When I was younger, I had a friend who was absolutely obsessed with horror movies, and his bedroom walls were covered in posters advertising them – much to the chagrin of his bemused parents. I’m sure you’ll all have your personal favourites, so don’t take offence if your favourite horror posters didn’t make this list – we’ve only got room for a handful, after all!
The Evil Dead (1981) Stephen King was a huge fan of this movie, even going as far as to provide a quote for its poster: “… The most ferociously original horror film of the year….”. The poster shows a helpless woman trying to drag herself out of the mud whilst an alien-like hand wraps around her neck, attempting to pull her back down into the depths below. This cult classic poster, enriched by the strategic use of stock photos, captivates with its chilling imagery and spine-tingling atmosphere and took pride of place at the top of my uncle's staircase… right next to his Michael Jackson Thriller signed poster. Yup, The Evil Dead’s poster was a truly iconic work of horror artwork.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) Just a few years later, Wes Craven's seminal masterpiece A Nightmare on Elm Street made it into the cinemas, of course, supported by an amazing poster drawn by Matthew Peak. This poster was so successful that Peak returned on artwork duties for the next four sequels too… but what was so special about it?
It’s actually a somewhat strange poster for a horror film, utilizing a bright colour palette that contrasts beautifully with the darkness shown above our unwitting protagonist. Freddy’s glove is visible at the top of the scene, hanging over Nancy’s face, and Peak has managed to instil a feeling of terror into the actress giving the impression that she has just been woken up and is gasping in horror.
The Exorcist (1973) Without a doubt, William Friedkin’s take on this iconic novel boasts one of the most seminal and imitated movie posters of all time- the image of a priest standing outside the home of the Regan family was drawn by Bill Gold and is an absolute masterclass in light, shadow, and ominous temperament. The mist that swirls around the heavily soaked street along with the lone figure and the shaft of light pouring from the window symbolizes the evil within, and the basic typeset used for the film's title is as elegant as it is simple, anchoring the entire poster together beautifully.
The House on Haunted Hill (1959) Stepping back in time several decades to an era when horror flicks were still in their infancy, these were the days when anything went as far as movie posters were concerned – a fact that Reynold Brown took full advantage of. Having previously worked on other Triple-A movie posets such as Creature from the Black Lagoon and Spartacus (amongst dozens more), Brown was renowned for setting movie poster trends in ever genre that he touched.
In The House on Haunted Hill, he uses several horror motifs to convey the terror of the film in question – the huge skeleton dangling a woman by her neck might look a little bit cheesy today, but it terrified audiences during the later 1950s! His rendering of Vincent Price is also excellently drawn, and the combination of these elements gives a perfect insight into the danger that lies inside the house… and what it might do if you were to dare to walk through its door.
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Let’s finish up with one of the most iconic remakes of one of the original horror classics – The Bridge of Frankenstein is widely regarded as being one of the best of the original Frankenstein films, and also boasts arguably the best of the poster designs too. Somehow, the entire image appears to be on fire, with the brides hair licking flames around the eponymous monster.
Speaking of the monster, he is painted in a bold shadow using greens, yellows, and oranges, supplemented by the alternate palette used for the hair of his bridge. While she looks on from behind the creature, it’s the portrait of the monster which stands out above all else – it’s striking, yet dark.
Your upcoming horror movies resource since June 24th 1999. For advertising inquiries or to submit news/information contact us. This site is independently owned and operated. If you like what we do and would like to help in some way click here. A very special thanks. Best viewed on Desktop. Privacy Policy. Bovada bonus codes
When I was younger, I had a friend who was absolutely obsessed with horror movies, and his bedroom walls were covered in posters advertising them – much to the chagrin of his bemused parents. I’m sure you’ll all have your personal favourites, so don’t take offence if your favourite horror posters didn’t make this list – we’ve only got room for a handful, after all!
The Evil Dead (1981)
Stephen King was a huge fan of this movie, even going as far as to provide a quote for its poster: “… The most ferociously original horror film of the year….”. The poster shows a helpless woman trying to drag herself out of the mud whilst an alien-like hand wraps around her neck, attempting to pull her back down into the depths below. This cult classic poster, enriched by the strategic use of stock photos, captivates with its chilling imagery and spine-tingling atmosphere and took pride of place at the top of my uncle's staircase… right next to his Michael Jackson Thriller signed poster. Yup, The Evil Dead’s poster was a truly iconic work of horror artwork.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Just a few years later, Wes Craven's seminal masterpiece A Nightmare on Elm Street made it into the cinemas, of course, supported by an amazing poster drawn by Matthew Peak. This poster was so successful that Peak returned on artwork duties for the next four sequels too… but what was so special about it?
It’s actually a somewhat strange poster for a horror film, utilizing a bright colour palette that contrasts beautifully with the darkness shown above our unwitting protagonist. Freddy’s glove is visible at the top of the scene, hanging over Nancy’s face, and Peak has managed to instil a feeling of terror into the actress giving the impression that she has just been woken up and is gasping in horror.
The Exorcist (1973)
Without a doubt, William Friedkin’s take on this iconic novel boasts one of the most seminal and imitated movie posters of all time- the image of a priest standing outside the home of the Regan family was drawn by Bill Gold and is an absolute masterclass in light, shadow, and ominous temperament. The mist that swirls around the heavily soaked street along with the lone figure and the shaft of light pouring from the window symbolizes the evil within, and the basic typeset used for the film's title is as elegant as it is simple, anchoring the entire poster together beautifully.
The House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Stepping back in time several decades to an era when horror flicks were still in their infancy, these were the days when anything went as far as movie posters were concerned – a fact that Reynold Brown took full advantage of. Having previously worked on other Triple-A movie posets such as Creature from the Black Lagoon and Spartacus (amongst dozens more), Brown was renowned for setting movie poster trends in ever genre that he touched.
In The House on Haunted Hill, he uses several horror motifs to convey the terror of the film in question – the huge skeleton dangling a woman by her neck might look a little bit cheesy today, but it terrified audiences during the later 1950s! His rendering of Vincent Price is also excellently drawn, and the combination of these elements gives a perfect insight into the danger that lies inside the house… and what it might do if you were to dare to walk through its door.
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Let’s finish up with one of the most iconic remakes of one of the original horror classics – The Bridge of Frankenstein is widely regarded as being one of the best of the original Frankenstein films, and also boasts arguably the best of the poster designs too. Somehow, the entire image appears to be on fire, with the brides hair licking flames around the eponymous monster.
Speaking of the monster, he is painted in a bold shadow using greens, yellows, and oranges, supplemented by the alternate palette used for the hair of his bridge. While she looks on from behind the creature, it’s the portrait of the monster which stands out above all else – it’s striking, yet dark.