The Reel Poster Gallery

The original movie poster as we know it dates back to the 1870s; this was when the printing industry had finally perfected colour lithography and figured out how to make mass production a possibility. 

The techniques used in creating movie posters began to spread throughout Europe in the 1890s. It quickly became recognised as a vital form of art in the film making industry. 

Through these movie posters, the wave of new art brought in numerous artists from various professional levels, from painters like Jules Cheret, Mucha and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec to a series of theatrical and even commercial designers.  Over time, poster styles began to range from Art Nouveau, Symbolism and Cubism, Art Deco to a more formal style that we recognise as Bauhaus. Then came a surge in highly unique, almost incoherent hippie-related posters in the 1960s.  Over in the United States, this was when the film industry quickly discovered the impact and appeal that vibrantly coloured posters had on audiences—realising that they were fantastic marketing tactics and effective ways to sell their movies. 

Along with vibrant colours, they generally discovered that plastering their world-renowned actors onto their posters was also an effective way to gain bigger audiences. From then on, you were more likely to see Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, to even now, we see Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep on the movie posters we love and recognise. 

Many of Hollywood's most famous and infamous, loved and hated stars are captured in print for promotional use in many theatres, on the sides of buses and platforms worldwide for everyone to see and engage with. 

Today's technology, with all of the computers and visual graphics programs available, anyone with enough skill can recreate vintage film posters for either their use or to sell online. 

As a poster collector of vintage art or movie art, it is your responsibility to build up the knowledge that will allow you to decipher the difference between an original and a reproduction easily. 

When you desire to build up a collection of movie posters, it's crucial to understand what is considered collectable and not, overall, just because it is a movie poster. Many poster collectors may not view it as movie art.   

What is considered collectable movie art is highly subjective, proving it quite challenging to determine which posters are worth keeping and which are not. Realistically, anything can become collectable items, should there be a market for it and constant want for the products. 

However, various factors decipher the authenticity, value and collectability purely from the supply and demand of the items. You can say the same for collecting movie posters. Movie promotional materials that are solely made for distribution to cinema's, transport platforms, billboards, etc., are considered legitimate movie art. 

Most more rare posters were likely only printed domestically in the areas where the film was either made or released. Film companies only design, produce and distribute solely for advertising purposes; once returned, they are often destroyed. 

Advertising materials are often never intended to be given out or sold to the general public, strictly prohibited. Underneath many posters, it may say "Property of [Production Company] Inc. for promotional use only." These posters are widely limited in numbers, only enough to cater to the cinemas in certain areas over various countries worldwide. Poster art like these are so hard to find, creating such a limited supply, as they are not publicly on sale; these are what you may define as collectable movie art, as they are so rare—the rarer, the more valuable. Many are so rare; you may only find them at auctions. 

Original movie posters:  

An original movie poster specifically designed and produced by film studios or, as it used to be, the National Screen Service. These posters are distributed to cinemas and platforms when advertising these upcoming movies. 

You may desire an original movie poster if you are a huge fan of a film or have a favourite film you like the poster. You may be ecstatic at the idea of owning a limited edition, original poster, or movie art.

You may enjoy the idea of building an extensive movie poster collection as a new hobby. They will look great in your home and are fantastic to show off to guests. You can collect various genres like romance, horror, comedy, etc. Or even just the genres or films you like the best. 

Or perhaps you may see this as a potential future investment. 

Vintage movie posters: 

Antique items are easily defined by objects or artefacts that are over hundreds of years old. However, the word 'vintage' is something that cannot be so easily deciphered. For one person, it may be a one-sheet poster or piece of movie art that is pre-1970s. For older generations, it may be more than a decade old. 

Often vintage is defined by collectors as something typically older than a decade. However, Gone With The Wind, early James Bond and the original trilogy of Star Wars may be considered vintage. 

Reproduction movie posters:  

There's vast hype and desperation around original movie poster collecting from a well-loved film; however, there nothing wrong with opting for a reproduction. Originals can be somewhat on the expensive side and often time-consuming to find as you browse the web. They can take much time to analyse to find out if they are an original or not, so what's the harm in enjoying a stunning movie poster without going through the fuss or breaking the bank. 

Framed movie posters:  

For those who are serious about memorabilia or you despise the thought of pinholes, sellotape or blue-tac marks puncturing, ripping or staining your lovely walls, framing is a fantastic option to avoid any of the following. 

Framed posters are excellent for home theatre displays, set off your home's aesthetic with several of your favourite titles, and add an air of glitz and glamour.   

Alternative movie posters: 

The increase in popularity of alternative movie posters has grown exponentially in the last decade. Super-skilled designers with a massive passion for the films in question create these fantastic movie posters for eager fans to purchase. No designs they come up with have been studio-commissioned or pushed by the film companies, as many are created after release.  

What Is The Condition Of The Movie Poster?

The value of movie art is determined mainly by its rarity, age, demand for it by collectors, and its condition.  

Before any value is deciphered, someone must physically examine it against the criteria to see if it is worth any substantial prices.   

They search the poster paper for blemishes, wrinkles, creases, bleed-throughs or fading, marks or stains and any potential holes. If the marks or spots appear on the outside and not directly damaging to the artwork, it does not drastically affect the price. However, if it is on the artwork or general body of the poster, it can significantly reduce its grade and cost.