Godawful posters for godawful movies: the art of the Cannon Group

[Brazoo]

"Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films" is something you all have to see, it's really terrific.

Oh man - I've had a file of that movie for about a year now. I use to watch about 6 movies a week, now I'm lucky if I watch 3 in a month. Sigh...

[palitoy]

Oh man - I've had a file of that movie for about a year now. I use to watch about 6 movies a week, now I'm lucky if I watch 3 in a month. Sigh...

You're speaking to a guy with two kids, the other day I got to watch nearly half of a Hammer movie without interruption. Glorious.

[Hedji]

I can fit in an episode of Batman 66 before bed, and that's about it lately.

Back on topic, I call the overly photoshopped posters of today more godawful than a lot of these. The films, though, are probably groaners.

[Brazoo]

You're speaking to a guy with two kids, the other day I got to watch nearly half of a Hammer movie without interruption. Glorious.

We're expecting our first - so I'll know something about this soon enough.

I can fit in an episode of Batman 66 before bed, and that's about it lately.

Back on topic, I call the overly photoshopped posters of today more godawful than a lot of these. The films, though, are probably groaners.

I agree - even Cannon shlock had better posters than most posters now.

There's always been trends in movie posters, but what I find now is that the marketing of movies is so regimented that all the posters look the same. I remember back in January I went to the theatre with my wife and she noticed there were 5 posters in a row that were identical. Captain America 2, Ted 2, Pitch Perfect 2...all 5 movies were sequels, and all 5 were full body shots of the stars facing away from the camera. It was almost a joke.

[palitoy]

We're expecting our first - so I'll know something about this soon enough.

Congrats, that's awesome!

There's always been trends in movie posters, but what I find now is that the marketing of movies is so regimented that all the posters look the same.

Romantic Comedy posters are always the two characters with their backs to each other. It's like it's a factory.

Canon video boxes are very effective. They catch my eye to this day at flea markets.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I gave that a watch the other day because the batteries fell out of the remote. I still owe John Crier a punch in the crotch.

I'm sorry. So very sorry.

Chris

[Klosterheim]

I agree - even Cannon shlock had better posters than most posters now.

There's always been trends in movie posters, but what I find now is that the marketing of movies is so regimented that all the posters look the same. I remember back in January I went to the theatre with my wife and she noticed there were 5 posters in a row that were identical. Captain America 2, Ted 2, Pitch Perfect 2...all 5 movies were sequels, and all 5 were full body shots of the stars facing away from the camera. It was almost a joke.

Not only posters, movie trailers are all the same too!

My great favorites by Cannon:

10 to Midnight
Sword of the Valiant
Missing in Action
Missing in Action 2: The Beginning
Invasion U.S.A. (good old Richard Lynch!)
Death Wish 3
King Solomon's Mines
The Delta Force
Cobra
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold
Braddock: Missing in Action III
Bloodsport
The Fourth War

[El Hombre Nuclear]

Ah, Cannon... So much entertaining trash. I actually like that "Sword of the Barbarians" poster, though. I'm always a sucker for old-school fantasy art.

Off the top of my head, I think my favorite Cannon movie might be "Mako: The Jaws of Death". I saw it at a drive-in near our summer house in the Poconos over 35 years ago (along with a bunch of other forgotten Jaws clones from that era). It's been years since I last saw it, but I believe it involved a guy psychically controlling sharks. Enough said, really.

[Iron Mego]

Now I wanna watch Lifeforce!

[Brazoo]

Not only posters, movie trailers are all the same too!

That was well done!

This style of trailer heavily uses what I like to call blinky-blinky editing. Imagine how much money the studios would save if they stopped printing all those black frames in nearly every trailer!

[Brazoo]

Invasion USA is a seriously fun movie. I love it!

[palitoy]

Now I wanna watch Lifeforce!

Two Words: Mathilda May.

Invasion USA is a seriously fun movie. I love it!

My personal favourite Canon film is Death Wish 3. They bought the name of a well done film and just turned it into pure exploitation. The plot is so simple and over the top, I highly suspect it was written by somebody's ultra-right wing grandpa. I'm surprised Bronson doesn't shoot at least one hippie.

The gang in the film looks like came out of an Italian "Escape from New York" clone and they might as well be ducks with targets painted on them. I love this movie.

[MIB41]

I gave that a watch the other day because the batteries fell out of the remote. I still owe John Crier a punch in the crotch.

Let me lend you some brass knuckles before you swing.

[Bruce Banner]

Lifeforce definitely warrants repeated viewings.
The Blu-ray has some cool extras, too.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^I don't know how me and my adolescent buddies missed out on renting Lifeforce among the movies we had no business watching.

Chris