It’s always fun when a celebrity’s movie poster gets shared around the web! On Friday, Robert Pattinson shared his newest movie poster on social media, and it’s such a unique look for the actor. His stylings might remind you of a movie poster for a silent film from the early 20th century. In fact that seems to be the case, as the actor has apparently taken inspiration for his new cinematic venture from the early films of actor Rudolph Valentino.
The film will be released in a few weeks on December 12, and stars Pattinson, Bella Thorne, Saoirse Ronan, Adriana Lima, and Joey King. It’s the second and final part of The Twilight Saga, based on the popular book series by Stephenie Meyer. In some ways, it’s like the trailer for The Great Gatsby starring Patti Smith!
It Reminds Us Of A Few Classic Movie Posters
The movie poster for The Great Gatsby is one of the most iconic of all time. It was created by one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, Segalovitch. The poster perfectly evokes the era of the Jazz Age, which was prevalent in the 1920s and 1930s. The style and subject matter of the artwork are very similar to those on Pattinson’s new poster.
Segalovitch was also the mastermind behind the classic posters for such films as Gone With The Wind, The Wizard Of Oz, and Dumbo. If you’ve ever seen those films, you know exactly what I mean.
While the artwork for The Great Gatsby is incredible, the movie itself was quite forgettable. I don’t think many will miss an opportunity to watch a film starring the incomparable Smith. Unfortunately, the remainder of the cast and crew didn’t quite live up to that expectation. The film was originally supposed to be a Valentino vehicle, but due to creative differences, it was turned into a Powell and Pressburger production.
Why Did He Choose To Re-envision Dressed As Valentino?
When we think of legendary performers such as Valentino, Rudolph Valentino, and Douglas Fairbanks, all of whom starred in early movies that inspired Pattinson’s work, our minds immediately turn to the glamorous lifestyle they led in film. These men were the originals behind the classic ‘boyish charm’ and’manly beauty’ tropes, which are still being utilized today.
It’s easy to see how Valentino would’ve been the perfect choice to inspire the latest addition to Pattinson’s filmography. Not only was he a great actor and dancer, but he also had a successful acting career spanning from the 1910s to the 1930s. For the uninitiated, Rudolph Valentino rose to fame in the 1910s; his most iconic role was probably that of Raul in the 1925 film The Sheik. He then went on to star in a number of other popular films throughout the 1920s, the majority of which focused on his portrayal of a rich playboy.
Perhaps as a reaction to the excesses of the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and the subsequent rise of Nazi Germany, filmgoers of the 1930s were looking for more serious films. This led to a decline in the popularity of the flamboyant Rudolph Valentino.
However, it wasn’t until the 1970s that Rudolph Valentino really started coming back into fashion. Italian fashion house Prada even declared him their unofficial muse in 2012, and celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Demi Moore have since replicated his iconic outfit from the 1920s. Gaga sported a near-identical look for a performance of her song “Joanne” during this year’s Met Gala.
Even now, decades later, fans of Rudolph Valentino are actively seeking out his work. His movies are constantly being reissued on home video and even some of his old films are experiencing a bit of a comeback. Perhaps, with the right marketing push, this emergent fandom could be harnessed and turned into a viable audience for Pattinson’s latest project.
Pattinson Asks For A Bit Of A Gender Flip
Let’s not forget about the amazing male models of the early 20th century, who inspired some of the greatest designers of the time. As fashion evolved and society started to become less constrained by convention, designers started to experiment with their clothes, particularly when it came to women’s wear. As a result, we started to see more daring and feminine looks, which in some ways, can be credited to these models.
It’s interesting to note how designers started to address the female audience. One of the greatest examples of this is Christian Dior’s 1956 “Penthesilea” collection. The iconic designer unveiled a collection of dresses that were inspired by the Greek warrior queen Penthesilea. The British historian L. Worsley described Penthesilea as a “rebel queen” who challenged the “traditional roles of men and women”.
Penthesilea was first portrayed on screen by the stunning Greer Garson in the 1939 film The Gentle Sex. It’s likely that her statuesque beauty and regal bearing inspired Dior’s designs. What are called the “New Look” and “Minimalism” in fashion were greatly influenced by the beauty of Greer Garson and her contemporaries, such as Elizabeth Taylor and Marjorie Merriweather Post.
Where Do The Designs Come From?
As we’ve established, film inspired a great deal of the designs for the latest film poster from Robert Pattinson. It would be remiss not to explore the origin of these cinematic fantasies. Most of the designs seem to come from one of the following sources: