Write Up: The Dude Designs' "Video Nasty" Art Print

I've got a ton of respect for the folks at Poster Collective. Like me, they love movie posters. So much so, the founding trio felt the need to create a website dedicated to their existence. But unlike me, they went one step further and started working with artists and commissioning art. It's cool enough that they're consistently publishing fantastic content, but they're also shaping and contributing to the underground movie poster movement, which is something I'm in awe of. Case in point: Tom Hodge's "Video Nasty."

"Video Nasty" Art Print
Tom Hodge (AKA The Dude Designs)
18" x 24" (Giclée) - Numbered
$45 - Limited to 150
Inspired By: Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Child's Play

For those of us who weren't born in the UK -- like me, for example -- I thought it might be helpful to provide a little context and background on the the term "video nasty." As I understand it, "video nasty" was an expression used by the British press to decry all that was wrong right with horror movies on home video throughout the 80s and 90s. What started as a derogatory moniker, seems to have been reappropriated by many a right-thinking horror fan and is now a battle cry of sorts in celebration of the schlocky, the gory, and the obscenely violent. In other words: "video nasty" is good, "video nasty" is great. And while you don't necessarily need any additional info about the term or its history to enjoy this beautifully illustrated walk down memory lane, I'd highly recommend checking out the comprehensive Q&A with The Dude Designs at postercollective.com where much is revealed about the print and its inspiration. Tom Hodge, the man behind this ode to things that go stab in the night, has already crafted a bunch of memorable movie posters / artwork (They Live Blu-ray art, Hobo with a Shotgun and The Innkeepers posters) and seems to have no problem tapping into that "this flick is going to shock the ever living hell out of you" terror / excitement we all secretly felt when walking through the rogues gallery that was the "Horror" section at our local video rental store when VHS ruled the world. And for that we thank him.

The Dude Designs' "Video Nasty" print will be available today at 10 AM Eastern (7 AM Pacific) through Poster Collective's site for $45. The artwork measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 150. If you need any more reason to pull the trigger, this tidbit is for you: a small portion of the profits from every poster sold will go to Keep A Breast (a nonprofit breast cancer organization). To learn more about artist Tom Hodge, be sure to check out his super informative blog and follow him on Twitter @the_dudedesigns. You can also follow the mad ramblings of the Poster Collective crew by adding @PosterPeople to your feed. Happy hunting!

Jason Edmiston's "Nightmare on Elm Street 3" Movie Poster

UPDATE 1 (8/7): These are all sold out, but I have a strong feeling that at some point in the near future some APs of Edmiston's Nightmare on Elm Street 3 poster will be available through his Etsy store. Keep checking back.

Wow, I'm feeling straight-up prolific tonight. Jason Edmiston, the man behind February's gruesome Maniac Cop 2 poster has delivered another great Mondo print, this time from a Springwood zip code (that's where the majority of Freddy's killings take place).

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors Movie Poster
Jason Edmiston
18" x 24"
$40 - Edition of 200

When I heard Mondo had commissioned a Nightmare on Elm Street 3 poster, two iconic death scenes immediately came to mind: the first being when Freddy uses a guy's tendons to control him like a marionette, the second being when Freddy uses a girl's fear of drug addiction and kills her with syringe fingers (i.e., the image depicted in the Mondo poster). And Jason completely nails it. His Nightmare 3 poster has a grotesque quality to it that really highlights Mr. Kreuger's charred flesh and grimy clothing (fedora and all). I won't go into too much more detail on this one, because I need to get some sleep (hoping I won't run into Freddy), but if you already have the Alex Pardee Nightmare on Elm Street poster, then getting this print is a no brainer. Well done Jason!

Jason Edmiston's A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors poster will be available through Mondo at a random time tomorrow (8/4). The syringe-friendly print will cost $40, measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 200. I bet this poster looks brilliant up close. Follow @MondoNews for the exact release time and be sure to visit jasonedmiston.com to see more of the man's artwork (he's still got a few Maniac Cop 2 APs for sale!). This seems like the only way I could end this post:

"One, two, Freddy's coming for you.

Three, four, better lock your door.

Five, six, grab your crucifix.

Seven, eight, gonna stay up late.

Nine, ten, never sleep again."

Have a great night everyone!

Alex Pardee's "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Scream" Movie Posters

My horror geek brain just imploded on itself! Alex Pardee, who I'm pretty sure I've never covered on this blog before, has created two masterpieces in the form of his Scream and A Nightmare on Elm Street posters. I'll be brief about it, because I've still got quite a bit of packing to do, but I'm completely in love with both of these posters, which are part of Mondo's Wes Craven Director's Series.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

This is probably my favorite of the two, but that's because A Nightmare on Elm Street played a huge role in my childhood (that's probably not very healthy). I still remember being the only kid in school with a subscription to Fangoria and making my mom take me to see the tongue-in-cheek Freddy's Dead (complete with ridiculous 3D). This poster depicts Johnny Depp's (that's right, A Nightmare on Elm Street was Depp's first on screen credit) supernatural and technically brilliant death scene (they created an upside down room to make the blood look like it was shooting upwards). I could go on an on about how this poster kicks incredible ass, but I'll just sum it up by saying Alex Pardee's twisted visual style fits in perfectly with the terrifying world Wes Craven created in his 1984 classic. Pardee's A Nightmare on Elm Street poster will be available on Thursday (4/14) through Mondo for a very reasonable $35. The print measures 16" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 160. Be sure to follow @MondoNews for the exact release time (I recommend waking up early that day). And if you love A Nightmare on Elm Street as much as I do, I highly recommend picking up the amazing documentary Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy. If you're digging either of these posters you should also be sure to check out Pardee's blog and online store.

Scream

I showed this to my girlfriend and she immediately shook her head. "Nope. There's no way that's going anywhere near our walls." But you know what? I think if she sees it in person she'll change her mind immediately…or she'll make me put it in my flat file, either way I'm going for it. Pardee's grotesque Scream poster is not for the faint of heart, but then again, a lot of what Alex dreams up isn't. As usual, whenever I see an Alex Pardee print or painting I know I'm in for some incredibly detailed work. I mean look at that viscera, it's absolutely disgusting, and that's a very good thing in this case. Much like his Nightmare poster, Alex's disturbing Scream print measures 16" x 24", costs $35 and will be available this coming Thursday (4/14) through Mondo. The poster is limited to an edition of 140. Wow, I can't believe Scream is already 15 years old. What's your favorite scary movie?

My final post this week will be dedicated to Phantom City Creative's insane Back to 80's poster series. I can't wait!