What is a movie tagline you ask?
It is a one-sentence phrase that captures the essence of a movie and conveys it to its potential audience in a way that could influence them to go and see it.
My favourite tagline is still the one from the first 'Alien' movie directed by Ridley Scott and starring Sigourney Weaver: "In space no one can hear you scream."
For me it conveys so much with so few words. In that one short sentence it says it is a science-fiction movie set in space, it is scary and you are pretty much on your own.
Below is a collection of fifty great movie taglines which have successfully distilled a movie into a single sentence...
"Life Is In Their Hands — Death Is On Their Minds!"
12 Angry Men (1957)
"This is the story of J.J. — But not the way he wants it told!"
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
"Unspeakable Horrors From Outer Space Paralyze the Living and Resurrect The Dead!"
Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)
"Check in. Relax. Take a shower."
Psycho (1960)
"...and remember, the next scream you hear may be your own!"
The Birds (1963)
"The movie with something to offend everyone."
The Loved One (1965)
"For Three Men The Civil War Wasn't Hell. It Was Practice!"
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
"This is Benjamin. He's a little worried about his future."
The Graduate (1967)
"Not that it matters, but most of it is true."
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
"You don't assign him to murder cases. You just turn him loose."
Dirty Harry (1971)
"This is the weekend they didn't play golf."
Deliverance (1972)
"To avoid fainting keep repeating: it's only a movie, it's only a movie"
The Last House on the Left (1972)
"Makes Ben Hur look like an epic"
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
"On every street in every city, there's a nobody who dreams of being a somebody."
Taxi Driver (1976)
"The Only Thing More Terrifying Than The Last 12 Minutes Of This Film Are The First 92."
Suspiria (1977)
"You'll Believe A Man Can Fly!"
Superman: The Movie (1978)
"In space no one can hear you scream."
Alien (1979)
"They'll never get caught. They're on a mission from God."
The Blues Brothers (1980)
"Pathetic Earthlings... Who Can Save You Now?"
Flash Gordon (1980)
"Science created him. Now Chuck Norris must destroy him."
Silent Rage (1982)
"Man is the warmest place to hide"
The Thing (1982)
"They're not just getting rich...they're getting even."
Trading Places (1983)
"It's 4 A.M. — do you know where your car is?"
Repo Man (1984)
"Who you gonna call?"
Ghostbusters (1984)
"Does for rock and roll what The Sound of Music did for hills."
This is Spinal Tap (1984)
"Herbert West Has A Very Good Head On His Shoulders... And Another One In A Dish On His Desk"
Re-Animator (1985)
"One Man's Struggle To Take It Easy."
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
"The first casualty of war is innocence."
Platoon (1986)
"This time, it's personal."
Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
"She gets kidnapped. He gets killed. But it all ends up okay."
The Princess Bride (1987)
"When he pours, he reigns."
Cocktail (1988)
"The dancing's over. Now it gets dirty."
Road House (1989)
"Cruise like Thunder"
Days of Thunder (1990)
"Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas."
Army of Darkness (1992)
"Lie. Cheat. Steal. All In A Day's Work."
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
"You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll hurl."
Wayne's World (1992)
"He's having the worst day of his life...over, and over..."
Groundhog Day (1993)
"See it with a Bud"
Dazed and Confused (1993)
"Stealing, cheating, killing... Who said romance was dead?"
True Romance (1993)
"Movies were his passion. Women were his inspiration. Angora sweaters were his weakness."
Ed Wood (1994)
"Drink from me and live forever"
Interview With the Vampire (1994)
"EARTH - Take a good look. It could be your last."
Independence Day (1996)
"The coast is toast."
Volcano (1997)
"It Happened To Someone Who Knows Someone You Know... You're Next."
Urban Legend (1998)
"You Won't Believe Your Eye."
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
"He knows no fear, he knows no danger, he knows nothing"
Johnny English (2003)