Favorite Purchases of 2024

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Well, 2024 is coming to a close. It's time once again to go through the year's purchases and touch on the favorites we picked up through the year. This was a light year for purchases for me--and next year I expect will be even more sparse, if there are any at all. (And someone else may need to start the "Best of 2025" thread next year... Just an FYI.) However, I was able to eek out 10 (actually 11) faves for 2024 and here they are:

***Honorable Mention*** HOUSE OF THE DEAD:
I don't have much this year to warrant an "honorable mention". I would probably have used this poster in the #10 spot...except the one there I had been after for sooooo long (despite the movie turning out to be snore-inducing when I finally saw it). This poster I had never seen before--not am I familair with the movie. it probably sucks, but I liked the artwork on the poster---so that is why I chose to include it--honorable mention or not.

10): THE MONSTER OF PIEDRAS BLANCAS / OKEFENOKEE (combo):
I have been after this poster for decades--long before I ever saw the yawn-inducing film. Why? The gimmicky "Shock Award Winner" announcement on the poster. If you've not seen it--think CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON ripoff with zero budget, zweo suspense, zero talent, and zero anything else.

9): THE VAMPIRE-BEAST CRAVES BLOOD / CURSE OF THE BLOOD-GHOULS (combo):
This poster has intrigued me for years. When I got this one, I was surprised I didn't have one already (ar least I don't see a record of one...). Whoo hoo!

: DEATH CURSE OF TARTU / STING OF DEATH (combo):
Both of these films are awful---but the poster is rare. Both films are by William Grefe (who?), who is best known for THE HOOKED GENERATION, MAKO: THE JAWS OF DEATH, and/or the snake flick STANLEY. This combo of films takes me back to the heyday of Something Weird Video--which I adored. They had sooooo many bizarre-o flicks. It was heaven for me. I am beyond thrilled to have scored this poster.

7): FLESH FEAST:
FINALLY! I had been wanting a one sheet for this dreary bargain basement horror flick (that brought back glamour girl Veronica Lake to the screen after decades away from it. It was also her cinematic swan song...). I'd only had a half sheet all of these years until this year. Hooray!

6): THE MAN WITH NINE LIVES (re-release) (linen):
Yes, it's a re-release...but hello? It's vintage Boris Karloff and nearly 80n years old. I'm totally fine with it--and happy to have it.

5): WHITE CHRISTMAS (re-release) (linen):
I never expected to score one of these. Sure--it's NOT an original release (which are out of my price range). But this re-release style (which I dig) has been steadily climbing in price, too. I paid more than I wanted to pay for it--but still less than I expected to pay. Linen or not, whoo hoo!

4): ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER MAN:
Zowie! I LOVE me some Doris Wishman--especially around her middle period (post nudist camp movies, but before heading into grade-z schlocky crap). While BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL may be my favorite, ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER MAN is right on up there. It's such a deliriously, jaw-dropping wonderful/trashy flick. Genius!

3): FEMALE TROUBLE:
OMG! I still  canNOT believe my luck at finallt snagging a one sheet for the John Waters epic, FEMALE TROUBLE. I have a mini-poster (hanging in my kitchen), but never thought I'd be able to get one of these rare beauties! Zowie!

2): FROM HELL IT CAME (3-sheet):
While I'd much rather have a one-sheet, I am super pleased with the three sheet I did score for this diabolically dreadful tiki-esque monster movie about an island prince who is cursed and whose soul is placed in a tree...yes! It's a tree monster! This is proudly hanging in an alcove outside of my home tiki bar.

1): HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL
I almost never expected to score one of these. While not perfect (it has issues if you look close enough), I am THRILLED to have this. Just astounding art!

And there they are. What were YOUR favorite pickups for 2024? I'd love to know. Please share!
Best poster luck to you in 2025. CHEERS!

[Neo]

Congratulations on your big wins.  The Florida themed ones are probably my favorites; the Tartu/Sting of Death is very interesting.  I'll have to check out his other films like Mako sometime.

I'll see if I have anything to share in this thread, but it's cool to see folks' favorites of the year.

[Monster_A_GoGo]

NEO!!! Finally someone noticed this thread and left a note. I’ve always enjoyed seeing others’ favorite purchases in years past. I kept hoping someone would post there faves for this year. At least you stumbled on the post. I hope you can find a cool poster or two (or more!) to add to it. Can’t wait to see what you (and anyone else) come up with! Cheers!

[eatbrie]

I can't really remember what I got specifically this year.  At some point, they all seem to blend in together.  I know a few I got since summer, some I have already posted here. 

It's been increasingly difficult to find non linenbacked poster and it has slowed down my poster collecting drastically.

A few come to mind:



T

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Ooooo NICE! I, too, have noticed a prolifucation of linen posters. UGH! And it seems almost all of the posters in the various "major auctions" are linenbacked. Faves from your bunch--the 2001 and BLOW UP. DIAL M and the HUNCHBACK posters are also super nice. Bravo!

[eatbrie]

Ooooo NICE! I, too, have noticed a prolifucation of linen posters. UGH! And it seems almost all of the posters in the various "major auctions" are linenbacked. Faves from your bunch--the 2001 and BLOW UP. DIAL M and the HUNCHBACK posters are also super nice. Bravo!

Thanks man.  Yeah, the linenbacking is an absolute shame.  I was looking at a recent sale, I think it was Bruce's, and there were so many 60s-80s linenbacked posters, and I was like, good for restorers right, but why???  Why do people restore posters that can be found in near mint condition elsewhere?  It's really something I do not comprehend.  On the other hand, I am building a pretty decent collection of folded posters and although it makes collecting more challenging, it also makes it a little more interesting.

I didn't comment on your posters, btw, because I don't know any of the movies so it's hard for me to relate, but House on Haunted Hill is a beaut!

T

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Thierry!
You really DO have an amazing collection…and it is amazing that you’ve managed to avoid linen.
Some of the more recent stuff on linen… such a joke. WHY?? But it’s becoming a thing. You’re ahead of the game collecting-wise though. The modern stuff you won’t have to worry about getting on linen as you’ll undoubtedly have whatever comes out before anyone has a chance to throw it on linen. Cheers

[Heather_Mason_SH3]

Sorry I'm  little late to the party. 2024 was a very slow year for me when it comes to poster collecting due to other life problems getting in the way. I had to say no to many posters I would've loved to purchase if I had the available funds.
Thankfully I was able to score a few good purchases throughout the year.

My favorite has to be this large Italian poster for 1987's "Can't Buy Me Love". I really love the artwork when compared to the poster we got in US for the theatrical one sheet and video release poster. I was on the search for this one for a long time, so I IMMEDIATELY jumped on the chance when it came up.


Two honorable mentions:
Tammy And The T-Rex (1994) Video Poster and Lauderdale (1989) Foreign One Sheet. Both of these posters are more uncommon/rare and I was searching for them for some time as well. The Lauderdale Poster especially (titled "Spring Fever USA") is especially superior to the US video release poster, which only featured a photo of one the actresses in a non-revealing swimsuit. The artwork here is so much more fun and fitting for the film.



I'm hoping my life situation improves in 2025 to be able to purchase posters again. So far I have poster coming in that I am very excited about. I'm hoping it's a good sign for my collecting this year, since I have my eyes on a few I'd like to buy if I have the chance.

MAGG: I am so jealous of that Female Trouble poster! Congratulations on all the finds this year. Your posters always have fascinating artwork that make me want to look up the film.

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Heather, you're NOT "late". You're "fashionably late'--aka "right on time!" THANK YOU for sharing some of your fave pickups this year. Thierry and I can't be the only ones with posters we've purchased that we are excited to have bought in 2024. All of your picks really ARE rare. I've never seen any of them. Good job. Your Italian CAN'T BUY ME LOVE is very nice. I remember the box cover of SPRING FEVER with the girl in the one-piece bathing suit...and it did NOT inspire me to rent it. But the foreign one (Lebanese?) makes it look like a zany teen comedy---something I might have rented back in the day (with that art work). TAMMY AND THE T-REX is the one that interests me the most. I've never seen the movie...but have seen it promoted on Vinegar Syndrome's website. I never knew it existed until seeing it available by the video distributor.  So...the poster must be a real find. Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

[Neo]

Well done there, HM.  The Italian Lauderdale/Spring Fever USA is a great one, and as MAGG said, I probably would've rented the video if I saw it in the store back in the day.  Your search for your favorite artworks from different countries is inspiring; some styles are so much better, and extremely scarce, compared to the "regular" styles.   

[Tob]

MAGG - Love The House of the Dead. And I remember like From Hell it Came when you posted it previously and still very much like it! Super creature design.
T - Very nice...particularly the 2001 and the Italian Dial M for Murder
Heather - Tammy And The T-Rex makes me want to watch the film now, it looks good fun!

Here are 3 posters and 2 prints that I was happy to get in 2024...

1) Alien, Japanese B1. I have hunted for one of these for a long time. I was away on holiday when the auction ended so set an alarm for the middle of the night in order to bid on it. The daft things we do for paper, eh!



2) Spider, Japanese B1. David Cronenberg is one of my favourite directors and the artwork is much more interesting than the UK and US release. Thank you to Mardukas for helping me get this one



3) Under the Skin, Japanese B2. For some reason, it's quite hard to find this poster. I love the film, so have been after one since the film was released (despite the design being a bit bland).



4) Jurassic Park, Mondo Print by Claire Hummel. I don't buy many Mondo prints on the secondary market, but I really like this one for using a bit of a different perspective and I'm also really fond of the excavation scene (particularly how Dr Grant describes how the raptor uses it's claw to the young boy!)



5) The Monster Squad, print by Paul Mann. A fun film with some fun artwork to match.

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Ooooo Tob! Nice pickups. I’m unfamiliar with SPIDER and UNDER THE SKIN. I’ll have to look them up. My fave of your five is the MONSTER SQUAD poster. What a cool, colorful piece of work! I’ve never seen the movie, but am aware of it. It might be time I have a look. Thanks for posting!!!!

[Hicks77]

Tob, you got that Alien B1 ?!  Sweeeet, nice score and the Spider B1 too 

[Tob]

Ooooo Tob! Nice pickups. I’m unfamiliar with SPIDER and UNDER THE SKIN. I’ll have to look them up. My fave of your five is the MONSTER SQUAD poster. What a cool, colorful piece of work! I’ve never seen the movie, but am aware of it. It might be time I have a look. Thanks for posting!!!!

The Monster Squad film is a bit corny if you're seeing it as an adult, but it's a nice dose of 80s nostalgia for me, so I enjoy it! I hope you like it if you seek it out.

Tob, you got that Alien B1 ?!  Sweeeet, nice score and the Spider B1 too 

Thank you! I think the Alien auction was in 2023, but I only got round to photographing it in early 2024, so I'm counting it as a 2024 acquisition

[Neo]

3) Under the Skin, Japanese B2. For some reason, it's quite hard to find this poster. I love the film, so have been after one since the film was released (despite the design being a bit bland).

Congrats on this.  When the movie was first released I was surprised it wasn't showing at more theaters around here; it was only at one arthouse theater in western Central Florida.  I think that limited release everywhere led to some demand with the USA one sheets since they were fairly scarce for a new movie.  Then the studio started selling original USA one sheets and folks were buying from the studios and selling them on eBay, etc. for several times that price.  There's only one of these Japanese style (which is possibly this copy since it was for sale and now it's sold) that I've seen of the Japanese style.

Anyway, I really like the Japanese style with the portrait of Ms. Johannson.  Great movie IMO.

[struzaholic]

I am also 'fashionably' late to the party but here are 8 of my favorite posters I was able to acquire this year (I would include a few more but I can't get the images to display any smaller than this--Sorry!). Happy New Year everyone!

1. Sunset Boulevard (1950) - 1980s Polish Reproduction Poster by Waldemar Swierzy - One of my favorite movies of all time.
2. Tombstone (1994) - Australian DB - One of my favorite (guilty pleasure?) movies of all time.
3. The Naked City (1950) - 2007 Re-Release 1sh - Really like the movie and the poster.
4. The Bad Batch (2022) - Special 11x17 TV Poster - Loved the animated show; just introduced S1 to my Star Wars-loving Dad in Dec and he can't wait to watch the rest when he next visits.
5. Casablanca (1942) - Video 1sh by Dave LeFleur - Who the hell doesn't love this movie? Bogie is the man! Love the art and will never be able to afford an original release poster.
6. Strange World (2022) - 1sh by Unknown Artist/Designer - Actually did the see the movie but I just really like the art and the concept of the faux fold lines.
7. Breakheart Pass (1976) - Style B 1sh by Mort Kunstler - Have never seen the movie but the (3d-ish) art is pretty cool.
8. Hour of the Assassin (1986) - 1sh by C(arla?) Sormanti - Also have not seen this but the (3D-ish) art is also pretty fun.
9. Ernest Goes to Camp (1987) - 1sh by Robert Tanenbaum - Loved all of Jim Varney's movies as a kid and fondly remember his TV ads for the Cerritos Auto Square.
10. Up the Sandbox (1973) - 1sh by Richard Amsel - Have not seen this film but the art is wild and somehow by Amsel!?

[Tob]

Cool selection, Struzaholic! Thanks for sharing. I've recently started watching The Bad Batch with my kids, it's good fun. It makes me want to re-watch Rebels and the Clone Wars. I hadn't seen that poster style before, it's nice!

Really like the art and perspective on Breakheart Pass too

Congrats on this.  When the movie was first released I was surprised it wasn't showing at more theaters around here; it was only at one arthouse theater in western Central Florida.  I think that limited release everywhere led to some demand with the USA one sheets since they were fairly scarce for a new movie.  Then the studio started selling original USA one sheets and folks were buying from the studios and selling them on eBay, etc. for several times that price.  There's only one of these Japanese style (which is possibly this copy since it was for sale and now it's sold) that I've seen of the Japanese style.

Anyway, I really like the Japanese style with the portrait of Ms. Johannson.  Great movie IMO.

Thanks Neo! Yes, I have memories of the one sheet being available directly from the studio at the time of the release. I think there was a glossy DS version and a matt DS version (on slightly thicker stock), but I forget which version was from the studio and which was used at cinemas. Agree with you that it's a great film.

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Struzaholic! Ooooo thank you for sharing! Fab selections!
The SUNSET BLVD  poster is cool. The CASABLANCA vid poster is eye catching. For me though, as silly as it may sound (to those who know the movie), I was hung up on (and may need to track one down myself…for all of the wrong reasons) is the HOUR OF THE ASSASSIN poster. Yes, the 3D look of the poster is cool (although it, unfortunately, was NOT in 3D). However, I actually SAW this flick in the theater. I remember seeing it with a friend. She was so excited that Erik Estrada, fresh from his crazy success on CHIPS, was finally making a movie. (Although he was, pre-CHIPS,  in AIRPORT 1975.) The movie was clearly low budget and rather forgettable. The ONLY thing I remember is this office scene where the boom mic was clearly visible the whole scene. Ha! I don’t think the movie did well critically or financially, despite Estrada’s participation. His career never seems to have recovered. I’m glad you got that poster and put it back on my radar. I think I need a copy of that poster. Whoo hoo! Nice posters overall. Congratulations on the pick ups in 2024! Cheers

[struzaholic]

Cool selection, Struzaholic! Thanks for sharing. I've recently started watching The Bad Batch with my kids, it's good fun. It makes me want to re-watch Rebels and the Clone Wars. I hadn't seen that poster style before, it's nice!
Really like the art and perspective on Breakheart Pass too

Thanks Tob! Bad Batch certainly IS good fun and yes, it also makes my spouse and I want to re-watch Rebels for sure and maybe the later episodes of Clone Wars (we have already cycled through a few re-watches of the entire Clone Wars series over the years and the early stuff gets harder and harder to get through). Unfortunately, this poster is not a 1sh size - it is 11 x 17 or so - which is the only bummer. And I love love loved that art on Breakheart Pass when I first came across it on eBay and so it was a no brainer for me to snatch that poster up for like 9 or 10 dollars on eBay (although it does have some wear on it -- but whatever).

Struzaholic! Ooooo thank you for sharing! Fab selections!
The SUNSET BLVD  poster is cool. The CASABLANCA vid poster is eye catching. For me though, as silly as it may sound (to those who know the movie), I was hung up on (and may need to track one down myself…for all of the wrong reasons) is the HOUR OF THE ASSASSIN poster. Yes, the 3D look of the poster is cool (although it, unfortunately, was NOT in 3D). However, I actually SAW this flick in the theater. I remember seeing it with a friend. She was so excited that Erik Estrada, fresh from his crazy success on CHIPS, was finally making a movie. (Although he was, pre-CHIPS,  in AIRPORT 1975.) The movie was clearly low budget and rather forgettable. The ONLY thing I remember is this office scene where the boom mic was clearly visible the whole scene. Ha! I don’t think the movie did well critically or financially, despite Estrada’s participation. His career never seems to have recovered. I’m glad you got that poster and put it back on my radar. I think I need a copy of that poster. Whoo hoo! Nice posters overall. Congratulations on the pick ups in 2024! Cheers

Thanks MAGG!  Yeah I couldn't resist grabbing the Hour of the Assassin poster when I first saw it. Also got this one on eBay for like 9 or 10 bucks I think. I have been finding all kinds of cool old posters at reasonable prices on eBay these past 6 months or so. I haven't been putting much effort in trying to win anything on emp the past 3 auctions as I have been pretty satisfied with scouring eBay for weird posters from the 1970s and 80s. And I can get like 20+ such posters for the same price as The Muppet Christmas Carol (https://auctions.emovieposter.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=6907405) or 10 posters for the same price as a "fair to good" !? First Blood poster (https://auctions.emovieposter.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=6906427). Anyway, I am going to make a serious effort to see this movie now - you had me sold at boom mic visible in the scene!!

Also, thanks again for sharing your inspiring January picks for your Shock-A-Rama Poster Show (in Blood-Curdling Freak-O-Vision, of course). I was able to find and purchase copies of the Deathrow Gameshow and Red One posters you shared. One of them should be delivered today. Still on the hunt for a reasonably priced Haunted Honeymoon though!

[Monster_A_GoGo]

The Monster Squad film is a bit corny if you're seeing it as an adult, but it's a nice dose of 80s nostalgia for me, so I enjoy  it! I hope you like it if you seek it out.

Is this movie something I’d have had see back in the day to enjoy nostalgically or would it work just seeing it for the first time and putting on a child’s sencse of wonder to watch it through? Hmm. Very curious… Thanks!

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Thanks MAGG!  Yeah I couldn't resist grabbing the Hour of the Assassin poster when I first saw it. Also got this one on eBay for like 9 or 10 bucks I think. I have been finding all kinds of cool old posters at reasonable prices on eBay these past 6 months or so. I haven't been putting much effort in trying to win anything on emp the past 3 auctions as I have been pretty satisfied with scouring eBay for weird posters from the 1970s and 80s. And I can get like 20+ such posters for the same price as The Muppet Christmas Carol (https://auctions.emovieposter.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=6907405) or 10 posters for the same price as a "fair to good" !? First Blood poster (https://auctions.emovieposter.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=6906427). Anyway, I am going to make a serious effort to see this movie now - you had me sold at boom mic visible in the scene!!

Also, thanks again for sharing your inspiring January picks for your Shock-A-Rama Poster Show (in Blood-Curdling Freak-O-Vision, of course). I was able to find and purchase copies of the Deathrow Gameshow and Red One posters you shared. One of them should be delivered today. Still on the hunt for a reasonably priced Haunted Honeymoon though!

Hi there. I, too, have noticed some cheaper poster prices on eBay lately. I’m still Leary as there are a lot of fakes out there… but a lot of the obscure trash I collect…who would bother to make bootlegs of? Ha!! I’m glad some of my recent pick ups inspired you. I’m anxious to get out of the hospital and scope out my own copies of some o’ the things you’ve recently snagged, too. Whoo hoo!

[Harry Caul]

Sorry I've been MIA for a while.  Here are a few of my most unique and meaningful (to me) pickups of 2024... in no particular order:

Oldboy South Korean B1 advance -- I searched for 10 years to find this!


Carefree US 1-sheet style B -- rare style


Black Christmas Japanese B1 -- very rare in this size


Bonds of Honor 1919 US 1-sheet -- rolled, extremely rare


Empire Strikes Back Hungarian A0 -- rolled, very rare in this larger size


Zatoichi Japanese B2 export style -- first time I've ever seen one


Come and See Russian C2


Come and See Russian A2


Come and See Russian A1


Snake in Eagle's Shadow Hong Kong B2 -- rare style


Singin' in the Rain Japanese B2 -- true first release, the one that's normally described as first release is infact a late 1950s/early 1960s re-release


Thing from Another World Japanese B2 -- rolled, impeccable condition


The Cranes are Flying Russian A2


Battle of Algiers Hungarian handbill -- rare pop art style


Casablanca Japanese B2 -- MPEA version true first release, there is an identical poster from a few years later that lacks the MPEA logo in the lower left (obscured by the leg)


The Outlaw Japanese STB -- what can I say... Jane Russell was my first screen crush 


Bullitt Japanese B0


Evil Dead UK quad -- measures 30x40", true first release with white border


Seven Samurai Japanese special Toho corporate poster -- half the size of a B1, kind of like a jumbo speed poster, perhaps the only-known example as I can't find any other Japanese collectors who have seen or even heard of this poster


Plastigrams Spanish 1-sheet -- 1st ever commercial 3D movie


Return of the Jedi US 1-sheet style B -- NSS, rolled, white title


Pirates of the Caribbean US 1-sheet advance -- I think this is the earliest advance printed... I can't find another example that only states "2003" at the bottom center


Drive Danish 1-sheet -- not technically country of origin,  but it's where the director, Nicolas Winding Refn, is from


Chungking Express Hong Kong teaser 1-sheet


Anatomy of a Murder 24x36 screen print -- from rare, small edition screen printed directly by Saul Bass


Dracula Japanese B0 w/Eiko Ishioka art -- I came across this image more than a decade ago, but no Japanese collector I met had ever seen one. I was told it was likely a digital only image and was never printed. The person I bought this from told me it was sourced directly from Ishioka who had a small batch printed for her own use. Technically I got this in late 2023, but I'm including it here since I've been away so long 

[Tob]

Outstanding, Matt! I always love seeing the variety in the gems you find - rare and beautiful posters from all over the world, many I've never seen before.

The Russian posters for Come and See are haunting. The Oldboy is a grail, why are South Korean posters so hard to find?

We briefly discussed the Seven Samurai and Dracula B0 in the 'Post Auction Analysis' thread when they came up...amazing posters. I think the 2 x Dracula B0's that surfaced on Yahoo were the first time I'd seen the 'proper' image (every other image on the internet seemed to be that version that is cropped on the right hand side). The only other time I had seen it fully was this very small image of it framed at an exhibition. It's such a striking poster, congrats!

[Antoine1973]

Matt, what an interesting selection!  I especially like Carefree OS style B, The Thing from Another World B2, and Dracula B0.  Thanks for sharing.

[Hicks77]

Great adds Matt!  I really like the "Singing in the Rain" and "The Outlaw".
Happy to see some posts from you after such a long time  !