Page 30 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

The Cinema Richmond was the only theatre I knew where the posters were almost more impressive than the entrance.

Not surprisingly, American in the 1960s Robert Burton Printers,
influences came to dominate poster also of Sydney, seems to predominate.
design. Flamboyant, florid, with Other firms include M.A.P.S Litho, F.
extravagant hype and stereotypical Cunningham and Co. and Simmons
images of the stars in action poses, they Ltd. Litho. In the case of posters
projected a primitive appeal to the printed at the downbeat BEF works,
masses (one adage was that your most of those I collected were largely
typical patron left his imagination at uncredited.
home when he went to the movies!) The days of expansive front-of-house
As the star system became promotions have vanished. Of course
increasingly powerful so did the individual promotions have little place in
personality factor - Together again in an industry where just about every
MGM’s riotous comedy William Powell complex is showing precisely the same
and Myrna Loy; Bing and Bob are films! How different were the days when
more uproarious...Dottie’s more any significant film had its first release
Lamourious; Exploding with the force where there was a close correlation in in one city cinema. There was every
of TNT - Taylor N Turner. the art-work used in America and incentive to mark its premiere with
Some directors became household Australia. spectacular front-of-house displays, and
names. From the late 1930s text such as On those occasions when an commissioned artwork in the foyer.
The Capra touch at its greatest on a overseas film crew came to Australia, The biggest front-of-house displays
poster showed that Frank Capra’s name local designers were used to get the in Melbourne always seemed to be at
alone could sell a movie. Alfred idiom right. The publicity for They’re a the Regent, Capitol and Esquire,
Hitchcock also earned his name above Weird Mob was a case in point. where lobby space and sufficient
the title. When it came to film poster printing passing trade warranted a big show.
In Australia, most bills seem to have in Australia, some firms cornered the Two full blocks away at the Majestic
originated from Sydney (at least in the lion’s share of work. Through the 1950s and State, where pedestrians were
post-war era) but few ever gave credit I’ve found a considerable output from fewer (and the footpath narrower), the
to a designer. I have only found a the Sydney firm of W.E. Smith, while displays were appropriately simpler.
couple of examples where the design
house is officially acknowledged along
with the printer.
Comparing Australian artwork with
the American (or British) equivalent our
day-bills weren’t always slavish copies
- some autonomy was allowed.
Exceptions seem to have been for really
big pictures like Gone With The Wind,

30 2008 CINEMARECORD