The twentieth century inundated us with Hollywood movie stars, heart throbs and femmes fatale. It is no wonder, therefore, that
framed oversized movie posters find themselves on the wall of many a home.
The first movie posters came into being with the silent moves of the early twentieth century. Thomas Edison set the standard for the ‘one sheet’ – a set size of 27 by 41 inches. These used bright colours and few words, due to the low level of literacy at the time. One of the most famous films of this time was Edwin S. Porter’s The Great Train Robbery released in 1903.
As time moved on there was more and more desire from the movie’s audiences to hear about the film’s stars. This led to more creativity and advertisement in the form of slogans and wordplay. An enduring image from the 1930s is the framed oversized movie wall posters for King Kong, with taglines such as ‘The Most Awesome Thriller of All Time’ and ‘The Strangest Story Conceived by Man’. It’s clear to see how these advertisements drew people to the cinemas of the time.
Those looking for a retro feel to their decor often use framed oversized movie posters to add a touch of modern culture to their rooms. Images of iconic stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn are widespread, mostly in the forms of photography, but also in vastly reproduced images such as Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych from 1962. Classic cult movies such as those of Tarantino and Kubrick are also gaining popularity. Examples of these include commercial pieces for films such as Resevoir Dogs, PulpFiction and A Clockwork Orange.
