A general question on film poster promotion. What was the marketing advantage of stating, like this one does, "Eastman Colour and Cromoscope" rather than simply using a generic "Widescreen and in Colour" ? Is there a requirement that such technical info from the rolling film credits be shown on posters? Are we public expected to discern anything from these names? Do the various 'Scopes imply anything about image quality on screen apart from the aspect ratio?
Stating Eastman colour and CromoScope meant that the movie wasn't in plain old Black and White.
Black & White movies in standard aspect ratio didn't advertise that they were in B&W and standard aspect ratio. This was a marketing tactic. Movies in colour, no manner the process, and in widescreen, no matter the process, were more desirable than plain old B&W and standard aspect ratio.
CinemaScope was a brand and a flawed process (distortions). Instead of paying a lot of money for the brand name and a quickly outdated film process, many studios, in Hollywood and in Europe, created different widescreen process which were cheaper, more stable and looked great. CinemaScope quickly fell out of favour and was replaced by Panavision in the US and a variety of different widescreen process in Europe, including Techniscope. The last movies in CinemaScope were In Like Flint and Caprice, both released in 1967. This means CinemaScope only lasted 14 years since THE ROBE, the first movie in CinemaScope, was released in 1953.
Today, all movies are shot in colour and are in widescreen so there's no point of pointing this out on posters and advertising. It's a standard now but it wasn't the case in the 1950s and 1960s.
The 'Eastman Colour and Cromoscope' on this poster were definitely a marketing must because otherwise, from the poster artwork, the film simply looks like an ordinary B&W standard film of the time.
A general question on film poster promotion.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the marketing advantage of stating, like this one does, "Eastman Colour and Cromoscope" rather than simply using a generic "Widescreen and in Colour" ? Is there a requirement that such technical info from the rolling film credits be shown on posters? Are we public expected to discern anything from these names? Do the various 'Scopes imply anything about image quality on screen apart from the aspect ratio?
Stating Eastman colour and CromoScope meant that the movie wasn't in plain old Black and White.
ReplyDeleteBlack & White movies in standard aspect ratio didn't advertise that they were in B&W and standard aspect ratio. This was a marketing tactic. Movies in colour, no manner the process, and in widescreen, no matter the process, were more desirable than plain old B&W and standard aspect ratio.
CinemaScope was a brand and a flawed process (distortions). Instead of paying a lot of money for the brand name and a quickly outdated film process, many studios, in Hollywood and in Europe, created different widescreen process which were cheaper, more stable and looked great. CinemaScope quickly fell out of favour and was replaced by Panavision in the US and a variety of different widescreen process in Europe, including Techniscope. The last movies in CinemaScope were In Like Flint and Caprice, both released in 1967. This means CinemaScope only lasted 14 years since THE ROBE, the first movie in CinemaScope, was released in 1953.
Today, all movies are shot in colour and are in widescreen so there's no point of pointing this out on posters and advertising. It's a standard now but it wasn't the case in the 1950s and 1960s.
Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteThe 'Eastman Colour and Cromoscope' on this poster were definitely a marketing must because otherwise, from the poster artwork, the film simply looks like an ordinary B&W standard film of the time.
ReplyDeleteFrom a previous posting with useful comments for reference:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.peplumtv.com/2012/05/peplum-scope.html