A Tribute to Film Posters

History of Film Posters

Cinema and film posters are the physical incarnation of the special movies we have enjoyed through the years. Although there is a big market for collecting film posters, they were never intended or created to be sold to the public. They were merely meant to promote and entice viewers to come to the local theatres that were screening the films. Today these rare original movie posters are in great demand. They are the tangible souvenirs of favourite films and stars whose characters we fell in love with.

Early Days
Ironically in the early days of movie making actors were not usually depicted on the film posters. The title of the film and the producer and directors names were usually the attraction until Hollywood realized that it was the actors who brought in the viewers. It was at that time that the stars of movies were then plastered on each poster giving life to a new era in the film industry.

Movie posters created before the eighties were mainly returned to the studios or poster sources and destroyed when the archives became full or the film's run had ended. Unfortunately many early film posters made for hit movies such as Casablanca, King Kong, Frankenstein and The Wizard of Oz were destroyed as a result of natural disasters that occurred during World War II. As people became more aware of their value theatre owners began to ignore return policies and those film posters that were spared are widely sought today by collectors and dealers.

Value
Many original film posters are valued in the hundreds of thousands sold privately or through auction houses. Collecting them can be an incredible investment as their value can multiply tenfold in a short period of time.

To Hollywood, and Beyond...
Hollywood has a deep history. From politics to Oscars, movies and movie stars are as much a part of everyday life as love and war. Embedded in this site, I now give you a first hand look at the cinematic world.
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