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Matapena: Jurnal Keilmuan Bahasa, Sastra, dan Pengajarannya

ISSN 2621-9050 (Print), Volume 6 Nomor 2 Desember 2023, ISSN 2621-9042 (Online)

384

Terakreditasi peringkat 6 berdasarkan SK Menristek/Brin Nomor 200/M/KPT/2020

THE ICONICITY OF WOMEN IN INDONESIAN HORROR FILMS: A SEMIOTIC

RESEARCH OF POSTERS FROM 2022-2023

Fadia Finta Fatikhasari, Moh Atikurrahman

Indonesian Literature Study Program, State Islamic University of Sunan Ampel Surabaya

fadiafinta@gmail.com, atiqurrahmann@gmail.com

Received, 11 Juli 2023

Accepted, 4 Agustus 2023

Published, 31 Desember 2023

Abstract

This article aimed to investigate the sign system in Indonesian horror film posters throughout

the years 2022-2023. Over the past two years, an intriguing trend emerged in relation to horror

films in Indonesia, wherein iconicity involving women became the representamen of the sign

system within a film poster. The research methodology used was qualitative description, with

Indonesian horror films from the years 2022-2023 serving as the data source. To comprehend

the meanings encapsulated within the latest Indonesian horror film posters, Charles Sanders

Peirce's paradigm on signs was adopted as a reference to understand the research material –

the Indonesian horror film posters from 2022-2023. The research results showed that the

representation of meaning in the Indonesian horror film posters from 2022-2023, which were

employed as icons within their posters, centered around women. In terms of color selection for

the letters in the posters, the use of red was notable, symbolizing the color of blood.

Keywords: poster, women, Indonesian horror films, Peirce

IKONITAS PEREMPUAN DALAM TAYANGAN HOROR INDONESIA: TELAAH

SEMIOTIKA PADA POSTER FILEM 2022-2023

Abstrak

Tujuan dari penelitian ini untuk menelaah system tanda pada filem horor Indonesia antara

2022-2023. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah metode penelitian deskripsi kualitatif.

Sumber penelitian dari poster filem horor Indonesia tahun 2022-2023. Untuk mengetahui

makna yang terkandung dalam poster filem horor Indonesia tahun 2022-2023 menggunakan

analisis semiotika Charles Sanders Peirce. Dari hasil penelitian ini adalah representasi

mengenai makna dari poster filem horor Indonesia tahun 2022-2023 yang dijadikan ikon dalam

posternya adalah perempuan. Dari segi pemilihan warna pada huruf-huruf dalam poster

menggunakan warna merah yang mewakili sebagai identitas warna darah.

Kata kunci: poster, perempuan, filem horror Indonesia, Peirce

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Matapena: Jurnal Keilmuan Bahasa, Sastra, dan Pengajarannya

ISSN 2621-9050 (Print), Volume 6 Nomor 2 Desember 2023, ISSN 2621-9042 (Online)

385

Terakreditasi peringkat 6 berdasarkan SK Menristek/Brin Nomor 200/M/KPT/2020

INTRODUCTION

Posters have become one of the effective

communication media and continue to be

extensively utilized in the global film

industry, including in Indonesia.

Communication through posters

necessitates the involvement of a complex

semiotic system. The interpretation of signs

in a film poster (including horror film

posters in Indonesia, which are the subject

of this research material) is closely related

to visual communication design. A poster is

a component of art and design with its own

style, movement, and trends, inseparable

from the technology and lifestyle of a

particular era (Adi, 2007). Among all the

elements of a work, the film poster serves

as the first foundation (if not the primary

one) for potential viewers before they

ultimately decide whether to watch a film

or not. Therefore, creating a film poster or

cover aims to provide a glimpse or a part of

the content within the work. This article

intends to examine horror film posters in

Indonesia with the purpose of

understanding the underlying aspects

behind the massive iconicity of women in

Indonesian horror films over the past two

years.

In the world of filmmaking, productions

involve many individuals, commonly

referred to as a production team. However,

the one orchestrating everything is still a

single person, the director. There are

numerous directors, yet their approaches

vary during film creation as a distinctive

hallmark of each. In Indonesia, film genres

encompass comedy, horror, drama, action,

and more. The genres most favored by

Indonesians include drama, horror, and

drama films. Notably, horror films capture

a significant portion of interest among the

younger and adult audience. During the

1970s, Indonesian horror films were closely

associated with local legends or folklore,

whereas the 2000s took on an urban legend

theme (Van Heeren, 2012). Among these,

'Leak,' a horror film released in 1981,

stands out as it represents the mystical

world of Bali.

The portrayal of women in horror films is

predominantly characterized by negative

attributes (Lasty, 2020). As women are

portrayed as eerie, cruel, weak, and

tormented, the depiction of women in these

horror films can reflect the dimensions of

societal life. The emergence of these female

ghosts stems from cultural contexts of the

past, as each roaming spirit undoubtedly

carries its own peculiarity related to its

demise. Among the countless horror films

within the realm of cinema, the dominant

female antagonists, reminiscent of the past

and notably recognized among the

community, such as Suzanna. The female

ghost characters often emerge with chilling

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Matapena: Jurnal Keilmuan Bahasa, Sastra, dan Pengajarannya

ISSN 2621-9050 (Print), Volume 6 Nomor 2 Desember 2023, ISSN 2621-9042 (Online)

386

Terakreditasi peringkat 6 berdasarkan SK Menristek/Brin Nomor 200/M/KPT/2020

attributes in Indonesian horror films, like

“kuntilanak,” “sundel bolong,” and

“siluman.” (Kusumaryati, 2011). Tidak

hanya di Indonesia saja melainkan negara

lainnya juga.

There have been several previous studies

that the researcher discovered, aimed at

avoiding duplication. A study conducted by

(Larasati & Adiprasetio, 2022) explored the

representation of female ghost inequality in

horror films from 1970 to 2019. In this

research, an overall mapping of Indonesian

horror films was carried out, followed by an

analysis of three criteria: the gender of the

main protagonist, the gender of the primary

ghost, and the gender of the director in

horror films. Therefore, this research

delved into how the genre configuration in

representing humans and children from

1970 to 2019 had evolved. The research

findings indicated that the representation of

female employees as ghosts could

historically justify levels of severity. In this

context, horror films often portrayed

realistic depictions of real-world events,

addressing previously taboo subjects and

exploring various themes.

Moving forward, the subsequent study is

being conducted by (Mawaidi, 2020), who

is examining the research object of a

collection of short stories by Intan

Paramaditha titled "Sihir Perempuan"

(Women's Sorcery). In this research, the

study is presenting the portrayal of female

ghosts in the collection of short stories

"Sihir Perempuan," utilizing a feminist

framework. In contrast to the previous

study, this research employs Cixous' theory

that unveils aspects of feminism. Cixous

states that the written outcomes of women

about femininity tend to produce a greater

effect of coherence than men’s. The

research findings indicate a paradox in the

construction of femininity as carried out by

Intan Paramaditha. In the attempt to

construct femininity, female ghosts are

depicted as legends within the realm of

patriarchal cultural influence. The presence

of female ghosts delves into the exploration

of the physical and psychological aspects of

these spectral women.

The subsequent research is being conducted

by (Isnaini, 2022), also using Indonesian

horror film posters released between 2010

and 2015. This study aimed to examine

Indonesian horror film posters that were

related to women's sensuality and highlight

the portrayal of women within feminist

discourse. The theory employed in this

research was the feminist literary theory,

which sought to reposition women in their

rightful place within a patriarchal society's

framework using signs and symbols. This

research shared a common element in terms

of the chosen research object, namely

Indonesian horror film posters. However, it