tai's media mind

Tag: horror

  • Reading Identity in Promotional Material – ‘HIM’ (2025)

    *Written May 1, 2025 (before the film’s theater release)*

    I hated every minute of training, but I said ‘don’t quit’. Suffer now and live the rest of your life a champion.

    Muhammad Ali

    Introduction

    HIM is an upcoming sports horror film directed by Justin Tipping, produced by Jordan Peele. The first teaser trailer begins as an inspirational depiction of the hard work, dedication, and payoffs that are achieved through dedication in football training. It is underscored by an upbeat violin motif, backed by hip-hop 808s that let you know just how black this film is. The first half of the trailer features a voiceover by Marlon Wayans (the coach) giving a motivational speech about digging deep, not taking days off, and pushing your mind and body towards greatness. This is all cut short when we see the main protagonist collide head-first with another player as the screen simultaneously shifts to x-ray vision. We then see intense close-ups of inverted bloody images, violent training practices, demonic rituals, performance enhancing drugs, and the general horrors of American Football, specifically possible effects of CTE or chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The teaser trailer for HIM builds on the historical, cultural, and societal impacts of American football and CTE as well as the exploitation of black male bodies for the sake of entertainment. 

    A poster for this trailer, an upright football adorned with crooked staples, dripping with blood in an enclosed glass case symbolizes the preservation of American football despite the harmful medical, historical, cultural effects and implications of the sport.

    Semiotics

    The ideology surrounding African-American athletic achievement has often been considered a contribution to advancing the black race as a whole amongst black leaders.  Marlon Wayans being cast as the coach solidifies this ideal, as his presence symbolizes, “… the idea that for African-American males living in impoverished inner city areas, sports are viewed as the only legal way to gain social respect and access to mainstream material success”, which is a conflated notion of race and what black people are capable of (Brooks & Blackman, 2011, p.444). As black people operate within the sphere of the white gaze, there is an unfortunate aspiration to be desired and respected in the eyes of white America, especially in the field they most adore: football. 

    The third and fourth images depicted in the trailer are of three aircrafts respectively flying red, white, and blue smoke over a football stadium, representing the overarching theme of American nationalism looming overhead. Erica Childs writes, “The black athletic male is embraced by whites in an attempt to ‘domesticate and dilute its more ominous and subversive uses,’ while using the black athlete for pure consumption and profit” (Childs, 1999, p.13). Although the coach featured in the trailer is not white, there are lingering undertones of the treatment that black men went through during America’s founding. The tagline, “What are you willing to sacrifice?” is reinforced throughout the trailer in the form of repetition; pushing one’s self to the absolute physical and mental limits and abuse of black bodies for the sake of white gain, whether that gain is monetarily from the team owners, or entertainment gains from the networks and spectators. 

    The semiotics within the movie poster’s graphic design alludes to one of the more gruesome, yet lesser known facts about American history: slave leather. As leather became a symbol of luxury in 19th-century America, more and more white people were seeking out ways to become more fashionable, so naturally, human leather was the best option. The article, “LEATHER FROM HUMAN SKIN,” published in The Mercury on March 17th, 1888. The author writes, “He obtains the skins from the bodies of negroes which have been dissected in one of our big medical colleges. The best leather is obtained from the thighs…One of the dudest dudes in town carries a match-safe covered with a portion o f the skin of a beautiful young woman who was found drowned in the Delaware river. It still retains its natural colour. Another young man with whom I am acquainted carries a cigar case made of negro skin, a ghastly skull and crossbones appearing on one side in relief. One of the best known surgeons in this country, who resides in this city, has a beautiful instrument case, entirely covered with leather made from an African’s skin”. With the knowledge of this heinous reality, one can interpret the encased football with staples dripping with blood as a continuation of the “black people as subhuman” ideology. These signs within the texts connect how audiences understand race as they force the watcher to come to terms with underrepresented horrors within the black community. 

    Audience Position

    Based on the multiple themes depicted in the trailer, it is quite difficult to interpret who the intended audience for this film could be. Based on the semiotics in the trailer, I believe the intended audience will shift towards those who enjoy horror, sports, the dark underbelly of the entertainment industry,as well as racial and religious commentary. Based on certain aspects of the intended viewer’s life, their own identity could be taken into question as the film appears to be questioning the sanctity and glorification of black athletic achievement. Those who have a close relationship to football may feel exposed or called-out by this overtly gruesome take on the dangers of football, as well as the slippery slope of sacrificing everything for fame and glory. 

    Audience Response

    Feedback from audiences of the teaser all appear to be grounded in interpreting the semiotics of the text multiple ways, due to the inherently stacked structure of the trailer. The audience has taken a more negotiated reader position as there are comments reiterating the obvious messages in the trailer in addition to added nuances that stem from their own personal experiences or research. 

    I believe the audience is reading the trailer in the way that it was intended because of the nature of films that are produced by Jordan Peele. As this film comes from his production company, audiences are compelled to dissect and analyze any possible meaning that could be extracted or interpreted from any piece of media that has his name attached to it. I would say that this trailer is structured to garner that response from audiences not only to generate buzz and excitement for the film, but to also give the reader a personal stake in the outcome of the film. There weren’t many mentions of inadvertent messages in the text with commenters even going as far as to say that people were looking too closely at the trailer, arguing the true premise is obvious and in our faces. It is difficult to confidently say that the film is resonating with the intended audience because it is unclear who the audience is. For those who are fans of Jordan Peele, they feel misled on the quality of the film as he is not directing it, so that automatically removes his audience (hyperwoke analytical film buffs) from the conversation. 

    Conclusion

    The trailer and poster for HIM (2025) work directly against social, political, and cultural norms. As it stands as a teaser, it is too early to decide whether this piece of promotional media helps or hurts social progress. It spreads awareness for CTE, but at the same time the varied subliminal messaging can confuse the viewer on the problems presented. The nature of a Hollywood horror commentary is automatically divisive, but with the added elements of sports, race, nationalism, and masculinity, it is clear that this film, or at least the trailer, is an unambiguous evaluation of how Hollywood and sports have conflated and commodified the black male athlete. 

    I am America. I am the part you won’t recognize. But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me.

    Muhammad Ali

    References

    Brooks, S. N., & Blackman, D. (2011). Introduction: African Americans 

    and the History of Sport—New Perspectives. The Journal of African American History, 96(4), 441-447. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.5323/jafriamerhist.96.4.0441

    Childs, E. (1999). Images of the Black Athlete: Intersection of Race, 

    Sexuality, and Sports. Journal of African American Men, 4(2), 19–38. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41819361

    LEATHER FROM HUMAN SKIN. (1888, March 17). 

    The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 – 1954), p. 4.

     http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9144128

    Sorek, T., & White, R. G. (2016). American football and national pride: 

    Racial differences. Social Science Research, 58, 266–278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2016.03.006

    Link to HIM

    HIM | Official Teaser Trailer

  • Between Fantasy and Reality: The Emotional and Visual Master of Coraline (2009)

    Everyone has a film that they turn to in specific moments of their life—a film that evokes nostalgia, reminds them of what once was and what could be. Moments of cinema that inspire and allow escapism to take precedence for just a few hours. For some, that film is Henry Selick’s 2009 masterpiece, Coraline. As a dark, fantasy horror film teetering between a whimsical, fantastical world and a grueling, unremarkable reality, Coraline highlights the modern-day horrors of childhood neglect and the mundanity of adolescence.

    From the mind of Neil Gaiman comes a modern take on the female hero’s journey. Upon moving to a new state, Coraline Jones, a curious and adventurous young girl discovers a tiny hidden door in her new home that leads to an alternate reality. In this parallel world, everything seems perfect. With an “Other” mother who cooks elaborate meals and hand-sews stylish outfits, a father that sings clever little songs and has a magnificent, lifelike garden, and thoroughly entertaining neighbors, Coraline has no desire to wake up from this dream. But it’s not a dream, and everything is not what it seems. She soon realizes the sinister truth behind the Other World and must face the dark reality of her unravelling fantasy. Coraline must summon the courage to save her family while navigating the complexities of self-discovery, bravery, and the consequences of her own desire.  

    Diving head first into this uncanny dream, anyone with an eye for cinema will recognize that Coraline is a masterclass in worldbuilding. The contrasts between the real world and the Other World are noticeably incongruent both aesthetically and emotionally. Set in the spring of Ashland, Oregon, the film displays a drab, gray, and rainy atmosphere, devoid of color and riddled with formal structure. From the perfectly scalloped border of the rectangular burnt-orange background in the opening credits to the barren trees that stick straight up with spine-adjusting rigidity, no stone was left unturned when it came to establishing just how static and unyielding Coraline’s life has become since moving to the Pink Palace Apartments. This is evident on Coraline’s first visit to the Other World. Upon opening the hidden door, she is met with an accordion-like tunnel that expands by the second, pulsating with vibrant hues of cobalt and amethyst. This is the first splash of color the audience is introduced to outside of her bright yellow raincoat and electric blue asymmetrical bob. 

    Experiencing the tunnel for the first time evokes emotions in her that the viewer has not yet seen: confusion, followed by bewilderment and disbelief, and finally, what could only be described as curious determination. Once Coraline enters the other world, everything is highly saturated, intensely imaginative, and all that an 11-year old would be fascinated by. Throughout the film, the protagonist has many visceral reactions to vibrant colors and hues. Since this is a stop-motion picture with more than 15,000 hand-sanded and painted faces for all of the characters and over 6,300 face replacements for Coraline alone, each emotion and reaction displayed is not a coincidence. Her relationship to color and variety is reflected through these subtleties, and the filmmakers worked tirelessly to ensure that these nuances were translated nonverbally. 

    Moments throughout the film that further reinforce the disparity between Coraline and the reality she resides in. One such moment is when her real mother takes her shopping for school uniforms. Coraline picks up the only article of clothing that is not a shade of muted gray—a dynamic pair of lime green and orange gloves. She is immediately shut down by her mother who refuses to purchase them for her. Upon first viewing, the scene may not appear significant, but considering the fact that when Coraline begs for the gloves and her mother says no, she responds with, “My other mother would get them for me,” to which her mother retorts, “Maybe she should buy all your clothes” we begin to understand its impact. This line, facetiously delivered by Teri Hatcher, largely contributes to what makes this film relevant to audiences of all ages. Despite knowing that her parents are unemployed and their career endeavors leave her subject to neglect and isolation, she picks up the most expensive gloves in the sale pile— $24.99—and subconsciously triggers her mother’s maternal and financial insecurity. This scene is the final blow to Coraline’s relationship with her real mom. Not only does the Other Mother provide Coraline with new clothes during her next visit, but since her true form is a spider seamstress with needles for appendages, she handmakes—-no pun intended—a new outfit for Coraline, a vibrant blue sweater with sparkly white stars. From a character development perspective, this validates Coraline’s childlike wonder, making her feel seen in her style choices, but also solidifying the maternal bond Coraline desperately craves. 

    The beast that is stop-motion animation takes a keen eye and a strong sense of patience to accomplish. After Henry Selick received an early version of the story from Neil Gaiman in 2000, prior to the novel’s official release in 2002, “Coraline” underwent over four years of production, including 18 months of pre-production and two years of principal photography before hitting theaters. The 35 animators that contributed to the film were averaging 2.22 to 6.52 seconds of footage per week. Under the visionary direction of Henry Selick, renowned for The Nightmare Before Christmas, the film was released to audiences in February 2009. During this groundbreaking production, LAIKA Studios emerged as pioneers in the use of 3D-printed facial replacements.

    The attention to detail in the film plays a large role in character development. For Mr. Bobinsky, Coraline’s neighbor and eccentric Russian ringleader of a jumping mouse circus, played by Ian McShane, the details seem boundless. His stature is rat-like as he is tall and has a noticeably large gut. Bobinsky has an extremely long wiry black mustache, closely resembling whiskers and his beady eyes sit slightly above his long rat-like nose. Atop his stained and tattered A-shirt and short shorts, he proudly wears the medal of a Chernobyl liquidator, and although it is not explicitly stated in the film, one can infer that his pale skin which is blue, is due to nuclear radiation poisoning. Some of the other details pertaining to character personality and intention are less obvious, such as Coraline’s neighbors, Miss Spink and Forcible. These two superstitious lesbian actresses, whose lives center around their former careers and obsession with their Scottish terriers, act as the oracles who help guide Coraline on her hero’s journey. As this is a modern day hero story for young girls, she seeks advice from the most opinionated, independent women in the film. 

    The reason Coraline repeatedly returns to the other world lies not in its whimsical nature and its enhancements, but in the companionship and nurturing she craves and which she receives from her Other Mother and father. The most nourishment Coraline receives from her real mother comes in the form of a multivitamin. She is often cast aside and ignored by her parents which motivates her to seek out relationships from her other parents. Blinded by her desire to be loved, Coraline fails to notice the eerie nature of the parallel dimension. Initially put off by everyone having buttons for eyes, it isn’t until the Other Mother shares the rules of her world—that Coraline can only stay if she lets her sew buttons in her eyes—that Coraline comes to the realization that all that glitters isn’t gold. The lesson here is to be grateful for what you have, even if it feels like it’s not enough. As a child, one might side with Coraline as her distress is evident, but once grown and evolved, that same person will understand the complexities of being a parent in today’s society. The hair-raising soundtrack and score, composed by French composer Bruno Coulais, create harrowing moments throughout the film. Without the masterful use of sound design, accompanied by the subtle visual cues to help build tension, the horror aspect of the film would be disregarded. The clever utilization of a made-up language in the soundtrack contributes to the unfamiliarity of the unsettling atmosphere that Selick has crafted. When taking a deeper look at the film, one can find themselves just as enthralled by the whimsical landscape as the protagonist. The foreboding suspense feels like a true betrayal. With striking visuals, disconcerting melodies, eccentric characters, and an overall message that resonates with viewers of all ages, Coraline (2009) is a timeless piece that continues to inspire even 16 years after its initial release.