Here are two very different posters for both versions of Cape Fear, 30 years apart.

The first is a Belgian poster for the Gregory Peck/Robert Mitchum 1962 version. Cape Fear is a taut noir-style thriller about an upright lawyer tormented by a recently paroled psycho he helped put in jail. The French title “les nerfs a vif” translates as “nerves on edge”, which makes for an equally good, pulpy moniker, I think.

I’ve recently collected a number of Belgian film noir/crime/gangster posters from the 50s/60s which I shall post here in due course. I like this movie, but must admit I don’t love this poster – the moody artwork for the French release poster is much better IMHO. So I will be selling this one in due course.

The 1991 Martin Scorcese version blurs the lines between good and evil somewhat, whilst at the same time cranking up the dramatics to breaking point, not least with Robert de Niro’s high intensity (aka OTT) performance as the baddie.

This UK quad poster illustrates a pet peeve of mine: posters with the press reviews plastered all over them. Yes, I know its a tried-and-trusted promotional method, but it makes for a lousy, crowded poster, with the image squeezed small into the middle.  The original US one-sheet, with the same image but minus all the press blurb, is much better.