Movie fans, it’s time for you to get your hands on the original posters of your favourite movies of all time. Sotheby’s Original Film Posters Online sale is going to feature some of the most influential names in the cinema such as Alfred Hitchcock, Robert De Niro, as well as sci-fi giants including 'Star Wars', 'Forbidden Planet' and 'King Kong'.
'Taxi Driver' (1976) poster, US, signed by Martin Scorsese
'King Kong' (1933) poster, Swedish
The sale will take place on 28th August online, offering over 160 lots of movie posters, photographs, video standees and magazine posters. One of the highlights of the sale are the original Star Wars movie posters which include the 1977 Star Wars US poster, signed by Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Debbie Reynolds, estimated at £4,000 - 6,000 (US$5,087 - 7,630).
The 1977 'Star Wars' US poster, signed by Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Debbie Reynolds
It is exceptionally rare to find signed posters as it was unusual for members of the public to have access to a poster; usually when they met the stars they would just have a piece of paper or autograph book. This poster was signed in 1977 in America when the film was released. The artwork used is unique to this particular size poster.
'Star Wars' (1977) poster, British
The first Star Wars movie poster for the UK, designed by the Hildebrandt Brothers, is also in the sale. It is a rare original design for the UK cinema. Star Wars was released first in America in May 1977 and did not get released in the UK until December that year. When the film was released in the UK, the studio thought that people had already known the characters in the film and wanted a new poster. A completely new one, therefore, replaced the original. This poster is also estimated at £4,000 - 6,000 (US$5,087 - 7,630), making it a top lot of the sale.
You cannot miss out on the movie poster of the cult favourite film ‘Blade Runner’ if you are a fan of sci-fi. Estimated at £700 - 900 (US$890 - 1,145), the poster is one of the most memorable ones of the era. John Alvin, the designer of the poster, cleverly hid his signature vertically in one of the buildings. Can you spot the signature?
‘Psycho’ US poster
‘Psycho’ UK poster
Not a fan of sci-fi? Perhaps you would like to get your hands on posters of films directed by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock. On offer in the sale are the US and UK 1960 posters of his iconic film ‘Psycho’. Not only did the film make Hitchcock Best Director at the Academy Awards, it also generated a huge box-office success despite the mixed reviews. The classic shower scene in the film is also one of the most well-known scenes in the history of cinema. On the bottom of the US poster is the sentence ‘No one...BUT NO ONE...will be admitted to the theatre after the start of each performance of PSYCHO’, giving the work a humorous touch. The US poster for ‘Psycho’ is estimated at £2,400 - 3,600 (US$3,052 - 4,578) and the UK version has an estimate of £1,000 - 1,500 (US$1,271 - 1,907).
Spider-Man 2 (2004) poster, US. Estimate: £600-900
Jaws (1975) special souvenir magazine poster, US. Estimate: £600-900
Rear Window (1954) poster, US. Estimate: £800 - 1,200
Pulp Fiction (1994) video standee, UK. £1,400 - 2,600
Still looking for something else? Browse through the lots and you will find the original posters of 'Rear Window' (1954) by Hitchcock, 'Spider-Man 2' (2004), as well as 'Jaws' (1975) special souvenir magazine poster US. Other items on offer include 'Jaws' (1975) deluxe hand printed candid file photographs and 'Pulp Fiction' (1994) video standee.
Auction details
Auction house: Sotheby’s London
Sale: Sotheby’s Original Film Posters Online
Bidding opening: 28 Aug 2018｜ 10:00 PM HKT
Lots offered: 164
(Exhibition is on view in Sotheby’s London galleries throughout the month of August)