While some posters are designed to look flashy or show off how many A-list actors can fit
into a twenty-seven by forty-one inch sheet of paper, there are those rare few that aspire
to do something more.
The following incredible posters are crammed full of subtext and hidden references that
you may have never noticed.
Logan
If there's one thing Logan doesn't — but secretly does — want you to know, it's that
it's not your average superhero movie.
It hides this behind a Western-themed poster that references an era of slow-burn, morally
weighted films that have long since passed.
Logan is a story just as much about superhuman powers as it is the gritty reality of these
poor characters, which makes the movie that much more similar to its poster's genre archetype
than a superhero adventure.
It's a poster that's a bit on the nose with its message — but hides the true extent
of its meaning until after you've walked out of the theater.
As Above So Below
Riffing off its title, the poster for As Above So Below depicts an upside down Eiffel Tower
that's pointed in the direction of Hell.
But what if, in fact, it's not pointing towards Hell, but is actually representing Hell itself?
Maybe the Eiffel Tower is actually mirrored to represent the fact that we're all living
in Hell right now.
The image features a tunnel built of human skulls — using human agony as a building
block for urban planning.
Perhaps the poster is saying that the earth we inherited and continually corrupt has become
our own worst nightmare.
Thor: Ragnarok
Of all the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor: Ragnarok has one of the most impressively
designed posters.
Featuring colors galore, a dope retro-aesthetic, and some very cool portrayals of the lead
characters, you might be wondering: how can this thing get any better?
The answer is simple: a hidden reference to historic Norse mythology, also known as the
entire basis for Thor's movies.
Those big, colorful rings surrounding the characters are a direct nod to Norse mythology's
nine realms and the tree of life, the latter of which is represented by Thor himself.
And in a way, the message the poster is trying to convey is true — Thor is the central
component in this entire universe.
"Yes!"
Kong: Skull Island
If you thought making King Kong look as intimidating as possible was this poster's only merit,
think again.
The design is particularly old-school, calling back not only to the days of the Vietnam War,
but also to the movies centered around it.
Specifically, Skull Island's poster riffs on Apocalypse Now, the Vietnam-focused Francis
Ford Coppola classic that featured an extremely similar aesthetic for its promotional art.
From the stylized title font to the helicopters ripping across a blood-red sunset, Kong is
going one-for-one with its inspiration in terms of throwback accuracy.
A Cure For Wellness
If the title alone sends chills down your spine, the poster for A Cure For Wellness
only serves to reinforce that fear.
Anyone who searches for something too good will invariably end up finding something bad,
the poster warns, displaying a "cure" that's actually modeled after a Victorian-era poison
vial.
This is representative of the movie's general theme that, no matter how noble the goal,
trying something evil in the quest for progress will always result in pain for everyone involved.
The Silence of the Lambs
It's no accident that The Silence of the Lambs poster is absolutely iconic.
This expert piece of subliminal messaging was crafted to show just how ominous the movie
is.
Why is Clarice's skin so pale?
To prepare audiences for the abundance of lifelessness ahead.
And that creepy death's-head hawkmoth covering her mouth?
It's symbolic of the transformation Clarice must go through to conquer her foes — similar
to the moth in the movie itself, which transforms within a cocoon that's been stuffed inside
the mouth of one of Buffalo Bill's victims.
Speaking of those victims, look a little closer and you'll see that the skull on the moth's
back isn't actually a skull at all.
It's actually made of women, a reference to a famous Salvador Dali photograph, not to
mention foreshadowing of Buffalo Bill's crimes, and Hannibal Lecter's sophistication and depravity.
And that same freaky moth covering her mouth alludes to — you guessed it — the "silence
of the lamb," also known as Clarice herself.
"Yes."
Thanks for watching!
Click the Looper icon to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Plus check out all this cool stuff we know you'll love, too!