This movie poster of the film 'Platoon' , complies with the various film poster codes and conventions. Initially, to advertise the film thus enticing people to watch the film by appealing to particular audiences.
The poster has this do by establishing the specific genre(s) of a film through specific codes and conventions such as the images; this may also include the promotion of particular stars appearing in the film. For instance, some actors are particularly known as "genre specific stars", for example, Hugh Grant is very much associated with "rom-com" films. So the image of Hugh Grant on a film poster, may automatically provoke the presumption that the film has an contextual basis on "rom-com" plot-lines.
In addition, titles and taglines; these also have to stimulate question and thought but above all a brief understanding of what the film's plot line may include. For example, the 'Platoon' poster has a very strong and outlandish type of title in terms of it is rare that two colours are used within the composition of a movie poster title. This may well link into the tagline depending on the interpretation. One interpretation is that the white lettering bordered by the colour red is done to signify the USA, as the film contextual basis is around the involvement the USA in the Vietnam war. Although another interpretation is a metaphor, that the colour of white is a sign of 'innocence' whereas the the colour red is signify 'blood'. Connotations which are strongly linked to the subject of war but above all it corroborates with the tag-line "The first casualty of war is innocence". These are all compliances made to the technical codes used in the construction of a text, i.e. the inclusion of a film title and tag-line.
Of which corresponds with the dog tags replacing the "OO" of "Platoon"(American army division), they are used by the USA military forces to identify those who are found dead in war, when the body cannot be recognised. A stark contrast to 'peace' sign below the title and tag-line, used as semiotic, to draw the connotation of how USA promoted that their sole purpose of their involvement in Vietnam was to bring 'peace' to the area (as that was a key feature of their foreign policy of the time).
Film posters are full of semiotics, audiences quickly process a lot of information about the film from these without even noticing, just from the visual imagery contained within the poster. These are part of the symbolic codes, a key feature of the construction of a film poster
For instance, the main image in the film poster of "Platoon" has the picture of a soldier centre stage of the poster, directly above the title, separated from the warfare. There's almost an aura about him, it stimulates several questions such as is he praying? Of which draws the connotation of the crucifixion. Or is depicting an image of desperation of one of many soldiers within those US forces in Vietnam who were fighting a vary hard uphill battle of no hope of winning the war. Whilst in the background, there is a juxtaposition between connotation commonly drawn with the sight of palm trees; paradise to the explosion within the setting of the palm trees.
Above all, the overall focus in on the one soldier, bold title directly below the image of the soldier, plus, the explosion in the background, of which the soldier seems a 'world away' from. The tag-line connotes the darker side of war. Its structure is one which is dissimilar to the common tag-lines consisting of a repetitive, alliterative and 'rule of three' structure, although comply with the most common if not the most important convention of being short sentence (memorable and thoughtful, especially something in context to the film).
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