In 1973 I designed two posters (above and bottom top) and the title sequence for an independent film titled “It Happened in Hollywood.” It was not the Richard Dix and Fay Wray, Hollywood version, but a more humorous porn opus produced by Bulo Production (a.k.a. Screw Magazine films) and starring an ingenue, Felicity Split. On premiere night Bulo rented a limo and drove around the block ten times, dropping off different members of the cast and crew each time. It was like something Mel Brooks might have done (and maybe did).
My challenge as the graphic designer on the film was to make a potentially smarmy porno film poster more artful than any other tawdry pulp poster. I can’t say I succeeded in retrospect (I just stumbled upon these after many decades), but compare mine to the other “classic” ones below. You be the judge.
About Steven Heller
Steven Heller is the co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer /Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program, writes frequently for Wired and Design Observer. He is also the author of over 170 books on design and visual culture. He received the 1999 AIGA Medal and is the 2011 recipient of the Smithsonian National Design Award.View all posts by Steven Heller →