We've been talking about movie posters, of one form or another, in this blog all week and I need to say something: I am so bored of movie posters. And it's not this blog's fault. It's the posters' fault. Or, more specifically, it's the posters from the past 15 years or so that bug me. I can only guess that there are solid marketing reasons behind the shift away from interesting art to simply slapping down the photographs of the stars and calling it a day, but part of what made going to the movies fun died a little when that trend became the standard, and especially when photos started to supplant illustrations. To wit:
I guess this tells you everything you need to know about the movie. It's called Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. Johnny Depp's in it. It opens in 2006. It may have an octopus in it, but you have to squint to make sure. It's okay. But where is the love? Why can't it look more like this:
I haven't seen either, but if I had to choose between these films based on posters alone, I'd be all over Comin' At Ya. Look at it: Guns! Snakes! Bosomy women! Dynamite! And the audience is on its feet! And it must be true because it's on the poster.
Let's move on to exhibit B:
Okay. There's Owen Wilson. He's still funny, right? (Right?) Looks like he gets into some kind of mischief. But wouldn't you rather see a movie that looks like this:
I see You, Me & Depree and I think, "There might be some hijinks in this one." I look at the Blazing Stewardesses poster and I know hijinks are guaranteed.
Maybe it's just that I prefer illustrations to photos when it comes to movie art. But I'll still tip my hat to those that get it right, like this Cinderella Man poster.
That's an arresting image and a creative use of photography. But is it as arresting as this?:
To paraphrase The Simpsons (yet again): Cinderella Man promises drama and maybe some boxing. But The Man With 2 Heads has a man with two heads in it. It's there on the poster.