Classic movie posters have been an integral part of cinema culture for almost a century. They first appeared in the early days of film to promote upcoming films and entice audiences to see them. These early posters were often simple, black-and-white affairs, with just a few key details about the film and a small image to represent it.

Over time, however, movie posters evolved and became more and more elaborate. Today, they are an art form in their own right, with designers putting as much care and attention into creating them as filmmakers put into making the films themselves.

Some of the most successful movie posters in history were created by a small group of designers and studios. These include designers such as Drew Struzan, who designed posters for films such as the Indiana Jones series and the original Star Wars trilogy, and legendary artist John Alvin, who designed posters for films such as ET the Extra-Terrestrial and Blade Runner.

Another notable designer is Roger Kastel, best known for his iconic poster for the movie Jaws. The poster, which features a giant shark emerging from the water with a terrified swimmer in its mouth, is widely considered one of the greatest movie posters of all time.

Other successful designers include Tom Jung, who designed posters for films such as The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, and Saul Bass' graphic design office, which designed posters for films such as Psycho and Vertigo.

In addition to these individual designers, there are also several studios that have made a name for themselves with the design of classic film posters. These include the now defunct Goldwyn Studios, which designed posters for films such as The Wizard of Oz and Casablanca, and what is now BLT Communications, which designed posters for films such as Titanic and Harry Potter.

It's worth noting that movie posters have also changed over time, not only in terms of style, but also in terms of the medium in which they were created. Posters used to be created with paint and brushes, but as technology has advanced, designers have started using digital tools such as Photoshop and Illustrator to design their posters.

In summary, classic movie posters have been an integral part of cinema culture for almost a century. They have evolved from simple black-and-white images into an art form in their own right, in which designers put as much care and attention into creating them as filmmakers put into making their films. Some of the most successful movie posters in history were created by a small group of designers and studios including Drew Struzan, John Alvin, Roger Kastel, Tom Jung and Saul Bass, and BLT Communications.