Favorite movie posters.

[Amnesiac]

...

[Raiders]

Well, I own these three:

http://www.moviegoods.com/Assets/product_images/1010/196534.1010.A.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gDRC-ZB62kU/R1OR_LMgiwI/AAAAAAAAAlc/vc4gA0M8Gg4/s1600-R/NightsofCabiria-poster.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ab/M_poster.jpg/215px-M_poster.jpg

[number8]

These three are on my living room wall for a reason:

http://dearcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/chunking-express-poster.jpg

http://www.moviegoods.com/Assets/product_images/1020/203213.1020.A.jpg

http://supak.com/images/posters/Clockwork_hat.jpg

[Dukefrukem]

http://www.impawards.com/1979/posters/dawn_of_the_dead.jpg
http://z.about.com/d/movies/1/0/O/I/2/matrix2posterpube.jpg

[Mara]

Cracked had put this in an article on "baffling" film posters, but I thought it was awesome. (Chinatown, Polish.)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v254/maragirl/chinatown.jpg

[Sven]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/09/12/shortcircuit2_1.jpg

End of thread.

[D_Davis]

http://www.celestialpictures.com/images/films/other/poster/177036OP.jpg

[Ezee E]

Nice thread.

I'll find some of my favorites when I get home.

[Russ]

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh94/Schwenkstar/Film%20Under%20Fire/Lost%20Highway/LostHighwayPoster02.jpg

[Sycophant]

First thing that came to mind was the Vertigo poster. I'll reflect on this and post some others when I get home.

[Dead & Messed Up]

If only...

http://www.drewstruzan.com/illustrated/documents/img/gl0807221535537272.jpg

[Fezzik]

By far my favorite. I have it framed on my wall...

http://www.reelfocus.org/bnb.jpg

[megladon8]

Fezzik, your image isn't loading for me.

[Morris Schæffer]

http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/Casino_Royale_teaser.jpg

[Philosophe_rouge]

I like these;

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/funnygames-1.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/muppetsgohollywoodsw5.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/nosferatuea0.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/anatomyofamurderax7.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/funnyfacezh1.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/zelekbirds1965st9.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/petuliaqt1.jpg

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss181/missemmaknight/julesetjim2yj2.jpg

[Dead & Messed Up]

Ignore the film it preceded and instead revel in the mystery and genius of such a simple, iconic idea.

http://starwarsprequelappreciationsoc iety.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/star_wars_episode_one_the_phan tom_menace_ver1.jpg

[megladon8]

The boy with the mushroom cut will grow up to be a penis-head.

[Dead & Messed Up]

The boy with the mushroom cut will grow up to be a penis-head.

I'd call this immature, had the film in question not featured fart jokes.

[Derek]

This one's a classic:

http://www.learnaboutmovieposters.com/newsite/movies/1920s/1927/reg/babeComesHome_A.jpg

But for the most part, Russians FTW!

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/BUYPOD/0-587-00813-x~Journey-to-Mars-Posters.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Razin_film.jpg

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/VAS/0000-2424~Izbushka-na-Baikale-Posters.jpg

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/VAS/0000-2490-4~Shadows-Posters.jpg

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/BUYPOD/0-587-00782-6~Yankee-Consul-Posters.jpg

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/BUYPOD/0-587-00793-1~Song-of-the-Tundra-Posters.jpg

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/VAS/0000-1472-6~Kino-Massam-Movies-for-the-Masses-Posters.jpg

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/BUYPOD/0-587-00832-6~Mary-s-Kiss-Posters.jpg

[megladon8]

Not "all-time" favorites, but a couple of recent westerns have had nice posters...

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/8789/proposition.jpg

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/1296/310toyumaposterbig.jpg

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/5438/openrange.jpg

[Derek]

Those posters are pretty nice, Derek. But I'm left wondering what films they represent.

I think most of them are from fairly obscure films, but I don't think it really matters.

[Dukefrukem]

Ignore the film it preceded and instead revel in the mystery and genius of such a simple, iconic idea.



I liked the Phantom Menace.... more than the other two.

[chrisnu]

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/3182/mulhollanddrive.jpg (http://img144.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mulhollanddrive.j pg)

[Ezee E]

Can't find one without the quotes, so just imagine it being black:

http://l.yimg.com/eb/ymv/us/img/hv/allposters/27/1800247627p.jpg


Haven't seen the movie, but I love this poster.
http://www.impawards.com/1982/posters/cannery_row.jpg

My favorite Scorsese movie poster:
http://www.impawards.com/1999/posters/bringing_out_the_dead.jpg

And a thing I like about Kubrick's movie posters is that the image seems to work almost as a logo for the movie. The helmet in Full Metal Jacket is just perfect. You see it, you know exactly what movie that is. I can't really think of anyone else that has pulled this off.

[Derek]

Well, not necessarily... but I'm still curious, especially if they turned out to be attached to noteworthy films or films I'd check out in the future or films I wouldn't have checked out but would now that I've seen they have awesome posters.

...But don't worry about it.

Unfortunately the site I found them at didn't list the films titles and I couldn't tell from any of the posters myself.

[Sven]

And a thing I like about Kubrick's movie posters is that the image seems to work almost as a logo for the movie. The helmet in Full Metal Jacket is just perfect. You see it, you know exactly what movie that is. I can't really think of anyone else that has pulled this off.

E.T. & the moon.

[Ezee E]

E.T. & the moon.
Good one. But how about where a director's entire filmography can be classified like that? Spielberg actually has quite a few with Hook, Jurassic Park, Jaws, etc.

[Watashi]

http://z.about.com/d/movies/1/0/E/I/7/ahistoryofviolenceposter.jpg

[megladon8]

I have these framed in my room...

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/5151/casablancad.jpg

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/3517/dawnofthedeadmovieposte.jpg

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/2183/kingkongn.jpg


And I have this one as well, but never got around to buying a frame for it, so it's still rolled up in my closet...

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/8928/thefountainposter.jpg

[Lasse]

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/VAS/0000-1472-6~Kino-Massam-Movies-for-the-Masses-Posters.jpg

Wow, that's one fantastic poster. :cool:

EDIT: "Bograd's stunning Constructivist poster here advertises not a film, but the opening of the Leningrad Art-Sound Movie Theater."

[Russ]

Agree with Derek, Polish and Russian posters are the best. Here's some more that I like:

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/6475/4120090murdersintheruem.jpg___ http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1929/innerspace.jpg


http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/6346/twelvemonkeysver1.jpg


http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/9109/btk1.jpg


http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/5296/dicktracymay07.jpg


http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/63/chelseagirls3xr1.jpg


http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/5898/stalkero.jpg


http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/3501/gorkwaidan.jpg___http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/4357/368481206e77f255cd4.jpg


This is my favorite Metropolis poster:

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1199/ap035metropolisposters.jpg


Saving the best for last:

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/7061/3065697.jpg


Oh wait, I'm sorry, that should be this one:


http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/725/27thedeathray27byantonl.jpg

[Fezzik]

Fezzik, your image isn't loading for me.

I fixed it.

[Skitch]

I must own that Lost Highway poster. Wow.

[balmakboor]

http://www.soundonsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/naked_lunch2.jpg

http://img.ffffound.com/static-data/assets/6/f84b5f648cc6fecc139d80594bf8b0 0e6993ee3f_m.jpg

[Sven]

It doesn't appear that around here, given the popularity of the Polish posters, there's much importance placed on the relationship between the advertisement and the product. Take that Innerspace poster, for example. It's certainly fine in its own right, but I'm almost tempted to say that it's fine DESPITE its role as promotional material. The poster and the movie don't feel anything alike.

I have the same problem with those cartoon Penguin covers for their classics series. While cute, nothing is more annoying than seeing a salmon colored stick-figure-laden copy of Three Musketeers.

[number8]

It doesn't appear that around here, given the popularity of the Polish posters, there's much importance placed on the relationship between the advertisement and the product. Take that Innerspace poster, for example. It's certainly fine in its own right, but I'm almost tempted to say that it's fine DESPITE its role as promotional material. The poster and the movie don't feel anything alike.

Yeah, depends. I certainly judge one-sheets and retroactive poster art on how they convey the mood of a film, but when I buy posters for my walls, I at least put more importance in good design and how well they look on the wall than its ability to promote the film. I use them as decor more than an outlet to promote myself as a fan of those movies, so to speak (though I certainly have to love the films to purchase said posters).

[Derek]

It doesn't appear that around here, given the popularity of the Polish posters, there's much importance placed on the relationship between the advertisement and the product.

Absolutely. I consider it very unimportant when judging how much I like a movie poster as I'm not looking at it from the eyes of an advertising or marketing exective.

Can't take the wind out of my sails, Svensos!

[B-side]

omg

Some of these posters are AMAZING. The Eyes Wide Shut poster faso posted is incredible. I must own it. Here are 2 good ones for Tarkovsky's Nostalghia:

http://imagesource.allposters.com/images/pic/MG/209576~Nostalghia-Posters.jpg

http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~tstronds/nostalghia.com/ThePosters/nostalghia/aop_nos.gif

[Morris Schæffer]

http://www.artoftheposter.com/media/twbb.jpg

Wonderful!

[Dukefrukem]

is that Dark Knight poster official?

[[ETM]]

Those posters are pretty nice, Derek. But I'm left wondering what films they represent.

If I may:

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/BUYPOD/0-587-00813-x~Journey-to-Mars-Posters.jpg

"Journey to Mars" (1926) - not much information on this, likely an obscure early adaptation of "Journey to Mars" (1901) by L. B. Afanasiev, itself derivative of Wells' work.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Razin_film.jpg
Probably a Stenka Razin "biopic". He was a Cossack rebel, well known figure in Russian folklore.

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/VAS/0000-2424~Izbushka-na-Baikale-Posters.jpg

http://eng.mosfilm.ru/films/about/a_hut_beside_the_baikal.html

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/VAS/0000-2490-4~Shadows-Posters.jpg

Most likely this: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0012214/
Although the title is simply "Ghost", it says "Starring Dorothy Gish", and this is her only haunted house film.

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/BUYPOD/0-587-00782-6~Yankee-Consul-Posters.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0015514/

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/BUYPOD/0-587-00793-1~Song-of-the-Tundra-Posters.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265518/

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pic/BUYPOD/0-587-00832-6~Mary-s-Kiss-Posters.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0018268/ - this one's quite amusing... a comedy with footage of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford from their visit to the Soviet Union. They incorporated them into the story.

[Boner M]

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/8217/largent2fp9.jpg

[D_Davis]

If only...



We can dream.

[Sycophant]

Turns out I don't have a lot of favorite posters, mainly because my memory for this kind of thing sucks. I have been meaning to get a framed copy of this poster for a while, though.

http://www.whatnotstudios.com/shit/hana-biposter.jpg

There's a large horizontally oriented edition of this poster I'd like to hang in my apartment. One day.

[B-side]

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/8217/largent2fp9.jpg

Awesome.

[lovejuice]

I have the same problem with those cartoon Penguin covers for their classics series. While cute, nothing is more annoying than seeing a salmon colored stick-figure-laden copy of Three Musketeers.
why? i think, it's a bold, fun experiment. the book has already been published in hundred and hundred of editions. why not throw in something different? you can always find a more typical cover anywhere. not to mention, the three musketeers is really a dime novel. (i mean this in a good way.)

for those of you who don't know what we're talking about.

http://a568.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/81/l_f6f2edc4257bcc91faca9a22d8b9 1dff.jpg

the inside jacket with dumas is funny.

and i also love the candid one. the little women doesn't work very well though.

[balmakboor]

I think my favorite poster in the thread so far was the one for Chelsea Girls. That and the one I posted for Lisztomania that didn't display. I'll have to copy that one to my own server and re-post it.

[Melville]

why? i think, it's a bold, fun experiment. the book has already been published in hundred and hundred of editions. why not throw in something different? you can always find a more typical cover anywhere. not to mention, the three musketeers is really a dime novel. (i mean this in a good way.)

for those of you who don't know what we're talking about.

http://a568.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/81/l_f6f2edc4257bcc91faca9a22d8b9 1dff.jpg

the inside jacket with dumas is funny.

and i also love the candid one. the little women doesn't work very well though.
I agree with Sven for once. Most of the comic strip covers are both too cutesy and really, really at odds with the actual style of the books. Not only that, but a lot of them just look like a random page from a comic, rather than a cohesive single image that could provide a good cover. The Candide cover is something of an exception, since it manages to look good as a single image and come somewhat close to matching the tone of the novel
http://www.entrecomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/candide.jpg
Though Chris Ware is an amazing graphic designer, so I think he would have come up with a better cover if he hadn't tried to make it a comic strip at the same time.

I think by far the best of the comic-book-artist covers are the ones that look most like traditional book covers. Frank Miller's cover for Gravity's Rainbow is pretty great (he should have stuck with making good book covers rather than making bad movies),
http://a3.vox.com/6a00bf76d0a9b7438300d41445d8c3 3c7f-500pi
as is Tomer Hanuka's cover:
http://www.creativereview.co.uk/crblog/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/sade.jpg

[lovejuice]

I agree with Sven for once. Most of the comic strip covers are both too cutesy and really, really at odds with the actual style of the books. Not only that, but a lot of them just look like a random page from a comic, rather than a cohesive single image that could provide a good cover.
i think of it as a meta-comment on penguin, the publishing house, as one of the best-known providers of classics, also famous for its stupendous cover art. the covers don't want to blend in because they want you to realize -- picking the book up -- that you are reading a penguin edition.

and perhaps you can say the same about those polish posters.

[Winston*]

I'm all for those comic covers for the penguin books. Regular Penguin covers are so dull, it's always just some portrait of some dead person sitting about looking bored.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d9/Penguin_Classics.jpg

[Melville]

i think of it as a meta-comment on penguin, the publishing house, as one of the best-known providers of classics, also famous for its stupendous cover art. the covers don't want to blend in because they want you to realize -- picking the book up -- that you are reading a penguin edition.
Well, the line of covers is definitely meant to be playfully commenting on Penguin's usually dry covers and reputation as a publisher of classic literature. It's more about establishing a ''hip" and modern image for Penguin than it is about providing appropriate covers. But I'm more interested in getting appropriate and attractive covers than I am about Penguin's clever re-branding.


I'm all for those comic covers for the penguin books. Regular Penguin covers are so dull, it's always just some portrait of some dead person sitting about looking bored.

Yeah, those usually aren't very good either. And sometimes they are just as inappropriate as the worst of the comic-strip covers, seemingly just slapping on a completely arbitrary painting.