Page 27 - CR31R.pdf

In Cinema Lobby's, street corners and
billboards across the nation,
colourful posters have always been used
to entice the public to patronize the
local picture-show. The humble
movie-poster has now become a
highly-prized collectable and
KEVIN BRANDUM, writes his own
“Confessions of a Poster Collector”

There was also a damaged poster, But what is our number one poster
“The Sword Of Valor”, a 1924 film - our favourite poster? That honour
with Snowy Baker, the legendary belongs to “The Ol’ Swimming
Australian strongman, stuntman and Hole”, a daybill from the 1940’s. It’s
sportsman extraordinaire. Any poster, not particularly valuable, but it’s a
damaged or not, with Snowy Baker in wonderfully drawn poster. Just
it, was a real find! Anyhow, we looking at it evokes childhood
bought the lot, just beating another memories – memories, perhaps now
collector. Talk about luck! fading, but suddenly fresh and green
For some years we had restricted again – a magical quality! I think we
ourselves to collecting pre-1960 paid $20 for that exquisite poster at
posters. However, that changed the day auction in the St.Kilda Town Hall,
I found a discarded roll of posters in a surely a bargain. (“The Ol’
dumpster at the rear of a City cinema Swimming Hole” was produced by
complex. The posters, about 30 in all, Monogram Studios, once known as
were of then recent movies, and from Miracle Studios. Their motto was “If
then on we expanded our poster it’s a good picture, it’s a Miracle!) One such event happened on the
collecting to the modern era. (Our But even poster collecting can opening night of “Gone With The
latest poster, bought from the local have its disappointing side. Sometimes Wind”, in the newly restored
theatre, was “Harry Potter And The in the quest for hard to get items, Melbourne Regent. A big press
Philosophers Stone.”) deals would be struck, and kept to, on conference was being held for Evelyn
What are our special posters? We the shake of a hand. The poster Keyes, a living link with that famous
tend to go out of our way for what we, collectors formed not a large circle, film, and the champagne was flowing
ourselves, call “fine lines”. They are and generally knew each other quite freely. Miss Keyes accepted a glass of
Paramount daybills where the artwork well. Suffice to say, a gentleman who champagne, and ever the lady, sipped
is characterized by the actors being “misplaced the trust of his fellow delicately, then placed the glass on a
readily recognizable by the fine collectors” has long departed the nearby table. Everyone moved on and
outline of face and form, the colours industry. Disappointing, yes, an usher arrived to shift the table. As I
in the poster subdued and true. We devastating, no! Poster collectors are a was nearest to the table, only a metre
have well over 60 of these “fine lines” hardy lot, and business soon got back away, he must have thought the glass
and nowadays they are hard to find. to normal. (Our personal loss was mine. I accepted the glass rather
Paramount produced them between amounted to $500. Others lost more!) self-consciously, and today it forms
1920 and 1960, or thereabouts, by the Though we are poster collectors, my tenuous link with Evelyn Keyes
Richardson Studios. now and again, an item other than a and that famous film.
During the Second World War, poster will come to hand, as it were. I like to think Rhett Butler would
with the saving of paper being perhaps have approved!
the object, Paramount and other The collecting of posters and other
studios produced mini-daybills such as memorabilia has given Dean and
“For Whom The Bell Tolls”, “Meet myself many years of enjoyment.
me in St. Louis”, “Double The tracking down of special items,
Indemnity” and others. War years or sometimes fun, sometimes farce.
not, the artwork of the Paramount However, nowadays we tend to use the
mini-daybills remained distinctive and Internet. (A recent purchase off the
of high quality. The “fine line” long Internet was the printing block for the
daybills, standard daybills, and mini- poster, “The Lady Killers”, with Alec
daybills of Paramount, are truly fine Guinness.) It’s so much easier! It’s
examples of cinema poster art. The certainly easier than our last search for
artwork in the daybill of the old discarded posters and memorabilia
Paramount 1942 film, “Reap The Wild in the darkened semi-demolished
Wind”, starring Ray Milland is an Clifton Hill Theatre. But having said
excellent example. So, too, is the that, I’m still prepared to travel “a
artwork in the mini-daybill of the country mile or two” for a Paramount
Paramount film, “Dixie”, starring “fine line”, or a glimpse of that elusive,
Bing Crosby – both great “fine lines”. mythical “Maltese Falcon”. ★

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