Unveiled: Notable Film Posters Curated by Industry Professionals
In the realm of cinema, a movie's poster often serves as the first point of connection between the film and its audience. Over the years, these visual masterpieces have not only captured the essence of the films but also shaped our understanding of the art of filmmaking. Here, we delve into a selection of iconic movie posters that have left an indelible mark on the world of cinema.
The use of an Impact-like font, overlaid with katakana characters, in the poster for "Akira" (1988) marked a precursor to how Japanese sensibility in western font use is becoming more understood and used today. This masterpiece brought Japanese animation to cinema audiences around the world, with its fluid motion and intricate backgrounds.
The minimalist design of the poster for "Moon" features a single astronaut standing on the moon, with a simple and striking composition. On the other hand, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (2014) boasts a whimsical storybook-like poster with a surreally detailed alpine landscape and pastel tones, positioning the scene as otherworldly.
"Jaws" (1975) was the first summer blockbuster, and its poster is often cited as an example of effective visual marketing and storytelling. Featuring a giant great white shark attacking a swimmer, it instantly evokes fear and anticipation, much like the movie itself.
The poster for "Vertigo" (1958) is a minimalist design by Saul Bass, featuring a spirograph that creates movement and a rotating zooming sensation. This perfectly encapsulates the film's themes of obsession and disorientation.
The poster for "The Graduate" (1967) is a story about a recent graduate who has difficult choices to make about his future, and features a hidden depth that alludes to things not what they seem. The poster for "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (1998) is a weird and intriguing design that captures the essence of the film's style and the lead actress's charisma.
"The Lobster" uses negative space to represent the loneliness felt by the protagonist, and is considered a smart translation of the film into a poster. Similarly, the poster for "The Thing" (1982) tells the story of paranoia, dread, and suspenseful mystery that the movie entails, with a foreboding and unknown humanoid form with an obscured face and ominous light emanating from it.
The poster for "Harakiri" (1962) is a simple composition that is even more enjoyable as we notice that the irregular lines of the white background hint at the form of a crumpled flag. The poster for "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961) is a timeless slice of glamour, featuring Audrey Hepburn in a Givenchy dress and pearls.
The design of the "Jaws" poster is centred around a young Anakin Skywalker, whose shadow forms the silhouette of Darth Vader on a Tatooine building, subtly hinting at his dark future. The "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" poster might seem a strange choice for this list, but it is one of the coolest movie posters we've ever seen.
The "Ghostbusters" poster is a simple and memorable design that features a giant popping logo and a single, mysterious strapline. "Vamp" (1986), a black comedy horror featuring Grace Jones as a vampire stripper, is not a great movie but its poster is a great example of minimalist design.
The poster for "The Exorcist" (1973) is instantly recognizable and ominous, with high contrast and a sense of primal and cosmically significant imagery. The "Trainspotting" poster is also highly regarded, capturing the energy and gritty nature of the film with minimal design and a bold aesthetic.
In 1988, Akira brought Japanese animation to cinema audiences around the world, with its fluid motion and intricate backgrounds. The poster for "Metropolis" is a German expressionist design that blends Art Deco and Futurism, and is considered one of the most expensive movie posters ever sold.
The "Logan" poster, featuring Wolverine holding a child's hand, tells you everything you need to know about the premise of the film without spoiling anything. Logan (2017) is a different kettle of fish, more like an adult Western than a superhero film, with its violence being realistic, relentless, and brutal.
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, the third installment of the John Wick series, officially became a billion-dollar franchise in 2021. Little Miss Sunshine, which cost a modest $8million, was a breath of fresh air in an era when superhero films were starting to get budgets in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The graphic designer who created the iconic film poster for "Jaws" is Roger Kastel. The "Green Knight" poster, with its typography-led design and minimalist approach, captures the central theme of the film: the genesis of one of cinema's most infamous villains.
Der Film, a Swiss graphic design by Josef Mueller-Brockmann, is an artwork in the Museum of Modern Art that was inspired by film itself. The "Midnight Cowboy" original American poster features a black and white photo of the two leads, but Waldemar Swierzy's iconic Polish design for the movie is preferred for its boldness and graphic simplicity.
The "2001: A Space Odyssey" poster is a vintage illustration that mixes style and subject matter, tapping into the imagination of the space-race era. The "The Thing" poster, featuring a foreboding and unknown humanoid form with an obscured face and ominous light emanating from it, tells the story of paranoia, dread, and suspenseful mystery that the movie entails.
In conclusion, these iconic movie posters serve as a testament to the power of visual storytelling in cinema. They not only attract audiences but also provide a lasting impression, making them an integral part of the film's legacy.
