# Resolved: 'ALIEN' is the best movie poster of all time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 5, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203 "2012-06-05T22:00:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/1 "2012-06-05T22:00:34Z")
Along with the best tagline, [In space no one can hear you scream.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(film)) Glad that’s settled. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/2 "2012-06-05T22:38:01Z")
I’ll see your Alien and raise you one [Poltergeist](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poltergeist_(film)) “They’re here.” ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/3 "2012-06-05T22:53:12Z")
[Zapped!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zapped!) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/4 "2012-06-06T00:56:04Z")
[Not the original theatrical poster, but I always rather liked this one for 2001.](http://www.impawards.com/1968/two_thousand_and_one_a_space_odyssey_ver5.html) [Also, I keep mentioning it, but the poster for Osombie is hilarious and exactly what you want to see.](http://filmoria.filmoria.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/OSOMBIE_DVD_2D.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/5 "2012-06-06T01:12:28Z")
It’s probably because I am old, but I vastly prefer painted, illustrator-style movie posters; they have a certain caché. The all-time best movie poster is the Brothers Hildebrandt’s [original poster for _Star Wars_](http://geektyrant.com/news/2010/6/21/the-story-behind-the-original-star-wars-poster.html). This is all kinds of awesome. [_Blade Runner_](http://meansheets.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/blade-runner-movie-poster.jpg) also had a pretty cool poster. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/6 "2012-06-06T01:12:43Z")
I’ve always liked the poster for[Young Frankenstein](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_5SMlnCFhaTA/TSryiCD5sII/AAAAAAAARj4/I3qtJtw_52g/s1600/poster_03.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/7 "2012-06-06T01:28:52Z")
One of my favorites is the Polish movie poster for Francis Ford Coppola’s classic, _The Conversation_, with Gene Hackman. [Link](http://www.cinemarts.com/viewitem.aspx?id=3462) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/8 "2012-06-06T01:31:59Z")
Some great movie posters: _[Animal House](http://www.lunchtimemoviereview.com/wp-content/uploads/Animal-House-Theatrical-Poster.jpg)_ _[Buffy the Vampire Slayer](http://s3.hubimg.com/u/5029262_f260.jpg)_ _[A Clockwork Orange](http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/images/column/41507/orangeposter.jpg)_ _[The Dark Knight](http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2008.jpg)_ _[Gone With the Wind](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2184/2054133369_07645d22a1.jpg)_ _[Inception](http://geektyrant.com/storage/page-images/Inception-Movie-Poster-redesigned.jpeg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1298516730986)_ _[Jaws](http://www.extratextual.tv/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/jawsposter.jpg)_ _[MAS\*H](http://georgesjournal.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/film_posters_mash.jpg)_ _[9](http://blogof.francescomugnai.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/nine.jpg)_ _[Star Wars](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xAAWfC-DeXg/TF2ZO7_Ag9I/AAAAAAAAAWA/9P2wdRMDTz4/s1600/StarWars.jpg)_ _[The Sting](http://i2.listal.com/image/226614/600full-the-sting-poster.jpg)_ _[The Terminator](http://www.movieposter.com/posters/archive/main/46/MPW-23009)_ _[The Truman Show](http://www.fansshare.com/media/u/images/The%20Truman%20Show%20Poster.jpg)_ _[The Ugly Truth](http://cdn.instantshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/cmp-04.jpg)_ _[The Unborn](http://www.fernbyfilms.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/the-17-worst-movie-posters-of-2009-01-420-75.jpg)_ _[Unforgiven](http://qph.cf.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-7d2573d485302bccfb6979f1de9aa5d4)_ ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/9 "2012-06-06T02:56:21Z")
Too bad there wasn’t a wide release for [the film that dare not speak its name](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm408195584/tt0486585). ---
**Author:** ![SamBass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@SamBass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamBass)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/10 "2012-06-06T03:05:45Z")
I’ll have to go with [The Thing.](http://www.filmofilia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/The_Thing_poster.jpg) Tag line seriously works, too ~ “Man is the warmest place to hide.” I really love this one because it’s one of those rare things: A remake that’s better than the original. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/11 "2012-06-06T04:22:57Z")
> [@SamBass](#): > > I’ll have to go with [The Thing.](http://www.filmofilia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/The_Thing_poster.jpg) > > Tag line seriously works, too ~ “Man is the warmest place to hide.” I really love this one because it’s one of those rare things: A remake that’s better than the original. It’s good, but i’m not sure it’s better. I also don’t really agree about the tagline. It’s a tagline that only really works for the remake, because it basically gives away a significant part of the plot. It’s fine if you already know how the alien works, but if you don’t, then it’s both odd and also something of a spoiler. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/12 "2012-06-06T05:23:47Z")
Wait… which remake is that from? The 1980s remake of the Howard Hawkes film, or the 2011 remake of the John Carpenter film? ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/13 "2012-06-06T13:37:38Z")
I don’t care for the Alien poster, but maybe it’s because I thought that was supposed to be an alien’s head for a long time. For sheer awesomeness: the Frazetta poster for [The Gauntlet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_gauntlet.jpg) and the Boris Vallejo poster for [National Lampoon’s Vacation](http://www.impawards.com/1983/national_lampoons_vacation.html). ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/14 "2012-06-06T13:45:26Z")
The original poster, featuring Maude and The Dude in Gutterballs, for The Big Lebowski is my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/15 "2012-06-06T16:48:24Z")
Credit where credit is due: the two posters for **Human Centipede 2** were outstanding. [Number one](http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/26636/best-poster-of-the-year-award-human-centipede-2-write-your-reviews-now/) and [number two](http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/26444/the-human-centipede-part-2-full-sequence-one-sheet-assembles-a-spinal-cord/). Very probably NSFW. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/16 "2012-06-06T17:20:35Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Along with the best tagline, [In space no one can hear you scream.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(film)) > > Glad that’s settled. A few months ago a local church had a poster advertising their Easter season services. It featured a large egg cracking open with strong light streaming out. I kept wondering if it was a conscious reference or if the designer was just too young to remember. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/17 "2012-06-06T17:29:38Z")
While I’m not a big fan of **Alien** (to understate things immensely), their tagline is one of the best in film history and I can’t think of too many candidates for a better movie poster. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_the_turtle/32/2926_2.png) [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_the_Turtle)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/18 "2012-06-06T17:35:48Z")
Alien’s tagline was one of the best, but I find the poster lacking. Jaws is one of the best pure posters of all time, but lacks the requisite tagline. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/19 "2012-06-06T17:38:01Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > While I’m not a big fan of **Alien** (to understate things immensely), their tagline is one of the best in film history and I can’t think of too many candidates for a better movie poster. The [original trailer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjLamj-b0I8) is pretty great as well. At the time there was nothing like it. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203/20 "2012-06-07T04:20:13Z")
> [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](#): > > Alien’s tagline was one of the best, but I find the poster lacking. The egg is opening wrong! It doesn’t open up with a little hatch on the side, it peels open at the top. Always bugged me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-alien-is-the-best-movie-poster-of-all-time/624203.md?page=2)