Rhetorical Analysis: The Wolf Of Wall Street

Movie posters are important marketing tools used to persuade potential viewers to visit the theater and purchase a ticket to see the film. Posters create a specific feeling about the upcoming film, establish a setting, introduce characters, highlight star talent, and create a perception about the genre. Successful posters inspire me to learn more about the film’s subject matter and potentially visit the box office to buy a ticket. Poor attempts at a poster will leave me confused and disoriented with the intended subject. After seeing a successful poster, viewers can use rhetorical devices to discuss how the poster is attempting to market the upcoming film. The film’s ethos, pathos, and logos all contribute to persuasion, as the poster forces a determination regarding interest in the upcoming film. I will discuss the poster for The Wolf of Wall Street and how it uses each rhetorical device as a means to establish the tone and setting for the film. A film’s ethos focuses on certain actors, directors, and production companies with loyal fanbases. An actor, such as Leonardo DiCaprio, has the ability to drive up a film’s success at the box office, simply by attaching his name to the poster. As Everything’s An Argument states, an ethos argument is used to significantly

The ethos, logos, and pathos help market the film, and the poster is able to establish a connection to the star talent, the genre, and the raw emotion displayed throughout the movie. These devices help give the audience a look into the film’s subject matter without divulging too much information. While it is important to gauge a film by more than just a poster, it is still a viable device that can set the mood. The poster from The Wolf of Wall Street accurately depicts information, and I believe it is successful in establishing the movie’s