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14 Alternative Movie Posters You Need on Your Walls
By Matthew Chernov
Matthew Chernov
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When you finally decide to venture back to cinemas, chances are you’ll find yourself looking at the movie posters on display with disappointment. Not at the quality of the films, mind you, but at the poster art itself. That’s because designing eye-catching movie posters is something of a lost art these days. In fact, rather than creating iconic new images that instantly capture the essence of a movie (think of the timeless posters for “Jaws,” “A Clockwork Orange,” or “Apocalypse Now”), studios today tend to recycle the same tired designs that consist of little more than a collage of photoshopped faces randomly assembled over an uninspired background shot.
The good news for film fans with an eye for design is that a new generation of artists and illustrators have emerged over the past several years, intent on reinventing the lost art of the movie one-sheet. Thanks to the success of the popular design boutique Mondo , which began creating alternative movie posters back in 2005, independent artists from around the world are now crafting their own unique posters for Hollywood classics, modern blockbusters, and everything in between. So if you’d love to adorn your walls with a poster of your favorite film, but you’re tired of the same old images, here are 14 alternative posters worthy of framing.
‘The Godfather’
Proving that sometimes the simplest methods are the most effective, this minimalist poster for “The Godfather” is part of a series of clever works by artist Dan Grguras, who uses disparate objects placed in a single photograph to highlight a key scene from a movie. In this case, the poster pays tribute to mafia henchman Pete Clemenza’s famous quote, “leave the gun, take the cannoli,” which he casually utters after his partner Rocco fires a bullet into a former associate’s head. A giclee print on enhanced matte paper, the poster measures 18 x 12 inches precisely, making framing simple and affordable.
The Godfather $25
‘The Man Who Fell to Earth’
Award-winning artist Tomer Hanuka reimagines the poster for Nicolas Roeg’s haunting sci-fi drama as an anime-inspired comic book cover. The triangular shape in the center of the image echoes a similar shape that’s present in the film’s original poster, while the surrounding portrait depicts earthbound alien Thomas Jerome Newton’s extraterrestrial wife and children dying of thirst back on his home planet. The names of cast members David Bowie and Candy Clark are included at the bottom of the image, just beneath the slowly deteriorating title font. Each screen print comes hand-numbered by the artist.
'The Man Who Fell To Earth' $50
‘Dune’
By now you’ve probably seen the shiny new Hollywood poster for Denis Villeneuve’s highly-anticipated adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “ Dune .” But what if you were in the market for something a bit… wilder? If you’re a serious “Dune” fan, chances are you’re familiar with the story behind Alejandro Jodorowsky’s lost adaptation (and if not rent the documentary immediately). Jodorowsky’s film would have cast an insane collection of stars, including Mick Jagger, Orson Wells and Salvador Dali, but the project crashed and burned before shooting began. Luckily, his abandoned version still lives in the hearts and minds of artists everywhere, and it inspired this ultra-rare Mondo print from artist Killian Eng, which is still available from various sellers on Ebay .
'Jodorowsky's Dune' $900 - $1,300.00
‘Get Out’
This chilling alternative poster for Jordan Peele’s modern horror classic uses understated colors and thoroughly original typography to send a shiver down your spine. The concentric circles in the background suggest a descent into the nightmarish “sunken place,” and the look of sheer terror on Daniel Kaluuya’s face is more than enough to bring back memories of the fear you felt the first time you saw the film. Part of a series of works by artist Tibor Lovas, who uses contrasting figures and minimalist geometric shapes to honor some of his favorite movies.
'Get Out' $19.99 $15.99
‘The Thing’
Talented artist David Graham uses the famous quote “it could have imitated a million life-forms on a million planets” as the inspiration for this highly original alternative poster for John Carpenter’s horror classic “The Thing.” Consisting of incrementally torn pages from a hand-drawn scientific sketchbook that, when combined, form the likeness of an otherworldly creature, Graham’s intriguing concept incorporates photographic elements that add an extra layer of texture and depth to the overall design. The result is a thought-provoking poster that rewards fans who’ve seen the film multiple times.
'The Thing' $24.99 $19.99
‘No Time to Die’
From the very beginning, the James Bond franchise has broken new ground when it comes to the art of poster design. Which makes it all the more disappointing that the official studio posters for the upcoming “No Time to Die” have been creatively underwhelming. Luckily, London-based artist Mark Murphy crafted this splendid alternative poster for Daniel Craig’s 007 swan song. Digitally painted in the style of the series’ jovial Roger Moore era – specifically “Octopussy” from 1983 – this playfully nostalgic piece of work has everything the studio versions lack, namely thrills, sexiness, and explosions.
'No Time To Die' $37.54
‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’
The third chapter in the John Wick saga features some of the most creatively choreographed gunplay in the history of cinema. Unfortunately, the film’s official poster is far more conventional. Consisting of little more than a neon-tinted shot of Keanu Reeves looking mildly perturbed, it barely hints at the visual pleasures the movie offers. Which is why this alternative poster created by Broken Beanie, a freelance graphic designer based in India, is such a breath of fresh air. Resembling a combination of Shepard Fairey’s street art mixed with a lucha libre poster, this dynamic image also manages to incorporate Wick’s ominous nickname “Baba Yaga” into the design.
'John Wick' $19.99 $15.99
‘A Quiet Place’
The official studio poster for John Krasinski’s horror hit “A Quiet Place” depicts Emily Blunt hiding in a bathtub while a deadly creature lurks just out of frame. For this highly-stylized alternative version, artist Tomer Hanuka took an entirely different approach. Literalizing the threat of sound as a series of jagged waveform lines, Hanuka portrays the film’s Abbott family as shoeless wanderers desperately creeping across an alien terrain, hoping against hope that they can reach their destination without making any noise. It’s an audacious concept that uses minimal colors to striking effect.
'A Quiet Place' $60
‘Psycho’
Award-winning Polish artist Aleksander Walijewski specializes in using visual metaphor and graphic symbolism in the alternative movie posters he designs, and his take on Hitchcock’s “Psycho” is no exception. Portraying Norman Bates wearing a wig made from heavy chains, the image works on many different levels. For example, the weight of the chains suggests the figurative weight of Norman’s psychosis, while the chains themselves hint at the psychological tether that lashes Norman and his dead mother together in one tortured body. No matter how you interpret it, it’s an exceptional work of art that’s sure to become a conversation piece when framed and hung on your wall.
'Psycho' $18.50
‘Parasite’
London-based artist Bex reimagines Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning black comedy “Parasite” in the style of a vintage Hollywood melodrama with this retro-inspired alternative poster design. Printed on 170gsm uncoated paper, the poster foregrounds actor Song Kang-ho in the center, while the film’s supporting cast looks on expectantly from the periphery. Compare this design to the posters for 1940s classics like “Now, Voyager” and “Strange Cargo” and you’ll see exactly the type of image that Bex is referencing in her work.
'Parasite' $28.86
‘Carol’
Brazilian illustrator Jenifer Prince, whose retro aesthetic often focuses on lesbian narratives, created this stylish poster for Todd Haynes’ Oscar-nominated “Carol.” Clearly inspired by 1950s romance comics like “Young Love” and “Going Steady,” Prince’s poster also includes Carol’s flirtatious quote, “what a strange girl you are… flung out of space,” which she whispers to Therese during their first lunch together. The inclusion of Carol’s soon-to-be ex-husband Harge observing from the background hints at the film’s bitter divorce subplot.
'Carol' $19.99 $15.99
‘Being John Malkovich’
An inventive take on Spike Jonze’s mind-blowing comedy “Being John Malkovich,” this alternative poster is the second entry on our list from multi-discipline design studio Chris Ayers Creative. Substantially brighter and peppier than the somewhat gloomy original poster, Ayers’ work here manages to boil the film’s surreal story down to one comical image. With its bold lines and eye-pleasing color scheme, it resembles something you might find on the cover of a New Yorker magazine. And that’s high praise indeed.
'Being John Malkovich' $19.99 $15.99
‘Harold and Maude’
Hal Ashby’s bittersweet comic romance about a troubled 20-something loner who falls in love with an 80-year old free spirit is given new life with this lovely alternative poster design. The inclusion of the sunflower over Ruth’s shoulder and the daisy over Harold’s is a reference to one of the movie’s most memorable scenes. “I should like to change into a sunflower most of all, because they’re so tall and simple,” Ruth tells Harold, who replies that he would choose to become a daisy if he could, “because they’re all alike.” The pop of bright yellow color on both of the flowers adds a vibrant touch to the image. Poster art by Chris Ayers Creative.
'Harold And Maude' $15.99
‘The Bicycle Thief’
Award-winning Italian artist Riccardo Guasco lends his signature style to this colorful tribute to Vittorio De Sica’s 1948 neorealist masterpiece “The Bicycle Thief.” Capturing the sorrowful moment when young Bruno places a tender hand on his desperate father’s shoulder after a fruitless day spent searching for their stolen bicycle, Guasco’s striking 6-color screenprint reimagines the black and white classic in a whole new light. Poster art designed in association with Nautilus Art Prints.
Nautilus x Mondo: The Bicycle Thief $70
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20 Best Alternative Movie Posters
There have been some pretty iconic movie posters over the years. Images that have been spoofed and parodied countless times, such as the shark rising from the ocean from the Jaws poster. But there are also some pretty talented artists out there that don’t always get the chance for their movie posters to be seen. This article showcases twenty of the best alternative movie posters designs of all time.
Inception (Grzegorz Domaradzki)
Inception is a sci-fi thriller movie that is about a team who conduct a heist within someone’s dream. Sound confusing? Well, if by some chance you haven’t heard of this movie, you need to check it out. Domaradzki’s alternate design encapsulates the plot of the film by having the action taking place within Cillian Murphy’s head.
Shaun of the Dead (Rick Kelly)
Edgar Wright’s zombie comedy was a huge success and introduced us the comic duo of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Pegg takes centre stage in this beautiful poster that somehow manages to capture the comedy element as well as featuring a lot of blood and zombies.
Pulp Fiction (Paul Gates)
Tarantino’s wonderful cast of characters are shown off in a whirl of colour in Paul Gate’s alternate poster design. And we even get Tarantino himself on the poster, in character as his scene-stealing Jimmie.
Gravity (Daniel Norris)
Harkening back to Saul Bass’ iconic design, Daniel Norris successfully homages the famous Vertigo poster. Featuring a falling astronaut however, Norris makes this art his own.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Paolo Rivera)
Paolo Rivera has done similar designs for the Captain America movies, but this one stands out. With The Winter Soldier’s political thriller tone, Rivera’s design captures the feel of similar old school movie posters.
The Thing (Tyler Stout)
A cult horror classic, The Thing is very much a film about isolation and fear. Tyler Stout’s poster plays on both of these feelings, but also captures the coldness of the Arctic landscape, too.
District 9 (Russell Ford)
Neill Blomkamp’s fantastic debut cemented him as a sci-fi director to watch. Russell Ford’s poster plays on the quirkiness of the movie and features a great tagline.
The Deer Hunter (Laurent Durieux)
A stone-cold classic feauting the talents of Robert de Niro, Christopher Walken and Meryl Streep, The Deer Hunter is a must-watch movie. And if Laurent Durieux’s stunning poster doesn’t convince you to watch it either, I don’t know what will.
Apocalypse Now: Final Cut (Laurent Durieux)
Alright, this one is technically cheating. It’s another Durieux design and was used as the official poster for the Apocalypse Now: Final Cut that premiered last year. But it was too beautiful not to include.
Pacific Rim (Turk1672)
Pacific Rim drew a mixed reaction upon release. Featuring people in giant robot suits beating up monsters, it wasn’t exactly a brain teaser. But Turk’s poster here truly gives the film justice and looks pretty awesome.
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (Jian Guo)
The Phantom Menace isn’t anybody’s favourite Star Wars movie. But Jian Guo’s design is playful, unique and cool to look at. Everything the movie isn’t.
Avengers: Infinity War (Matt Taylor)
The most fun part of the Avengers: Infinity War campaign was getting to see every character get their moment. Everyone from Doctor Strange to Shuri was featured on posters and in trailers. And this design by Matt Taylor is no exception.
The Aviator (Jonathan Burton)
Martin Scorsese’s biopic about Howard Hughes is one of his more underappreciated works. With Leonardo diCaprio in the lead role and everyone (from Cate Blanchett to Adam Scott) providing solid support, it’s an interesting and entertaining movie. And with this alternate design, artist Jonathan Burton successfully captures the feel and era of Hughes’ time.
Parasite (Andrew Bannister)
Parasite made history this year by becoming the firs foreign language movie ever to win the Oscar for ‘Best Picture’. It also made history by having some of the best poster artwork ever.
The Godfather (Marie Bergaron)
Marie Bergaron’s alternate poster for The Godfather is actually quite terrifying. But it’s also an incredible piece and draws on one of the movie’s most iconic moments through its design.
Mulholland Drive (Kevin Tong)
David Lynch’s surreal masterpiece is full of twists, turns and symbolism I still haven’t quite wrapped my head around. But then neither has Naomi Watts by the looks of this poster. So now I don’t feel too dumb.
La La Land (Alexey Kot)
La La Land is a beautiful love letter to jazz, Hollywood and broken romances. With this alternative poster design, Alexey Kot gives us a stunning image that harkens back to the classical era of Hollywood, rooted within the two central characters.
Guardians of the Galaxy (Matt Ferguson)
Wait, isn’t this the poster for Star Wars: A New Hope? Nope, it’s actually a super clever homage to the film using the characters from Guardians of the Galaxy instead. Matt Ferguson has also done an Empire Strikes Back parody poster for Guardians of the Galaxy volume 2. You should check it out.
Jaws (Robert Tannenbaum)
I mentioned at the beginning of the article that the original poster for Jaws was perhaps the most iconic movie poster of all time. It still remains that way, but it doesn’t mean other artists haven’t created some damn good alternatives.
Anatomy of a Murder (Saul Bass)
OK, I’m cheating again. Yes, this is another genuine movie poster. But Saul Bass is the godfather of poster design and rather than showing off his Vertigo poster, I thought I’d share with you this design for Anatomy of a Murder. A great film with a great poster.
Share this amazing artwork on your social media and let us know if there are any other alternative poster designs we need to check out!
Written by Oliver Swift
Oliver is a London-based writer who contributes to FandomWire, Animated Times, the Curzon Blog and Ollywood Reviews. His favourite superhero is Hawkeye and his favourite superhero movie is 'The Lego Batman Movie'.
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What Are Alternative Movie Posters? (All You Need To Know)
by Andy Storey | Jun 24, 2021 | Poster Collecting , TV & Movie Poster Design
The internet is overloaded with fan art, and the quality of said art can vary terribly from one example to the next.
Sometimes a fan wants to represent an idea, even when lacking all artistic talent. And sometimes, highly experienced professionals of the art world still want to show their love for a certain character or lore.
When you explore the realms of fan art, such as Deviant Art or Red Bubble, you can find anything from childish-looking doodles of the Joker making out with Batman to elaborate oil paintings of Daenerys and her dragons.
While many movies are considered art pieces, the fan art around them can often be brushed off as a simple manifestation of fanaticism with no artistic value.
Fan Art or Something Different?
This is, however, not the most common case with alternative movie posters. So what are alternative movie posters? They’re essentially fan art, but more often than not, they are also high-quality artworks.
Alternative movie posters come in very different art styles. They mimic art movements from the 20th century, such as Art Nouveau , Constructivist Art, or Bauhaus Design.
They reproduce posters nowadays as they would have been in another time, in a vintage style. Or they follow contemporary trends, such as vector art and layered illustrations.
They are drawn by hand or digitally. They represent the latest blockbuster or a timeless classic. But in all cases, they’re not part of the original advertising campaign of the film. They’re not made in Hollywood; they’re something else.
The artists behind some of the most beautiful alternative movie posters are not hired by an art director or agency nor paid by producers from a certain film.
They do what they do for the love of art, but oddly enough, that is exactly why these posters are so frequently better than the originals.
Official movie posters can be beautiful and artistic, yes, but that is not their main goal. Their main goal is to sell movie tickets.
Tickets are sold based on recognizable formulas. Photographs of hot actors and actresses sell tickets, Futura Bold and Trajan sell tickets , bright saturated colors sell tickets.
Why? Because the target audience has very little time to make a movie poster, and conventions help them process information faster.
So alternative movie posters are a different phenomenon: they are often detailed and handcrafted because they’re not meant to be seen and understood in 10 seconds in the hallway of a cinema.
They’re often meant to be admired for a long time, to be calmly analyzed and interpreted, just like a painting in a museum.
Alternative movie posters are generally more artistic and beautiful than original movie posters, but that does not mean -at all that they could do a better job at promoting the film.
Original movie posters are sale devices. Alternative movie posters are works of art and even different than fan art. However, one should know that copyright protection does exist for movies, and these articles are must-reads:
- Is Fan Art Plagiarism? How To Safely Sell Your Artwork!
- This Is How To Sell Fan Art Legally & Illegally
But back to the point: a flyer handed out on the street versus a carefully written love letter. There’s simply no comparison in style because the goals of both objects are completely divergent.
A direct consequence of this essential difference is the fact that most original movie posters are produced by faceless poster design services called agencies.
Still, some alternative movie poster artists actually have a very well-known name and a decent fan base of their own.
Let’s see some of the most famous examples, shall we?
Tony Stella
Lovers of alternative movie posters are bound to be familiar with the art of Tony Stella.
His unique approach combines the composition of vintage movie posters with an unspeakable freshness that appears contemporary.
He mixes traditional materials such as watercolor, crayon or ink, with digital art editions and modern themes. He’s not limited by the conventions of commercial movie posters, but he certainly knows them and uses them in his favor whenever necessary.
It is fan art, but a really elevated version of it. Most of his posters couldn’t work for a major Hollywood hit, but it wouldn’t be too crazy to see his craft in the context of an indie film festival.
He really tries to keep hand-made movie posters alive because that is his way of capturing the soul of a film in a static image.
The interesting thing about his work is how versatile it is: His website shows examples of foreign films such as Empire of Passion or Portrait of a Lady on Fire , but also of classics as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom , recent hits such as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood or The Irishman , and even huge Marvel project Thor.
Tony Stella proves how real talent doesn’t need to fall into predetermined categories to work. Whatever the subject of the movie, he makes the poster work on his own terms.
Tracie Ching
Another perfect example of a poster artist who successfully combines elements of older art techniques with contemporary art is Tracie Ching.
This self-taught illustrator uses textures and very restricted color palettes that call engravings and serigraphy to mind, but with the clean, digital look of vector art. In fact, if you are interested in becoming a poster illustrator , you need to read this article.
Tracie Ching managed to accomplish what usually seems impossible to fan artists: she built an audience large enough to attract the big guys’ attention.
With her impeccable portfolio, she reached the goal of making key art for all the main Hollywood studios, Universal, Sony Pictures, MGM, Lionsgate, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and of course, Disney.
But she made it into the big leagues while remaining authentic. Tracie Ching can adapt her style to the rules of commercial movie posters, but she still keeps making alternative posters that obey only her will.
She’s also very versatile, taking inspiration for her artworks from all pop culture.
On her website , she shows alternative movie posters for films by Quentin Tarantino , Wes Anderson , Stanley Kubrick , and Hayao Miyazaki , but also for big sagas as Star Wars and John Wick , for all kinds of superhero films, and cult classics.
Paolo Rivera
This illustrator earned his spot on this list with his vintage-style alternative movie posters for Marvel movies.
Still, he actually comes from the comics industry (remember when Marvel wasn’t much of a thing in the film industry? Huh!).
He grew up in Florida, went to the Rhode Island School of Design, ( do you need a degree in art? ), started a promising professional career, and began producing art in oil, the most traditional of means, but then moved on towards the typical style of comics books.
Trust me, that was the right move: if you can think of a famous superhero, Paolo Rivera probably painted the cover of an issue of that comic series at least once.
So what makes his alternative movie posters so special is that they’re not only made by someone that loves movies but also by someone that loves the genre of superheroes in its original form.
His posters are both elegant and dynamic, and they must be admired for a long while to appreciate all the details. Luckily for us fans of details, the artist also has a blog where he describes his work life and creative process.
Martin Ansin
As versatile as Stella and Ching and as close in style to comic books as Rivera is the Uruguayan Martin Ansin. On his website , he exhibits alternative movie posters for superhero movies such as Spider-Man: Homecoming , Wonder Woman , Batman 66, Man of Steel , and Iron Man 3 .
And also of classics such as Ghost In The Shell , Alien , Brazil , Bride of Frankenstein , Citizen Kane , Robocop , Dracula , and The Mummy .
A fan favorite is his alternative poster for Taxi Driver : an intricate and insanely detailed illustration that’s completely solved in barely four colors. We are as far as we can from seeing a poster like that at the movie theater (even the format is radically different from the standard poster dimensions). Still, honestly, you can only be happy such fan work exists.
Ansin’s art is an example of how official and alternative movie posters can coexist and contribute to each other: the original movie poster of Taxi Driver is a collector’s must-have.
That movie poster helped to advertise a movie that eventually became a cult classic, and now the film is so beloved that it’s still producing high-quality fan art decades after its release.
One poster helps the movie grow; the other comes from the movie’s growth. It’s a full circle.
Tyler Stout
Even if the posters of Rivera and Ansin are detailed, they have nothing on the ones of Tyler Stout. The whole art style of this man is based on detail.
It takes forever to observe every single one of his alternative movie posters because there’s just so much to see. If you want to look at them, the artist’s website exhibits a big collection of pieces based on pop culture and Hollywood history. These posters are horror vacui at their finest, and fans simply love them.
It’s exactly the kind of fan art that wouldn’t be very effective to promote an unknown movie at first, but that’s nonetheless a wonderful treat for fans of well-established films.
And there lays the biggest difference between graphic designers of commercial movie posters, and fan artists of alternative movie posters: the first ones probably love cinema enough to work in the industry, but most of the time they don’t really know that much about the film they’re trying to promote.
Commercial movie posters are often designed by graphic designers and art directors with the input of a creative director before the film is even ready for the premiere, and that means that designers work based on pictures, a title, a copy, some movie star names, and a concept.
But fan artists work based on films they have already seen multiple times and films they love. These posters are made with a deep understanding of the essence of each film, so of course, fans generally like them more.
The original poster takes the glory of being the face of the movie, but the alternative posters take the audience’s heart.
Alternative Movie Posters
So, where are all these alternative movie posters we keep talking about? Where can we see them?
Funny enough, you can actually find a large, curated collection of them at Alternative Movie Posters (thank you, internet). Re Postered has a less obvious name and a tinier collection but shows equally lovely artworks.
These websites are devoted to celebrating alternative movie posters for the art pieces they are.
They help artists gain exhibition and enlarge their audience, and they’re accessible enough when it comes to contact them. So, if you want to explore alternative movie posters or make them, these are interesting options for you.
This platform was born fifteen years ago with the intention of giving independent artists a way of selling their fan work without infringing any laws.
RedBubble takes care of the legal aspects related to copyright and royalties so that artists can focus on producing art.
This makes the website a good tool for cinephiles because it allows fans to find alternative merch of their favorite films and contribute to the original product makers.
If you want to fill the walls of your house with alternative movie posters, this is a good place to start looking for them.
Start Your Own Career
We here at Poster Grind are currently developing an online course dedicated to teaching you Movie Poster design, both commercial design, and alternative. If this is something you would like to learn, sign up for our Newsletter (non-spammy), as subscribers will be the first notified.
You can also head over to our YouTube Channel for free Photoshop tutorials!
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Guillaume Morellec - "Parasite" print From $65.00
Guillaume Morellec - "Memories of Murder" print From $65.00
Guillaume Morellec - "Parasite" & "Memories of Murder" set of prints From $115.00
Mark Bell - "JAWS" print From $70.00
James Hobson - "Pulp Fiction" print From $60.00
Doaly - "The Shining" $60.00
Juan Ramos - "The Lighthouse" print From $65.00
Jonathan Bartlett - "Robocop" print From $70.00
Dakota Randall - "Knives Out" Print From $75.00
Doaly - "The Fly" print From $70.00
Bella Grace - "Finding Nemo" print $60.00
James Hobson - "A Clockwork Orange" $60.00
Dakota Randall - "Raging Bull" From $70.00
Vincent Aseo - "AKIRA" print From $60.00
Dakota Randall - "Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team" Print $80.00
Guillaume Morellec - "Kiki's Delivery Service" Print $22.50
Ise Ananphada - "Back to AD 2019 💊" Print From $70.00
Jason Raish - "Pom Poko" Print $50.00
Ricardo Diseño - "Ghost in the Shell" Print $60.00
Steve Thomas - "Visit The Spirit World" Print $50.00
Van Orton - "Akira" Print $50.00
Vincent Aseo - "Paprika" Print From $60.00
Anne Benjamin - "Harold & Maude" $65.00
Ricardo Diseño - "The Witch" print $60.00
Dakota Randall - "Chinatown" From $65.00
Matt Taylor - "Pan's Labyrinth" $60.00
Bruce Yan - "My Neighbor Totoro" From $40.00
Matt Taylor - "Inherent Vice" $40.00
Vincent Aseo - "Serenity" $40.00
Dakota Randall - "Fargo" $50.00
Dakota Randall - "Raising Arizona" $50.00
Nicolas Delort - "The Mummy" From $50.00
Nicolas Delort - "The Wolf Man" From $50.00
Van Orton - "Indiana Jones" $40.00
Joshua Budich - "My Neighbor Totoro" 2019 $40.00
Bartosz Kosowski - "Eraserhead" $40.00
Marko Manev - "Eraserhead" $40.00
David Moscati - "Blade Runner" $40.00
David Moscati - "Dead Man" (variant) $60.00
David Moscati - "Down By Law" $40.00
Screen Shot 2018-09-25 at 10.56.53 AM
Marvel Studios and Mondo are joining forces October 12-20 at the Mondo Gallery in Austin, Texas to present “Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years.” The art exhibit is set to showcase Mondo’s history of alternative posters for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, plus brand new one-sheets made exclusively for the event.
Click through the gallery for some of Mondo’s best Marvel posters from the last decade. Visit the Mondo website for more details about “Marvel: The First Ten Years.”
“Iron Man”
Artist: Jesse Phillips
“Iron Man 2”
Artist: Tyler Stout
“Thor”
Artist: Ken Taylor
“Captain America: The First Avenger”
Artist: Rory Kurtz
Artist: Stan and Vince
“The Avengers”
Artist: Tyler Stout
“Iron Man 3”
Artist: Martin Ansin
Artist: Phantom City Creative
“Thor: Dark World”
Artist: Ken Taylor
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier”
Artist: Rich Kelly
“Guardians of the Galaxy”
Artist: Matt Taylor
“Avengers: Age of Ultron”
“Ant-Man”
Artist: Kevin Tong
“Captain America: Civil War”
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”
“Spider-Man: Homecoming”
Artist: Martin Ansin
“Thor: Ragnarok”
Artist: Matt Taylor
“Black Panther”
Artist: Denys Cowan
“Avengers: Infinity War”
“The Avengers: Hulk”
Marvel 10th Anniversary Poster
Artist: Mondo
Marvel 10th Anniversary Post Card
Yahoo Entertainment
14 Alternative Movie Posters You Need on Your Walls
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When you finally decide to venture back to cinemas, chances are you’ll find yourself looking at the movie posters on display with disappointment. Not at the quality of the films, mind you, but at the poster art itself. That’s because designing eye-catching movie posters is something of a lost art these days. In fact, rather than creating iconic new images that instantly capture the essence of a movie (think of the timeless posters for “Jaws,” “A Clockwork Orange,” or “Apocalypse Now”), studios today tend to recycle the same tired designs that consist of little more than a collage of photoshopped faces randomly assembled over an uninspired background shot.
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The good news for film fans with an eye for design is that a new generation of artists and illustrators have emerged over the past several years, intent on reinventing the lost art of the movie one-sheet. Thanks to the success of the popular design boutique Mondo , which began creating alternative movie posters back in 2005, independent artists from around the world are now crafting their own unique posters for Hollywood classics, modern blockbusters, and everything in between. So if you’d love to adorn your walls with a poster of your favorite film, but you’re tired of the same old images, here are 14 alternative posters worthy of framing.
‘The Godfather’
Proving that sometimes the simplest methods are the most effective, this minimalist poster for “The Godfather” is part of a series of clever works by artist Dan Grguras, who uses disparate objects placed in a single photograph to highlight a key scene from a movie. In this case, the poster pays tribute to mafia henchman Pete Clemenza’s famous quote, “leave the gun, take the cannoli,” which he casually utters after his partner Rocco fires a bullet into a former associate’s head. A giclee print on enhanced matte paper, the poster measures 18 x 12 inches precisely, making framing simple and affordable.
The Godfather $25 Buy It
‘The Man Who Fell to Earth’
Award-winning artist Tomer Hanuka reimagines the poster for Nicolas Roeg’s haunting sci-fi drama as an anime-inspired comic book cover. The triangular shape in the center of the image echoes a similar shape that’s present in the film’s original poster, while the surrounding portrait depicts earthbound alien Thomas Jerome Newton’s extraterrestrial wife and children dying of thirst back on his home planet. The names of cast members David Bowie and Candy Clark are included at the bottom of the image, just beneath the slowly deteriorating title font. Each screen print comes hand-numbered by the artist.
'The Man Who Fell To Earth' $50 Buy It
<img class="wp-image-1235061241" src=" https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/ Dune -Poster-1.jpg?w=682" alt=" . - Credit: Courtesy of Ebay" width="400" height="600" srcset="https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Dune-Poster-1.jpg 894w, https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Dune-Poster-1.jpg?resize=100,150 100w, https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Dune-Poster-1.jpg?resize=200,300 200w" sizes="(min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px"> Courtesy of Ebay
By now you’ve probably seen the shiny new Hollywood poster for Denis Villeneuve’s highly-anticipated adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune.” But what if you were in the market for something a bit… wilder? If you’re a serious “Dune” fan, chances are you’re familiar with the story behind Alejandro Jodorowsky’s lost adaptation (and if not rent the documentary immediately). Jodorowsky’s film would have cast an insane collection of stars, including Mick Jagger, Orson Wells and Salvador Dali, but the project crashed and burned before shooting began. Luckily, his abandoned version still lives in the hearts and minds of artists everywhere, and it inspired this ultra-rare Mondo print from artist Killian Eng, which is still available from various sellers on Ebay .
'Jodorowsky's Dune' $900 – $1,300.00 Buy It
This chilling alternative poster for Jordan Peele’s modern horror classic uses understated colors and thoroughly original typography to send a shiver down your spine. The concentric circles in the background suggest a descent into the nightmarish “sunken place,” and the look of sheer terror on Daniel Kaluuya’s face is more than enough to bring back memories of the fear you felt the first time you saw the film. Part of a series of works by artist Tibor Lovas, who uses contrasting figures and minimalist geometric shapes to honor some of his favorite movies.
'Get Out' $19.99 $15.99 Buy It
‘The Thing’
Talented artist David Graham uses the famous quote “it could have imitated a million life-forms on a million planets” as the inspiration for this highly original alternative poster for John Carpenter’s horror classic “The Thing.” Consisting of incrementally torn pages from a hand-drawn scientific sketchbook that, when combined, form the likeness of an otherworldly creature, Graham’s intriguing concept incorporates photographic elements that add an extra layer of texture and depth to the overall design. The result is a thought-provoking poster that rewards fans who’ve seen the film multiple times.
'The Thing' $24.99 $19.99 Buy It
‘No Time to Die’
From the very beginning, the James Bond franchise has broken new ground when it comes to the art of poster design. Which makes it all the more disappointing that the official studio posters for the upcoming “No Time to Die” have been creatively underwhelming. Luckily, London-based artist Mark Murphy crafted this splendid alternative poster for Daniel Craig’s 007 swan song. Digitally painted in the style of the series’ jovial Roger Moore era – specifically “Octopussy” from 1983 – this playfully nostalgic piece of work has everything the studio versions lack, namely thrills, sexiness, and explosions.
'No Time To Die' $37.54 Buy It
‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’
The third chapter in the John Wick saga features some of the most creatively choreographed gunplay in the history of cinema. Unfortunately, the film’s official poster is far more conventional. Consisting of little more than a neon-tinted shot of Keanu Reeves looking mildly perturbed, it barely hints at the visual pleasures the movie offers. Which is why this alternative poster created by Broken Beanie, a freelance graphic designer based in India, is such a breath of fresh air. Resembling a combination of Shepard Fairey’s street art mixed with a lucha libre poster, this dynamic image also manages to incorporate Wick’s ominous nickname “Baba Yaga” into the design.
'John Wick' $19.99 $15.99 Buy It
‘A Quiet Place’
The official studio poster for John Krasinski’s horror hit “A Quiet Place” depicts Emily Blunt hiding in a bathtub while a deadly creature lurks just out of frame. For this highly-stylized alternative version, artist Tomer Hanuka took an entirely different approach. Literalizing the threat of sound as a series of jagged waveform lines, Hanuka portrays the film’s Abbott family as shoeless wanderers desperately creeping across an alien terrain, hoping against hope that they can reach their destination without making any noise. It’s an audacious concept that uses minimal colors to striking effect.
'A Quiet Place' $60 Buy It
Award-winning Polish artist Aleksander Walijewski specializes in using visual metaphor and graphic symbolism in the alternative movie posters he designs, and his take on Hitchcock’s “Psycho” is no exception. Portraying Norman Bates wearing a wig made from heavy chains, the image works on many different levels. For example, the weight of the chains suggests the figurative weight of Norman’s psychosis, while the chains themselves hint at the psychological tether that lashes Norman and his dead mother together in one tortured body. No matter how you interpret it, it’s an exceptional work of art that’s sure to become a conversation piece when framed and hung on your wall.
'Psycho' $18.50 Buy It
<img class="wp-image-1235061332" src=" https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/parasite.jpg?w=1024" ; alt=" . " width="500" height="499" srcset="https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/parasite.jpg 1364w, https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/parasite.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/parasite.jpg?resize=300,300 300w" sizes="(min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px">
London-based artist Bex reimagines Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning black comedy “Parasite” in the style of a vintage Hollywood melodrama with this retro-inspired alternative poster design. Printed on 170gsm uncoated paper, the poster foregrounds actor Song Kang-ho in the center, while the film’s supporting cast looks on expectantly from the periphery. Compare this design to the posters for 1940s classics like “Now, Voyager” and “Strange Cargo” and you’ll see exactly the type of image that Bex is referencing in her work.
'Parasite' $28.86 Buy It
Brazilian illustrator Jenifer Prince, whose retro aesthetic often focuses on lesbian narratives, created this stylish poster for Todd Haynes’ Oscar-nominated “Carol.” Clearly inspired by 1950s romance comics like “Young Love” and “Going Steady,” Prince’s poster also includes Carol’s flirtatious quote, “what a strange girl you are… flung out of space,” which she whispers to Therese during their first lunch together. The inclusion of Carol’s soon-to-be ex-husband Harge observing from the background hints at the film’s bitter divorce subplot.
'Carol' $19.99 $15.99 Buy It
‘Being John Malkovich’
An inventive take on Spike Jonze’s mind-blowing comedy “Being John Malkovich,” this alternative poster is the second entry on our list from multi-discipline design studio Chris Ayers Creative. Substantially brighter and peppier than the somewhat gloomy original poster, Ayers’ work here manages to boil the film’s surreal story down to one comical image. With its bold lines and eye-pleasing color scheme, it resembles something you might find on the cover of a New Yorker magazine. And that’s high praise indeed.
'Being John Malkovich' $19.99 $15.99 Buy It
‘Harold and Maude’
Hal Ashby’s bittersweet comic romance about a troubled 20-something loner who falls in love with an 80-year old free spirit is given new life with this lovely alternative poster design. The inclusion of the sunflower over Ruth’s shoulder and the daisy over Harold’s is a reference to one of the movie’s most memorable scenes. “I should like to change into a sunflower most of all, because they’re so tall and simple,” Ruth tells Harold, who replies that he would choose to become a daisy if he could, “because they’re all alike.” The pop of bright yellow color on both of the flowers adds a vibrant touch to the image. Poster art by Chris Ayers Creative.
'Harold And Maude' $15.99 Buy It
‘The Bicycle Thief’
Award-winning Italian artist Riccardo Guasco lends his signature style to this colorful tribute to Vittorio De Sica’s 1948 neorealist masterpiece “The Bicycle Thief.” Capturing the sorrowful moment when young Bruno places a tender hand on his desperate father’s shoulder after a fruitless day spent searching for their stolen bicycle, Guasco’s striking 6-color screenprint reimagines the black and white classic in a whole new light. Poster art designed in association with Nautilus Art Prints.
Nautilus x Mondo: The Bicycle Thief $70 Buy It
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- Competitions
The coolest alternative Movie Posters up for auction from Prop Store
In recent years the movie poster has travelled far beyond its street level attention-grabbing origins. Yet, the modern Orange/Teal action shots or Photoshop Face Mountains are perfunctory adornments to a movie’s marketing onslaught, lacking the artistry and invention of what has come before. But not all movie posters are created equally.
An iconic image, such as a shark rising to meet (and eat, let’s be clear) a swimmer above it instantly brings Spielberg’s Jaws to mind. Likewise a simple glance at the posters for Vertigo, The Man with the Golden Arm or Anatomy of a Murder tell us it is the work of Saul Bass. These posters show the power of the art and the artist. Modern masters such as Drew Struzan and Olly Moss have wildly varied styles, but both have the same aim – to get you excited about watching the film. They are works of art in their own right.
As with all of their auctions, Prop Store have put great care and love into gathering and selecting the lots up for auction next week. Their catalogue, available to view here along with all the details you need to get in on the auction yourself , showcases so many beautiful original cinema posters, and we’ve picked our favourites from the hundreds on offer.
If you want a closer look, check this out.
As you browse the catalogue you’ll notice that, while there are many original movie posters on offer, there are a significant number of alternative posters going under the virtual hammer.
Artists such as Tyler Stout , Olly Moss and Matt Ferguson are well known to the poster collection community and it’s wonderful to see some of them so well represented here. It’s a testament to the massive appeal of the movie poster as an art form that the demand for high quality original posters has grown to gigantic proptions across the world, as is the emergence of an entire ‘alternative poster’ industry in full flow.
A great example is this, from my favourite film of all time – Brazil.
Below we have selected out favourite alternative movie posters, all of which you could own (!) in the auction. As most of the films represented here have both the more well known variants also on offer, we have included them here as well – which is your favourite?
This gorgeous 1947 Belgian affiche is a true original, with poster perfect quality composition and colour. The film is a timeless classic and this poster is just as enduring.
Its alternative comes from this 2013 limited edition print by Laurent Durieux, an artist whose beautiful work appears elsewhere in the catalogue. Taking a very different approach in its subject matter, this print perfectly summons the romance, mystery and menace of the film.
The Evil Dead
If you were a video store regular back in the ’80s you’ll recognise this vibrant, ghastly tribute to Sam Raimi’s 1981 cult classic. This is the original Video Cover artwork by Graham Humphreys, and is expected to fetch a pretty penny.
This excellent artistically-distressed poster for Todd Phillips’ Joker is all the more rare as there were printing issues with the original run of Juan Carlos Ruiz Burgos’ private commission.
My Neighbor Totoro
One of the most beloved films from the equally beloved Studio Ghibli, these are two 2018 Chinese One-Sheet posters for the 1993 film. The first takes one of the most iconic moments from the film and renders it perfectly.
As you can well imagine, the Star Wars films are very well covered in Prop Store’s auction, with all kinds of original posters from around the world and other similar promotional material making it to the catalogue. This rare lot features the original Tom Jung artwork, so redolent of the overwhelming triumph with which George Lucas’s film was greeted, along with droid additions from Nick Cardy. It’s iconic, and could be yours.
Everything you need to enter the auction on the 8th and 9th of December, the full colour catalogue of every single lot, and so much more is ready and waiting for you right here at PropStore.com .
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Are movie posters in a design crisis?
After the backlash the Spider-Man: Homecoming poster received, we ask if mainstream film posters are in a creative rut.
Last month saw the release of the poster for Spider-Man: Homecoming. The design was – well – pretty crowded to say the least. Featuring Peter Parker, Tony Stark as himself, Tony Stark as Iron Man, new baddie Adrian Toomes and the Vulture twice, plus both fireworks and lasers, and the Manhattan skyline and the Washington Monument squished in for good measure.
Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for the internet to react, with fans and critics offering a unanimously negative response. Some even took the time to mock up their own versions, arguing that there was no way to make the poster worse than it already was. And while some called it a bad Photoshop job and others branded it plain amateurish, the collage-style it evokes is nothing new.
The likes of Drew Struzan and John Alvin became iconic for their illustrated, collage-style, ‘floating-head’ poster designs, so why is it that posters of a similar style now seem lazy and inauthentic? Is it all down to lazy Photoshop work? Or is it simply that mainstream movie posters are mimicking the apathetic movie industry – producing sequel after sequel, remake after remake – that despite what the poster looks like, the movie will sell well anyway.
I love the new Spider-Man trailer but what the hell is this poster? Did someone win a competition on Reddit? pic.twitter.com/Z4kLxIOKz8 May 24, 2017
Illustrator Sam Gilbey (opens in new tab) , who has produced pop culture artwork for properties including Marvel's Avengers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Karate Kid and Flash Gordon, argues that the introduction of Photoshop may have harmed the industry by making it easier for inexperienced designers to put together collage-style posters without the design skills to back them up.
“Obviously you think of the masters like Richard Amsel, working pre-Photoshop, and you can see how marketing departments have often thought they can now produce something similar internally,” he explains.
I'll be honest: I tried to improve the very busy SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING poster, and I no longer know where the original ends and mine begins pic.twitter.com/Sazywe9gwh May 24, 2017
“If you’re simply moving photos around though, you’re not going to get that cohesiveness that an illustration can bring you. A skilled artist can take all those disparate elements and weave them together into a beautiful composition, whilst capturing the aspirational ‘feel’ of a movie at the same time. Of course now the fantastic thing is that as an artist you can use Photoshop to aid the process. The ‘problem’ is that you don’t need to be an artist to give it a try, or to understand how good compositions and colour palettes really work.”
Out of context
It seems that colour palette and composition is where this Spider-Man poster begins to go wrong, as illustrator Graham Humphreys (opens in new tab) explains. “My first impression is an issue with colour balance and the obvious cut-outs – the images don't appear to exist in the same context,” he says.
“Even though we are used to seeing unrealistic scale and smaller elements alongside larger ones, effects of colour and light should allow the suspension of physics and scale. In this poster, it would appear that no such consideration has been applied. It looks more like a page in a scrapbook – a concept in itself perhaps, but not one clearly intended (or relevant) here.”
The participants gaze in all directions without having any idea there might be someone else in the same poster Graham Humphreys
He adds that when the poster composition needs to be of the floaty-head variety, there still needs to be a form of narrative. This is usually achieved through eyelines, emotional expressions and reactions, which can add a layer of interest and insight into the film’s storyline and characters.
“Here, the participants gaze in all directions without having any idea there might be someone else in the same poster! In addition, they are all closed-mouthed, neutral gazes – with the bizarre exception of a curiously happy young lady in the bottom right,” he continues. “The angle from which the heads are viewed are also numerous and without order. There is no narrative of threat, romance, fear, good, evil... in fact none of the theatrical tropes that are recognisable human traits and cinematic emblems. Unless boredom is the intended threat.”
Marketing casualty
Sadly, BLT (opens in new tab) – the agency that produced this poster – was unable to discuss any specifics of the poster due to the client relationship. However, this particular design is jarringly different to the posters the agency initially released (opens in new tab) , which saw Spider-Man hanging out in various NYC spots.
BLT is also responsible for some of the best poster designs and campaigns in recent months – its fantastic Baby Driver campaign (opens in new tab) and the brilliant rom-com Deadpool ad (opens in new tab) for example. So why such a break from form?
“One thing that I can recognise is client intervention,” explains Humphreys. "Endless changes that will please executives, accountants and marketing needs, but changes made in ignorance of the visual cohesion that might have made a good poster. Most designers and illustrators will attest to this endless mortal combat."
Perhaps the cult of celebrity and the selfie have crushed the soul out of mainstream cinema posters Graham Humphreys
“Mainstream posters, by and large, are marketing tools intended to appeal to a wide base that it is assumed has no interest in lasting design or creative integrity. A quick look at the work of Saul Bass will tell us that this wasn't always so. His amazing work on mainstream releases shows us that a cloud of disengaged headshots isn't the only way a poster can communicate the core of a film.
"With access to so much imagery and visual stimuli now (more than ever), how have we become so visually illiterate that only a roughly assembled photograph of the cast reassures us we are going to be entertained? Perhaps the cult of celebrity and the selfie have crushed the soul out of mainstream cinema posters. I hope not.”
Alternative routes
Gibley argues that it’s not all bad though. With an increase in alternative movie poster design (see the likes of Olly Moss and Mondo), studios have clocked on to the fact that this type of aesthetic can give their movie an edge (and allow them to sell a bunch of prints). Moonlight, The Lobster and Green Room are all examples of studios producing interesting, timeless pieces, giving hope that there are still decent mainstream movie posters out there.
"It feels like overall, decent movie posters are actually becoming more common, even if they’re being done in parallel to the main campaigns,” Gibley says.
He points out that, although it's a shame not many actual campaign posters are being assigned to individual artists and designers, it's exciting to see alternative interpretations being shared on social media or given away at IMAX screenings. On top of that, many older movies are getting new artwork when they are re-released on Blu-ray.
"Whilst that Spider-man one stands out for being particularly terrible, hopefully the negative reaction will actually keep moving us onwards,” he adds.
Related articles:
- 5 outrageous product placements in movies (opens in new tab)
- Are these vintage concept movie posters better than the originals? (opens in new tab)
- The top 25 movie posters of all time (opens in new tab)
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Sammy Maine was a founding member of the Creative Bloq team way back in the early 2010s, working as a Commissioning Editor. Her interests cover graphic design in music and film, illustration and animation. Since departing, Sammy has written for The Guardian, VICE, The Independent & Metro, and currently co-edits the quarterly music journal Gold Flake Paint.
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