DOs and DON'Ts of Horror: Movie Posters
We launch our Horror Do's and Horror Don'ts feature with a comparison of two classic posters.
Let's say your goal is to create an image to promote a film in which two famous killers do battle. How should you go about it?
Horror Don't: The infamous Freddy vs. Jason "back to back" poster.
Look how comfortable they are. Jason is like a big ol' scratchin' post for Freddy to snuggle up next to and purr his friendship poems to. C'mere, big guy and lemme lean on ya'.
The famous glove is kind of lazily spread out like he's waving to the grocer. "Yoo hoo! Save us some chops for tonight, I'm cooking my man a meal!" Jason's machete is lowered like he doesn't plan on using it. There's no "vs." going on here at all.
And what's with that Touched By an Angel starburst around the title? Yeesh!
For our Horror Do, take the leap!
Horror Do: Frankenstein vs. Dracula! Look at that. Go ahead, click on and enlarge this masterpiece. These two hate each other. Drac's trying to scratch and Frank's trying to choke, and, meanwhile, terrifying crackles of savage energy make angry fry-beams all around them.
Plus, it's emblazoned with hate-slogans like "Battle to the Death!" and exclamation points!
Plus fire! Plus All Color!
If you're going to make a vs. movie poster, make 'em go at each other. That's what the kids are paying to see. Rip his bolts out, Drac! Muss up that widow's peak, Frank!
Hot monster-on-monster action! Where can I score some tix?
Any other vs. posters you want to point out as Do'ers or Dont'ers, heck, you just point 'em right out. You can namedrop the title, and we'll track it down, or you can mail the pic right to our monsterfestpics@gmail.com. Commenting is a Horror Do every time.
"A picture's worth a thousand words" so the old cliched phrase goes. In the case of horror film "vs" posters, it happens to be true.
From the get go, "Freddy vs. Jason" sounded like a good old fashioned clash of the titans monster flick. Those who remember seeing the original films in the theater, looked forward to seeing who would win.
In the end, the picture was a complete disaster at the box office and a disappointment to the fans. Perhaps these filmmakers could have taken tips from Dracula and Frankstein.
Freddy vs. Jason wasn't that bad. The thing is, it wasn't that good either. It's just one of those films that just kind of exists. Although it was leaps and bounds better than that lame Alien vs. Predator pile of poo. Both Ronny Yu and Paul W.S. Anderson need to have their filmmaking cards taken away. A sympathetic Jason? What the hell? A PG-13 Alien/Predator film? Please.
By the way, Freddy vs. Jason was actually a big hit at the box office for New Line Cinema ($114 Million). Anyways, I feel that AVP poster is a DON'T as well. "Whoever wins... we lose!" Got that right.
Forgive me, if I'm missing something...but why is Freddy's name under Jason and Jason's name under Freddy? (Great interactive opportunity, Todd.)
Malice, did you see they made a new "Aliens vs. Predator"? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758730/ I had no idea...I haven't seen any sort of marketing for it whatsoever, and I wonder if it's going straight to video. Hopefully it can't be any worse than the last one.
i have to agree with everybody here. vs horror movies need strong posters. a lot stronger than two killers standing back to back. remember the posters for house on haunted hill, texas chainsaw massacre, creepshow, halloween, and the raven. i know none of those are vs movies but theyre all strong posters. i hate all these new posters too. the ones that show just a weapon or the side of a wall or something. i like the older posters where the monster or killer doesnt hide, theyre right out there.
I sure did, Court. Honestly, I think it's a very craptastic title. Very confusing when you consider there is more than one Predator (so shouldn't it be Aliens vs. Predators). AVP 2 is a heck of a lot better. The original title (excuse me while I laugh) was AVP 2: Survival of the Fittest.
Anyways, the last release date given for theaters was Christmas Day, which is a bad day to release a film such as AVP 2.
While it can't possibly be an worse than the first film (no Paul W.S. Anderson this time), I won't be getting my hopes up. Aliens and Predators battling it out in the middle of a small U.S. town? Who comes up with this junk... and what will become of that (only highlight of the first film) alien/predator hybrid that bursted out of that warriors chest at the end?
And to Joe... good call on the posters you mentioned (especially TCM). I, too, feel that the posters of new all (for the lack of a better word) suck as well. Too flashy and gimmicky looking. Bring back the raw look to poster art.