Some film posters are iconic; you instantly recognise the film and even hear the soundtrack in your mind. Others have artistic value. The design, often created by a famous artist, is mesmerising. And then there are the film posters that have cultural value because the film itself had a great influence on the history of cinema or even society. Check out these 10 impressive film posters that you won't want to look away from.
Metropolis
Widely accepted as the most beautifully designed posters of all time is the original 'The Robot' poster from the 1927 sci-fi film Metropolis. It is the work of artist Heinz Schulz- Neudamm and the film, produced by Fritz Lang, has influenced many generations of science fiction filmmakers. It is said Leonardo DiCaprio sold this poster from his art collection for an astonishing €690,000.
King Kong
An iconic film deserves an iconic poster. Few people will fail to recognise the giant ape in this depiction. There are many versions of the film poster, but the 1933 design is the most valuable because it is the original. The record selling price for one of these so called 'style A' design posters was a quarter of a million euros! Of course other versions will look great on your wall too.
That Man From Rio (Pre-Model Edition)
Once a film poster becomes famous, the pre-model poster becomes even more desirable. They are hard to come by, which of course makes them even more fun to collect. If you happen to own one, a pre-model poster of a well-known film can be quite valuable. For example, the original pre-model poster from the film That Man from Rio sold for €500 at a Catawiki auction.
Storm over Asia
This film poster for Storm over Asia is so simple and yet so brilliant. It's hard to take your eyes off of it. This 1961 film poster was designed by Hans Hillmann, who also created beautiful graphic posters for films such as Seven Samurai and To Be or Not To Be.
Casablanca
If you wish to dream away with a romantic film poster above your bed, Casablanca is the one you need. This 1942 drama with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman is considered to be one of the greatest films of all time. So if you wish to collect posters, this is a good place to start. After all, we will always have "Casablanca".
Mean Streets
Another great graphic design is the poster made for the Martin Scorsese film Mean Streets. This film meant a breakthrough for not only Scorsese but also Robert de Niro and Harvey Keitel.
Frankenstein
Maybe not the kind of poster you wish to hang in your bedroom, but the Frankenstein film and poster are classics. An original 1931 poster was sold for nearly €200,000 in 1993.
Image Source: Wikimedia.org
Star Wars
Pretty much all original Star Wars posters are a great catch because the films are classics. A great catch however, is the 1977 'Style A' The Empire Strikes Back poster designed by Tom Jung.
Dr. Strangelove
The poster of Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb has cultural value. Based on the book Red Alert, this political satire comedy from 1964 was highly controversial for its time during the cold war, and the poster is captivating.
Anatomy of a Murder
“Symbolise and summarise”, said designer Saul Bass- and apparently, it is as easy as that. The poster for the film Anatomy of a Murder is a great example of Bass’ talent to create an iconic image.
Source Image: wikimedia.org
The list of impressive film posters could be endless for there are so many great films and so many great poster designers. If your attic is full of vintage film posters, you can make space by register here to sell them at Catawiki. You can also expand your collection of cherished movie memorabilia by checking out Posters auctions.