In this essay I will analyse a CD cover to Dirty dancing, I will identify the connotations of images, texts and use of colours on the CD cover, that can relate to the audience of this genre of music.
To begin with the front cover of the Dirty Dancing CD has just one image, of the two main stars in the movie, this relates to the famous film itself, identifying the passion and love shared between the two characters, the shadow that is casted on the white background is a lilac colour, lilac represents femanism, inwhich reflects the female character growing into a lady. The white background connotates innocence. The lady and man are holding eachover in a thearetic way, the male in this image is wearing all black and has dark hair, which is the oppisite the to the female he is holding from behind, who is wearing a white loose dress that just finishes bellow her knees, and has wavy mouse blonde hair, the idea of the man standing behind her with his hand on her side and looking down to the ground, gives a theme of protection and obsession for the woman that he is holding, i also feel a vibe of sensitivity coming form the couple, because the lady is facing the man behind her and looks as if she is looking at him. At the top of the CD it identifies the name of both characters, in which are both well known, this also attracts the audiences eyes. The title of the CD cover is 'Dirty Dancing' this name is written in pink and purple, both clearly girly colours, the title looks as if it is hand written, this can connotate the idea of the film itself being about the girl/man's life, and they are the ones showing us their point of view. In the films case it is 'Jenifer Greys' point of view. The name itslef represents two completely different things, just like the characters in the film itself. 'Dirty' can have many different definitition, one of which is clearly a sexual context, 'dirty' could also mean, unhealthy, messy or unhappy. 'Dancing' on the other hand is a word of action, that expresses different emotions to different genres of songs, for example passion and love, or passion and letting yourself go. Both words together can imply a sexual dance.
The little logo just beneath the title quotes 'the time of your life' this is a cheesy relfection to the song 'time of my life' because the quote is now directed to the audience, this is also a good advertisement scheme, because it implies that if you buy this CD you will have the time of your life, directing towards the consumers.
Secondly the CD case that holds the musical videos, has a background behind the plastic that is very ogirnal, the colour purple is consistant through out the CD case, the image hidden behind the CD is of the two main characters doing a well-known move from the classic film 'Dirty Dancing' in which he is lifting her up in the air by just holding the sides of her hips, she is strectched out as if flying. The image has a rather effective look about itself, is consists of grey, white and purple, and the photography makes the image look classical, reminding the veiwers of the amazing part of the film. The CD is not just full of music tracks, it also inlcudes a bonus CD whihc features the clips of the dancing that goes on in the film, that is so known by the viewers. The CD also contains a photo gallerry, that presents the veiwers with the photo shots from the film, not only this but it also has a Kareoke verson of 'time of my life' which allows the veiwers to interact and feel like they are in the film. The CD itself, has a print on it, which is of another image of the couple together, the CD album feels like it is telling the audience a story, because the girl is wearing white, it can mean that she is a virgin, but maybe towards dancing (because i have seen the film i know) so the man in the oppisite colour black represents proffessional. The CD itself also has the same title in the same font as on the CD cover, keeping the CD simple and repetative for its target audience.
The image to the left of the photocopy above is of the man and the girl together, the photographic use of this is kept the same as the background to the CD case, its grey, white and purple is repeating through out the CD case, making the album look memerable and unqiue, these three colours make the photoes look faded and old. The photo itself reflects on how the girl has grown, as the colour purple could either reflect or him, maybe even both; for example if the colour reflects on him it would have to relate to how much she has changed him throughout the film, or maybe her being a little girl who loves her family very much and is rather wealthy, mixing with a complete oppisite who originally keeps to himself changes both of them to the better, purple simbolises richness, love, maturity and growth. Grey can simbolize dull, and loneliness, to relate it to the two characters I feel that it can mean that the lady wearing white and the man wearing black, them two mixed together is grey. And white, meaning innosense, and purity. The idea that there four shots of the film gliding across this side of the CD cover, makes them shots stand out clear and builds up to the background image, these images are presented as if they are a film tape, making the film age more. This part of the CD cover is the slot for a little booklet that has images and shots of the film in it, like a little memory book for the long lost fans.
The binder of the CD still consists of purple black and white, i still feel that the black and white is the reflection of each character, I also feel that there is a sense of protection even on the binder because the white title is in the middle is gaurded by two black words on either side of the white title.
The back of the CD cover is the contents for the CD album, with a faded image behind of the couple yet again, the writing is written in black and white in capital letter, fixating the two different characters together, the back of the CD cover has the names of the tracks it also has six special features that the disc two have for the audeince. And clearly states that there is a photo gallery so that you buy it for yourself, or someone else, as this is 'unreleased'. At the top of the back of the CD cover, there is a paragraph selling the album to the viewers. I would also like to add that the headline of this paragraph is 'have the time of your life' making use of its original logo.
The CD to your left of this image is a CD for the musical videos, gallery and kareoke and the CD to your right is the CD that include the music tracks. Keeping the images for the background consistant to the rest of the CD album. I feel the images in the background of each CD part is telling us as the audience a story of the film and the characters, as if they are facing the world. The shots are of the couple expressing their love for eachother through dancing, this is a unique veiw for the film veiwers because the film is about the coiple falling in love through dancing, now this is not like the days we have these days, everyone just goes out clubbing and forgets who they danced with the morning after. The film is like a Fairytale, love at first sight, and so on are reflecting on this CD because this is how the film was followed.
The use of this image is so effective, it is the exact image of the one at the front but is a close up shot of the image we can see at the front of the CD, it shows the passion, I also think that it reflects on how much they connect through out the film, for example at the begginning we cant feel the passion, but we can see it, but at the end we as the veiwers feel the passion as much as we see it, just like the CD. Its a nice beggining and ending, just like in the film. The image is connotates a heavenly image, and forshadows expresions of love, it fullfills the meaning of love in one image. The shadows casted on the couple can be a sign of the bad times that the couple have gone through, and the shadow on the wall can connotate the past, or the effect they have or had on the people around them.
This album was released for the aniversary of the film.
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