Cleopatra

Artist: Thomas William Chantrell
Format: UK Quad (30"x 40")
Condition: Excellent
Year: 1963

Description

Historical epic “Cleopatra” (1963) became notorious for two things following its release. The first was its huge production budget which made it one of the most expensive films ever made; $44 million which can be adjusted to $320 million in 2013. The second was the passionate (and very public) affair that took place during filming between its two leads Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton which made headlines worldwide and started what became a tumultuous relationship. Despite their star presence and moderate box office success, the film inevitably failed to recoup its gargantuan budget and became the only film ever to be the highest grossing release of the year yet still run at a loss.

The Quad poster by artist Tom Chantrell is vivid, colourful and detailed in its design, working well in portraying the film's known excesses. The epic nature of the film is in full view through illustrations of its vast and impressive sets and set-pieces whilst the star-factor is also promoted with Taylor taking centre-stage in sumptuous imagery with Burton and Rex Harrison not so far behind.

American poster illustrator Howard Terpning produced the artwork that would be used in publicity materials for much of the rest of the world. His original design, detailing Burton and Taylor in a lustful and romantic pose reportedly angered their co-star, the omitted Harrison. Harrison subsequently, and successfully, sued 20th Century Fox and Terpning was required to add him into the design. Several revised versions ensued, the image of the US 1-Sheet poster shown here being an early rushed design (image courtesy of emovieposter.com)

The controversy did not stop there. Chantrell was later also commissioned to produce the artwork for the British spoof on the film, “Carry on Cleo” (1964). Disputes arose yet again as the first poster he produced for the film (see a rare example of a UK 1-Sheet below image courtesy of www.moviepostermem.com), was actually withdrawn from circulation by Fox after they brought forward a copyright claim that the design too closely resembled Terpning’s artwork for the original film which Fox owned (for the detailed story, please refer to Sim Branaghan's book "British Film Posters" 2006).