24 x 36: A Movie About Movie Posters

Traditionally, movie posters give fans their first look at a new film and, as director Joe Dante (Gremlins) says, a glimpse of how film addicts will be spending the next few months. This documentary offers a brief look into the early days of movie posters, often more creative than the films themselves. Posters were folded and placed inside film canisters, then shipped to theaters. A few were designed by notable artists such as Norman Rockwell, but most artists' identities were concealed by the studios. This presentation focuses on the "golden age" of the 1970s and 1980s, when sf, action, and fantasy films like The Goonies, Star Wars, and Raiders of the Lost Ark encouraged imaginative, visually compelling poster designs. Eventually, studios opted for "floating heads," featuring the film's stars, which spurred rebellious artists to design nonsanctioned "alternatives." Though mostly unofficial, some studios are exploring ways that these alternative works could reach audiences and promote new products.