Movie Posters Signature Auction

After producing a string of horror movies that found success in the box office, including Dracula (1931) and Frankenstein (1931), Universal Pictures greenlit an adaptation of H.G. Wells’ novel The Invisible Man. An original ‘style-B’ one-sheet poster for The Invisible Man (1933) is among the featured items in the upcoming Movie Posters event, offered by Heritage Auctions. Designed by Universal Pictures art director Karoly Grosz, the poster introduces the titular character to moviegoers in the haze of a bubbling test tube. The Invisible Man soon joined Universal Pictures’ recurring villains, which included the Mummy and Frankenstein’s Monster.

A lobby card for the 1931 adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is also available in this auction. The card depicts Frankenstein’s Monster ripping through the card and reaching out to the viewer. Bela Lugosi, who played Dracula for Universal Pictures the same year, was originally chosen to play Frankenstein’s Monster in this production. However, he believed the monster had too few lines and declined the role. Instead, it is Boris Karloff’s depiction of the character that appears on this card.

Also featured is a six-sheet advertisement for The Jazz Singer (1927). Heritage notes that the available lot is the only known example of the ad. The Jazz Singer was the first feature-length sound film, which ended the silent-film era with its first spoken line: “Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothin’ yet!”

Bidders can also consider the movie poster for Clint Eastwood’s A Fistful of Dollars (1967). The poster was designed by Fred Otnes, who was also known for his collage work. Otnes’ artistic background can be seen in the Dollars poster with overlapping images from the movie’s various scenes. Those interested in this or any other piece can register to bid on the Heritage Auctions website.