Rocky Horror Picture Show Movie Censorship
Movie posters are an art, and horror movies have had their fair share of artistic triumphs. Some horror posters, in fact, are more entertaining than the actual films. Here are 60 of the best.
Alice, Sweet Alice (1976)
Allied Artists
Creepy and mysterious; like the movie, you're not sure what to expect.
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Universal
In this poster for the quintessential werewolf movie, the actors convey the film's sense of humor, while the use of space and vertical balance draw your eye to the (significant) full moon.
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004)
Sony
Simple yet effective with striking color contrast.
Army of Darkness (1992)
Universal
This parody of '80s bare-chested barbarian flicks (Conan the Barbarian, Beastmaster, etc.) captures the film's camp appeal.
Blood Beach (1981)
Jerry Gross
Corny fun image draws attention to what would otherwise be an overlook-able movie.
The Body Snatcher (1945)
RKO
Menacing yet artistic with muted tones.
The Brain Eaters (1958)
American International Pictures
Startlingly scary, dominated by the disturbing visage with cold eyes, sharp fangs and a throbbing brain.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Goldwyn Distributing Company
Captures the surreal artistry of this German expressionist classic with a twist ending.
Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things (1972)
Geneni Film Distributors
Offbeat and goofy, yet unnerving—just like the movie.
C.H.U.D. (1984)
New World
Cooler and more foreboding than the actual film.
Cloverfield (2008)
Paramount
Like Planet of the Apes, this poster for the blockbuster found footage-style movie uses the unexpected rendering of an iconic symbol to create striking imagery, all the while maintaining the mystery of the "something."
The Company of Wolves (1984)
Cannon
Wisely highlights the gruesome werewolf transformation scene, since the rest of the movie is not nearly as outrageous.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
Universal
Colorful and action-packed with a vintage, hand-drawn design.
Creature from Black Lake (1976)
Howco International Pictures
Brooding, imposing and impressively rendered.
Creepshow (1982)
Warner Bros.
Places an otherwise horrific image in the safe context of a movie theater, creating a playful, tongue-in-cheek poster.
Dead Alive (1992)
Trimark
Nightmarish picture hints at both the grisly content and the dark humor in the film.
Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972)
American International Pictures
Wince-inducing photo catches the eye (pun intended).
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)
Warner Bros.
One of the all-time greats, combining color, humor and artistry for maximum impact.
The Evil Dead (1981)
New Line
Startlingly dark, reflecting the graphic content of the original film that lacked much of the sequels' warped humor.
Eyes Without a Face (1960)
Lopert Pictures
Intense use of red contrasts the woman's soft features, reflecting the beauty and danger wrapped together in the plot.
The Fly (1986)
20th Century Fox
A shadowy tease that provides a vague promise of the shocks to come.
The Food of the Gods (1976)
American International Pictures
Embodies the campy terror of '70s animals-running-amok flicks.
Frogs (1972)
American International Pictures
Funnier and more intriguing than anything in the film, although it wrongfully gives the impression that the movie contains giant, maneating frogs.
Future-Kill (1985)
International Film Marketing
Created by famed Swiss artist H.R. Giger (who designed the aliens in Alien and Species), the poster showcases his "biomechanical" style and is perhaps more famous than the movie.
Garden of the Dead (1974)
Entertainment Pyramid
Marvelously morose with an unexpectedly artistic sensibility for a low-budget zombie movie.
Halloween (1978)
Compass International Pictures
This poster for the movie that launched a franchise treats the embodiment of Halloween—a jack o'lantern—with deft use of shape and pattern to create the illusion of movement, making the design all the more ominous.
Happy Birthday to Me (1981)
Columbia
A gruesome tribute to slasher movie excess.
The Hills Have Eyes 2 (2007)
20th Century Fox
Declared disturbing enough by the MPAA that it had to be edited to remove the hand.
The Hitcher (1986)
Tristar
Dramatic and conceptually innovative, delivering a first-person point of view with the simple addition of a rear-view mirror.
Hostel Part II (2007)
Lionsgate
Inventive, provocative and sanitized for your protection.
House (1986)
New World Pictures
Alternately fun and creepy, drawn in classic '80s horror poster style.
House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Allied Artists Pictures
Grimly playful reflection of its B-movie status.
The Howling (1981)
AVCO Embassy Pictures
Edgy and memorable, conveying the werewolf theme without actually showing a werewolf.
I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
Cinemagic Pictures
Appropriately envelope-pushing and controversial, given the movie's theme.
I Walked With a Zombie (1943)
RKO
Classy with layered visuals that signal there's more here than a standard zombie flick.
Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957)
American International Pictures
Colorful, cartoonish artwork resembles a vintage pulp magazine from the '30s or '40s.
Jaws (1975)
Universal
One of the most famous movie posters of all time feeds on the classic film's nightmarish scenario of not knowing what lies beneath.
The Killer Shrews (1959)
Despite a cheesy concept and even cheesier execution (dogs dressed in "shrew skins"), the movie delivered a wonderful poster—both shocking and humorous.
King Kong (1933)
RKO
Captures the thrilling spectacle of the original film's epic scale.
The Lost Boys (1987)
Warner Bros.
Hipsexycool.
M (1931)
Vereinigte Star-Film
A bold and iconic representation of the German movie's heavy content.
Maniac (1980)
Analysis Film Releasing Corporation
Brutal and arousing, raising morbid curiosity with a darkly playful tagline: "I warned you not to go out tonight."
The Mummy (1932)
Universal
Classic and appropriately understated.
Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)
Universal
Vivid and beautifully grotesque—perhaps as influenced by German expressionism as the film was.
Night of the Lepus (1972)
MGM
Another poster that exceeds the movie, this one using a creatively embellished shadow to maximize the fun.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
New Line
Dizzying visual representation of a living nightmare, with Freddy Krueger's claws hovering menacingly at the top of the image.
Not of This Earth (1957)
Allied Artists Pictures
The epitome of '50s sci-fi camp.
Open Water (2003)
Lionsgate
Extreme use of perspective to illustrate the terrifying real storyline.
Phantom of the Opera (1925)
Universal
A soaring, romantic poster with an explosion of color and style.
Poltergeist (1982)
MGM
Minimal design that's still eerily effective, recreating the film's most memorable scene.
Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)
United Film Distribution Company
Arresting -- almost tongue in cheek -- juxtaposition of a creature from a fantasy novel against the backdrop of a modern cityscape.
Road Games (1981)
AVCO Embassy Pictures
Sinister with a creative streak that incorporates the highway theme.
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Paramount
Weighty and somber with dramatic use of silhouettes and an eerie green hue.
Severance (2006)
Magnolia
Funny, twisted send-up of the white collar lifestyle.
Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
TriStar
A perfect embodiment of the "killer Santa" horror sub-genre, an image likely to give any child nightmares.
Slave of the Cannibal God (1978)
New Line
The over-indulgence of '70s Italian cannibal movies boiled down to one wonderfully exploitive image.
The Stepford Wives (1975)
Columbia
Striking and symbolic.
The Stuff (1985)
New World Pictures
Gleefully gross.
A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
TLA Releasing
A dystopian nightmare.
Voodoo Devil Drums (1944)
Toddy Pictures Co.
Recalls the bold Afrocentric art of the Harlem Renaissance.
Rocky Horror Picture Show Movie Censorship
Source: https://www.liveabout.com/great-horror-movie-posters-4126515