Welcome back to this week's look at Heritage's Sunday night movie poster auction! Each week Heritage auctions off some truly unique finds across all movie genres, such as movie serials, animation, science fiction, romance, and more. Each week I find a few gems that could be overlooked! Here are my pics for this week's unique finds!
The 1958 Hammer film Dracula -- or Horror of Dracula as it is called in the US -- is one of the better adaptations of the Bram Stoker novel. Starring Christopher Lee as the titular vampire and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, this retelling is considered one of the best Hammer horror films. The movie had been edited to remove some of the gore depending on which country you saw the movie in, with the Japanese release considered the most complete, and at one point, sought after. Dracula is still culturally relevant today and is one of my favorite Lee and Cushing films. Both actors knock it out of the park.
This German poster is exquisite. Heritage notes this poster as being unrestored and in Very Fine - condition. Original Hammer horror posters can be very collectible and usually sell for over $300 in auction.
This cut-and-paste movie combines two earlier works into one - Gambling with Sould (1936) and Slaves in Bondage (1937). Both belong to the exploitation films genre, a genre of low-budget films that began in the 1920s. The genre would take off in the 1960s and 1970s and is still somewhat popular today. The earliest films from this genre acted as cautionary tales for the viewers, but none were exactly sincere in their efforts to send a message, as they were interested in making money.
This poster is particularly great as it's simple, relies mostly on the bold orange color, and features a stereotypical; image of a pinup girl on it. This would make a great addition to any poster collection, but more importantly, would be a fantastic piece of pop art.
Strip, Strip, Hooray is another example of a quick cash-grab sexploitation film. This would technically also fall under the exploitation umbrella as it is a B-movie. At almost an hour long, this movie features 6 burlesque performances poorly edited together, with comedic acts in between. This movie (if you can call it that) does have a performance by Tempest Storm, one of the most regarded burlesque dancers of all time. This movie should also not be confused with Strip! Strip! Hooray!! which came out in 1932.
Much like many other films of its nature, this poster features simple bold colors and a pinup girl. This eye-catching poster is unrestored and is noted as being in Fine/Very Fine condition with wear.
Decades before Baz Luhrmann would have Nicole Kidman die of tuberculosis while in the arms of Ewan McGregor (and I am still not over that), director John Huston would release a fictionalized glimpse into the life of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the famous French painter who had brought the colorful menagerie of Moulin Rouge to life through a series of posters and paintings. The movie follows Toulouse-Lautrec during his time in Paris, where he meets and falls in love with one of the dancers, as well as a Parisian socialite. The movie would win the 1953 Academy Award for Best Costume Design and was nominated for Best Picture. However Moulin Rouge would lose to The Greatest Show on Earth in the Best Picture category.
This 14" x 36" insert is in Fine/Very Fine condition and appears to present well. Traditional posters for the film trend under $200, so this could be an affordable piece for the right buyer.
