Can Movie Posters be
Considered Art?
Some of the most iconic and recognisable examples of design come in the form of movie posters. Here I have compiled a selection of what I consider to be some of the greatest movie posters of all time and prime examples of how the art world has, on occasion been infiltrated by inspired box office promotional advertising.
What do you think? Can a truly iconic movie poster be considered as art or are they forever condemned as simply a capitalist tool that can have no place in a gallery?
Jaws 1975:
Clever design here, The isolated
use of the image in the centre
really adds an air of gravitas and
foreboding.
Star Wars 1977:
Such an intrinsically 70's design and
worthy of a place in any retro
mood board.
Walk the Line 2005:
Very Classic, almost Tex-Mex
design.
Pulp Fiction 1994:
Early 90's grunge design at it's very
best. One of my favourite movies and
one of my favourite movie posters.
American Beauty 1999:
A perfect example here of how
simplicity can often produce the
most memorable results.
Casablanca 1942:
As classic a design as you're ever likely to see. I just
love the trends in design of the first half of the 20th
century.
Perfume 2006:
Great use of light and colour isolation
here for an extremely effective design.
Planet of the Apes 1968:
Very clever Two-tone design here and
the use of text to make up the image
is a technique that was very ahead of
it's time.
Star Wars Episode I 1999:
Very neat minimalist design on this
piece and the intelligent manipulation
of the shadow eludes to the movies
story in a nice subtle way.
The U.S. vs. John Lennon 2006:
Every aspect of the movies title is
captured here in a beautifully simple
design. Very clever work.
The Thing 1982:
Lots going on in this piece, very
effective though. The old fashioned
design works well and is almost
reminiscent of the old 1930's horror
movie posters.
Scarface 1983:
This hugely iconic, often replicated
two-tone design has become one of
the most recognisable designs of all
time.
Tim Burton's The Nightmare
Before Christmas 1993:
The art work on this entire movie
was exquisitely done and the poster
is no exception.
Sweeney Todd 2007:
Incredibly eery feel to this one. Great
use of light and shadow and colour
isolation.
Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds 1963:
Another fantastic example here of how
simplicity can often hold the key to a
highly effective design.
V for Vendetta 2006:
Love this, quite quirky, vector
design. Great colour scheme too.
Forrest Gump 1994:
Lovely typography, beautiful composition.
This simple design never fails to conjure
up images for me of a wonderful film.
Jurassic Park 1993:
This, logo in the centre of a plain,
dark background style of design always
serves well to imply that there is
something big on the way and that
was certainly true of Jurassic Park.
Clockwork Orange 1971:
To succeed in creating such a creepy feel
in such a sparse design is an amazing feat
and that focused stare always stirs my gutty
wuts!
The Silence of the Lambs 1991:
Perhaps the most iconic of them all.
The image of Jodie Foster with the
death's-head hawk moth covering her
mouth is extremely powerful and
instantly recognisable. The pattern on
the back of the moth is not its natural
markings It is, in fact, Salvador Dali's
"In Voluptas Mors", a picture of seven
naked women made to look like a
human skull.
What do you think?
So there you have it, my case for the inclusion of select movie posters into the art world. How do you feel though? Can movie posters ever be considered true art or will they forever be condemned as a capitalist propoganda tool?Did I miss any?
Do you think there are more movie posters worthy of a place on gallery walls?