Poster Art Appreciation - Volume Five

Alfred Hitchcock Edition

They sure don't make 'em like this anymore. Simultaneously lurid, colorful, creative, graphic and strangely beautiful. Personally (and I know I am not alone in this sentiment) some of these posters are what I most fondly remember from my childhood when making weekend trips to the theater or summer afternoon visits to the locally owned, pre-Blockbuster era video store (and occasionally I even got to rent a few depending on which rebellious babysitter was "watching" over me at the time). The fond memories being that of excitement and anticipation when I set my eyes on some of these things, my young mind reeling at the horrific possibilities and sleepless nights that the posters' art promised me was in store. Sometimes the film lived up to everything suggested on the poster or VHS's box cover. Sadly though, oftentimes the artwork was the most creative and memorable thing involved in most of these movies.

Many fans today, fed up with studios' uninspired Photoshop hack jobs in regards to both modern movie posters and re-releasing older films with new, boring DVD covers, have taken to personally restoring old poster art in DVD cover form or creating entirely new pieces that recall the glory days (proving that there is no contest for most fans on which form of advertising is preferred and I say the more power to them). Their heyday may be far behind us, but the appreciation of true works of art such as these still lives on in many a horror enthusiast's heart

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

Vertigo (1958)

Lifeboat (1944)

Spellbound (1945)

Rear Window (1954)

Frenzy (1972)

Stage Fright (1950)

Rope (1948)

Dial M for Murder (1954)

The Trouble With Harry (1955)

Psycho (1960)

Family Plot (1976)

The Birds (1963)

Stranger on a Train (1951)

Marnie (1964)

The Countdown Continues...13 Days Until Scream 4

Reboot This! (Part Deux)
Or The Scream 4 Adverts That Should Have Been



Granted I thoroughly appreciate the most recent Scream 4 theatrical poster, what with it's striking homage to John Carpenter's Halloween sales art from 1978; Scream's Ghostface's mask in profile stylishly becoming a knife much like Halloween's seasonal jack-o-lantern morphed into Michael Myers' blade (check it out here). However, as far as successful advertising campaigns are concerned, nothing thus far has beaten these two fan-made posters (by artist PL Boucher) for the most recent sequel. Look closer. What you will see are two works of art that function on so many successful levels at selling the film, it's downright criminal that it would be downright criminal if Dimension Films stole these pieces and used them as their own. First off, much like the the remake trend they are lampooning, the images themselves are reworkings from previously used art (Neve Campbell's face from the front is a nod to both Drew Barrymore's and Jada Pinkett-Smith's turns on the similarly styled Scream and Scream 2 posters). Secondly, the art makes no bones about just what film they are selling (easily recognizable fonts, tagline and Ghostface and Sidney's mugs instantly draw a reflective connection to what has come before). Thirdly, the script that forms the basis of the two main images is a deftly drawn acknowledgement of just what this particular Scream film is all about: remakes. The sheer amount of titles present within the script is also a hilarious indictment (selling the franchise's comedy) of the trend that Scream 4 is about to tear to pieces, perfectly encapsulating the tone and direction of the story. Final verdict? The two most amazing Scream advertisements likely ever committed to poster. Now, I just need two frames.

Poster Art Appreciation - Volume Four

They sure don't make 'em like this anymore. Simultaneously lurid, colorful, creative, graphic and strangely beautiful. Personally (and I know I am not alone in this sentiment) some of these posters are what I most fondly remember from my childhood when making weekend trips to the theater or summer afternoon visits to the locally owned, pre-Blockbuster era video store (and occasionally I even got to rent a few depending on which rebellious babysitter was "watching" over me at the time). The fond memories being that of excitement and anticipation when I set my eyes on some of these things, my young mind reeling at the horrific possibilities and sleepless nights that the posters' art promised me was in store. Sometimes the film lived up to everything suggested on the poster or VHS's box cover. Sadly though, oftentimes the artwork was the most creative and memorable thing involved in most of these movies.

Many fans today, fed up with studios' uninspired Photoshop hack jobs in regards to both modern movie posters and re-releasing older films with new, boring DVD covers, have taken to personally restoring old poster art in DVD cover form or creating entirely new pieces that recall the glory days (proving that there is no contest for most fans on which form of advertising is preferred and I say the more power to them). Their heyday may be far behind us, but the appreciation of true works of art such as these still lives on in many a horror enthusiast's heart




Nightmare Castle (1965)




Don't Answer The Phone (1980)




Burn Witch, Burn (aka Night of the Eagle, 1962)




The People Who Own The Dark (1976)




Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)




Hell Night (1981)




City of the Living Dead (aka The Gates of Hell, 1980)




Death Ship (1980)




Blood Bath (1966)




Demonoid (1981)




Funeral Home (1980)




C.H.U.D. (1984)




And Now The Screaming Starts (1973)




Pontypool (2008)




The Body Snatcher (1945)

Poster Art Appreciation - Volume Three

They sure don't make 'em like this anymore. Simultaneously lurid, colorful, creative, graphic and strangely beautiful. Personally (and I know I am not alone in this sentiment) some of these posters are what I most fondly remember from my childhood when making weekend trips to the theater or summer afternoon visits to the locally owned, pre-Blockbuster era video store (and occasionally I even got to rent a few depending on which rebellious babysitter was "watching" over me at the time). The fond memories being that of excitement and anticipation when I set my eyes on some of these things, my young mind reeling at the horrific possibilities and sleepless nights that the posters' art promised me was in store. Sometimes the film lived up to everything suggested on the poster or VHS's box cover. Sadly though, oftentimes the artwork was the most creative and memorable thing involved in most of these movies.

Many fans today, fed up with studios' uninspired Photoshop hack jobs in regards to both modern movie posters and re-releasing older films with new, boring DVD covers, have taken to personally restoring old poster art in DVD cover form or creating entirely new pieces that recall the glory days (proving that there is no contest for most fans on which form of advertising is preferred and I say the more power to them). Their heyday may be far behind us, but the appreciation of true works of art such as these still lives on in many a horror enthusiast's heart.



The Nesting (1981)



Blood Mania (1970)



Critters (1986)



The Cauldron of Death (aka Ricco,1973)



Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)



Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)



The Prowler (1981)



The Mutilator (1985)



Queen of Blood (1966)



The Funhouse (1981)



Horror High (1974)



The Alchemist (1984)



Don't Go in the House (1980)



The Mysterious Monsters (1976)



Street Trash (1987)

Poster Art Appreciation - Volume Two

They sure don't make 'em like this anymore. Simultaneously lurid, colorful, creative, graphic and strangely beautiful. Personally (and I know I am not alone in this sentiment) some of these posters are what I most fondly remember from my childhood when making weekend trips to the theater or summer afternoon visits to the locally owned, pre-Blockbuster era video store (and occasionally I even got to rent a few depending on which rebellious babysitter was "watching" over me at the time). The fond memories being that of excitement and anticipation when I set my eyes on some of these things, my young mind reeling at the horrific possibilities and sleepless nights that the posters' art promised me was in store. Sometimes the film lived up to everything suggested on the poster or VHS's box cover. Sadly though, oftentimes the artwork was the most creative and memorable thing involved in most of these movies.

Many fans today, fed up with studios' uninspired Photoshop hack jobs in regards to both modern movie posters and re-releasing older films with new, boring DVD covers, have taken to personally restoring old poster art in DVD cover form or creating entirely new pieces that recall the glory days (proving that there is no contest for most fans on which form of advertising is preferred and I say the more power to them). Their heyday may be far behind us, but the appreciation of true works of art such as these still lives on in many a horror enthusiast's heart.


King Kong (1976)


The Fog (1980)


The Blob (1958)


Curtains (1983)


Invasion of the Flesh Hunters (aka Cannibal Apocalypse, 1980)


Event Horizon (1997)


Psychopath (1966)


Great White (1981)


Night Train to Terror (1985)


Westworld (1973)


Witchery (1988)


When a Stranger Calls (1979)


The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)


Ghost Town (1988)


Poltergeist III (1988)