Vandalization Of Australian Film Posters.
This example is one of the worst examples I have seen for a Orpheum poster. I had thought originally what was Lana Turner doing?--- saying her prayers maybe. No I had to go to Mexico to find out. There are also more credits covered along the bottom and in it's original form the censorship rating mainly covered.
Anyone top this example of Vandalization?
Hondo
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While it is unfortunate for collectors that these snipes were placed on these posters (and in some cases in very poor spots - like my Side Street daybill which has an Orpheum snipe right across the middle of the artwork) one must remember that these posters served two purposes - to advertise the film and the theatre it was playing at. It makes perfect sense that the Orpheum would plaster these snipes all over the posters they had purchased for this purpose as the artwork was of secondary importance from their perspective...
Apart from the Orpheum there are not many examples of any other theatres attaching snipes to the main body of the poster so they are vandals in my eyes. Defacing artwork I detest and drawing on posters I hate the most. I'm wondering why you bought the Side Street with the snipe across the middle of the artwork and didn't wait and bid on one without the snipe such as the one as attached? Now you know that it actually looks like this.
Hondo
Patience is a virtue but patience without the added value of certain foresight is something entirely different...
Going to be asking the wife for a crystal ball (and a mind reading decoder ring) me thinks!
All fair enough.
For the record one with the snipe looks something like this.
Hondo
Right now it is a low priority. The snipe has been there for nearly 70 years already - it can wait a little longer and the poster is in great condition otherwise. And I of course need to find the proper amount of time to work on it so it can be done without constraints and very carefully - no small task!
What I will do is soak it in Un-Du (heptane based solvent) and ever so gradually peel it back with a sharp razor. It could take all day! As for how it will look afterwards that all depends on how skillful I am (admittedly not the greatest) and just how strong the adhesive is. Thankfully on my copy the top and bottom of the snipe are already coming off so it is just the middle section remaining. No doubt there may be some slight residue/indication of the snipe afterwards but it will be a vast improvement.
For the record - my comments earlier were only in disagreement to classifying these snipes as "vandalism". In my opinion they are not that BUT they are an unfortunate historical occurrence. I certainly agree that placing the snipe in the middle of the artwork is ridiculous from a collector's point of view all these years later...
Thanks Chris for your information, It makes things like removing a snipe a lot clearer as I usually don't read up on this type of subject .Appreciate your ''for the record'' comment also.
For the Betrayed daybill image I posted do you think someone had attempted to remove some of the snipe on the bottom?
Hondo
Oh, the to "unsnipe or keep" debate!
I have a few keepers in this predicament. I'm at work today so can't post pictures, but will do so next time I log on from home.
Snipes at the top of the poster very rarely bother me, and I will generally keep them...the one exception being the long daybill for Bonnie Scotland with Laurel and Hardy. The snipe unfortunately covered Laurel's name, it looked wrong to me to have Hardy on the poster with no Laurel
.
Snipes in the middle of the poster definitely bother me. I purchased the poster for my collection because I love the movie and artwork. If I can't enjoy the artwork, I'm not happy. Will I wait for another copy? Not really...Who knows when one will turn up and the snipe comes off easily enough.
Vandalism? Hmmm not for me, I'm with Chris, just the theatre advertising itself. They were never meant to be seen as pieces of art, in fact they were all supposed to be thrown out when they had served their purpose. It's only now that us weirdos love and cherish them so much!
To me, the vandalisation of posters was when the censors got their hands on them and blacked out whole sections to protect our morality.
But I always love to hear and read about people's passion for these pretty bits of paper.
The worst offender:
Annoying, but can live with it:
Had to go:
When you purchased the Rope daybill what year of release were you informed it was and most importantly what year do you believe it is yourself?
Hondo
I purchased Rope knowing it was a re-release...now I can't remember details of when/where etc...when I get a chance I will take a better look through everything, but no illusions here...
That is the general opinion,1958 to be exact, that is bandied about..I am going to start a new thread shortly titled '' Dating Hitchcock's Rope Re-release Daybill'' as I believe this is an incorrect dating of this poster.
Hondo
The Rope example wouldn't bother me too much..
Hondo