Movie
advertising, while inescapable, is also looked at by many as a work of
art. Some of the greatest movies have
that unforgettable image. Think back to
Jaws, and how compelling that simple picture was. 
Enough to strike terror, the end result being
assumed. Then there were the Star Wars
trilogy posters, each perfectly encapsulating the spirit of the given
film. A great film poster gives a piece
of the film, and connects to the memory of what the viewer has seen on
screen. Sadly, it is a form of art that
is slowly passing by. While there are
still great posters on occasion, it seems more and more that the stock profile
shots or cast collections are enough to satisfy the studios these days. That is why it is so striking when a movie
poster comes along to shake up the status quo. A film like Sin City, unique in its feel
and story telling, took the idea of the character posters and gave it a
twist. And think back to 1994, when Pulp
Fiction recreated the dime store novel cover in a unique twist. It was enough to intrigue the movie
goer without ruining the shock of what was to come. Sure they could have done a collage of
Travolta and Thurman dancing, or a hypodermic needle about to penetrate flesh,
but they kept it simple yet creative, and it stands as a great piece of
cinematic marketing.
I would
like to see the marketing departments of studios put a little more effort into
creating truly
memorable posters. Most
posters have been relegated to the side of the lobby, no longer compelling the theater
attendee to look at them. Now, they need
to draw the eyes over to see. An iconic
image, such as Tom Hanks sitting on a park bench in Forrest Gump, could slip by
unnoticed. But a poster like The Truman
Show, an amalgamation of smaller images that create the final picture, looks
just distracting enough from a distance to bring the viewer closer, where they
can then marvel at the work within the work. It is too easy for me to pass by on my way out of the theater, never
glancing twice at the latest teen spoof comedy or disposable action flick. I want something that reminds me of when studios
used to care. Or at least more so than
they seem to now.
Benji
**Read more articles by Benji**
Comments