The Goonies Poster

When looking at where graphic design has been used historically, few things are quite as memorable and iconic as a movie poster. As a designed work, a movie poster accomplishes many goals, such as promotion, acting as merchandise, and giving a film visual identity. This poster for The Goonies is a great example of a designed work made with intention. When first viewing this poster, one may notice that the layout follows the rule of thirds. The top of the page is dominated by dark-colored stalactites, the center of the page is a lighter color and features the two closest characters, and the bottom of the page is darker, showing a treasure map, the rest of the main protagonists, and the title and main body of text. There is also a clear and linear path the poster encourages readers to follow, starting with bright text at the top of the page. This text is followed by the angular forms of the stalactites, which act as arrows pointing downwards. Looking down, we see the main cast from a foreshortened perspective, creating a curved line pointing to the “X” on the treasure map. Finally, to the right we see the title of the film and the rest of the text.