Hello, and welcome back, 70’s movie poster fans! Remember those amazing posters that grabbed your attention and stopped you in your tracks? Posters from the 70’s are some of the best pieces we’ve seen over the years. So let’s reminisce on the best movie posters from the best movie era!
Table of Contents
1. Jaws (1975)
Roger Kastel has been a game changer when it comes to designing and marketing movies. The simplicity of his designs was taken and re-used many times. The image of a massive great white shark ascending towards an unsuspecting swimmer is still one of the most simple yet appealing bone-chillers from the 70’s.
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2. Alien (1979)
Alien was one of the first movies where marketing really stepped up it’s game. The poster featured an egg and a creepy green light, which became a lasting a haunting image in the world of sci-fi horror. This was one of the first movies where there was a tagline that was meant to be eerie and scary which became a standard in Sci-fi marketing. “In space no one can hear you scream” became a standard tagline in horror marketing.
3. Apocalypse Now (1979)
Bob Peaks poster featuring Marlon Brando’s Colonel Kurtz rising from a blood red sunset is an exceptional example of marketing for the movie itself. The poster uses a surreal combination of black and orange color schemes and helicopter silhouettes which depict the movie perfectly. This was also one of the first times that we saw that movie marketing had the same level of value as the movies.
4. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Bill Gold’s poster design features a knife-wielding triangle, which captures the movie’s controversial themes. The white background along with the minimal design creates a striking visual. This poster showed that sometimes, less really is more.
5. The Godfather (1972)
S. Neil Fujita’s puppet-master design and font became very popular. The contrast of the black background with the distinct title font created a sense of power and control, which perfectly captured the themes of the film. The effects of this poster can still be seen today in the marketing of mafia movies.
6. Rocky (1976)
Sylvester Stallone’s pose at the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps has become a symbol for achievement of one’s goals. This poster captures the American Dream with Stallone’s iconic silhouette and dramatic perspective. This design will always inspire those that feel they are at the bottom.
7. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
The poster shows a road that disappears into a star-filled sky. The light above gives a sense of wonder instead of fear. This poster shows that sci-fi marketing can capture humanity’s hope instead of terror and conflict.
8. Taxi Driver (1976)
Guy Peellaert’s neon-lit portrait of Robert De Niro captures the essence of 1970’s New York. The color and decay of the urban environment represented the themes of isolation and madness. This design influenced many of the neo-noir marketing campaigns that followed.
9. The Exorcist (1973)
Bill Gold’s iconic poster portraying Father Merrin reaching the MacNeil house is one of the most well-known horror posters of all time. Gold created the first ever modern horror poster, advertising the genre for decades. The shaft of light shining through the window and the fog create an omininate atmosphere that capture the essence of horror. This poster provided plenty of nightmares to customers.
10. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
The unique poster featuring Jack Nicholson’s face rising out of a ocean of patients perfectly depicts the mix of rebellion and institutional suppression that the movie offers. The bold black and white color scheme and geometric structure of patient faces makes a statement about conformity and rebellion. It is simply a masterpiece of visual art.
11. Chinatown (1974)
The noir poster with Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in an embrace steeped in smoke and romance embodies the mysterious atmosphere of the film. The art deco style with subdued colors and classic detective film homage gives a modern vibe to the poster. This is a great example of how romance and danger are often two sides of the same coin.
