Sorry, I don't mean to bash modern posters. However, I do think this thread could make for a very interesting discussion of what makes a good poster in the modern era (possibly vs. vintage posters/eras). For instance:
Should the movies be good too, or just the poster? Clearly there are iconic poster designs from shlock 50s sci-fi and horror movies... so probably not.
What about the medium? That Forbidden Door poster is admittedly pretty cool and I missed that the first time through. However, is my positive reaction because I know a human created with a pen/paper? Why don't I get the same emotional reaction looking at the Terminator poster which was probably created by overlaying some explosions on a satellite image of LA and then running wild with the "clone" tool in Photoshop?
Is a tagline alone enough to make a good poster? Think about Alien, for instance, which probably had one of the best tag lines ever (in space no one can hear you scream). Personally I think the design is pretty boring, but I love the poster anyway... This might go back to question one, though. Maybe it takes a great tagline AND a great movie to make a otherwise blah poster interesting...?
And don't get me started about press blurbs... sure, I chuckled at the French Kissers poster. That kid's reaction is great... as is the tagline. But then I just shook my head when I read that I was supposed to consider it a "cult" movie before I even saw it. I think this all comes back to the advertising bent I see as being so much more prominent in modern posters. While the French Kissers image is clever, it still feels like advertising first and foremost to me -- Photo of two people kissing, check. Clever tagline, check. Alright, sprinkle in some positive reviews and i think we can call this one a wrap.
I think posters for indy/foreign movies have actually suffered the most in the modern era due to their almost insistence on including blurbs about how great they supposedly are... Would you look at a French Breathless poster the same way if it had press blurbs? What about Ed's utterly awesome Withnail and I quad... but with a big 4 STARS!!! COMEDY ROAD ROMP OF THE SEASON!!!!! say Peter Travers of Rolling Stones? Or heck, what about everyone's beloved Pulp Fiction with half the poster being filled with rave reviews? This is not a new phenomenon by the way... just a more and more prevalent one.
Again, I am genuinely interested in discussing this topic in a civilized manor... I don't assume my tastes are the same as others so I apologize if my comments came off as disrespectful. I simply collect posters that I'm "moved" by. I guess I just find it hard to be moved by some more recent posters... specifically because I know there is a committee of people out there that want me to be.
Thoughts?
