Nov 13 2007AM Poster Post: 'Strange Wilderness' is Future of Comedy Posters

For the last few years, it has been thought that the only way to effectively communicate that your movie is a comedy is with a white poster and giant, goofy red lettering (like this one). The white emptiness suggests you are in a void where anything could happen (such as hilarity) and the rules of Earth do not apply (granting the ability for one actor may play multiple parts, with fat suits). There is nothing to remind you of the woes of this world, only the comedy ahead, in the white vacuum of laughter.

That's why it's even funnier when we see the wacky red letters! Where did those come from?! That bold type and close kerning just screams comedy, nearly as much as the Comic Sans I always use in my community newsletters. If the scarlet letter from The Scarlet Letter looked anything like this, I bet adultery was hilarious.

But now a new contender is rising: subjects over a disgusting green with a diffused spotlight. First seen in Knocked Up, the solid nothingness of the background takes our mind straight to the comedy abyss, while the spotlight says, "Hey! Look here! Look at these funny faces! Ignore that this appears to be an '80s teen comedy, and has the Mac hipster everyone hates! Be blinded by the harsh light of forced humor!"

Strang Wilderness Poster [Yahoo!]