because of its unusual logo photo and bold title text. The tagline, “A timeless story of innocence lost and humanity found” is effective because it denotes the idea to the reader that the two little boys are from very different lifestyles, and that it promotes the moral that no matter who a person is, they should be respected equally to everybody else. It also shows that one little boy has a happy and joyful life, whilst the other seems to suffer.

The testimonial review quote,” It is one of the most moving and remarkable films about childhood I’ve ever seen” is effective because it shows the audience that no matter how diversely different any two people’s lives are, everybody should be treated equally. It also shows the audience that there are going to be very strong morals shown emotionally throughout the film too, attracting audiences who are interested in dramatic films too. This DVD would also appeal to adults mainly, because of the strong emotions connoted just on this DVD cover. It may also attract audiences who have watched films produced by this director before, as they would be interested in more of their works. The message given about the way men and women should act is with respect to everybody that they meet because everybody in this world is equal and this is the moral taken from this film. Young people are portrayed positively on the cover because it shows how neither of the boys judging each other for what they are wearing or how they are acting and sitting. It shows the little boys as role models to young people today because they are treating each other equally with respect. The cover uses stereotypes of gender behaviour because it shows lots of pictures of boys and men, and there is only one photo showing a woman. This is because the movie is set in World War II, meaning women were not treated as equally as men and it proves that even though this issue is improved today, there still is problems with gender equality today.