I’ve been a movie poster collector for over 30 years. The cost of what I will spend has gone up a bit over those three decades. In the past, the thought of spending $50 on a single poster was way too much for me to even consider. Then I saw an American 1-sheet for The Green Slime for $50. I bought it instantly. Now, I’m still not one of these big-time collectors, spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars on them, mainly just because of my budget. But what I will spend has increased to even dropping $175 for an Astro Zombies 1-sheet. I mean, it’s Ted V. Mikels!

At the last Cinema Wasteland, I picked up a poster of Curusu, the Beast of the Amazon from a friend who has had that poster for as long as I’ve known him, which is as long as I’ve been collecting. But because I had recently seen the movie for the first time, in its glorious color print from Vinegar Syndrome, and the poster is just the same, I had to get it. That was not a cheap one either. But no regrets. I also picked up a few half-sheets from House of Movie Monsters, which always has great stuff and great prices. The three titles I picked up, which are pictured to the left, are all cheesy films, but damn entertaining, not to mention some great artwork from that era. And again, no regrets.

I’ve always said that when I spend money on a poster, I’m not “spending” money, I’m “investing” it. Technically that is a fair statement because these can go up in value, like any collectible. Within the last year, I was discussing movie posters with our fellow Discover the Horror co-hosts, and Damien mentioned something that eventually would make me rethink my “investing” comment even more. Damien said we are not just collectors, but “curators”.

Just recently, I was watching a video about a place in Texas that restores movie posters, from linen backing them, as well as fixing any damage they might have. The owner made the comment that the studios aren’t really printing movie posters anymore, since they are usually going to just a digital format. Not entirely true since the studios still are sending out actual posters, but at some point, it will be more cost effective to just send a digital file. Which means, at that point in the future, printed posters that we have currently have will be outdated like the 8-track or cassette tape.

So yes, the word curator really fits that role because it is up to the individual collector to make sure that these pieces of art live on, that they are taken care of. They need to be shown or put on display at times so others can bask in the wonder of that style of artwork, the ballyhoo of the marketing, and all the reasons that went into the design to make sure whoever saw it would want to be at the theater the next time that movie was screening. That was what a movie poster was designed for.

That is what needs to be remembered. So, to all those “curators” out there, from one to another, I thank you for your dedication to this task.