Now we know what television was originally intended for.
One does wonder what all those men are doing dancing in their pajamas.
The hilarious awfulness of this poster boggles the mind. Luckily we soon had Johnny Weissmuller to deflect the horror.
I've only seen one of these movies (Sherlock Holmes Faces Death) - which is probably just as well, but I sure as heck love the posters. Far as I'm concerned movie-poster-wise, garish and lurid make for a great combo. Specifically, I love these designs for the bright colors, the glee, the enthusiasm and the 'look at me! - look at me!' and of course, the titles - the more absurd the better.
Since it's Tuesday, don't forget to check in at Todd Mason's blog, Sweet Freedom to see what other forgotten or overlooked films other bloggers are talking about today. We're usually a fun bunch.
These posters are fantastic! I could just imagine walking around my neighborhood where walls are put up around construction sites and boarded-up stores are covered with these posters.
ReplyDeleteToday's movie posters seem like afterthoughts, rather than dramatic statements like these, full of color, actors' faces and bold as all getout.
I love these posters too, Kathy. The bolder, the brighter, the better. :) Today's posters most often seem subdued in comparison.
DeleteWow!! some of these I have never seen, or heard of.
ReplyDeleteThose Bennett girls were so pretty. Loved Claude Rains
yvonne
I've only seen one so I'm in the same boat, Yvonne. :) Ah, the good old days of black and white movies.
DeleteYou have dug up some amazing vintage posters, Yvette. I haven't seen any of these films. I liked Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan. He epitomised the jungle hero.
ReplyDeleteAren't these fun? I loved Johnny Weissmuller myself. :) Glenn Morris looks like a clod in comparison.
DeleteAmazing posters. Do you think the designers and publicity people in the 20s and 30s went overboard with vibrant color because the movies were in black & white?
ReplyDeleteI never heard of Glenn Morris as Tarzan. I had to go find out all about him. He was yet another Olympic athlete recruited to play the Lord of the Jungle. Won the gold medal in the decathlon and was supposedly Hitler's favorite athlete during the Berlin games of 1936. His co-star Eleanor Holm was an Olympic swimmer. I'm glad we don't have Hollywood clamoring after Olympians to become movie stars these days. Neither of those two fared well as actors. Morris seemed to lead a very sad life after he left the Navy when WW2 ended.
DOCTOR X is one of the strangest horror/sci-fi/mystery movies of the 1930s. Way ahead of its time in terms of creeps. Maybe not for you at all, Yvette ; ^)
I had to look up MISS BLUEBEARD because of the odd title and the fact that it's a film adaptation of a play based on someone else's play! Based on one review it's a dreadful farce with too many title cards for a silent movie. I've seen BeBe Daniels in one of her talkies, the earliest version of THE MALTESE FALCON in 1931. She played the Brigid O'Shaugnessy role renamed Ruth Wonderly.
I think you may be correct in assuming the reason for all the vibrant color, John. It never occurred to me. But now that you mention it, it makes a great deal of sense.
DeleteEleanor Holm I'd heard of but not so much Glenn Morris. Have you ever heard of Herman Brix as Tarzan? He went on to become Bruce Bennett. No kidding. He wasn't bad as Tarzan, kind of sleek and good looking.
Though I love that Doctor X poster, I probably won't be watching the movie. :) I do love Lionel Atwill though. That Miss Bluebeard poster made me laugh. Those dancing men especially. KInd of bizzaro. Ha!
Must admit I did a doubletake when I saw the poster for "Moulin Rouge"...with Constance Bennett and Franchot Tone! Turns out that was a 1934 movie bearing no resemblance (other than the title) to the 1952 John Houston classic "Moulin Rouge" about Toulouse-Lautrec.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many movies in all have been titled Moulin Rouge, Les. Very misleading. :)
DeleteWhat I love about these posts is that it brings to my attention movies I've never heard of before.
ReplyDeleteYou'd never heard of the Sherlock Holmes one, Ryan? It's available on youtube. Quick, quick, go watch it!! All the Holmes movies are currently available. At least the ones with Basil Rathbone. Thank goodness.
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