Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett's poster collection includes a number of posters from perhaps the most famed era of horror films, when classics like "The Bride of Frankenstein" were made.
"The Bride of Frankenstein" (1935) by UniversalPictures —
Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett's poster collection includes a number of posters from perhaps the most famed era of horror films, when classics like "The Bride of Frankenstein" were made.
Courtesy of the Kirk Hammett Horror andSci-Fi Memorabilia Collection/Universal PicturesLicensing, LLC
Boris Karloff's "The Mummy" was another classic Universal character, and this poster is among Hammett's most prized. Artist Karoly Grosz is credited with many posters from this era.
"The Mummy" (1932) by Karoly Grosz for Universal Pictures —
Boris Karloff's "The Mummy" was another classic Universal character, and this poster is among Hammett's most prized. Artist Karoly Grosz is credited with many posters from this era.
Courtesy of the Kirk Hammett Horror andSci-Fi Memorabilia Collection/Universal PicturesLicensing, LLC
By the 1950s, audiences had grown tired of Dracula, the Mummy and Frankenstein and were looking for new monsters that reflected the nuclear age -- as this classic poster from 1954 shows.
"Creature from the Black Lagoon" (1954) by Reynold Brown for Universal Pictures —
By the 1950s, audiences had grown tired of Dracula, the Mummy and Frankenstein and were looking for new monsters that reflected the nuclear age -- as this classic poster from 1954 shows.
Courtesy of the Kirk Hammett Horror andSci-Fi Memorabilia Collection/Universal PicturesLicensing, LLC
Count Dracula has been through many different incarnations, but Bela Lugosi's is perhaps still the definitive. Curator Daniel Finamore cites this poster as one of his favorites.
"Dracula" (1931) by Universal Pictures —
Count Dracula has been through many different incarnations, but Bela Lugosi's is perhaps still the definitive. Curator Daniel Finamore cites this poster as one of his favorites.
Courtesy of the Kirk Hammett Horror andSci-Fi Memorabilia Collection/Universal PicturesLicensing, LLC
Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" -- the story of a misunderstood monster treated badly by society rather than something purely evil -- is a tale from a more romantic era of horror that the audiences of the '30s preferred.
"Frankenstein" by Universal Pictures —
Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" -- the story of a misunderstood monster treated badly by society rather than something purely evil -- is a tale from a more romantic era of horror that the audiences of the '30s preferred.
Courtesy of the Kirk Hammett Horror andSci-Fi Memorabilia Collection/Universal PicturesLicensing, LLC/Heritage Auctions, HA.com
Films often had multiple posters, as this alternative offering for 1932's "The Mummy" shows.
"The Mummy" (1932) by Karoly Grosz for Universal Pictures —
Films often had multiple posters, as this alternative offering for 1932's "The Mummy" shows.
Courtesy of the Kirk Hammett Horror andSci-Fi Memorabilia Collection/Universal PicturesLicensing, LLC
"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" comes from the silent era, but its expressionist style and provocative themes mean that it still looks modern today. This poster also fits in with the avant-garde aesthetic of the film.
"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1921) by Lionel Reiss for Decla-Bioscop —
"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" comes from the silent era, but its expressionist style and provocative themes mean that it still looks modern today. This poster also fits in with the avant-garde aesthetic of the film.
Courtesy the Kirk Hammett Horrorand Sci-Fi Memorabilia Collection
"Hamlet" isn't a horror story per se, but this silent version took it's dark themes, ratcheted up the tension and sold it to a horror-thirsty American audience. The poster is perhaps more famous than the film.
"Hamlet" (1920) by Franz Peffer for Asta Films —
"Hamlet" isn't a horror story per se, but this silent version took it's dark themes, ratcheted up the tension and sold it to a horror-thirsty American audience. The poster is perhaps more famous than the film.
Courtesy the Kirk Hammett Horror andSci-Fi Memorabilia Collection
Dracula might be the most famous vampire, but he wasn't the first on screen -- hat would be F. W. Murnau's Nosferatu. Its poster is a minor modernist masterpiece.
"Nosferatu" (c. 1931) by Prana Film —
Dracula might be the most famous vampire, but he wasn't the first on screen -- hat would be F. W. Murnau's Nosferatu. Its poster is a minor modernist masterpiece.
Courtesy of the Kirk Hammett Horror andSci-Fi Memorabilia Collection
This poster for the 1931 production of Frankenstein has less color than some of the others of its time, but is just as effective.
"Frankenstein" (c. 1931) by Roland Coudon for Universal Pictures —
This poster for the 1931 production of Frankenstein has less color than some of the others of its time, but is just as effective.
Courtesy of the Kirk Hammett Horror andSci-Fi Memorabilia Collection/Universal PicturesLicensing, LLC