
Well now, let me tell ya somethin’ about them picture show posters, the ones with all them words on ’em. They call ’em “film poster quotes,” fancy like. I seen a whole bunch of ’em in my day, though I ain’t always sure what they mean.
What are these film poster quotes, anyway?
You know, them big ol’ posters they stick outside the picture show place? They got the pretty faces of the actors and all, but they also got words. Sometimes just the name of the picture show, but sometimes they got other words too. Like, “He’s comin’ for justice!” or “She’ll risk it all for love!” Them’s the quotes, I reckon. They’re supposed to make ya wanna go inside and watch the show.
Why do they put words on them posters?
Well, I figure it’s like this. Them pictures, they can’t talk, can they? So, they gotta put words on the poster to tell ya a little somethin’ about what’s gonna happen. To get ya all excited and whatnot. Like, if they just put a picture of a fella standin’ there, ya might not care. But if they put “He’s the fastest gun in the West!” under it, well then, ya might think, “Hmm, maybe I wanna see this fella shoot some guns.” It’s all about sellin’ the show, ya see.
- To grab your attention: Them posters gotta fight for your eyeballs, ya know? Lots of things to look at in the world. Words help make it stand out.
- To tell a little story: Just a tiny bit, mind you. They don’t wanna give away the whole show, just enough to make ya curious.
- To make it memorable: A good quote, it sticks in your head. Like that one, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn!” People still say that one, even if they ain’t seen the picture show.
Are all film poster quotes the same?

Lord no! Some are short and snappy, like “He’s back!” Some are long and flowery, like, “In a world where love is lost, one woman will find her way.” You know, the kind that makes you roll your eyes a little. And some are just plain silly. I seen one once that said, “The chickens are revolting!” Turns out it was about chickens actually revoltin’, not about ’em bein’ ugly or somethin’. But yeah, they come in all shapes and sizes, them quotes.
Where do they come up with these quotes?
Well, sometimes they take ’em right from the picture show itself. Somethin’ a fella says, or a woman whispers. The good parts, the ones that make ya gasp or laugh or cry. Other times, they make ’em up special just for the poster. Someone sits down and writes somethin’ they think sounds good, somethin’ that’ll make folks wanna buy a ticket. It’s a whole job, I bet, just thinkin’ up them words.
Do them quotes really work?
I reckon they do, or they wouldn’t keep puttin’ ’em on there. I know I’ve been swayed by a good quote or two in my time. You see a poster with a handsome fella and some words about adventure and excitement, and you think, “Well, maybe I’ll just go see what that’s all about.” It’s like fishin’, ya know? The poster’s the bait, and the quote’s the shiny little hook that gets ya.

Famous quotes, they put them on posters too.
Yep, sometimes they do that. If a picture show gets real famous, folks remember certain things that were said. So, they put those famous words on the poster later on, to remind people how good it was. Or maybe to sell more posters, I don’t know. Like that one with the fella sayin’, “I’ll be back.” Everybody knows that one. It’s a way of makin’ somethin’ new seem familiar, I guess.
Posters with quotes, they’re everywhere!
You can’t go anywhere without seein’ posters, seems like. Nowadays, they even sell posters with just the quotes on them, no pictures even. Just fancy letters and the words. For folks who love a certain picture show, I guess. Or maybe just like the way the words sound. People are strange sometimes, ya know?
Color and design, that matters too.

It ain’t just the words, ya see. The color of the poster, the way the letters look, all that matters. Bright colors grab your attention. Big, bold letters make the words stand out. They even have special ways of makin’ the letters look fancy, all curly and swirly. It’s all part of the trick, gettin’ ya to look and gettin’ ya to remember.
So, next time you see a picture show poster, take a good look at them film poster quotes.
Think about what they’re tryin’ to tell ya. Are they tryin’ to make ya laugh? Cry? Get excited? And see if it works on ya. Did they get ya hooked? It’s all a big game, ya know, this picture show business, and them posters with their quotes, well, they’re a big part of it.
Tags: film posters, movie quotes, film marketing, cinema advertising, iconic lines, memorable quotes, film taglines, poster design, film promotion, cinema posters