Monday, August 25, 2008

Help Me Help You...er No...Just Help Me

There's something that I've always wondered about so maybe my readers (all four of you) can help me out.

For years now I've noticed on video covers and movie posters, during the little part on the bottom that lists the credits, that one of the actors names would have a box around it.

For example, here's the poster for John Carpenter's "The Fog":


So if you look at the credit part:


You'll see that Janet Leigh's name is boxed in. Now, I figured maybe it was to highlight this particular person was in this movie for some strange reason, but then I noticed it on other movies, and the people in the box were people I never heard of. Sorry, can't provide an example of that, I can't think of any right now and all my movies are in boxes right now.

So my question is: What up, yo? Why the boxing in names? Does it mean something? Did that particular person in the box do something special or something? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?
-Jason

5 comments:

Glenn said...

I have a poster for Taxi Driver on my wall and the names "JODIE FOSTER" and "PETER BOYLE as Wizard" have boxes around them and I too have never been able to figure it out.

It's like how in television opening credits at the end they'll have "and so-and-so" even through they're a major character and are in every episode (David Kelley programs have it all the time).

Reel Whore said...

I'd assume it has something to do with their amount of celebrity at the time, but I can't find anything to support that theory.

Hopefully someone will answer so we'll all know.

Fletch said...

Sorry...I got nothing.

elgringo said...

Great question. Maybe Janet Leigh, or her representatives, were upset at her lower billing. The box keeps her happy, just like the "and this guy as X" addition.

Scott
he-shot-cyrus.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

It's typically something an actor's agent negotiates for. Believe it or not, most contracts with actors actually specify what size type their name is in relation to the other actors and the title.

So I'm sure it was either an incentive the company gave Janet Leigh, or something her agent asked for.
-Kango