Movie Poster(s) Of The Week – Deluxe Poster 3-Pack!

I’ve been a little behind on the MPOTWs lately. So, I’m making up for it with a 1-2-3 punch of classic, iconic, moderately sexist posters.

That’s right. Star Wars (1977). You’ve seen it before and you’ll see it again. Arguably the most iconic film of the past 50 years, the poster is equally renowned. The chiseled hero stands tall, triumphantly hoisting his sword in the air. He is literally surrounded by evil (represented in this case by the dark and mysterious mask of Darth Vader). Suggestively sprawled beneath him is a buxom vixen. Her sexuality is palpable. Sure, she has a pistol in her hand, suggesting she has a dangerous side, but one could be forgiven for missing it due to the cannons on her chest. But was Mark Hamill ever so chiseled? Was Carrie Fisher even remotely so sexualized in the actual film? Of course not. This poster is unique amongst those of the Star Wars saga (the remainder of which are much more photorealistic montages of scenes from their respective films). Before Star Wars© the brand existed (The title on this poster isn’t even in official Star Wars© branded type), this was how the powers that were decided to unveil Star Wars to the world. True to the film’s roots in classic pulp fiction, the poster is a very specific mix of action, mystery and sex, designed to arouse the 12-year-old boy in all of us. It doesn’t matter that the images portrayed don’t actually exist within the film, because it is designed to spur the imagination. For someone with no prior knowledge, this poster would likely conjure a film very different from what we know Star Wars to be. And that’s really what we’re talking about when we analyze posters: not the film itself, but the image of the film that is created partially by marketing and partially by our own imaginations.

Conan The Barbarian (1982) is another example of a poster with this same basic structure. Chiseled hero. Sword held high. Engulfed in flame (danger). Subjugated female co-star, immensely sexualized beneath the hero. The elements are all there. While Star Wars was inspired by George Lucas’ love of pulp stories, Conan is an honest-to-god pulp hero, first published in Weird Tales magazine in the 1930’s. Magazines, comics, and novels starring Conan have been heralded by the big pecs, big tits, big swords style of pulp art for decades. Why should the film be any different? Maybe because the film came out in 1982. Most of us have a tendency to somewhat overlook things like sexism in media from before the 1960’s. We accept that it was a different time, and without condoning the acts, we don’t get too worked up about them. If we did, how would we be able to form lasting relationships with our grandparents? But by 1982, the women’s lib movement had been around for decades, so why was it alright to have the female co-star in such a sexualized and obviously subordinate position to the man? Granted, she is technically wearing more clothes than Schwarzenegger, but he doesn’t feel sexualized at all. Maybe I’m wrong…

Regardless, and to prove myself a complete and total hypocrite, I love this poster. It succeeds in virtually every way. And if the heroine weren’t presented as she is; if she were standing beside the hero, lady-bits all shrouded with a beekeeper’s suit, I probably wouldn’t want to watch the movie. Well, I would, but for different reasons entirely.

I’m just going to say this: This is my favorite movie poster of all time. It is.

Army of Darkness (1992), the third and so-far final installment of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead series, is the finest horror comedy ever crafted and every time I look at this poster, I want to watch it again. The artist’s work is of the highest caliber, easily on par with any of the work by Frazetta or movie poster megastar Drew Struzan. And of course, it fits today’s theme. Hero. Sword. Danger. Babe. The difference here though, is written all over our hero’s impeccably chiseled face. That raised eyebrow and knowing smirk are a sly wink back at us. This poster knows exactly what it is. This is a poster that has seen Star Wars and Conan a hundred times each. The hyper-heroics displayed herein serve specifically to amplify the irreverence and absurdity. His hand is a chainsaw. He is being attacked - with a fork – by teeny, tiny, little men. The female co-star is literally reaching for his junk! He is a hero to be sure, but a hero of a sort you have never seen before. (Unless of course you were in the small minority who saw either of the first two films before this one was released – but that’s neither here nor there) Honestly though, my favourite thing about this poster is entirely personal and intangible…

I remember seeing a giant cardboard cut-out of the poster at the movie theatre when I was 7. I just stared at it, in awe, imagining what this film could possibly be about.  For three or four years following, I would see this poster on the box of the VHS tape in the video store, and it would capture my imagination each time. When I was finally old enough to rent it, the film turned me into an instant fan. It was something so new and wonderful that I must have watched it three times that weekend. But—in finally watching the film, all of my questions were answered. In a way, no matter how good the movie was, it could never really live up to years of anticipation and imagination. I’ve watched Army of Darkness dozens of times over the years, and I’m sure I’ll watch it dozens more. But every time I look at this poster, I am reminded of those three or four years and that certain sense of wonder that, as an adult, is incredibly hard to come by.

-G

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