One of the greatest movies of all-time, Chinatown, also happens to have one of the coolest movie posters of all-time. My personal fave is the US version by Jim Pearsall, but the German version done by American artist, Richard Amsel, has its share of loyal fans, too. The French version, unfortunately, is uncredited, but I just had to feature it since this was a world class smackdown!
Like Rico Suave, Who Let The Dogs Out, and The Macarena Song, I guess you could say Jim Pearsall was a one-hit wonder — but what a hit it was! While working at the now-defunct movie marketing behemoth, Diener Hauser Bates Advertising, Pearsall created the artwork for Chinatown, which is arguably the greatest movie poster of all-time. And other than the 70’s b-movie Breakout starring Charles Bronson, I haven’t really come across any more of his work. So if anybody out there knows more, please let us know!
NOTE: This Jim Pearsall is not to be confused with ex-Major League baseball player, Jimmy Piersall, who was portrayed by the athletically-abominable Anthony Perkins in the 1957 sports drama, Fear Strikes Out.
Movie Poster Museum 