25 of the best movie posters from the 1990s | Little White Lies

Posters

25 of the best movie posters from the 1990s

17 Mar 2017

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.

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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.

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