“Do you like scary movies?” – it’s spooky season, so to get ourselves in the Halloween mood I will be looking at some of the world’s most desirable horror movie posters. Be prepared, the replacement costs can be ‘frightening’!
Silent Movie Posters
Nosferatu (1922) is arguably, the most recognisable horror film of the Silent era. A masterpiece of German expressionist cinema it has remained influential for over a century. Yet Count Orlok had a brush with an horrific fate – to vanish from existence!
The plot for Nosferatu was taken directly from Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’, but without permission! Despite altering the character names to avoid suspicion of breach of copyright, Stoker’s name and the word ‘Dracula’ were used to promote the premiere.
Bram Stoker had died just 10 years prior to Nosferatu’s release. His widow, Florence Stoker, was alerted to the films existence by an anonymously sent copy of the Berlin premiere programme. A legal battle with the producers ensued. The resulting court judgement stated that all copies of the film should be destroyed. And yet Nosferatu survived!
The stunning production design and promotional design were created by occultist artist Albin Grau (1884 – 1981). Due to the copyright issues surrounding Nosferatu, original ephemera is rare. In 2019 a German magazine advertisement from 1922 (see below), sold at auction for $52,800. Although this type of ephemera is usually of limited value, have a piece from Nosferatu in your collection? Expect to insure it for around £70,000.
In Hollywood the biggest star of Silent horror was Lon Chaney (1883 – 1930). Chaney was an inventive actor. However, Chaney’s real legacy was as a skilled makeup artist and prosthetics designer. In an age when makeup was seldom used on screen Chaney crafted looks which continue to startle audiences.
One of his most famous roles was as Quasimodo in the 1923 adaptation of ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’. Copyright lapsed on ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ in the 1950’s, so like many silent pictures, it’s available to watch for free online. An original theatrical release poster was offered at auction by Bonhams, Los Angeles in 2019. The eerie scene, with stunning artwork typical of the silent period, sold for $212k (including buyer premium). The insurance replacement cost here is in the region of £350k.
One of the highest prices ever paid for a poster at auction was for Chaney’s horror ‘London After Midnight’ (1927) (below).
‘London After Midnight’ is one of the great lost ‘pictures’ of the silent era. The last known copy of the film, featuring; vampires, Scotland yard detectives and hypnotism, was destroyed in the MGM vault fire during the 1960s. Should the movie itself ever be rediscovered, it would likely be worth over six-figures.
The only known copy of the original American one-sheet poster (see below) was unveiled during an auction at Heritage, Dallas in 2014. With collectors clamouring to own this unique piece of horror history, it sold for a startling $478,000. Insurance values for a piece of this calibre would be in the region of £750,000.
Horror Movie Posters from the 1930’s
By the late 1920s, the arrival of ‘talking pictures’ brought new horror movies and new stars.
The first major horror ‘talkie’ was ‘Dracula’ (1931) starring Bela Lugosi. An enormous commercial success, the film has defined the image of the character for generations, inspiring countless Halloween costumes.
Its worth noting the market for some ‘Golden Age of Hollywood’ posters has slightly cooled in recent years. Prices overall for horror remain high.
An original poster for ‘Dracula’ was sold by Prop Store auctions, Los Angeles earlier this year, fetching $264,600 (against an estimate of $150k – $300k). Dracula’s poster had several versions, this one being ‘Style F’. A scarcer ‘Style A’ was offered by Heritage Auctions in 2017. As one of only two known copies, it made a record of over half a million dollars ($525,800 including BP).
The British director James Whale, though you may not be aware of it, will have influenced what you consider horrors icons. In 1931 he directed ‘Frankenstein’ starring Boris Karloff. Karloff’s ‘Frankenstein’ was one of these icons. Elements may seem cliché to today’s audiences, but these scenes were revolutionary.
Earlier this year, a copy of ‘Frankenstein’ went under the hammer, again at Prop Store L.A. This American ‘Style A’ version was one of just seven or eight known to exist. It sold for just over $200k. As with ‘Dracula’ different styles were produced for the original American ‘Frankenstein’ release. If you are lucky enough to own a copy it should potentially be insured for upwards of £250,000.
Frankenstein’s sequel ‘The Bride of Frankenstein’ (1935) is one of the most eye-catching posters of the era. Starring British actress Elsa Lanchester as ‘The Bride’ an extraordinary half sheet poster, one of only two known, was offered for sale by Heritage in 2023. When the gavel fell, the price was $100k. Interestingly a remake ‘Bride!’ is due for release in early 2026.
British Horror 1940s – 1970s
One of the greatest pieces of cinema created by Ealing Studios was ‘Dead of Night’ (1945). An anthology the plot features several spooky stories told over the course of one evening. It is most famous for the section featuring a ventriloquist’s dummy, but to those who collect antiques the haunted mirror sequence is probably the most terrifying.
The original poster for the British release is relatively uncommon. Bonhams offered a copy during 2021 – despite being backed onto card (an undesirable method of restoration) it sold for £11,475.
The movies made by Hammer Productions from the late 1950s to 1970s are the pinnacle of British horror collecting. Dubbed ‘Hammer Horror’ the London based studio released 50 horror films. Their most successful starred legendary pairing of Sir Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. The combination of colourful gore with glamourous villains was a successful one. Hammer brought versions of Dracula, Frankenstein, and Sherlock Holmes to new audiences.
Unsurprisingly, original posters for Hammer’s Dracula (1958) starring Lee and Cushing are the most valuable. Dracula was such a hit Hammer released eight sequels! Don’t let ‘Dracula’ come back to bite you, British quad posters from the original release should be insured for at least £50,000. With Hammer in demand, many of their major motion pictures should be looked at for insurance.
1960s and later
More recent releases may not have posters achieving over £100k yet, but don’t be afraid to get them appraised.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) is a key poster for anyone building a collection. Almost all cinephiles will be aware of the shower scene, yet Psycho still surprises and shocks!
Released under a veil of mystery, with audiences sworn to secrecy about the plot, Psycho was a massive box office drawer and an instant classic. If you are looking to start a collection, a copy of the US one-sheet for Psycho can typically be secured for around £3,000.
George Romero’s ‘The Night of the Living Dead’ (1968) redefined horror and created the modern zombie movie recognisable today. It was shot on a shoestring, with a budget of just $100,000, it eventually grossed over $30 million!
The British poster for the 1968 release is probably the most visually striking. If you are looking to acquire a copy or insure, anticipate around £2,750.
Finally, to John Carpenter’s Halloween. Released in 1978 Halloween captures an essence of the many films which precede, while popularising a new genre, the ‘slasher’ movie.
Unusually, the most valuable poster for the movie is Australian (Australian posters are ordinarily among the most affordable). Unlike other copies it features a strong image of the character Michael Myers. A typical replacement price is between £2,500 and £3,500.
The defining poster image however is the American version including artwork by Robert Gleason. Have a copy? Insurance should be a minimum of £2,000.
If you have a collection that needs valuing, drop us a line at [email protected] or call us on 01883 722736.
Stephanie has worked in the fine art and antiques industry for over 20 years. She is the former Department Director of Collectors sales at Bonhams Auctioneers. Stephanie was additionally the Head of Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia department and is a recognised expert in Popular Culture.