Neo-Retro Movie Posters: Sci-Fi & Horror MOvies
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Around 5-6 years ago, I started to notice new 'retro' styled posters for classic films being posted around the Weird Wide Web. Many of these have been designed by fans and/or graphic designers to advertise special showings of these classics. Then designers started designing them as special editions, as fans caught on to the trend and wanted to hang them on their walls. Styles varied, but the there was a strong trend towards minimalism, bold design, minimal colour palettes. Often the posters seemed abstract, referencing geek film-fan moments, or taking elements and giving them a new twist. These posters took the idea of the 'midnight movie' into the 21st century. As every cafe and small hip venue started hosting cult cinema nights.
One of my personal favourites is by designer Jamie Bolton, this design for Blade runner (left) is very much part of the minimalist school that designers were going for in poster design at that time. The three white tear drops among a sea of blue circles, wonderfully representing the classic "Tears in rain" speech at the end to the film. I have an original of this hanging in my living room, and think it's still one of the best of the new poster designs for any of the cult classics. I've pulled out my collection of posters from around 2009 to 2011, for some of the best of sci-fi and horror movies. Giving some great examples of what designers of these posters were doing at the time. |
Blade Runner (1982)
50s font, 3 colour palette, reminiscent of the Saul Bass poster for Vertigo. By Boger.
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A beautiful rendition in the graphic art style, by Godmachine.
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Spinner from the movie, done in a minimalist style by Countevil.
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What makes this so special is, it is an imagining of a scene that isn't even in the film, but is in the original book. By LAUDER aka James Lauder Marsden.
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Graphics novel style, by Tim Doyle.
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A wonderfully intricate poster design, for what is simply a three day showing of the film, by Tyler Stout.
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Back To The Future Series (1985 - 1990)
Designed by ShootTheGlass. Each of the images in this series are basically the same. The only difference being the curved line, representing the path of time travel in each film.
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A set of 3 for the Back To The Future series. Designed by Matt Owen.
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Designed by christopherconner. These show influences from paperback book covers, using a single image to represent each film. Here the 'radiation' logo.
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The bunting dropping from the sky, as in the final scene of the film.
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Showing the clock face, as featured in the final installment of the series. But also stringing all the films together.
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A Clockwork Orange (1971)
David O'Daniel designed poster for A Clockwork Orange.
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Once again the 3 colour palette, and minimalist design gives this that Penguin Paperback feel. Designer unknown.
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Taking the Korova milk bar as its inspiration, this Clockwork Orange design with its bright background stands out among the poster designs for the film. By Heath Killen.
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Using the image of Ludwig Van, reminiscent of early punk T-shirts, this is a design by sozadesigns.
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Sticking with the popular 3 colour palette, this black, white and orange poster has that retro steam-punk feel to it. From Fro Design Co.
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Taking minimalism to an extreme this design from Madrid artist Hexagonall pushes the boundaries of Pop Art poster design.
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Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
A wonderfully simple design by Dan Hunter.
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Simple, retro, what more can be said.
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Again the focus here is on the bombs, using a similar palette to the Dan Hunter design.
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The Dead series (1968 - 1985)
Part of a set of 3 for the Romero ...The Dead series of zombie films. Night Of The Living Dead, taking the border-up window as its theme. Designed by Mark Wesler.
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Dawn Of The Dead, taking the sun image from the original poster design, and adding a crowd of zombies.
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Day Of The Dead. copying the reaching arms from the 1st poster. Designed by Mark Wesler. Reminiscent of Saul Bass's The Man With The Golden Arm poster design.
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The Exorcist (1973)
A Mark Welser design for The Exorcist, using the infamous steep steps as the theme.
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Jerod Gibson takes the minimalism and the up-turned crucifix on step further with this poster design.
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A really simple minimalist piece, designed by Micah Moseby.
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The Return Of The Living Dead (1985)
Matt Peppler design, taking the classic Trash nude dance scene as inspiration for his design.
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Designed by Eric Tan. A brain eating poster for Return Of The Living Dead,
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Designer Mark Wesler keeping the zombie theme going, a great rendition of Trash from that classic scene.
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