Trainspotting - Poster Deconstruction

Trainspotting - Poster Deconstruction

Rob O'Connor, the owner of Stylorouge (the firm that designed the original Trainspotting poster) said that "We didn't really want it to look like any other film poster."

The poster does not follow the traditional conventions of a film poster - it is constructed with simply three colours - orange, white and black. The bright orange colour palette adds a unique and recognisable element to the poster, along with the Helvetica typography resembling the type of font one might see on hazardous materials or a prescription drugs. 

The actors are shot in character, each posing in a way that divulges some detail of their character - for example Begbie is shot posing two fingers towards the camera, which is indicative of his crude and violent character. Similarly, Ewan McGregor who plays Renton is soaked in water for the shot which is reminiscent of the scene in which he climbs into a public cubicle to retrieve his lost opiates. The characters are all shot facing the audience, breaking the fourth wall which adds an eye-catching and personalised touch to the poster.

The black and white shots of the actors arguably reflect the drab and dull nature of the character's lives. Although the drug use which is recurrent in the film is not made completely obvious, it is subtly hinted at. Renton appears cold and shivering, which is a common symptom of drug use. Colour is also utilised with the use of bright orange being reminiscent of prison uniforms - reinforcing the notion of entrapment in the narrative

The poster makes an effort to market unique selling points of the poster - by including text "from the makers of Shallow Grave" fans who have seen the film will be tempted by the new project. Similarly, the review stating "Hollywood... Your time is up" is designed to attract more of a niche, cult following rather than a generic US box office.