I’ve been long overdue to finally travel about seventy minutes up the road from where I live to downtown Toronto and visit the Royal Ontario Museum to see the amazing collection of film posters in the private collection of Metallica’s Kirk Hammett currently on display for the rest of us to see and appreciate. What held me back? Honestly, I can’t stand the wall to wall traffic while attempting the drive into Toronto. I have no idea just how busy the highways are in western Canada but in my estimation from where I live to the other side of Toronto it’s the most populated area of this great country and I go out of my way to put off any journey that ventures into the Toronto city core.
That hour up the road on the wrong day can be a three hour journey of frustration and road rage. Hence my hesitation …. moving on … finally made it and to a poster collector like yours truly, the Kirk Hammett collection is a wonder to behold.
Yes I took plenty of photos and squeezed myself into a handful so pardon my photobombing a few of these classic images. Join me and enjoy the journey.
Greeting me when I walked in was the famous painting that once hung in the very home of it’s subject, Bela Lugosi. Gave me goosebumps to stand before it.
Entering the Frankenstein exhibit where one can step into the light and be a monster all your own. It’s where Karloff is King.
“Look! It’s moving. It’s alive. It’s alive… It’s alive, it’s moving, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, IT’S ALIVE! “
Over to the Bela side of the showroom where we get a life sized Lugosi in the original suit he wore in White Zombie.
Black Cat corner and one of my favorite one sheets of the Universal Studios Classics.
Even Boris made an appearance in his original Black Cat outfit.
Moving on to the 8th Wonder of World. An original 1933 billboard from a theater lobby on display stunned me.
Some of the other featured posters that I was overjoyed to see and behold.
Photobombing this classic poster that I’d love to have hanging here in the movie vault at Mike’s Take.
This one really caught my attention. A real “beauty.”
While I took plenty of other pictures, I’ll leave you with this 1927 original one sheet that according to the description accompanying it states it’s the only one known in existence. It’s just too bad that we don’t have one final copy of the original film to go with it.
Mike's Take On the Movies 
Wow. I just gained a metric ton of more respect for Metallica. That collection is incredible, but of course, we’ve you to thank as well for this post.
Aside from the group name, I’ve really no idea of Metallica’s music. We were a country music home and I’m still listening to Johnny Cash and company. What’s really cool is that someone who obviously has the means and cash to preserve these has a great love for them and the movies themselves and is sharing them with all of us. Was I jealous? No just thankful that he’s gone out of his way to ensure they don’t disappear and had them restored where necessary.
What a collection! I had no idea Kirk Hammett was such a classic monster movies freak! X–D
I first learned of his collection seeing a book on the shelf at Indigo.
Then before coming to Toronto he had them on loan to a museum in Salem Mass. which somehow seems so appropriate. So glad the next stop was in Toronto. I subsequently picked up the hardcover for the show as well. It’s Alive.
That looks amazing! I’m staggered that some of the original costumes have survived & massive respect to Mr Hammet for preserving/sharing these rare items. I visited the Berlin Film Museum a few years ago and they have a lot of original posters from German silent horror cinema of the 1920s. Some of the inside of the building was period Art Deco design with shining chrome as well, which was wonderful. I would share some photos but I didn’t get many before I was told off for taking them! Very politely…but very firmly!
I too would have visited that show. If only it had travelled to Canada. Hammett did have a 1930’s Nosferatu that I took a pic of but it didn’t come out well. Yes it’s so nice to see that he’s preserving and sharing these lost treasures.
Amazing collection. Some real beautiful posters there. Love the painting of Bela.
That painting of Bela was a real highlight for me knowing it was really his way back in the day. Funny thing is I had always wondered what had happened to it. Nice to know it’s in good hands and available to see.
I thought for a second you had got a “new” hair piece for xmas and were casually showing it off!
Haha love the “Monster Mike Karloff” picture.
The wax works models in the their outfits are incredibly life like!!
Wow amazing to see the scale of the Creature from the Black Lagoon poster. Unless you are in fact only 2ft 1″ and please except my apologises.
What a superb looking exhibit and a great post to go with it.
I had also taken a pic of a gorgeous Dracula’s Daughter that was the size a large office window but now realize I should have stood next to it for scale. Didn’t include it because it one can’t really tell it is so damned huge. On my height let’s just say I’m am slightly taller than Weng Weng. Who you say? Look it up and enjoy.
Was a great exhibit so with some luck maybe it heads your way.
Haha “For Y’ur Height Only ” LOL
Thank you, Mike! Living vicariously through our internet friends…
Glad I could help. Was so happy to hear this was coming to Toronto after it’s debut in Salem Mass.
A cool collection of photos there, and of course, a cool collection of posters. Yeah, that big ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ is a good one. My favorite aspect of it all, however, was the ‘London After Midnight’ story: the movie is gone, and only one poster for it exists…and there it is! And love your lighting on the ‘Frankenstein’ pose…is that you on the left or right?
Guess I’m a dead ringer in that lighting. Each poster had a little story beside it and I had no idea that was the only known copy of London and again too bad no copy of the film exists. Great show for the collector to attend.
I really hoped to make it to this exhibit but could not make the trek from Ottawa in time before it closed. Your pictures and others I have seen recently emphasize the misfortune of that missed opportunity.
Before learning it was coming here I almost drove to Salem Mass. to see it where it debuted for the first time. Sorry you couldn’t make it but glad you liked the pics I shared. Really was a pleasure to see them in person. Cheers’
What an amazing collection! Truly impressive collection. Your photos allowed me to feel like I was there too, so thanks for that!
Also: I hope one day a “Creature from the Black Lagoon” poster will find its way into your collection.
Glad you had a look at them. Was really cool to take a walk back in time in the horror/sci-fi genres with all these on display. I’m still amazed I got a chance to see some of these up close and that original portrait of Lugosi that I’d seen in old photos of Bela standing proudly in front of it was a big WOW. … As for the Creature, we can always hope….
Wow…very impressive. A visit to this museum is now on my bucket liat.
For both classic horror fans and poster collectors it’s a must see. Hope you get to see the show on one of it’s touring spots once the world gets rolling again.