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- The Christmas period means there are even more movie posters to analyze, for some of the biggest festive hits of all time. Easter eggs are often included within posters, which is ironic considering the season featured here, but holiday hits really are no different.
'Tis the season to be jolly and appreciate some of the classic Christmas movie posters that have been released over the last few decades. Every poster is uniquely designed to market the film, while also containing a few hidden secrets about what the plot could actually be about.
Oftentimes, these posters have small Easter eggs, or even hidden symbolism relating to the themes of the films. Many of these posters seem very familiar and include images from these iconic pieces of cinema. Each poster tells a story in its own right and of course, they all feel especially festive, considering each one is from a seasonal classic.
UPDATE: 2022/12/23 11:30 EST BY GEORGE CHRYSOSTOMOU
The Christmas period means there are even more movie posters to analyze, for some of the biggest festive hits of all time. Easter eggs are often included within posters, which is ironic considering the season featured here, but holiday hits really are no different.
The Nightmare Before Christmas: Jack Skellington's Rise
The Nightmare Before Christmas features Jack Skellington's rise above Halloweentown, as he ascends to a new holiday; Christmas. He flies above his former home in Santa's sleigh, as he attempts to make the festive period his own in a rather unique, spooky manner.
The poster essentially teases this rise, with Jack named the Pumpkin King in the movie; the imagery used here shows the character literally above the pumpkins themselves. With the moon in the distance, it symbolizes the metaphorical height he will reach and the literal one in the sleigh.
Home Alone 2: A Statue Callback
Home Alone 2 teases the premise of the movie in its poster, while also calling back to the first. The film is set in New York and sees all manner of traps set for the return of the Wet Bandits. However, the newspaper has an Easter egg that might be hard to miss for diehard fans.
It features the Statue of Liberty, which is obviously a massive New York landmark, depicted in the same pose as Kevin from the first installment of the franchise. That shocked look also pays reference to Kevin's mum, who is just as devastated to have left him behind... again!
Klaus: A Hidden Tree
Klaus is all about bringing Christmas to a tiny town that's constantly at war. The major themes of the movie are all featured in the poster, from the battling factions of the townsfolk to the first-ever iteration of Santa and his helpers, alongside the postman protagonist.
But for those who might not realize that the movie is all about beginning festive traditions, above this ragtag group is the shape of a Christmas tree, made up of the silhouette of the town itself. It's a fun nod to the festive spirit being in the very heart of Smeerensburg.
The Polar Express: The Bell
The Polar Express doesn't always make a great deal of sense, but it's a favorite among many. The bell is an important prop throughout the film, with the gift given to the young hero representing the spirit of Christmas. Those who can hear the bell continue to believe.
Not only does the child on the poster appear to have some in his closed hand, likely the bell itself, but the bell on the front of the Polar Express is also important in its imagery too, linking back to the very object that falls from the reigns of Santa's sleight. It's a little hint of what's to come.
Deck The Halls: The Moon
Deck The Halls is another underrated hit in the Christmas genre, with an all-star cast battling it out for the ultimate festive display. It's slapstick comedy at its finest and is a simple production for the family to enjoy. Its poster very much teases that conflict.
The two leads can be seen in a tug of war over the Christmas lights, but more importantly, the moon can be seen at the top of the poster. The Christmas lights have to be seen from space, so a reminder of the goal is cleverly included through that lunar easter egg.
Home Alone: False Fear
Home Alone wasn't that bad of a time for Kevin. While he did have to fight off the burglars and felt pretty alone in a big house all by himself, he did get to try out his newfound freedom, to mixed results. The poster uses one of the most iconic images from the film.
The shocked look of Kevin is supposed to symbolize his fear of the robbers, with the poster selling a story that audiences expect. Of course, really, Kevin takes it all in his stride, with the poster misleadingly actually teasing the bathroom scene.
Elf: Out Of Place
The story of Elf is really that of someone who is constantly looking for his place. It's not at the North Pole surrounded by elves and it's evidently not with his family in New York either. The poster secretly portrays this idea very well.
While it's obvious that using Buddy as the "l" in Elf is a fun marketing trick, it's also symbolic of the theme. Not only are the other letters far shorter than him, symbolizing the other elves, but he is also the odd one out, just like everywhere else he goes. The letters are even dressed like the elves.
Jingle Jangle: Journey's Gift
Jingle Jangle is an extremely new addition to the festive watchlist for this year, but it's sure to become a favorite for many families in years to come. The poster manages to capture much of the same magic that the movie portrays.
One of the interesting details is the ball of light that Journey holds in her hand. While there's not a scene where she holds light like this, it does make reference to the way she writes out her equations in the air and is also symbolic of the belief she still holds, which she must help her grandpa find again.
Love Actually: Harry's Betrayal
Love Actually is one of the most famous Christmas romantic comedies. Charming and endlessly funny, there's one particular moment that actually brings a touch of tragedy to an otherwise, overall, joyous film.
The betrayal of Alan Rickman's Harry to his wife, played by Emma Thompson, is an emotionally fraught moment. The poster teases this a little, with Thompson looking slightly sadly over at Rickman, who is in turn seemingly 'making eyes' at someone else!
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation: Christmas Gifts
Strangely enough, despite how sparse the poster for this National Lampoon's adventure is, it actually contains the key to the whole plot. Of course, the main premise of this poster is teasing the light debacle that happens in the movie.
The only other objects of note are the presents themselves. A huge part of the plot concerns what gift Clark will be given from his work. He's expecting a raise, but his hopes are dashed. A large portion of the narrative is then about trying to change his boss's mind and the poster teases this with the festive boxes.
Arthur Christmas: Arthur's Spirit
Arthur Christmas may be quite the underrated Christmas classic, but its poster definitely lives up to the unique wit of the movie itself and it's very cleverly organized to showcase the general narrative of the movie.
For starters, the characters are all subtly arranged into the shape of a Christmas tree. What's more, Arthur is at the top, with that all-important letter, like the star he is, demonstrating his fate as head of the family and his role as the spirit in the North Pole.
Jingle All The Way: The Real Turbo Man
Jingle All The Way may be a pretty wild film, but at its core, it is really the story of a father and a son. This is beautifully displayed on the poster and the Turbo Man doll he is searching for is there for all to see.
But young Jamie isn't looking at the toy, he's looking up at his father instead. In the movie, his father essentially becomes the real Turbo Man, demonstrating that he's the real hero for Jamie to look up to, and the poster effectively translates this idea.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas: A Change Of Heart
Everyone knows the story of the Grinch, but it still doesn't hurt to use the poster to stage exactly how the film might play out. Of course, the titular Grinch is holding a bauble, demonstrating that he has stolen an element of Christmas.
Demonstrating his character arc though, he is holding it directly above a Christmas tree. The image, therefore, looks like he is both taking the decoration and putting it back, which sums up the cycle of his inner conflict.
The Muppet Christmas Carol: The Real World Ghosts
The Muppets are an iconic set of characters, so when it was announced that they would be producing their own take on the Charles Dickens classic, fans were optimistic. And Jim Henson and his production company didn't disappoint.
One interesting note about the poster for the film is that it doesn't contain any of the famous ghosts from the story. Instead, it has the Muppets themselves, as ghostly images floating at the top, and a deserted street with Scrooge, demonstrating who is really affected by his actions and how he is pushing people, or Muppets in this case, away.
The Santa Clause: Stepping Into The Boots
One of Tim Allen's most celebrated film franchises happens to be an extremely festive one. With the Santa clause coming into effect after Scott accidentally kills him, he must now take on the role of Santa himself!
The poster doesn't include a very specific aspect of Santa's outfit and that is the boots. Clearly a deliberate choice, as at this stage, Scott hasn't fully, figuratively, and literally, stepped into St. Nick's shoes yet, and so it makes more sense to have them missing.