For many people movie posters are just seen as marketing tool to increase your interest so you see the film. We do find many that fall into this category but some stand out as true pieces of art. So here is my Top 10 Favourite movie posters, it has been a real labour to wrestle out 10 sheets from my short (huge) list. I have tried to avoid the ones that will forever be adorned on Student’s walls, but to be fair some of these have crept into the list, not just because of their “cool” factor but because they deserve to be here. For me movie posters really stand out when they hand painted, we saw a mass of these in the 80′s, many of them by the artist Drew Struzan, a genius in conveying the themes of a movie in a poster.
1. Back To The Future (1985)
It’s no surprise then that an 80′s movie, Drew Struzan poster made number one, to be honest I could have crowded the top 10 with his work. This is my favourite of his portfolio, which include all the Indiana Jones films, the Star Wars Films, and nearly every 80′s film that I loved. This one in particular stands out for its simplicity, I am not all that fond of every character being painted in the poster (Star Wars), Michael J Fox is perfectly rendered, the flame and light effects adding a dynamic representation of elements of the film. It also has one of the best ever movie logos.
2. Zodiac (2007)
My anticipation for this David Fincher directed film was at a high, the film seemed to be in production for years and then finally this poster let us know it was due. This has to be one of the best images of a cityscape I’ve ever seen, the Golden Gate Bridge steeped in fog with the bright title emerging from it. This perfectly depicts the unknown qualities of the film as the murders of the titular killer engulf San Francisco.
3. Straw Dogs (1971)
Here is one of those posters that we see all too often on students walls. A simple photographic image, but one that truly conveys the tone of its movie. Sam Peckinpah’s dark, violent tale is wonderfully represented with Dustin Hoffman’s cold stare through his shattered spectacles, one of the best films of The 70′s and one of the best posters.
4. Office Space (1999)
I work 40 hours a week in an office so this poster’s humour genuinely hits home. Films with no big stars often have provide the best posters, the originality required to sell a film without stars afford poster designers with the power to let loose. The post-it note gag ties in with the movies humour perfectly here, and the tag line “Work Sucks” could never be truer.
5. Brick (2006)
Here is another recent poster; I was not interested in seeing Rian Johnson’s debut until I saw this poster. As the film is a modern update on the classic film noir genre it is only proper that the poster should follow with homage to the classic Chinatown poster (click here to seethe similarities). The enigmatic style of the poster is in keeping with the film, the leads all rendered through the cigarette smoke.
6. The Thing (1982)
Drew Struzan strikes again. The perfect horror movie gets a perfect horror poster. A truly inspired image of an unknown threat, a theme that is perpetrated throughout the film. Struzman shows great originality with this poster, you can look at a body of his work by clicking here; this stands out as different to his usual style but is one of his best.
7. Innerspace (1987)
Growing up in the 80′s was great, the dawn of video tape led to afternoons spent roaming the rental store, which is were my love of movie posters was nurtured. This film stood out through all the others time and time again, I think this poster was the main reason. Again a hand painted image, the artist was John Alvin, this was like nothing else though I had seen, again the stars of the film are not used instead the basic components of the plot beautifully communicated in artwork.
8. Jaws (1975)
This is one of the most iconic images of all time, often seen in on American restaurant walls and of course those bloody students. Sticking closely to the controversial cover of the book from which it was adapted (in which the shark was clearly shaped like a penis) the scale of the beast and blood red title epitomizes all the main aspects of the film
9. Secretary (2002)
I know many find this poster crass, but the simple image suits the film amiably. It is both sexy and humorous, giving us a sense of the protagonist’s character. The tag line too adds a level of humour, but lets be honest I love this poster because it makes me think of Maggie Gyllenhaal who has to be one of the sexiest actresses working today.
10. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
I love a good disaster movie; this poster showed us the ultimate disaster as New York is caked in ice. Again the stars of the film are sidelined for the poster, as the concept takes centre stage (Dennis Quaid’s face must just not sell!) Another cityscape here, an image taken directly from the film, as the protagonists approach the frozen skyscrapers, maybe the film did not live up to the poster in this case but the does not undermine the quality of the image.
One of the biggest problems I had when compiling this list was that this years posters were foremost in my mind, the excitement of future films is added to by a good poster and this forced a good deal of them onto my short list, so I thought I would add my Top 10 posters of this year in, I’m sure I will have forgotten most by 2009 but some may be long lasting classics.
1. HellBoy II: The Golden Army
This is a fantastic poster, the titular hero perfectly captured in an action pose; hope this sequel betters the first!
2. The Dark Knight
I just love the marketing for this film, The Joker looks awesome in the full image, the poster says “coming soon” – not soon enough for me.
3. Step Brothers
This reminds me of all the horrible photo portraits I have had to sit through, it also happens to be the funniest poster of the year, simple yet hilarious.
4. Funny Games
This poster along with the trailer terrifies me, the close up image of Naomi Watts and her tears tells the tale, one I’ve yet had the stomach to sit and watch.
5. Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
Drew Struzan continues to impress even with his most recent work, here he pays homage to the poster for Temple of Doom, and I much prefer this to the later charter ridden addition.
6. King Of California
This was released last year in the states but has just come out straight to DVD over here so I can class it as 2008; Michael Douglas has never looked so wonderful!
7. Taxi To The Dark Side
This excellent documentary is backed up with this first class poster, the shadows of America indeed.
8. Hancock
This is one of those perfect teaser posters, it says little about the genre of the film, the star centre stage, a simple shot is still very humorous and the reflection in the shades intentionally referencing the Spiderman Posters.
9. Blindness
I cannot wait to see this new work by Fernando Meirelles, the clever poster mimicking an optometrist’s chart.
10. Jumper
Another city shot, this time London, the poster reflecting the concept of the movie perfectly.
Filed under: Reel Top 10's Tagged: | Movie Posters, Top 10
