![]() ![]() #22: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) The Image: Prior to this film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had been a comic book series, an extremely popular animated television series, and a toy line. But in the end, Bill Campbell, an unknown, was lobbied for and cast and the rest is history. The casting was also intense and tenuous as many "established" actors were considered because the studio wanted a "big name" attached to the film. The project had been in development hell for a number of years at Disney, including numerous firings and re-hirings of the writers as they toiled through numerous rewrites. At the time, the success of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade led to the hope and expectations that another action, period adventure story would be well received by audiences. The Context: The involvement of Walt Disney ensured that this adaptation would maintain a lighter, more comedic and family friendly tone. In fact, it almost resembles a World's Fair poster of the period or the old idea of a "future land." This image not only portrays the ideas of the film, but the ideals of the time period in which it takes place - a time when people looked to the sky with hopes and dreams. #23: The Rocketeer (1991) The Image: Another period piece and film from the early '90s, the Art Deco style and sharp, straight lines give the hero a sense of motion and immediately ground the film in a particular time period. And it's this tone that lends itself to the fantastical elements of the story. And while some of the campiness of the time period and the hindsight of the radio show lends itself to the "lighter" brush with which the film is painted, the period itself is often viewed with a sense of nostalgia and through such an idealized lens, that the setting of the film immediately exudes an air of fantasy. It wasn't until the late '90s that comic book adaptations began to be fully recognized and executed as deep, well rounded movies that could deal and be handled with the same kind of dramatic weight and brevity of other, more respected genres. The Context: The Shadow emerged from the "dark ages" of comic book films. Alec Baldwin's name scrolling across the top adds some star power. The character is a noir-ish, pulp hero and this poster effectively conveys that idea. The text "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?" is the line made famous by the 1930's radio program of the same name. The low brim of his fedora and trademark scarf hide the remainder of his face. #24: The Shadow (1994) The Image: The angle on the intense eyes of the hero, framed by darkness portrays the only view of The Shadow that is commonly seen. This poster remained a beacon of hope for the direction of the film. And the reputation and style of Ratner did nothing to quell those fears. The uncertainty surrounding the development and production of the film allowed doubt and fear to creep into the minds of "X" fans everywhere. Numerous drafts later, and following much speculation, Matthew Vaughn was once again attached to a project that he would recuse himself from before Bret Ratner of Rush Hour fame was attached to helm the third mutant installment. Unfortunately, director Brian Singer's departure for Superman Returns set the development of the film into a tailspin. The Context: Following the commercial success and warm critical reception of X2, the expectations for X-Men: The Last Stand were high. No matter what the interpretation, this image got the motors of "mutant lovers" and "friends of humanity's" going alike. ![]() It could mean that Wolverine has come to the forefront of not only the story but also the X-Men as a group, as if to say he stands between the X-Men and anyone else in a protective role. It could imply that the most beloved character of the franchise will play a more prominent role in the film, which is what fans were consistently clamoring for. The subtext of the placement of the claws in front of the "X" could be interpreted a number of ways. But the depiction of the number three by Wolverine's claws makes it so much more badass. The metallic "X" logo that was used to advertise the first two films and appears frequently throughout Xavier's mansion is the basis. #25: X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) The Image: What makes this poster so great is it's simplicity. ![]()
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