Film Posters: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

If you don’t have a few rumpled classic film posters rolling around the closet at your parents’ house, then, my friend, you didn’t go to college. That picture of Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and a bar of soap was the closest thing you owned to “real art” back in the day. Blossoming into adulthood means relegating those things to storage or at the very least—like me—a cheapo frame, but there’s no denying that, for many, film ads do more than just sell tickets.

Even so, it seems like a well-crafted print is few and far between these days—or, rarer still, a well-crafted marketing campaign fueled by said print. The pre-summer influx of films means there are more posters circulating billboards and CTA bus stops; here’s a look at a few that caught my attention, and some that aren’t doing the films a lick of service.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (April 18)

Plot Peter Bretter (Jason Segal) is broken up with by his titular TV star girlfriend (Kristin Bell). He goes on a Hawaiian vacation to forget her, but guess who’s at the same resort with her new beau?

What the poster tells us about the film That Sarah Marshall sucks, and we’re on Peter’s side, despite his obvious desperation.

Why it works It’s a campaign that’s meant to drive web traffic without making that point obvious. (I’ve seen enough ads with just a website and/or release date to make me want to purge the Internet from my apartment.) It’s also incredibly focused, given Segal’s track record—anyone who’s a fan of his emotionally distraught, anxiety-ridden ex boyfriend on Undeclared is already pumped for this film. Check out the website (ihatesarahmarshall.com) for video proof.

Run Fatboy Run (March 28)

Plot Dennis (Simon Pegg) ditches his pregnant fiancé (Thandie Newton), then five years later realizes she was the love of his life. He vows to complete a marathon to win her back, which means he’ll need to shape up.

What the poster tells us about the film That Dennis is so fat (how fat is he?) that he crushes words by stepping on them. That unlike we’ve been conditioned to believe, fat people actually enjoy the outdoors, especially when there are women in wedding dresses leaning against the air. That Dennis has little fashion sense when it comes to socks he’d wear with shorts.

Why it doesn’t work It doesn’t tell us anything we couldn’t already surmise from the title. Instead, it’s banking on the image of Pegg in tighty not-so-whiteys to invoke “humor.” That, and the directing cachet of David Schwimmer.

Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (April 25)

Plot Harold and Kumar escape from Guantanamo Bay.

What the poster tells us about the film That Neil Patrick Harris is so far beyond the shame of self parody.

Why it works It proves the film isn’t trying to masquerade as a high point in pop culture or a legitimate form of cinematic expression. It’s comfortable with what it is—ridiculous, self-parodying, best enjoyed with a healthy dose of ironic distance. A guaranteed crowd pleaser at the Vic’s Brew and View.

The Life Before Her Eyes (April 25)

Plot From IMDB: “A dramatic thriller about Diana, a suburban wife and mother who begins to question her seemingly perfect life—and perhaps her sanity—on the 15th anniversary of a tragic high school shooting that took the life of her best friend. In flashbacks, Diana is a vibrant high schooler who, with her shy best friend Maureen, plot typical teenage strategies—cutting class, fantasizing about boys—and vow to leave their sleepy suburb at the first opportunity. The older Diana, however, is haunted by the increasingly strained relationship she had with Maureen as day of the school shooting approached. These memories disrupt the idyllic life she’s now leading with her professor husband Paul and their young daughter Emma. As older Diana’s life begins to unravel and younger Diana gets closer and closer to the fatal day, a deeper mystery slowly unravels.” Hmm. Not much else to say.

What the poster tells us about the film I don’t know, but it’s definitely not [see above].

Why it doesn’t work The visual message is confusing, if not incredibly vague. Does Uma Thurman see Evan Rachel Wood in acid flashbacks? Or vice versa? Who’s the her in the title? Why did Uma curl her hair like that before she goes to bed? What’s that black part of the background supposed to be? Why did they recreate the exact color of vitamin-saturated urine on the right? What year is it? Who’s there? Why can’t we be friends?