Movie posters...

[therealfuster]

film stills, or other film memorabilia collectibles....

 

Do you partake of this addiction, or do you just have a want list so far?

 

Movie posters, and press books are going up in value yearly. There was that six sheet of the original "Frankenstein" film which sold for six or more figures in the last few years. Some guy found it in a trunk from a yard sale as I recall, and it was the first one ever found in existence to have survived, and was only known from the original press book announcing the film. As I recall, It showed the monster coming into the bedroom of the bride to be of Colin Clive, and unnerving her. One who gets into this type of collecting, can use up all wall space displaying their treasures, even if they are just of the one sheet variety.

 

Movie fans with smaller living spaces, can collect film stills or movie magazines, and still have room for their normal furniture hopefully. I got into a Jackie Coogan hunt once, and came home from a movie memorabilia show with a Jackie Coogan doll, a used Jackie Coogan peanut butter tin, a Jackie Coogan movie magazine from the time of "The Kid", and a Super 8 film of "Peck's Bad Boy". The three authentic items from the 1920's during his heyday in films as a child star, were pricey and Jackie apparently has quite a following, even among fans of the Addams Family.

 

If you have any movie posters, which ones of your collection are your favorites? I do have the poster for "In Cold Blood" and wonder if with the recent notoriety if that one has gone up in price. What are you looking for, if you currently don't have it in your movie memorabilia stuff? Do you display your items or do you just store them to protect them, and look at them occasionally?

 

Enquiring minds want to know...

[bhryun]

I have a Casablanca poster.

[vallo13]

I remember begging This video store(a mom & pops store)for a poster of Cary Grant(black tie & tales).Finally the guy gave in and gave it to me.I gave to a friend, well she moved with Cary to another state.So that's when my collection stopped.

[edgedrv]

I collect Belgium posters of American films. Size is smaller than the typical American one sheet (approx. 15x20, sometimes a bit larger). I collect mostly MGM films, but also have some from Paramount, FOX & WB and a rare foreign RED SHOES. I have about 35 posters framed. Among my favorites are BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY, EASTER PARADE, SINGING IN THE RAIN, DADDY LONG LEGS, LADY IN THE DARK, WHITE CHRISTMAS, LUST FOR LIFE and A STAR IS BORN. The graphics are quite beautiful using elements from the original artwork. These are all favorite films of mine. I have 10 posters of Astaire films including a one-sheet from ROYAL WEDDING and 8 from Gene Kelly films. The only Belgium posters I am looking for are YOLANDA AND THE THIEF and COVER GIRL.

[therealfuster]

envy you!

 

Where did you get it?

[therealfuster]

the saddest story I've ever heard.

 

One should never lend movie collectibles to friends, obviously...as they may abscond with them to distant states!

 

You have my sympathy...

[therealfuster]

marvelous collection you have!

 

Those European posters and particularly the ones from Belgium always have the finest graphics it seems. I am no expert on this by far byt just a novice, but in perusing books on movie posters, the ones from Belgium always seem to be the most unique and most beautiful to me.

 

I bet the one of "The Red Shoes" is gorgeous. Is it like the artwork on the dvd box?

 

Your collection of posters from the Astaire films, and all the others sounds wonderful. Congrats on having such a fine collection! Do you have any other posters that you are still seeking besides "Yolanda and the Thief" and "Cover Girl"? I bet the former one would be difficult to find.

 

Thanks for your comments!

 

[bhryun]

I got my poster from my parents. You can find them at many print stores. Just look around. Good luck with your collection.

[therealfuster]

your other post about how your father..I think it was, showed you "Casablanca" and ignited your interest in classic films.

 

That's great that they even got you a poster to celebrat the movie. Sometimes I think it is better to just have the reproduction, as I would be so upset if I had an original and anything happened to it. I do have a few Brigitte Bardot posters from France, and one fell off the wall once during a slight earthquake, and I was so worried it might be damaged. Luckily it wasn't but having rare collectibles that can get damaged, can be unnerving.

 

Thanks and I look forward to reading more of your posts!

[edgedrv]

therealfuster, the Belgium poster for THE RED SHOES is quite beautiful. It's called LES CHASSONS ROUGES. It has a hugh blowup of Shearer in tights on the right side of poster and below her to the left are a group of ballerinas. Other beautiful posters are MILLION DOLLAR MERMAID which I got Esther Williams to sign and ON AND ISLAND WITH YOU which Williams, Cyd Charisse and Ricardo Montalban signed. Another favorite is LADY IN THE DARK which has a blowup of Ginger Rogers in her beautiful red mink dress. Some years ago an imported book found its way to the USA called D'Hollywood Souvenirs (American Movie Posters 1925-1950). If you can lay your hands on this book its great to have. It has tons of pixs of Belgium posters in B&W and color which I had never seen before. In the book there are some gorgeous posters from Joan Crawford films including the rare Letty Linton, which was called Captive in Belgium. I think many of the posters in the book belong the French actress Isabel Adjani. Another gorgeous poster in the book is from SOMETHING IN THE WIND which has a beautiful blowup of Durbin singing into a microphone. Would love to have this one. I used to see many of the Belgium posters at collectors shows in LA but now they seem to have become scarce. They are not as much in demand in the USA as one-sheets are, but are very collectible in Europe.

[bhryun]

It actually isn't an original, it's just a reproduction. Sorry that I mislead you. I sure wish I had an original. I'm still glad to have it though.

[loveoldmovies04]

I have no original movie posters sadly but my room is decorated with movie reproducted posters of classic movies. I do have an autographed picture of frank sinatra hanging on my wall that I am very proud of!

-phoebe

[spencerl964]

To therealfuster, exceptional & much touched on topic-(close to true movie-fans hearts!)

 

Most that know me, are aware that my rm looks more like an old "Movie Museum/Studio"

 

I try & collect any & all memorabelia

 

Don't know if you were around, but TCM had it's own superb store on here-(now merged with "Movies Unlimited")

 

I was lucky enough & got a couple items just under the wire-(before it closed)

 

TCM Coffee Mug, a tremendous book that I believe Mongo has as well: "Movies We Love: 100 Collectible Classics" (Written by "Sin-City" author: Frank Miller)-(P.S.We need a sequel to that book though!!!)

& my most valued of them: TCM Gangster Watch-(even camein lil tin can)

 

As for posters. AFI has sent a few, several ACADEMY AWARD posters, plus I got 1 from AMC-(back in 1994, before it was overhauled. A Western theme)

& *"Casablanca" & a couple more-(just not enough room)

 

Almost 4-got: "It's a Wonderful Life"

 

& a couple yrs ago a guy on ebay was selling a phenomenal item! It's a "Golden Age Shower Curtain"-(I think a couple on here got 1 as well. As well as a certain family that I should not discose. Welp, this will not divulge too-much. The family of *"The Great: Spencer Tracy!")

It has virtually all of "Studio-System Giants," on it

(However, I don't use it as a shower curtain & is just on a 2 way closet door instead TOO RISKY)

 

& a tip: Check out Bruce Herhshhenson's "Movie Poster Book Series!"

www.brucehershhenson.com

[spencerl964]

To tcmwebmaster, WE NEED AN "EDITING BUTTON!" Please strongly consider & I thak you

 

By the way, to therealfuster-(or would Buster due?)

 

"The Red Shoes" (1948)-(ridiculously lost the OSCAR for it's Clor-Cinematography to "Joan of Arc" (RKO) that yr.

 

 

But a bit of trivia. It's among Scorsese's main influences since childhood!?

 

It also was among the BFI-(British Film Institute) & it's own all-time survey in 1999. Top 10 films. "The Third Man"-(another very rare poster!) ranked #1

 

On that *Orson Welles note. 1 that is virtually out of print, is "Citizen Kane"

[therealfuster]

that an autographed pic of Old Blue Eyes is quite collectible.

 

How did you get it, if you don't mind me asking?

[therealfuster]

for all the fascinating information and the movie poster book title.

 

You have a marvelous collection, and even more so with the wonderful autographed posters.

 

I've seen "Letty Linton" but have never seen even a repro of a poster. I did think Joan looked fabulous in that film, even though the clothing was not as typical of her, as that of her later films. Yes, I hope I will get to see more European posters or from Belgium, before I croak and end up with Frederic March and Lionel Barrymore.

[therealfuster]

about an edit button.

 

Which is an influence for Scorsese...the Powell film or Jeanne D'Arc? I would have thought the latter, being that he reflects so much in interviews about his Jesuit days and schooling, but it is probably the former.

 

MIS, your Movie Museum/Studio sounds wonderful. And no, I did not get any of the TCM merch, but it sounds like you picked up some great items!

 

"Golden Age Shower Curtains"? Well, that makes me think that someone should produce a Golden Age Table Cloth, and it should have all the MGM stars that were filmed eating at that giant luncheon, that one sees on TCM occasionally. I bet that would sell real good...

 

Thanks for movie poster website info!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[loveoldmovies04]

It was a gift from my boy friend's father he got it personally signed some what years ago (I'm not exzactly sure when, I'll have to find out). He knew how much I loved frank so for my birthday he gave it to me.

-phoebe

[shainablue1]

I have a few original full size movie posters my parents got me for my birthday 5 years ago. DAISY KENYON ( with Joan Crawford ), FEMALE ON THE BEACH ( JC again!), BRIDE FOR SALE ( Claudette Colbert, George Brent ),and OUT OF THIS WORLD ( Eddie Bracken). They are my pride and joy. My parents have more in their store that I wanted, but I picked some of the best. They also have this great stack of movie star heads made out of stiff paper that were meant to sit on a dresser like a picture frame from the 30's that I am hoping for for this years birthday. Bette Davis, Joan Blondell, etc...whew!

[moviejoe79]

I collect posters as well, since my uncle who's a dealer got me started collecting when I was about 12. He taught me a lot about movie memorabilia, and the value of stuff, etc. It's become a wonderful hobby since then, and I also started collecting costumes, props and personal items of the stars (the stuff that's real anyway.)

 

The first poster I bought when I was about 12 was at a collector's show here in N.Y. It's a lobby card from "Miss Grant Takes Richmond" with Lucille Ball and William Holden pictured on it. Since then I've bought as many as I could afford, and ones that I found at a good price.

 

One of my favorites that I have is a one sheet (regular poster size) from "Words and Music" with great images of Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, June Allyson, Lena Horne, and others on it. I also have one sheets from "I'll Cry Tomorrow," "The Woman in the Window," "The Long, Long Trailer," "New York, New York," "The Prisoner of Second Avenue," "That's Entertainment," "Bells Are Ringing," and one or two others that I know I'm forgetting. I also have a few other lobby cards, from "Going My Way," "Her Cardboard Lover," "Tomorrow is Forever," and my favorite, a card from "Second Chorus" with a great image of Fred Astaire, Paulette Goddard, and Artie Shaw with his orchestra. That one I have framed on the wall.

 

I love buying this stuff not only because I think it's so cool to have it, but it's also a good investment. The prices of movie posters and movie memorabilia in general has only gone up over the years, so most of the time it's a pretty sound investment. Especially if you have a poster from a very famous movie, or with a very famous star on it. Like Fuster mentioned earlier, the posters from the Universal horror films usually command the most. A few years ago one of two surviving one sheet posters from "The Mummy" sold for a little over $250,000 dollars. And my uncle had an original pressbook from "The Bride of Frankenstein" that he sold at a show for about ten grand. I remember when this guy bought it, he and the people he was with were all inspecting it like it was the Holy Grail! Unfortunately for most of us though, the really great posters are WAY too expensive to be able to afford. Any poster from any great classic sells for thousands and thousands of dollars depending upon the movie and the condition of the poster.

 

And Shaina that's great that you have a poster from "Daisy Kenyon." I've seen that poster and it has a great image of the stars. I almost bought one at a collector's show but the dealer wanted $250 for it - a little too much for me at the time.

 

Another great movie collectible that's similar to the posters is sheet music. The sheet music from classic movies are like mini-posters, with great full color images of the stars on them. I've bought a lot of them since they're a lot more affordable, and there's plenty more pieces of sheet music to go around then posters. I've even seen them at garage sales!

[therealfuster]

It was so interesting reading about your fabulous collection and the origins of your hobby, with your uncle's expertise guiding you!

 

I remember that movie"Miss Grant Takes Richmond" as being very funny, but have never seen any memorabilia from it, so you are lucky to have that.

 

Your poster collection is marvelous. I just was given a box of old film stuff, from some friend of my aunt's who regularly buys up hundreds of old stills at a time from some place in New York, and he wants me to identify all the people in the photos, as they are unmarked. He then resells them, or sends them off for autographs in SASE's.

 

In return for the favor, he lets me keep any photos that I want, so I am taking all ten of the ones with Grant Williams in his toga, from "The Incredible Shrinking Man" and I really like the one with the giant cat attacking him.

 

You have some really classic posters and lobby cards, Moviejoe and thanks for sharing!

 

 

[bhryun]

I have a pressbook from "The Red Shoes". I have been trying to research it and see what it would be worth. Does anyone have any ideas where I could find this information? If I put this on ebay do you think anyone would be interested?

Thanks-

Lisa

[tracey65k]

I have seen posters (especially foreign ones) on ebay and wanted to bid on them. They are sometimes so beautiful!

It would be wonderful to be able to hang movie posters and such around the house, but alas, I don't think my husband would go for it. Sigh. Instead, I have a largish collection of cigarette cards from the 30's (about 15 British sets and a number of odds from German sets-- mentioned on another thread) and a couple of hundred modern collectable cards depicting movie posters (Italian, I think). They all fit in a couple of 3 ring binders and I can take them out and gloat over them whenever I want. Not as good as full size posters on the wall, but much more doable for me anyway.