Death by Fright
Vintage Horror Movie Posters

Watching an epic, hour-long battle scene on Game of Thrones the other day, it occurred to me how immune I had become from scenes of violence. Graphic slayings, beheadings, throat-cuttings and flayings no longer made me squirm or look away. Since my childhood in the 80s, I have developed a thick skin, as have most of us, when it comes to realistic violence. But I think we are missing something – the art of making someone feel fear or suspense with striking illustrations. So I went looking for vintage horror movie posters, and I found gorgeous illustrations that beckoned viewers in with their bold colors and outrageous claims – like “any member of the audience is insured for $1,000 against DEATH BY FRIGHT.” You can see the progression from the earlier poster art – lots of text and illustrated scenes – to the slicker, more menacing posters of the 1980s, leading to the graphic designed, hyper-real poster art of today. There is a heady cocktail of innocence and menace in these illustrated posters that is more compelling than anything produced today. Scroll through the gallery below, and see the lost art of horror movie posters…