My Favourite Movie Posters - Part 1

The Exorcist

1973

Now, all of you who have read my review of The Exorcist on this very blog, know how terrifying I found it. Through all the vomit, memorable scares and profanity, when I saw this iconic image in the actual film, a chill ran down my spine. Beautifully selected, this poster has become iconic, eerie and suitably dark, featuring several key elements from the film itself. Much like the film , this poster has the ability to get under your skin. And stay there.

Gravity

2013

Although I think it would be more effective without the chunky paragraph at the bottom, this poster for Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity - enhanced by the chilling tagline - is beautiful. Desolate and harrowing, you can tell that this movie is going to be thrilling and different to anything you've ever seen before. The lone figure reaching out helplessly against a black background is simple, but one of the most memorable posters I've seen all year.

Jaws 

1975

Almost as iconic as the film itself, Jaws' terrifying poster is - like most of the other ones on this list - very simple. Simply the shark and a lone, oblivious swimmer, with the title in a simple, sans serif font and block capitals. The shark alone would have certainly been scary enough, but adding the swimmer adds a bit of real fear to it. 

Toy Story 3

2010

Of course, my favourite film ever has to appear on this list. This is a cramped poster in comparison to some, but it really works. With just a 3 in the middle (note that the style and characters are recognisable enough that a full title isn't necessary)  and all of those beloved characters crowding it, this poster radiates warmth and colour, much like the film. I just love how we get to see so many characters in such a small space and so effectively too. Bravo.

Ratatouille

2007

 I love this poster. It's witty, beautifully designed and a clear reprensentation of what you'll see on the big screen. It shows off one of my favourite protagonists out of all of Pixar's films and it's symbolic of the quirky humour of the entire feature.

 The Dark Knight

2008

Lastly, we come to this. Artistic, creepy and gleefully symbolic of Ledger's legendary performance, this is a poster I only discovered quite recently, but it has been stamped firmly in my memory. This translucent glass heightens the mystery around the Joker and writing his famous catchphrase in one of his signature colours was genius.