One of the most beautiful components in the film industry, which happens to be along the lines of product marketing, are the cinematic substances of Hollywood posters. A literary and artistic view of posters covering every film genre can be seen through the book, “MGM Posters: The Golden Years,” by Frank Miller.

In the star-struck medium of poster art are the studio?s legendary stars and one-hit wonders, the classics and the not so popular, woven together in a complete package spanning 50 years.

In 1924, Metro Pictures consolidated with Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Productions. The unification allowed MGM to reign as the most powerful studio for decades.

MGM history is well documented through its studio bosses, talented directors and glamourous stars. In contrast, “MGM Posters: The Golden Years” paints the true stories behind Hollywood?s visual advertising.

The book details blonde bombshell Jean Harlow?s big break-through at MGM in 1932 when she was cast as a conniving, red-haired secretary in the movie “Red Headed Woman.” The film was censored around the nation and outright banned in England.In 1967, MGM released “The Dirty Dozen” during a time when racial injustices were high and violence dominated the silver screen. (The poster contains a lot of brutal action.) Starring Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson and football hall-of-famer Jim Brown, one critic “suggested” that it triggered the Detroit race riots.

Essentially, MGM made movie posters as sparkling and sophisticated as its films. The movie company was obsessed with living up to its motto, “More Stars Than There Are in Heaven,” and performed the task through the best contemporary American illustrators such as Alberto Vargas, portrait artist Armando Seguso and Al Hirschfeld.

Definitely the stand-out of the three, Hirschfeld?s poster art provided satirical caricatures of MGM actors and actresses.Throughout the book, Hirschfeld illustrations spoofed the Marx Bros., “The Wizard of Oz” and MGM?s first all-black feature, “Cabin In The Sky.” Still alive, and in his 90s, Hirschfeld is responsible for rock band Aerosmith?s 1977 album cover, “Draw The Line.”

Poster art was considered to be disposable and of no value until a poster of “King Kong” was auctioned off for more than $100,000 and a “Wizard of Oz” poster sold for $10,000 in 1993.

Experts predict that the most sought after posters will sell for an amazing $250,000 or more, according to the book. The bids for all three “Godfather” flicks, “Casablanca” and the pop hit “The Matrix” will probably be in that financial category.

“MGM Posters: The Golden Years” is a comfortable and attractive read interwined with pertinent information found behind the camera lens of “Tinsel Town.” The book is not only a gem for coffee tables. A gift for film lovers or poster art collectors would be a suitable tought, too.