A Level Media Studies - Rebel Without A Cause Poster

Rebel Without A Cause

‘Rebel Without A Cause’ is a teen film released in 1956 and was one of the first of this genre to be created and shown worldwide. It looked at the themes and dangers that American youths faced and looked at the differences between one generation and another—topics which were not the main focus of films at the time. The film is important to the genre and its history through the exploration of taboo subjects which would often turn an audience away. ‘Rebel Without A Cause’ captures the youth of the time and tells a story from their perspective which was not typically done in film before, which paved the way for other films, allowing the genre to expand and grow over the course of the century. Reviews at the time praised the film for blaming ineffectual parents rather than the teens and for challenging the conformist American society; this attracted a wider audience of young people, heightening the film’s success.

The film's poster uses a variety of different techniques in order to attract an audience. One of these is the use of the bright red colour used on James Dean's name and the protagonist's jacket. This dark shade of red connotes youth and anger. It could also suggest an element of romance is to be included in the film, which would explain the smaller image of the main character protecting a female. However, it is much more likely that the red links to the themes and emotions explored in the film: anger, danger and violence. The film shows these emotions in a fresh way for the audience (through the eyes of teenagers) which may attract audiences who are looking for new experiences.

As previously mentioned, the smaller image of the couple on the poster portrays the male and female characters in a stereotypical way. The protective arm around the girl shows that he is asserting his masculinity in shielding her from danger. The scared facial expression of the female character paints her as a vulnerable and needy character, representing the female gender in a diminished way when compared to men. This gives the film an element of familiarity to audiences, as although the film is groundbreaking in how the story is told, there is no real progression forwards to move away from stereotypes. It reflects the attitudes in the United States in the 50s which draws people in as they are attracted to the relevancy and up-to-date aspects of the film.

The use of star theory in the poster to promote the main actor, James Dean, is used to reel in fans. The purposely large, bold and bright font catches the eye immediately and encourages fans of the actor to view the film, thus making anticipation for the release more intense. This also draws the attention of passers-by and leaves the most important information (in terms of marketing) in their head. On from this, the poster writes 'the star sensation of East of Eden' which emphasises the ploy to attract Dean's fans. Many of the people who know of James Dean will be an appropriate audience for Rebel Without A Cause as they will be able to relate due to the similar age between themselves, and the characters.

Furthermore, the poster uses an enigma code through a neutral background. The dark brick wall does not give any details about the setting or location of the film, which will make viewers pay to see the film so their questions can be answered. Alternatively, the wall could suggest that there are obstacles that the main character faces in the film. This is because a wall is often used to describe things physically, but also mentally, which could suggest there are pressing topics which the character has to overcome throughout the film. This abstract idea may attract people who are of a similar age to the characters pictured on the poster, as often teens feel like the world is against them. Seeing this film may make them realise that it is the same for every teenager, as the film brings to light issues that adolescents may face during this time.