The 1950s were a glorious time for science fiction, specifically alien-related things and radioactive animals; while the films today might not be as mesmerizing as they were during that period, their posters are still often considered influential milestones. Take, for instance, 1957’s The Astounding She-Monster, a film about a dangerous but insanely beautiful alien who has crash-landed on Earth.
The original poster artwork is surprisingly effective at documenting the film’s subject matter: there’s an erotic but mysterious woman in the foreground while UFOs and planets make up the background. There’s even a man with a rifle engulfed in flames! But I think what really makes this poster stand out is its color scheme, with vibrant reds and yellows making up the bulk of the image. Compare the original with an updated attempt at the artwork on a DVD menu:
You can see how much more effective that minimalist original poster truly is. Here, the psychedelic color background takes away from the sinister eroticism of the she-monster, making it look a lot cheesier.
Have you seen The Astounding She-Monster? Let me know what you think of the poster in the comments, and happy Alien Day!
