US Library of Congress MPs
From 2008-2016 I lived in the great city of Washington DC - still miss it!
Anyways in 2013-2014 I visited the stupendous Library of Congress several times.
Once I visited the fabulous Reading Room to read the rare, out-of-print autobiography of Veronica Lake. Let me transport you there....
You're welcome, ha-ha.
But mostly I went there to see its very impressive collection of MPs. For historical reasons, their movie paper is split into two separate divisions:
- Prints and Photographs: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/
- Motion Picture Division: http://www.loc.gov/rr/mopic/
In the prints and photographs reading room, which is quite spacious, you can request to view the physical posters, although they pressure you to view them on the computer. Many of the posters are not in the computer system and you can only find through them by thumbing through ancient card catalogs. Unfortunately I've lost my pics of the actual posters. I also inexcusably never requested to view their partial Metropolis German 3S, their top poster:
In the Motion Picture reading room, which is rather small, you can look through the microfilms (yes, ancient technology!). Back in the day the studios would send physical copies of both the film reels and the film promotional materials, which are stored out in warehouses and not accessible to the general public. I was able to find the copyright filing for Dracula (1931) and the pressbook for This Gun For Hire on the microfilms.
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You can view their MP posters in small size here:
1950s:
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/related/?va=exact&st=gallery&q=Motion+picture+posters--American--1950-1960.&fi=format&sg=true&op=EQUAL
1940s:
1930s:
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/related/?va=exact&st=gallery&q=Motion+picture+posters--American--1930-1940.&fi=format&sg=true&op=EQUAL
1920s:
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/related/?va=exact&st=gallery&q=Motion+picture+posters--American--1920-1930.&fi=format&sg=true&op=EQUAL
1910s:
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/related/?va=exact&st=gallery&q=Motion+picture+posters--American--1910-1920.&fi=format&sg=true&op=EQUAL
*****
I downloaded XL images of my favorite MPs at the LOC itself and spent many hours polishing them in Pshop.
The original posters were often in rough shape (before and after Pshop):
I've uploaded 21 of my "polished" LOC images here - enjoy!:
Slideshow: http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/HereComesMongo1968/slideshow/LOC
Story: http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/HereComesMongo1968/LOC/story
My fave of the bunch:
Anyways in 2013-2014 I visited the stupendous Library of Congress several times.
Once I visited the fabulous Reading Room to read the rare, out-of-print autobiography of Veronica Lake. Let me transport you there....
You're welcome, ha-ha.
But mostly I went there to see its very impressive collection of MPs. For historical reasons, their movie paper is split into two separate divisions:
- Prints and Photographs: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/
- Motion Picture Division: http://www.loc.gov/rr/mopic/
In the prints and photographs reading room, which is quite spacious, you can request to view the physical posters, although they pressure you to view them on the computer. Many of the posters are not in the computer system and you can only find through them by thumbing through ancient card catalogs. Unfortunately I've lost my pics of the actual posters. I also inexcusably never requested to view their partial Metropolis German 3S, their top poster:
In the Motion Picture reading room, which is rather small, you can look through the microfilms (yes, ancient technology!). Back in the day the studios would send physical copies of both the film reels and the film promotional materials, which are stored out in warehouses and not accessible to the general public. I was able to find the copyright filing for Dracula (1931) and the pressbook for This Gun For Hire on the microfilms.
*****
1950s:
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/related/?va=exact&st=gallery&q=Motion+picture+posters--American--1950-1960.&fi=format&sg=true&op=EQUAL
1940s:
1930s:
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/related/?va=exact&st=gallery&q=Motion+picture+posters--American--1930-1940.&fi=format&sg=true&op=EQUAL
1920s:
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/related/?va=exact&st=gallery&q=Motion+picture+posters--American--1920-1930.&fi=format&sg=true&op=EQUAL
1910s:
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/related/?va=exact&st=gallery&q=Motion+picture+posters--American--1910-1920.&fi=format&sg=true&op=EQUAL
*****
I downloaded XL images of my favorite MPs at the LOC itself and spent many hours polishing them in Pshop.
The original posters were often in rough shape (before and after Pshop):
I've uploaded 21 of my "polished" LOC images here - enjoy!:
Slideshow: http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/HereComesMongo1968/slideshow/LOC
Story: http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/HereComesMongo1968/LOC/story
My fave of the bunch:
1
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Thanks Mel
*****
I cleaned up the LOC images, gave them a blue sheen, and added some livelier titles:
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Full size (27x41, 150 DPI) IMAGE HERE:
www.moviepostercollectors.guide/Storage/Met2.jpg
That reading room is amazing! Isn't that the same one as shown in All the President's Men? (one of my favorites)
What a treat to be able to see some rare 30s' paper in person!