Normally I am not one for campiness in a poster, unless the movie is meant to be that type of comedy. Yet, somehow it works with the next 007 poster on my list of the U.S. one-sheet posters.
11. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Go ahead and look over that poster a little longer. There is a lot to take in. There is the obvious shots of James Bond and girlfriend, but in the background is a barrage of henchmen and action. Even for a Bond poster, that is a lot of bad guys chasing after our hero. But what makes this poster even more outlandish is what Diana Rigg is wearing. In what world does she live in that snow falls enough to ski and wearing a pink low-cut, short skirted go-go dress is a practical idea?
My only real complaint, other than Rigg's costumer for this poster, is the movie's title card being placed right in the middle of the action. I assume the thought process behind this was, "Well, 30 henchmen with automatic weapons might be enough to put on this poster. Go ahead and cover up those extra 70 henchmen with the title of the movie and other needed credits. We don't want to be excessive, now do we?"
I really like the poster at the top, but my favorite would probably be the U.S. advance teaser poster.
With Sean Connery retiring from the role after You Only Live Twice, this was the first time audiences had gone through an actor change with the role of James Bond. Keeping the actor a secret for the teaser poster of On Her Majesty's Secret Service is somewhat of a bold move as it doesn't do much in the way of promoting your film, but it does generate buzz, which is the point of posters and other marketing strategies. A shirtless, faceless Bond surrounded by bikini-clad women is an intriguing way to advertise your movie, especially since it was to be released in December and half of the plot takes place in the Swiss Alps.
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