“One distinguishing characteristic of the American work is its imaginative use of photography. This, the most widely used graphic technique in American motion picture advertising, maybe have developed in order to satisfy the generally skeptical attitude of the consumer, which harks back to the circus days when the only proof was in the seeing. The photography seems to carry the necessary reassurance that what is promised will be there.”
— Saul Bass on the prevalence of photography in film posters (via Graphis #48, 1953)