The 1950s and 1960s were a time of significant change in Hollywood, as the studios began to shift away from the wholesome, family-friendly films of the past and embrace more adult themes and content. One of the most popular genres of this era was the “bad girl” film, featuring strong, independent, and often dangerous female characters. These films were heavily marketed with posters that featured sultry and seductive images of the “bad girl” characters, and these posters have since become iconic and collectible pieces of movie memorabilia.
One of the most famous “bad girl” films of the 1950s was the film noir classic “Gun Crazy,” which starred Peggy Cummins as a gun-toting femme fatale who seduces a young man into a life of crime. The poster for the film features Cummins in a black dress, holding a gun and smoking a cigarette, with the tagline “She was the kind of woman a man would die for.” This poster is considered one of the most iconic “bad girl” posters of the 1950s, and it is still highly sought after by collectors today.
In the 1960s, the “bad girl” genre continued to evolve, with films such as “The Killing of Sister George” and “The Graduate” featuring strong and complex female characters. The poster for “The Killing of Sister George” features Beryl Reid in a mannish outfit, with a tagline that reads “, She was a woman who loved women.” This poster perfectly captures the film’s theme of sexual exploration and societal boundaries.
The 1970s saw a rise in the popularity of “blaxploitation” films, which featured black actors and actresses in leading roles. One of the most iconic “bad girl” posters of this era is for the film “Coffy,” which starred Pam Grier as a nurse who seeks revenge against the drug dealers who harmed her sister. The poster features Grier in a revealing outfit, holding a shotgun, with the tagline, “They call her ‘Coffy’ and she’ll cream you!” This poster is considered one of the most iconic examples of the “bad girl” genre, and it is still highly sought after by collectors today.
