Becket
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| Poster Origin : | Czech / Slovakia |
| Poster Size : | Czech A3 / 297 x 420mm |
| Poster Artist : | Jiří Svoboda |
| Poster Year : | 1964 |
| Poster Version : | First Release |
| Film Origin : | United Kingdom |
| Film Director : | Peter Glenville |
| Film Year : | 1964 |
A very modern treatment of graphical components that nicely capture the medieval flavour of kings, cardinals and cathedrals without resorting to anything appropriating Anglican iconography.
Two bisecting lines of perpendicular type are enough to suggest a crucifix in the backdrop, giving the credits a useful role in the design.
Particularly pleasing is the use of the sword symbol to represent the final letter, which is worth much more than face value. Many international posters for Becket have a sword shape shoe-horned into the letter ‘B’, which is contrived, ugly and pointless; it doesn’t work and doesn’t make sense. Here though it is infinitely superior and makes a smart, meaningful reference to the assassin’s blade - it is literally the end of the name, and allegorically the end of the man.