Poster of the Week – Journey to Italy (1954)

06 Monday Oct 2014

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George Sanders, Ingrid Bergman, Movie poster, Poster of the week, Roberto Rossellini, Viaggio in Italia

Journey to Italy (1954)

One of a multitude of poster designs created for the movie, this particular example is striking for a number of reasons, not least it’s decision to represent its leading lady with a less than flattering illustration. Bergman was still a big star in ’54, even if she had left her family for Rossellini, the movie’s director. This was the third film they made together, and its tale of a ruined marriage was reflected in the compositional choices made for this poster.

On the left is that curious representation of Bergman, her gaze drawn by something we can’t see, her pensive expression making it hard to work out what she’s thinking. Below her we see a young couple embracing – is she remembering this, is it part of her past with her husband, or is it something she sought but never found? (The answer can be found in the movie.) And above her, merging with her hair, a gondola that’s broken in two. An obvious metaphor perhaps, but not so obvious at first glance.

And then there’s that central image, a still taken from the movie itself, with Sanders in full on predatory mode, his gaze fixed on the young woman in such a way that his intentions couldn’t be any clearer. He’s sizing her up, thinking ahead maybe to when he can be alone with her. But look closely at the young woman and she’s looking at him right back, aware of the significance of his attention but unafraid, challenging him perhaps, or ready to acquiesce. Either way, she’s on an equal footing with him.

The movie’s original Italian title, at once a literal statement of its subject matter and a cogent summing up of what happens to Bergman and Sanders as their trip threatens to unravel them as individuals and as a couple, is mostly in vibrant red, highlighting the passion that lurks below the surface of both characters.

With so much information packed into one apparently pedestrian looking poster, it’s a testament to its designer – whoever they were – that it belies its commonplace appearance and is far more subtle and effective than it looks a first.

Agree? Disagree? Feel free to let me know.

Poster of the Week – Casablanca (1942)

24 Tuesday Jun 2014

Posted by dullwood68 in Movies

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Tags

Casablanca, Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Movie poster, Movie stars, Poster of the week, Romantic drama, Tag line

Casablanca (1942)

What I like most about this poster is its simplicity. It tells you as little as possible. There’s the three main stars, the name of the film company, the title, the supporting players, the director, and the producer. From this, the potential viewer doesn’t have a clue as to what the movie’s about, or where it’s set, or if it’s a period piece, or more contemporary, or if it’s a drama – though with that cast it’s unlikely to be a comedy – or if it’s even the latest “screen sensation!”

Even the main image, of Bogart and Bergman huddled together, doesn’t give anyone a clue. He looks pensive and sad, but as to why, well, it could be anything. And she is looking off into the distance, apprehensive, worried perhaps, at what she sees. Together they’re a couple who could be facing any number of problems, but until you see the movie you’ll never know what they are, or how much those problems will affect them.

In many ways, the poster is a bit of a gamble, using the stars’ brand-name recognition to entice an audience into seeing a movie that they don’t know anything about. And the title could mean anything: the place where the movie is set, a character’s name perhaps, or even a code name (that’s a bit of stretch, admittedly, but from the perspective of ignorance, it could even be the name of a company or a product). And back in the days when there was generally one poster created per movie, the deceptive brilliance of this particular poster has got to be admired. It’s lack of artifice seems to be saying, “Bogart, Bergman, Henreid, Casablanca – what else do you need to know?” (Well, nothing – obviously.) And to cap it all off, it’s clear that, in this instance, the movie’s title is also it’s tag line. Just genius, sheer genius.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know.