Check out these X-rated adult movie posters from… | Little White Lies

Check out these X‑rated adult movie posters from the ​’60s and ​’70s

24 Aug 2017

Words by Louise Busfield

Black and white portrait photograph of a woman with long hair and a pensive expression.
Black and white portrait photograph of a woman with long hair and a pensive expression.
Racy retro artwork from cinema’s most provocative era.

If there’s one thing the film industry has learned over the years it’s that sex sells. No two eras knew this better than the ​’60s and ​’70s, when posters weren’t afraid to promote the film’s content with fresh psychedelic designs and screen shots of sexual scenes.

Released this September, and showcasing a selection of vintage movie posters is ​‘X‑Rated: Adult Movie Posters of the 60s and 70s’. Featuring posters from the likes of Flesh Gordon and Sex Cures the Crazy, the book also touches on the protests against pornography and compares the availability of such films back then to the accessibility of today.

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The book reveals the seedy underbelly of the porn industry and how it began to reach new heights, with even its 1970s stars accepted on equal ground with such Hollywood legends as Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson.

‘X‑Rated Adult Movie Posters of the 60s and 70s’ by Tony Nourmand and Graham Marsh is published September 2017 by Reel Art Press.

Poster for the film "Deep Throat" featuring three semi-nude women against a yellow background. The title and tagline are displayed prominently.
Illustration of a woman wearing a cowboy hat, blue shirt, and white swimsuit top standing in front of a large American football. Text reads "DEBBIE DOES DALLAS" and lists the film's cast and crew.
Yellow taxi with images of people, text saying "THIS TIME THE DRIVER GIVES THE TIP!" and "BACK SEAT GABBIE - Adults Only in color"
Image of vintage film poster with stylised images of scantily clad women and text "Days of Sin and Nights of Nymphomania...BEYOND BOOZE!"
Promotional film poster featuring an image of a scantily clad woman wearing an American-themed outfit. Text reads "All Men Between the Ages of 18-75 I WANT YOU! TO ENLIST IN THE ARMY OF LOVE, An Exceptional Film for Adults Only, starring John Holmes and Ushi."
Surreal movie poster with cosmic imagery, 1970s style sci-fi characters, and text promoting "Flesh Gordon" film.
I was a man: Propaganda film poster depicting gender identity and sexuality in a sensationalist manner.
Black and white image of a woman with long hair, looking directly at the camera, with the text "APPETITES" above her.
Vintage film poster featuring title "Sex Cures the Crazy" with suggestive imagery of couples embracing.
Teal film poster with text "IS THERE SEX AFTER MARRIAGE DON'T ASK THE WIFE ASK JULIE" and three head shots of women in black and white.
Lurid film poster featuring provocative text and an image of a scantily clad woman, set against a pink background and a large full moon.

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