Classic horror and sci-fi movie posters -paper anyways

**jagolden01** · #1 08-20-2017, 05:40 PM

The Peobody Essex Museum in Salem, MA is hosting an exhibit of classic horror and Sci-fi original movie posters.
135 pieces, it is a small sampling of the collection owned by Kirk Hammet, guitarist for Metallica.
Absolutely beautiful art and some props, all in incredible condition. You wouldn't believe the quality of the pieces and chroma of the colors.
If his exhibit travels and comes within traveling distance, I highly recommend going to see it.

**ShadowCory** · #2 08-20-2017, 06:08 PM

Beautiful prints! I really like the King Kong cutout. Those colors are amazing. On all of them.

**gotham** · #3 08-20-2017, 06:43 PM

They knew how to do movie posters back then. I wouldn't like to put a value on this collection.

**Burning Beard** · #4 08-20-2017, 10:03 PM

Back then the originals were all hand done, not only the art work but the lettering. Most of those are custom one time fonts done on the fly by the show card painter. They would then go to the printer. In large, more affluent venues they were custom made in the area, I would think that the King Kong "poster" would be and example of that.

When I was young (probably early teens) my father (also a sign painter) introduced my the a guy that lettered titles for movies. The ones he still had were lettered white on a matt black background so they could be photographed and superimposed or double exposed at the start of the movie or for the credits. It was quite the art form and the work was exacting. The layouts for these things were usually done in chalk and was only the centerline, the painter would then shift the lettering by eye to make sure it fit the space.

Beard

**elliott** · #5 08-21-2017, 03:21 AM

Interesting post Beard. I didn't know that about how movie posters were hand painted in some areas.

**zubie** · #6 08-21-2017, 08:24 PM

One of the great things of the 2 big Boston area sci-fi cons, Arisia and Boskone, is their art exhibit. Boskone in particular always like to display a themed set of works, such as this year's that focused on monochrome or limited palette work done either for inside illustrations or covers. They also always devote space to works from the guest artist (recent guests for Arisia and Boskone included Vincent DiFate, Dave Seeley, Gregory Manchess, and Roger Dean).
This sounds rather neat. The family was wondering if there was anything going on at the Peabody Essex Museum right now. For those who may not know, one of the Back to the Future Deloreans is at the Boston Science Museum right now (as well as a rather neat looking Discovery centrifuge Hal station mockup).