Remember a few weekends ago, when I saw The Last Station at the charming little Drexel Theater in Bexley? They happened to have a box of free posters in the lobby. Well, I'm a sucker for free anything, so I picked one of The Wolfman, 2010. I haven't seen the movie, but Anthony Hopkins has that kind of effect on me. He makes me weak in the knees. I just might pin it to my bedroom wall. Modern film posters are great, but they certainly don't hold a candle to the fantastic graphics of the vintage variety.
Last night, TCM advertised the new book, Starstruck, Vintage Movie Posters from Classic Hollywood. It's the collection of Ira N. Resnick, which includes some 2,000 posters and 1,500 film stills from the golden age of Hollywood. Resnick is both a dealer and a collector, who owns the Motion Picture Arts Gallery in New Jersey, and is a leading authority in the world of film memorabilia.
Several images of Resnick's collection were online. I especially like this wonderful art deco-ish image of the fabulous silent film star, Louise Brooks. What a treasure. I happen to love vintage ephemera of all kinds, but don't have anything Hollywood in my personal collection.
This cool image of Blind Husbands, 1919, also caught my eye. I'm adding this movie to my queue. It's written and directed by Erich von Stroheim, who also stars in the film. Most of us remember him, towards the end of his impressive career, as the creepy enigmatic Max in Sunset Blvd., 1950.Another form of collectible movie ephemera is the lobby card, like this one for Giant, 1956, which is a small version of the poster. They were 11" x 14", and sometimes 8" x 10" before 1930.
Wondering if Resnick has any of the books I've got, tho' I'd not mind a few stills to add to my collection :)
ReplyDeleteI wanna see Wolfman but will prob'ly wait 'til it's on DVD. I liked the preview trains but...
What super posters/graphics! I particularly love the Sin of Nora Moran one: really sexy artwork.
ReplyDeleteExcellent posting milady Willow.
Great posters! I do like the vintage ones the best.
ReplyDelete'Wolfman' was very SCARY and gruesome. It's one of those movies that makes you want to sleep with the light on. Plus we saw it on a night when the moon was full...YIKES!
Oh I agree, even though the graphics on modern movie posters are superlative, I don't think they have the same nostalgic, quaint and charming quality that older ones do.
ReplyDeleteOh my, I'd love to have some of these to display prominently in my media room, if I had a media room. They would be fun to have around, anywhere.
ReplyDeleteOh my, I'd love to have some of these to display prominently in my media room, if I had a media room. They would be fun to have around, anywhere.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I most definitely agree to a poster of Anthony Hopkins on the bedroom wall!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree...they don't make them like they used to ...Love that first one...
ReplyDeleteAaaack! Anthony Hopkins!!! Dude - I don't know about you, but I was hot for Hannibal Lecter in "Silence of the Lambs"... because of Sir Anthony, of course. And did you see "The Edge"? "Legends of the Fall"? "Bram Stoker's Dracula"?????
ReplyDeleteI adore. A-D-O-R-E. Anthony Hopkins. At any age.
P.S. Love your posters!
Giant, ugh. Right up there with "The English Patient" as one of the top ten worst movies of all time. *shudder*
ReplyDeleteNo more sin stuffs.
ReplyDeleteCan we have some nature or travel experience.
ReplyDeleteI think I can guess what Nora Moran's "sin" might have been, but I'm puzzled by the New Screen technique?
ReplyDeleteI like old posters and post cards and photos. These are great. Your theater sounds like one we would frequent when we lived in San Diego. Nothing like it here but we have to give up some things to have this life.
ReplyDeletei bet that is a really cool book...love older movie posters they were so much more artsy...every once in a while you get surprised but...nice hit on the freebies too!
ReplyDeleteOh thanks for the heads-up about this book. I do love to collect old images of all sorts, even if I can't own an original.
ReplyDeleteAnd I hear you about Hopkins. I saw him in Equus in Los Angeles and his stunning blue eyes could be seen from many rows out. I went home floating in dreams.
One warning to people thinking of collecting lobby cards. Be very careful buying online. Too often they are copies, not originals.
ReplyDeleteOh my! That first poster must have been from before the League of Decency took over in Hollywood.
ReplyDeleteOld movie posters make the coolest wall art, don't you think? If I could, I'd live in a studio apt in NYC and cover my walls in these posters. Magnificent!~
ReplyDeletethat first one would not be allowed nowadays. What a wonderful collection. Not Hollywood, but my dad managed to get one of the old Barnham and Bailey circus posters. My sister has it now.
ReplyDeleteWillow, I just noticed my name on your blogroll today, and I have to say, I'm more than a little honored. :) Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteAlso, (a bit more on topic), I love these images! I'm a fan of anything vintage, so these were a treat.
As much as you enjoy film, you have to check out the link to my friends Youtube video as he talks about his costume collection! It is just a sampling of the amazing Hollywood costumes/couture that he is collecting/perserving. We keep working on trying to get TCM or a significant gallery to put together a show for his holdings.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYrseZusaCI
willow - i love old movie and old travel posters. one day when i decide to spend my money on them i'll have some very cool posters. until then i love to trawl the net and drool!! steven
ReplyDeletethese are fabulous.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link, Jojo! I'm off to check out your friend's collection....
ReplyDeleteBarry, that New Screen Technique is rather intriguing. Sounds rather seductive.
ReplyDeleteI like the vintage posters most too. Can't believe Vickie Lane mentioned League of Decency. I thought I was the only one who knew of that.
ReplyDeleteQMM
Love the top one!
ReplyDeleteA box of free posters??? Can I have the address of your cinema?
ReplyDeleteBisou, Cro.
I had an old movie poster once - Oklahoma - and I thought I'd never sell it. In fact, I can't remember selling it. I'd better go look in the closets.
ReplyDeleteHello Willow,
ReplyDeleteThose old style posters always make life seem more glamorous. I particularly like the travel versions, which made even the seaside exotic!
These posters are delightful. What windows to the past and cultural perspectives.
ReplyDeleteThanks Willow, I always love to discover material such as this : I am a great lover of poster art.
ReplyDeleteIf the film Blind Husbands is half as good as the poster, then wow. I look forward to a review.
ReplyDeleteI must say that cake on the pedestal distracted me while reading your post (yum!). What a great post, Willow. I also like the vintage posters best. Especially the Sin of Nora Moran. Makes me want to see it!
ReplyDeleteDear Willow: I love "Giant" with James Dean poster it reminds me of film school who only made three major films, Giant, Rebel Without A Cause and East of Eden. James Dean an amazing actor who hailed from Indiana with Quaker and Methodist roots. What an amazingly short albeit dramatic life this legend lived and who tragic. Love film poster art! Inspiring! Thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteBlind Husbands...I am intrigued!
ReplyDeleteWhat a poster.
Giant...fabulous.
What a great post this is Willow.
ps...Benicio Del Toro makes me weak in the knees.
Modern graphic design aims at the greatest impact with the fewest elements, because of the public's theoretically short attention span. It seems to me that vintage graphic design was more artistically lush. It's wonderful.
ReplyDeleteCarrie, you are entirely welcome, you cutie, you.
ReplyDeleteReya, I'll keep you posted on Blind Husbands. I'm intrigued, as well.
Enchanted Oak, yes, lush is a perfect word to describe the vintage poster art!
These are just stunning! They do their job exceptionally well, as I am just fascinated by the stories they tell and wonder what the movie was all about!
ReplyDeleteNorah Moran looks like she has some really good sin!
Thank your for sharing these!
Oh that Louise .. .
ReplyDeletesuch the beauty!
Jjj
OMG, you and Joe! He LOOOOOVES these old posters. They are pretty cool, I admit. These are good choices, Willow!
ReplyDeleteThese are amazing! My late brother left me his collection of James Dean photos and other ephemera, including an old movie poster which I greatly treasure.
ReplyDeleteI want to know what the sin of Nora was and how the marvelous new screen technique enhanced it!
My Netflix queue overfloweth. I don't know at what point they stop letting you add films since, every time you talk about one, I have to put it on the list!
ReplyDeleteThat Giant poster swims of Andrew Wyeth. I like that a lot.
ReplyDelete