Posters

25 of the best movie posters from the 1990s

Words by John Wadsworth

Image of a person wearing red clothing and sunglasses against a psychedelic background of colourful radiating lines.
Image of a person wearing red clothing and sunglasses against a psychedelic background of colourful radiating lines.
A selection of iconic film art from the slacker generation.

While we were compiling our 100 best films of the 1990s list, we got to thinking about why certain titles were so successful. As such, we’ve been looking back over some our favourite posters from the decade, and have collected together a batch of the finest for your perusing pleasure.

While the most iconic movie posters of the 1980s were masterfully hand-drawn, such as Richard Amsel’s illustration for Raiders of the Lost Ark or Drew Struzan’s for The Goonies, the 1990s brought with it a marked shift towards photography and computer graphics.

Get more Little White Lies

There’s the sci-fi spectacle of a hovering spaceship, a gun-toting Schwarzenegger, the unsettling horror of a skull-backed moth, and hand clasped to an open mouth. Only a handful of the below films feature in our best-of list – top marks if you can guess which ones made the cut.

Colourful, psychedelic film poster featuring a person with sunglasses and a red shirt against a background of vibrant, radiating patterns.
Striking red and yellow movie poster for Pulp Fiction, featuring a woman in a sultry pose with a cigarette.
Poster for film "Naked Lunch"; shows a person wearing a hat and holding a typewriter, with text inviting viewers to lunch.
Red and yellow star-shaped poster with collage of actors' headshots. Text includes film title "Boogie Nights" and credits.
Close-up of an orange-tinted face with a wide open mouth, displaying teeth. The text "MATTHEW BRODERICK" and "REESE WITHERSPOON" is visible above the face. The film title "ELECTION" is written in large text.
Lola rennt film poster, German awards and nominations, close-ups of two actors with red hair.
Illustration depicting close-up of a man wearing large sunglasses with colourful patterns reflected in the lenses. Bold text with film title "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and main cast members.
Striking movie poster depicting two silhouetted figures within a circular frame, surrounded by swirling yellow and brown brush strokes. Title and credits displayed prominently.
Hooded figure in dark robe holding scythe in dimly lit room
A man wearing a grey suit stands on a stage with a red curtain backdrop. The text on the image states "Hello, my name is Andy and this is my poster."
Dinosaur silhouette against red circle on black background, with "Jurassic Park" text and film credits.
Ornate silver frame with a close-up photo of a woman's face, eyes closed. Text above the image reads "CRUISE KIDMAN KUBRICK EYES WIDE SHUT", with additional movie credits and release date below.
Golden pig sculpture against a textured red and orange background, with the title "Delicatessen" prominently displayed.
Portrait of a man with glasses in black and white, surrounded by a stylised American flag. The image appears to be a movie poster for the film "Malcolm X", starring Denzel Washington.
Crowd of identical bald heads, mostly in warm tones, with text "BEING JOHN MALKOVICH" at the bottom.
A poster for the film "Basquiat". The image shows a man walking in a red-tinted street scene. The poster features various names, including "Jeffrey Wright", "David Bowie", and "Dennis Hopper", among others.
Blue background with white text featuring names of directors, actors, and the film title "Manhattan Murder Mystery" in the centre. A crescent moon and stars are visible.
Eerie close-up of eyes with red irises, overshadowed by a large yellow and black moth with a skull-like pattern. Poster for the film "The Silence of the Lambs".
Multicoloured movie poster with abstract text, images of people, and the title "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!".
A furry red monster puppet with large googly eyes and an open-mouthed expression, wearing a black suit.
Intimate couple embracing, man touching woman's face tenderly, woman gazing at him adoringly, warm lighting, ornate gold and jewelled attire.
Arnold Schwarzenegger in black leather jacket riding a dark motorcycle, holding a gun, looking serious and determined against a dark background.
The Thin Red Line film poster featuring the names of the main actors and the film title.
Distorted, exaggerated image of a man's face with an oversized mouth and teeth, in a dark, sinister style. Cast list includes Warren Beatty, Halle Berry, and Oliver Platt.
Film poster featuring Jason Schwartzman, Olivia Williams, and Bill Murray. Bold text "RUSHMORE" dominates the image with the actors' names and a positive review quote.

Got a favourite 1990s movie poster? Share it with us @LWLies

You might like

A woman lying on the bonnet of a car, wrapped in a translucent fabric against a dark background.
Posters

The 20 best film posters of 2021

by Hannah Strong

We celebrate our favourite film posters of the year, including Titane and The French Dispatch.
Poster of "Schatten Shadows" film, featuring a silhouetted profile against a black background with red text.
Posters

Discover Hans Hillmann’s extraordinary film poster archive

by Jessica Boyall

The acclaimed German graphic artist created iconic designs for the likes of Akira Kurosawa and John Cassavetes.
Monochrome illustration of characters from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, featuring a central title and a variety of characters, ships, and environments from the film.
Posters

An unseen archive of movie poster artwork is being published

by Adam Woodward

The Feref Collection includes rare alternative designs for Star Wars, Aliens and more.
A mystical, psychedelic illustration depicting an elderly man with glasses and a plaid shirt, surrounded by vibrant purple and blue energy emanating from his head and enveloping a woman below him.
Posters

The 20 best film posters of 2020

by Hannah Strong

From the classic to the abstract, we count down our favourite poster designs from a highly unusual year of movies.
Vibrant yellow movie poster with text "LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE" and "everyone pretend to be normal". Depicts a yellow VW bus with several people running around it, wearing colourful outfits.
Posters

Iconic movie posters with a social distancing twist

by Little White Lies

Classic film art updated for the coronavirus age, from E.T. to Little Miss Sunshine.
Abstract expressionist film poster featuring swirling red and white patterns framing a partially obscured female face.
Posters

The iconic film art of Akiko Stehrenberger

by JC Gabel

The award-winning illustrator and designer discusses her creative process in a new book from Hat & Beard Press.

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.