Perhaps the most evocative trope in movie posters: Revealing the back renders anonymous the protagonist of a movie, it invites the viewer to immerse into the narrative, step into the shoes of the hero when facing the adventure ahead. It echoes contemplation, inner peace, vulnerability, a consequence of pensive introspection when facing a moment of importance, of awe, of beauty. For those goals, it helps that the back is usually shot underexposed, providing a dark outline in the foreground so to emphasize the background (the scale of the person to the overall context will indicate which is the true main character of the movie: The person or the situation). The use of this design is quite prevalent on historical films (easier to relate with well-known faces difficult to replicate) biographies (intimate view behind the scenes), stories dealing with character development (welcome to a journey inside someones' head) or epic voyages of exploration (the path lies ahead).

It is for some of these very same reasons I art-directed this website to invite merchants to relate to Groupon’s existing customers.

When the image zooms-out to a full back with the character looking over the shoulder to us the audience, the posture now implies an implicit farewell (very apt for movies of personal redemption, or even perdition against fatalistic odds). Depending on light source, gaze direction, and twist of the lips, they could also be used to telegraph complicit tease. In this case, It is used mostly on action films (good for emphasizing shoulder and arm muscles while thinning the torso), or romantic escapades (given the same attractive contortions of inviting promise associiated to that contrapposto in both genders).

This list is being regularly curated in collaboration with its co-author elvisisking.

Other patterns I collect:
Legs, Hands, Upside Down, Top View,Faces, Profiles, Guns, Houses, Glasses, Blades, Skulls, Back to Back, Alphanumerics, People Row, Double Frame … and much more!