The 1978 poster for John Carpenter’s Halloween was created by designer Bob Gleason as a bold, minimalist image. It shows Michael Myers’ gloved hand gripping a kitchen knife, with jagged pumpkin lines weaving around the blade. Some viewers later spotted what looked like a hidden face formed by the knuckles and veins, a detail that Gleason says was not intentional.
In an auction letter, Gleason explained that his aim was dramatic light and the strobe-like effect of the pumpkin, not to embed a monster in the hand. He says he didn’t consciously know a screaming face with worm-like features would emerge from the hand, yet the image haunted observers for years. The design’s eerie resonance came about by chance rather than plan.
Gleason’s managers initially preferred placing the white-faced mask at the center of the image, but the artist persisted with the hand-and-knife concept. The commission took about three to four days, and the poster would become a defining image of the franchise. Gleason later painted posters for other projects, including The Fog and Halloween Ends, the 2022 film, among a long list of screen-worthy work.
Over the years, talk of hidden details has become part of the poster’s lore. Rumors about jagged “teeth” suggesting initials have circulated, and there’s also a persistent Disney rumor about a phallic shape in The Little Mermaid artwork—both widely considered coincidences. Even actor Tony Moran has teased audiences at conventions, encouraging fans to look closely and decide for themselves.
Source: Original article
