Movie Poster Collecting

[Jair]

Neither have I LOL. Hence why I am hoping.




Goegeous pic. I love that poster.

Gotta love Drew Struzan posters, really is one of the great poster artists of all time.


Evan

 

[Jair]

You can find plenty on ebay. Sorry, but you're a fool to go to any non-ebay dealer for brand new release films. You'll pay double for nothing.

Now, older films are a completely different colored horse. But lets' remember - just because you see the poster in person and the guy tells you it's original doesn't mean it's original. Most likely, he bought it from somebody, and they told him the same story. It all comes down to trust, and building it over time with a particular dealer.

I have four or five that I use regularly on ebay, and they are all trustworthy for new movies. They get their posters from the same source as the theater, which is common these days. Some companies frown on their posters being sold (Sony is one, I believe) but most couldn't care less.

I'll use some recent examples. I picked up that Rocketeer teaser I mentioned a couple pages back. I came this week and I'm very happy with it, it's double sided, heavy stock, exactly 27x40, with a VERY high gloss finish on the front. Is it original? Probably, as all three of these things point in that direction.

I also bought a poster that means something only to me and my wife - Short Time. Remember that one? No, I figured you didn't. It's a flick from around 1990 with Dabney Coleman, and it was the first film my wife and I ever saw at the theater as a couple. I'm currently putting up about 16 posters in a long hallway in my basement, and I wanted to frame this one as something special to us. Anyway, I bought a single sided folded version for about six bucks on ebay - hey, this isn't exactly going to be a big seller. You can often buy second rate flicks like this for very little cash, since they don't have a lot of broad appeal. The guy claimed it was 27x40, which is potentially correct for 1990.

Alas, it's a reprint. It's 27x39, a sure sign that it's not original. But I'm out less than ten bucks, so it's no biggie. I wouldn't have gone with someone I didn't know for a $100 poster, but for ten bucks it was worth a shot. I'll start the hunt again.

Another really nice poster that I picked up recently on the bay from a dealer I've bought from before is Beauty and the Beast. This is the one with the very colorful cast in front, and the beast looking down from the clouds in the back. Great artwork. The guy said it was ds and 27x40, but when it arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to find that yes, it was ds, but it was also 27x41! It's the only poster I have like that, one that was caught in those transition years between ss to ds and 40 to 41. I thought that was pretty cool in itself.

If you do buy off ebay and want some names of people I've had luck with, I'll be happy to provide. Also, there's some key things to watch out for - if the seller says anything about the size not being exactly 27x40 or 27x41, like 'size could vary by up to 1"' for example, that's them covering their butts on a reprint. While I believe there are some originals that aren't exact (or within no more than 1/16th off), they are pretty rare.

Like Michael has mentioned Ebay can be hit or miss, usually if you find a honest and reliable poster seller, you stick with them till they run out of stuff. I found a guy about 8 years ago and bought a bunch of stuff from him, mostly original John Carpenter film posters, then found out he had a ton of stuff that he was going to list on Ebay and I made him an offer and actually flew out to buy a large lot from him, was the best Ebay seller I had ever dealt with.

On the other hand had some bad experience as well, few years back found a seller who swore up and down he had an original Vampyros ******, being a huge fan of Soledad Miranda and only having a lobby card set from the movie, I spent a bunch on the poster , when I took it to get framed, found out it was a high quality fake, suffice to say last time I used that seller.

For newer posters I'd guess Ebay would be a good bet, I don't buy much new stuff, it all looks the same but some of it is pretty good.

Evan

 

[Batfreak]

this is the layout of my room. i just got the indy and batman poster, and that darth photomosaic is my favorite SW poster ever. i got that as a gift in 1997 and its still my favorite star wars poster art. not sure if anyone can see, but the vader head is made up of hundreds of SW scenes. they also made a yoda version, it always gets alot of cool reactions.






and yes, drew struzan is the BEST. i wish he did all movie posters, his artwork is so amazing! if i had more room i would get more. im not the biggest back to the future fan but the original poster for the first film is just WOW.

 

[Michael Crawford]

I've bought a few from a new guy too that seems to be reputable. I picked up a Tombstone and Beauty and the Beast from him, and both came as promised and are original. He also seems open to dealing. He goes by 123-liquidation.

 

[jimjimmyjones85]

Do you guys buy a little of everything like a collection ? Or just what you love ?

Also, I know you guys frown on switching out posters, but I would like to get a light box and switch them out every once in a while.

Any suggestions on a good one ? I am looking to hard wire it.

 

[Batfreak]

i only buy posters from movies i love, of course.

 

[Michael Crawford]

Well, I don't frown on swapping them out - I do it all the time with the new run stuff. My older stuff stays up a long time though.

I mentioned this at the very start of the thread, but I buy mostly for the poster image these days, less for the movie. That's mostly for new posters, but tends to hold true with older stuff too. It's less about how much I love the movie and more about how much I love the poster.

I have two light boxes, and I swap them out at least once a month, maybe more. Right now, Thor and Sucker Punch are in there, but those will probably get swapped out with something like Puss and Boots or POTC4 by the end of March.

The lightbox I like best right now is this one:

https://cgi.ebay.com/Movie-Poster-L...710?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d27d41bd6

These are designed to plug in the wall, but there's no reason you couldn't hard wire it if you know what you're doing.

 

[Michael Crawford]

i only buy posters from movies i love, of course.

Well, it always works best when the two come together - a great movie and a great poster. For me a great example is the Thing, which I have on display. Great movie, great poster.

Other times though I'll display something semi-permanent that was a movie that didn't do much for me, but I love the poster. An example is the Amsel artwork Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

And then there's posters that I have up that I actually don't like the movie all that much or the poster, but they have sentimental value, like Pete's Dragon (my wife's favorite movie from her childhood) or Short Time (the first movie my wife and I ever went on an official date to see).

So yea, I only buy posters that I like...but the reasons for liking them are pretty scattered.

With new posters, I have no idea whether I'll like the movie or not, so it's all about the image.

 

[jimjimmyjones85]

Well, I don't frown on swapping them out - I do it all the time with the new run stuff. My older stuff stays up a long time though.

I mentioned this at the very start of the thread, but I buy mostly for the poster image these days, less for the movie. That's mostly for new posters, but tends to hold true with older stuff too. It's less about how much I love the movie and more about how much I love the poster.

I have two light boxes, and I swap them out at least once a month, maybe more. Right now, Thor and Sucker Punch are in there, but those will probably get swapped out with something like Puss and Boots or POTC4 by the end of March.

The lightbox I like best right now is this one:

https://cgi.ebay.com/Movie-Poster-L...710?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d27d41bd6

These are designed to plug in the wall, but there's no reason you couldn't hard wire it if you know what you're doing.

Thanks bro. I will contact them. I hope I can save up for one soon.

Cannot wait.

 

[Batfreak]

i really disliked the Thing, that was waaay too gross for me. but i did like the poster art by drew struzan, its interesting and creative, but i just hated the movie.

 

[Michael Crawford]

I tend to find that I almost always like the Struzan and Amsel posters. We need more like that these days.

 

[Something Sexy]

I've bought a few from a new guy too that seems to be reputable. I picked up a Tombstone and Beauty and the Beast from him, and both came as promised and are original. He also seems open to dealing. He goes by 123-liquidation.

Been checking him out, he has some cool stuff!

 

[jimjimmyjones85]

Been checking him out, he has some cool stuff!

I'm doing the same now

 

[Darklord Dave]

The lightbox I like best right now is this one:

https://cgi.ebay.com/Movie-Poster-L...710?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d27d41bd6

These are designed to plug in the wall, but there's no reason you couldn't hard wire it if you know what you're doing.

I have a couple of these. I seem to remember when I got them they offered them with a hard wire option - but it was a while ago.

 

[jimjimmyjones85]

Thanks DD. I will ask them !

How do the posters look ? I was looking at getting the Cherrywood version, but wanted to ask about the quality first.

 

[Something Sexy]

The other poster I am trying to track down is this one:

https://hwhills.com/the-house-of-the-devil-poster-is-rad/

Doesn't seem like a lot of people online have it. There is one that claims it is original on eBay but not sure if I trust him.

 

[Atheris]

Do you guys buy a little of everything like a collection ? Or just what you love ?

Also, I know you guys frown on switching out posters, but I would like to get a light box and switch them out every once in a while.

Any suggestions on a good one ? I am looking to hard wire it.

Anytime I see a movie in theaters...and like it....I will go out an buy the poster. Thats my method.

Chris

 

[Michael Crawford]

These two came yesterday - Conan:

And the new Kung Fu Panda 2. I already had the first teaser, but I like this one better:

 

[Nitro]

I like that Kung Fu Panda poster, Mike!! I prefer it over the first one.

 

[CTO15]

argh. Received my Thor poster yesterday, and there was a big tear at the bottom of the poster. I was not happy. Good news is I'll be getting a refund from the seller, bad news is I have to look for another poster now lol