Art Appreciation - October Edition

If you've been coming to Posterocalypse for any length of time, you've probably noticed that I review posters, sometimes at great length, in addition to providing their corresponding pricing, availability and edition info; this is both good and bad. On the one hand, this gives me time to wax philosophic about my love of poster design and steadily increase my dependence on sites like thesaurus.com and IMDb. On the other hand, I spend so much time writing my posts (keep in mind I have a full-time job outside of Posterocalypse) that I often don't have time to promote other prints or posters that I feel deserve the same level of love and affection - and that's exactly what I plan on remedying with my "Art Appreciation" column.

"Art Appreciation" will feature all of the prints that I've taken a liking to recently, but for some reason or another haven't found the time to write about in detail. These posts will be light on text (minus this lengthy introduction) and heavy on artwork and release info. I plan on doing at least one of these posts every month, maybe even twice a month, and hopefully introducing Posterocalypse readers to some great artists and some beautiful artwork. Let me know what you think!

"The Lords of R'yleh" Art Print
Godmachine
16" x 24" - Numbered
$35 - Limited to 150

Another beautiful print from the artist Godmachine, this time celebrating the Dark Lord, Cthulu. The print is currently available through the Nakatomi storefront for a very affordable $35. "The Lords of R'yleh" print measures 16" x 24", is limited to 150 and costs $35. Head over to Godmachine's website at godmachinedesigns.blogspot.com or follow him @godmachineuk on Twitter.

Salem's Lot Movie Poster
Rodolfo Reyes
16.5" X 23.5" - Numbered
£40 - Limited to 50

I'm not too familiar with artist Rodolfo Reyes, but I do really dig this Salem's Lot print, although I have to admit I've never seen the film OR read the book. Rodolfo's Salem's Lot poster is available through Dark City Gallery for £40 (or roughly $65). The print measures 16.5" x 23.5" and is limited to an edition of 50. You can check out Rodolfo's website at rodolforever.com and follow him @rodolforever.

RIFFRAFF Movie Poster
Tim Doyle
18" x 24" - Signed and Numbered
$25 - Limited to 100

While I'm not head over heels in love with the artwork, it's well done, and the idea behind the poster is a really cool one. You see, this print was commissioned by the people who made RIFFRAFF in order to promote the film as well as fund the next level of its distribution. That's pretty cool, right? I've yet to see the film, but evidently it's pretty good (Variety review, Chicago Tribune / Metromix review). The RIFFRAFF movie poster is currently available through the film's website at riffraffthemovie.com for $25. The print measures 18" x 24", is signed and numbered, and is limited to an edition of 100. For more information on the artist, Tim Doyle, checkout his portfolio at mrdoyle.com and his storefront / print shop at nakatomiinc.com. You can also follow Tim @NakatomiTim on Twitter.

"The Big Lebowski" Art Print Leslie Ditto 12" x 22" - Signed and Numbered $60 - Limited to 100 Inspired By: The Big Lebowski

"The Princess Bride" Art Print Leslie Ditto 14" x 20" - Signed and Numbered $60 - Limited to 100 Inspired By: The Princess Bride

Leslie Ditto, another artist I didn't really have any familiarity with prior to this post, has put together some really cool film-inspired prints for The Big Lebowski and The Princess Bride. Both posters are currently available through the Metro Orange Art website at metroorangeart.com. Leslie's "Big Lebowski" art print measures 12" x 22", is limited to an edition of 100 and costs $60. "The Princess Bride" print measures 14" x 20", and similar to the "Lebowski" print, is limited to 100 and costs $60. You can visit Leslie Ditto's website by going to leslieditto.com and follow her on Twitter @dittoart.

Drive Movie Poster Luis Fernando Cruz Multiple sizes Multiple prices - Open edition

Drive Movie Poster Luis Fernando Cruz 7" x 10" $16 - Open edition

The Red Shoes Movie Poster Luis Fernando Cruz Multiple sizes Multiple prices - Open edition

The Walking Dead TV Print Luis Fernando Cruz Multiple sizes Multiple prices - Open edition

I'm a huge fan of Luis Fernando Cruz (please refer to my first "Concept Corner" post), so it should come as no surprise that I'm telling everyone to buy his posters. He recently set up a Society 6 shop, where you can purchase all of the prints pictured above in a variety of sizes and prices. I predict big things for this guy. To learn more about Mr. Cruz I'd recommend checking out his Tumblr page and following him @Fernando_TMC.

Logan's Run Movie Poster (Regular) Tim Doyle 16" x 26" - Signed and Numbered $33 - Limited to 200

Logan's Run Movie Poster (Variant) Tim Doyle 16" x 26" - Signed and numbered $53 - Limited to 60

Another Doyle masterpiece. It's got color, it's got camp, but most importantly it's got Box (that's the name of the robot above the title)! These wonderful prints were commissioned by the always awesome Tommy Good and are somehow still available. While both versions measure 16" x 26", the regular edition is limited to 200 and costs $33, and the variant is limited to 60 and costs $53. For more Doyle-related shenanigans you can visit his portfolio at mrdoyle.com and his storefront / print shop at nakatomiinc.com.

Suspiria Movie Poster
Derek Gabryszak
24" x 36" - Numbered
$40 - Limited to 40

If you've never seen Supiria, you're really doing yourself a disservice. It's a GREAT film and integral viewing when it comes to Argento's filmography. Unlike the majority of prints listed in this "Art Appreciation" post, Derek Gabryszak's poster doesn't officially go on sale until tomorrow (10/31). The poster will be available through Derek's storefront and will cost $40. The Suspiria print measures 24" x 36" and will be limited to an edition of 40. To see more of Derek's artwork be sure to visit thatsthewayitgoes.com and follow him @derekprints.

City in the Sea Art Print Jon Smith 8.5" x 11" - Signed and Numbered $50 - Must be purchased as a set Limited to 50

Dreamland Art Print Jon Smith 8.5" x 11" - Signed and Numbered $50 - Must be purchased as a set Limited to 50

Eldorado Art Print Jon Smith 8.5" x 11" - Signed and Numbered $50 - Must be purchased as a set Limited to 50

Spirits of the Dead Art Print Jon Smith 8.5" x 11" - Signed and Numbered $50 - Must be purchased as a set Limited to 50

Jon Smith created some really creepy and stylish tributes to the poems of Edgar Allan Poe. I'm not sure I could think of a better fit for this Halloween. Smith's Edgar Allan Poe art print sets are currently available through the Poster and Toys website. The regular edition is limited to 50 and costs $50, while the variant edition, also still available, is limited to 20 and costs $65. To visit Jon Smith's website head over to smithbellcraft.com or follow him @Jon_Smith.

"Captain Kirk Cobain" Art Print
Alex Pardee
16" x 20" - Signed and Numbered
$65 - Limited to 50

"Kool Irony" Art Print
Alex Pardee
11" x 14" - Signed and Numbered
$35 - Limited to 35

Tasteless? Sure. Gross? Definitely. Hilarious? For sure! Alex Pardee's "Captain Kirk Cobain" and "Kool Irony" prints tickle that darkest of funny bones and are definitely some of my favorite new releases. Both prints are signed and numbered, and are currently available through Gallery 1988's store at gallery1988.com. "Captain Kirk Cobain" measures 16" x 20", is limited to 50 and costs $65. Pardee's "Kool Irony" print measures 11" x 14", is limited to 35, and costs $35. Check out Alex Pardee's website at eyesuckink.com, where you'll have the option to visit his blog or his store. Mr. Pardee is also on Twitter @alexpardee.

"Hell Split Wide Open" Art Print Close-up

"Hell Split Wide Open" Art Print
Sam Octigan
1140mm x 387mm (40.9" x 15.2") - Signed and Numbered
$80 - Limited to 80

I HIGHLY recommend clicking on the close-up image above to see the entirety of this thing - it's just jaw-dropping! Sam Octigan's "Hell Split Wide Open" was initially created to be album artwork for his band's LP, but thankfully he also decided to create a print (a really wide print). Sam's "Hell Split Wide Open" art print is currently available at Sam Octicagan's store for $80. The print measures 1140mm x 387mm (roughly 40.9" x 15.2") and is limited to an edition of 80. To see more of Sam's work you can visit samoctigan.com and follow him on Twitter @samoctigan.

And that's it. What did you think? Anyone interested in future "Art Appreciation" posts? Have a Happy Halloween!

JC Richard's "Jurassic Park" Movie Posters

UPDATE (10/27): All Sold out! Hope you you were able to grab one!

The majority of us missed out on Horkey's insanely illustrated Jurassic Park posters from Mondo's Mystery Movie screening of the film, but thankfully all is not lost. In fact, I believe the two posters below will be the first public offering, not including the mystery movie release, since Mondo gained the rights to the Spielberg films (can't WAIT until the Tyler Stout Color Purple posters).

Jurassic Park Movie Poster (Regular)
JC Richard
24" x 36" - Hand numbered
$45 - Limited to 375

Jurassic Park Movie Poster (Variant)
JC Richard
24" x 36" - Hand numbered
$75 - Limited to 125

JC Richard, an artist I wasn't all that familiar with, did a great job creating a very realistic and beautiful Jurassic Park vista. With the amount of layers on display here (ten in all!) I have to imagine the detail is just astounding up close and I'm a huge fan of the muted color palette. Richard's posters really evoke that first-time wonder we all felt when we saw this film in theaters. And while I'm not always a supporter of variants, I really like how the Jurassic Park variant gives us an unobstructed view of the lower third of the print. I mean, did anyone even notice that there was a massive gate there until the credits and title had been removed? Finally, I wanted to heap some praise on the layout of the print. There's a beautiful symmetry between the natural arc that's formed by the closest Brachiosaurus and Dr. Alan Grant feeding the creature from the tree trop, and its inorganic analogue, the man-made gate below. It's a wonderful print and is sure to please fans of the film. Here's what JC had to say about his poster (taken from his blog):

"As exciting as some of the chase scenes are, I was always more impressed with the gentler, more awe-inspiring visual moments in the film. The 'scary monster on our heels' stuff was done before in countless movies, but the scenes that stuck with me were the fleeting moments between chases... characters could briefly reflect on their amazing surroundings and interact with these giants with sentiments other than 'RUN!' (That said, just had to include the Trex in there because let's face it- he's the hero of the flick)."

In my opinion, he more than succeeded in his mission and provided the perfect counterpoint to Horkey's ferocious Tyrannosaurus rex.

JC Richard's Jurassic Park print will be available tomorrow (10/27) at a random time through Mondo's website. The posters both measure 24" x 36" and are hand numbered. The regular Jurassic Park print will cost $45 and be limited to 375, while the title-less variant will cost $75 and be limited to 125. As always, to find out the moment these posters drop be sure to follow @MondoNews on Twitter. And to learn more about the artist head over to microcosmicmedia.com and follow him @microcosmcmedia. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a very long and fruitful relationship between JC and Mondo!

Joshua Budich's "Bad Dads" and "Life Aquatic" Prints

The second annual "Bad Dads" show curated by the fine folks at Spoke Art is right around the corner, meaning I'm frothing at the mouth in anticipation of some Wes Anderson inspired brilliance. I'll go ahead and preface this review by saying I'm one of those people who loves Anderson's quirky, colorful, cool films unabashedly and that my favorite movie in his filmography, a film that even many Anderson aficionados dislike, is The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. I'm not entirely sure why The Life Aquatic holds such a dear place in my heart, but it does, and I'll defend the film till my last breath (though my defense might be lacking if I can't explain why I like it so much). Thankfully Joshua Budich, an artist who has become a mainstay at Spoke Art's shows, has brought to life many of my favorite characters by way of some spectacular artwork.

"Bad Dads" Group Show Art Print
Joshua Budich
18" x 24" - Signed & Numbered
$50 - Limited to 100

I thought I'd start with the poster for the show, because, well, it's the poster for the show. I know I say this every time, but it just blows my mind whenever Budich releases a new print - they just keep getting better and better. I have a feeling that this one in particular will be an easy sell, because not only is the artwork impressive on just about every level, it also features the majority of Anderson's equally impressive filmography (The Darjeeling Limited and Bottle Rocket appear to be the only films missing). If there's one thing that I think Joshua Budich really excels at it's people. Whether it's people staring, people yelling, people pointing, people grimacing, or people smoking, the bottom line is this: the man gets people and can depict them without losing whatever undefinable element makes them them. And while there are plenty of directors that favor spectacle, special effects, and gore over character and relationships, Wes Anderson's movies have always been about people. Sure, his films feature some of the coolest tracking shots ever put to celluloid, and his art direction is immaculately colorful and unique, but it always comes back to the characters, often emotionally confused and / or stunted people that are just trying to figure out how to be happy. And Joshua Budich completely nails that. If there was one thing I would have liked to see included in this already bursting-at-the-seams artwork, it would be some small reference to the two Anderson films I previously mentioned were missing from the print, but that's a very insignificant complaint. It's a beautiful piece and belongs on the wall of anyone who has even the slightest interest in the movies of Wes Anderson. Budich's "Bad Dads" group show art print is currently available through the Spoke Art store. The giclée measures 18" x 24", will be signed and numbered, and will cost $50. I'm not completely sure what the edition size is since the Spoke Art store lists 100 and Budich's website lists 150, but either way I'm sure this one will sell out with a quickness.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Movie Poster
Joshua Budich
24" x 36" - Signed & Numbered
$60 - Limited to 150

Like I said, The Life Aquatic is my absolute favorite Wes Anderson film (followed closely by the new classic Fantastic Mr. Fox). I love everything about it: the action, the dialogue, the badass-when-he-needs-to-be Steve Zissou, the jealous-asshole-pretty-much-the-rest-of-the-time Steve Zissou, the retro luxury research vessel, and the acoustic Portuguese Bowie covers by Seu Jorge (would you look at that, I guess I could defend the film after all). All of those elements come together to make a perfect movie, and thanks to Budich, a perfect poster. From the out-of-date yellows to the tiny candy-striped seahorse, this print includes everything but the kitchen sink. There's not much more to say than that. If you like the film, you'll love the poster; if you don't like the film, you'll probably still love the poster. I purchased mine the minute this went on sale and I'd recommend any fan of the film do the same. Joshua Budich's Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou print is currently available through the Spoke Art store for $60. The screen print measures 24" x 36", is signed and numbered, and is limited to an edition of 150.

If you like either of these posters I would advise you to purchase them before they sell out by visiting store.spoke-art.com. Spoke Art also released a few other "Bad Dads" prints today that I unfortunately didn't have time to write about, so even if you're not a huge fan of the Budich stuff I'd say check it out anyway. In addition to their packed storefront, you can stay informed about all things Spoke Art by signing up for their newsletter and following them @spoke_art. I'd also suggest visiting Joshua Budich's website by heading over to joshuabudich.com and following him @jbudich to learn more about the artist and see the rest of his work. If this didn't quench your "Bad Dads" art thirst, you'll have to wait until this Saturday (10/29) to see the art in person (San Francisco only), or a yet-to-be-disclosed date for your chance to purchase the prints online. I'll probably write another post once the remaining prints have gone online, so stay tuned. This show has quickly become one of my favorites.

Dan Mumford's "The Night He Came Home" Art Prints

UPDATED (10/27): Updated the post with pricing and availability. In other words: it's available right now!

My heart pounds with excitement whenever I find out that Dark City Gallery is releasing another Dan Mumford horror movie print, so you'll have to excuse me if I suffer a heart attack mid post. Mumford has conquered The Thing, Evil Dead, The Fly and now he's moved on to John Carpenter's 1978 All Hallow's Eve classic, Halloween.

"The Night He Came Home" Art Print (Regular)
Dan Mumford
23.25" x 31" - Signed and numbered
£35 - Limited to 150
Inspired By: Halloween

"The Night He Came Home" Art Print (Metallic / Glow in the Dark Variant)
Dan Mumford
23.25" x 31" - Signed and numbered
£50 - Limited to 75
Inspired By: Halloween

The first thing that struck me when I saw these, besides their oh-so-obvious beauty, was how different they were when compared to the previous three prints in Dan's horror movie poster series. Gone are the grotesquely mutated limbs and the turning-in-on-itself genetic monstrosities that made up Brundlefly's spliced physique, the Thing's human / canine mimicry gone wrong, and the inappropriate touching of Evil Dead's demonic timber. Instead, we're treated to a moment that's quiet and still, yet clearly full of dread. The artwork is 100% Dan Mumford, but it's a slightly different Dan Mumford than we've seen in posters past. I love both of these prints, and I'll definitely be getting the regular edition, if for no other reason than that it matches the color scheme of his previous three, but it seems the variant will feature plenty of unique extras to make it worth your while. And by that I mean an alternate colorway and metallic / glow in the dark inks. Finally, one of the things I enjoy most about these prints is something that doesn't necessarily jump out at you at first glance, and while I won't explicitly tell you what it is, I'll give you a hint: it's not made of cheese in this case. Too abstract? Alright. It's the moon. Look at the moon. What a nice touch!

Dan Mumford's "The Night He Came Home" prints is currently available through the Dark City Gallery website. Both prints will measure 23.25” x 31”, meaning they'll be much larger this his other horror movie posters, and will be signed and numbered by the artist. The regular version costs £35 (around $56) and is to be limited to 150, the glow in the dark variant will cost £50 (approximately $80) and be limited to 75. While you're deciding which one to purchase, I recommend checking out Dan Mumford's portfolio at dan-mumford.com and following him on Twitter @danmumforddraws. And you should probably visit Dark City Gallery at darkcitygallery.com, where you can still purchase all of Dan's cinematically inspired prints (though very few The Thing prints are left)! Oh yeah, and you should DEFINITELY watch Halloween. G'night!

Giveaway - "Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors" Movie Poster by Electric Zombie

UPDATE (11/19): Random.org has picked a winner and it's Danny Haloossim! Congrats Danny! He'll be receiving the Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warrior movie poster later this week. Thanks for entering everyone, this has been the most successful giveaway yet (in terms of response) and I absolutely loved some of your responses. I've got a lot more posters to hand out, so be on the lookout for another giveaway next week. Most importantly, thanks for reading! 

I promised a giveaway this week and so I shall deliver. Depending how often you read this site, you may or may not know how much I love the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. As a young man (probably too young), I delighted in the ridiculous one-liners and the surreal kills by everyone's favorite wisecracking murderer. For this reason, I'm only too happy to share my love of gore and cheesy punchlines by offering up Electric Zombie's Nightmare on Elm Street 3 print as this month's giveaway.

Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors Movie Poster
Electric Zombie (AKA Kyle Crawford)
18" x 24"
Limited to 50

(1) Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors print by Electric Zombie

Unfortunately, since I'm the one paying for shipping this contest is only open to readers in the US (sorry everyone else, international shipping can be expensive and complicated). The rules are pretty simple: the only thing you have to do to win is leave a comment on this post with your email address and your full name and on November 19th I will randomly pick and email the winner to get his or her shipping address. Entries are limited to one person per household. Yay! Free stuff! Good luck!

New Flesh's "The Silence of the Lambs" Movie Posters

Evidently it's Austin night here at Posterocalypse. First, we took a look at some new Mondo prints, and now we'll be reviewing some creepy Silence of the Lambs posters from Austin-based design and print house, New Flesh.

The Silence of the Lambs Movie Poster (Regular)
New Flesh
18" x 24"
$10 - Limited to 46

The Silence of the Lambs Movie Poster (Jame Gumb Variant)
New Flesh
18" x 24"
$20 - Limited to 10

What a great film to do a poster for! The movie is creepy (really creepy), but it also features a very confident and unique visual approach, and at least one, if not several, amazing characters. When I first saw these prints I wasn't completely sure what I was looking at, and then all the little details started to become more and more obvious. I saw the small black lines that intricately outlined the fibrous innards and the torn skin around it, clearly a victim of Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb. And then a wing slowly appeared to me and then a moth. See it? Clever, right? I was able to get in touch with the guys at New Flesh and they were nice enough to tell me more about their print:

"The inspiration for the print is the autopsy scene from The Silence of the Lambs movie. That mixed in with Dali's In Voluptas, a.k.a. 'that picture of the women that are arranged to form a skull.' The original picture was sized down and colorized and put on the back of the death head's moth of the original movie poster. We are also fans of the book by Thomas Harris so we wanted to put all those elements together, but not make it too busy. What we did was make it look like a vintage book cover, simple colors and just designed the "Buffalo Bill" diamond cuts on the woman's back to be both open flesh and part of the moth's wing. Its easier to see the In Voluptas homage on a bigger image and in person. I really love the print, its something that I wanted to see, so we made it."

I'm incredibly excited to see a movie print that's both beautiful to look at and forces you to think, and I can't wait to see what the folks at New Flesh do next. The Silence of the Lamb posters are currently available through the New Flesh store at newfleshprints.bigcartel.com and come in two different flavors. The regular version costs $10 (astonishingly affordable) and is limited to 46, while the James Gumb variant costs $20 (also astonishingly affordable) and is limited to 10. First time buyers get a Videodrome inspired New Flesh handbill too (the company is called New Flesh after all). To learn more about New Flesh be sure to visit newfleshprints.com and follow them @newfleshprints.

Phantom City Creative's Halloween-Friendly Movie Posters

UPDATE (10/20): All of the posters have sold out through Mondo, but Phantom City Creative has put their own copies up for sale through their online store. Go! Go! Go!

If, like me, you're a huge fan of Phantom City Creative, then you were probably very excited to find out about tomorrow's Mondo releases. Not one, not two, nope, not even three, but FOUR Phantom City Creative posters will be dropping on Thursday (8/20). These aren't just four random prints though, there's a through-line here - they're all horror films, and they're all more than appropriate for the coming Halloween.

The Burning Movie Poster
Phantom City Creative
24" x 36"
$45 - Limited to 250

It's downright upsetting. Right when I decided on my favorite Phantom City Creative poster of all time (in full disclosure it was their Gate print), they go ahead and one-up themselves by releasing another bundle of new designs. Phantom City Creative's The Burning is now my absolute favorite print of theirs forever and ever (or until they release their next few). I've never seen the film, but you can bet that I'll be streaming it on Instant Watch later this week. The Burning artwork does an amazing job at conveying a simple plot (burned man murders campers with hedge clippers) with some straightforward, but still very clever design work. Our artistically rendered homicidal burn victim speaks to one of the many things I like most about Phantom City: their work is able to effortlessly walk the line between being incredibly realistic and frightening, but also giving off a playful and retro vibe with worn down textures and an obvious love for the illustrated B movie posters of the 60s, 70s and 80s (then again, who doesn't love those?). Fun fact: the Drafthouse screening of The Burning was initially intended be part of an outdoor camping themed presentation, but was unfortunately cancelled. I guess that fact was actually kind of sad. Never mind, fun fact retracted. Phantom City Creative's The Burning print will be available tomorrow (10/20) at a random time through Mondo. The print measures 24" x 36" is limited to an edition of 250 and will cost $45. Be sure to follow @MondoNews for the exact drop details and visit phantomcitycreative.com to see more of the Phantom City portfolio.

Sleepaway Camp Movie Poster
Phantom City Creative
24" x 36"
$45 - Limited to 200

Eesh. I'm two for two. I've also never seen Sleepaway Camp, but it's instantly clear what era this slasher came from (i.e., the era that most cult slasher films came from, the 80s) by feasting your eyes on Phantom City Creative's design. There's lots of nice touches here, from the creases that speak of a much loved, much deteriorated and much folded one sheet, to the square boxes that house the faces of the film's victims and and possibly misunderstood murderer (again, I haven't seen the film so I'm just guessing here). The folks at Phantom City Creative explain what they were going for with this print (brutally ransacked from phantomcitycreative.com):

"With this poster we didn’t want to do the obvious thing and focus on the infamous twist ending as the focus. Instead we focused on making a poster that felt like it came right out of the era."

Phantom City Creative's Sleepaway Camp movie poster will be available through Mondo at a random time tomorrow (10/20). The poster measures 24" x 36", costs $45 and is limited to an edition of 200. As is always the case, you'll need to follow @MondoNews if you want to get this poster the minute it goes on sale (and they pretty much always sell out). I'd also recommend checking out Phantom City Creative's website, signing up for their newsletter (scroll to the bottom of their homepage) and following them @PhantomCityCrtv.

Trick 'R Treat Movie Poster (Regular)
Phantom City Creative
24" x 36"
$45 - Limited to 225

Trick 'R Treat Movie Poster (Variant)
Phantom City Creative
24" x 36"
$65 - Limited to 90

Finally! A movie I've seen! There's not nearly enough horror anthologies out there, or at least good horror anthologies, so loving this film was a pretty easy thing to do. In my opinion these are now the definitive Trick 'R Treat posters that all other Trick 'R Treat posters shall be measured against. Phantom City Creative took an essential element of the film, the Halloween setting, and used Halloween masks to represent the major players. These false faces work perfectly, both literally and abstractly, because every character in the movie is hiding at least one dark, usually fatal, secret. Another less important reason I really enjoy the Trick posters is because they're so drastically different from The Burning and Sleepaway Camp designs. Phantom City Creative has shown that they can change it up time and time again, and as stated earlier, they seem to be continually one-upping themselves along the way. The Phantom City crew talks about their love of the film (abducted from the Phantom City Creative website):

"Aside from John Carpenter’s classic Halloween, no other film captures the spirit of the Halloween season quite like Michael Dougherty’s criminally underrated and under-seen Trick ‘R Treat. So when Mondo asked us to create a poster for it, we jumped at the chance to honour the film by depicting the film’s colourful characters as vintage Halloween masks."

The Trick 'R Treat posters will be available tomorrow (10/20) through Mondo, with both prints measuring 24" x 36". While the regular version costs $45 and is limited to 225, the variant costs $65 and is limited to 90 (still a pretty great price). Be sure to follow @MondoNews for all the details. And to learn more about the folks behind these amazing prints head over to phantomcitycreative.com and follow @PhantomCityCrtv on Twitter. Good luck boils and ghouls!

Fantastic Fest 2011: Day Three

In case it's not obvious, I'll be using these posts to wax cinematic about the movies I saw at this year's Fantastic Fest and provide a brief description of each film to give my reviews some context. I plan to write-up the films in the order I watched them and in full disclosure I stole all of the synopses from a number of websites that are not Posterocalypse. By the year 2012 I just might have made it through all eight days. Day three. Go!

EL INFIERNO (2010)

SYNOPSIS: Benjamin García, Benny, is deported from the United States. Back home and against a bleak picture, Benny gets involved in the narco business, in which he, for the first time in his life, is surrounded by money, women, violence and fun. But he'll soon he'll discover that the criminal life does not always keeps its promises.

REVIEW: I thoroughly enjoyed this film! Imagine Scarface, but in Mexico, and that instead of being a power-hungry drug lord, our "hero" is a much more sympathetic and likable guy. Be warned though, this is a long film, but unlike a lot of people who described the film as overly tiresome, I never felt like I was slogging through anything. While El Infierno (I refuse to call the film by the name the studio arbitrarily chose for its American release) can be all over the place tone-wise, and many may find it a bit long in the tooth, I thought it was a refreshingly honest / tragic / hilarious look at something we only read about in the papers and see on the news. Find this one if you can, it's worth it.

STATUS: As far as I know, this film doesn't have any American distribution. Hopefully we'll at least see a DVD in the near future.

RATING: 5/5 Stars

MELANCHOLIA (2011)

SYNOPSIS: Two sisters find their already strained relationship challenged as a mysterious new planet threatens to collide into the Earth.

REVIEW: I saw this with my girlfriend and she hated it, and I can completely understand why. The only character you really even like in this film has his heart broken and leaves halfway through the movie. It's not a happy film, but then again the move is called Melancholia. It's a film about depression on an apocalyptic scale, and it's painful to watch, but there's also a lot to love here. Melancholia aggressively confronts the viewer with a tragic tale (featuring some strangely hilarious moments), some of the most beautiful photography you'll see all year, and a ton of top-notch performances. Bottom line: Melancholia is a depressing film about depression that will probably depress you, but if you like your cinema challenging and beautiful, than be sure to check out Lars von Trier's latest.

STATUS: Magnolia Pictures has the US distribution rights. The film is currently in theaters and is available via VOD

RATING: 4/5 Stars

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981)

SYNOPSIS: Two American tourists in Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.

REVIEW: Not too much to say here. An American Werewolf in London is the greatest werewolf movie ever made. There. Alright, alright, I'll write a little bit more. John Landis' lycanthropic cinema is like sweet, sweet candy for a genre fan. It blends comedy, fantasy, horror, romance, drama and nazi werewolf-demons (a very niche genre) together, creating an altogether magical medley of seemingly disparate elements. In addition to watching this lupine classic on 35mm, the coolest thing about the Fantastic Fest screening was the Q&A with Rick Baker after the film. While a lot of what the special effects master had to say could have just as easily been found in a Blu-ray or DVD supplement it was pretty exciting just to be in the same room with the guy. Oh yeah and we got a poster from the famed Olly Moss. That wasn't too bad either. If you haven't seen this film you're really missing out. Go. See. It. Now.

STATUS: It's on DVD and on Blu-ray. Again, you MUST see this if you haven't already.

RATING: 5/5 Stars (duh)

KNUCKLE (2011)

SYNOPSIS: An epic 12-year journey into the brutal and secretive world of Irish Traveler bare-knuckle fighting. This documentary follows a history of violent feuding between rival clans.

REVIEW: Remember how badass Brad Pitt was in Snatch? Well, Pitt has nothing on these guys. Knuckle follows a few traveling clans of Irish bare knuckle boxers with the majority of its focus on the McDonaghs and the Joyces. It's just insane. As you get deeper and deeper into Knuckle, the fighting becomes secondary as the confusing familial relations between the clans comes to the forefront and shows you just how absurd all the fighting really is and how little it takes to start a clan war. One of the neatest things about seeing Knuckle at Fantastic Fest was that not only was the director, Ian Palmer, there, bare knuckle boxer James Quinn McDonagh was also in house to speak about the film. Go see this one with a quickness.

STATUS: ARC Entertainment (II) and XLrator Media have the US distribution rights. Currently the movie is only playing at film festivals.

RATING: 5/5 Stars

PICK OF THE DAY: Knuckle

Rich Kelly's "A Piece of the Action" Star Trek Prints

UPDATE (10/27): Rich Kelly's remaining copies will be sold through his Big Cartel store tomorrow (10/28) at 10AM EST, but that's not all! Rich will slip some drawings into three randomly chosen tubes containing his Star Trek posters. More details can be found through his Tumblr.

Wow. It's been over a month since I last wrote about a Mondo release. That's kind of nuts when you think about the fact that they release one or more posters every week. Thankfully my lack of Mondo love is to be be remedied by tonight's review of the badass "A Piece of the Action" Star Trek print by Rich Kelly.

"A Piece of the Action" Star Trek Print
Rich Kelly
18" x 24"
$40 - Limited to 260

"A Piece of the Action" Star Trek Print (Variant)
Rich Kelly
18" x 24"
$60 - Limited to 65

I think I can safely say Rich Kelly is one of my favorite artists. He has a very unique and playful aesthetic; it's practically impossible to look at one of his prints without smiling. Kelly's slightly abstract take on Captain Kirk and Spock, complete with long, almost cartoonish legs, decidedly large heads, and some fairly imposing Tommy guns has old school cool written all over it. For those who've never seen "A Piece of the Action," you'll undoubtedly recognize Spock and Kirk, but you may not know the two bosses at the lower corners, Bela Oxmyx on the right and Jojo Krako on the left. This is one of those classic Star Trek episodes, and in all honesty, I think it's better than "The Trouble with Tribbles," if for no other reason than the hilariously complex card game Fizzbin. Seriously, can you imagine a society modeled after old-timey American gangsterdom? It's just too good. Rich even managed to fit Oxmyx's weapon showcase into the background. A perfect poster for a perfect episode.

Rich Kelly's "A Piece of the Action" prints will be available tomorrow (10/14) at a random time through Mondo. The regular version will cost $40 and will be limited to 260, while the alternate colorway variant will be $60 and is limited to 65. As is always the case, be sure to follow @Mondonews for the exact drop details. And if you have any interest in this poster and haven't seen the episode, or even if you have, head over to Netflix, where they have the entire series available for streaming (I think Amazon Prime does too). For more Rich Kelly related information head over to rfkelly.com, his store and follow him at @TheRichKelly. Best of luck everyone and beware the shralk (that's a Fizzbin reference).

Von's Movie-Themed Prints

I'd never even heard of Von until about a month ago, but after perusing his amazing prints and sketches, it became painfully clear that I had to share the good news. The man has a ton of work available through his website, but the following movie-related prints were, no surprise, my favorites.

Teen Wolf Close-up

Teen Wolf Close-up

Teen Wolf Movie Poster
Von
A3 (11.7" × 16.5")
A2 (16.5" × 23.4")
£35 (A3) / £60 (A2) - Limited to 75 per size

One of these things is not like the others. I absolutely love that the same person who created such jaw-dropping portraits of Martin Scorsese, Hunter S. Thompson, and Alfred Hitchcock (see below), could create a poster for the 1985 Michael J. Fox werewolf comedy (that's a genre, right?) Teen Wolf. And while I'm not a huge fan of the film (honestly, I don't really remember it that well), I'm a huge fan of what Von has done here - combining fine art with pop art. This print, like many others included in this post, is available in two different sizes, A3 (11.7" x 16.5") and A2 (16.5" x 23.4"), both with an edition size of 75. The A3-sized print is currently available through Von's storefront for £35 (approximately $55) and the A2 is available for £60 (around $95). Need something unique for the Teen Wolf fan in your life? I think you may have just found it.

"Scorsese" Close-up

"Scorsese" Close-up

"Scorsese" Art Print
Von
A3 (11.7" × 16.5")
A2 (16.5" × 23.4")
£35 (A3) / £60 (A2) - Limited to 75 per size

Show me a film lover that doesn't instantly adore this print and I'll show you someone who either doesn't really love film or is not a fan of Martin Scorsese (i.e., not a film lover). Von seems to be a master at creating incredibly realistic portraits, but in painting or sketching them, also seems to bring in a bit of the surreal. He also seems to be very interested in the way light plays with his subject's features - that's a nod to that whole realism thing I was talking about earlier. This is probably the least playful of his cinema-centric prints, but that doesn't take anything away from its beauty. The "Scorsese" art print is currently available through Von's website for £35 ($55 give or take) in the A3 size or £60 ($95 más o menos) for the A2 sized print. Both sizes are limited to an edition of 75.

"Hunter S Thompson" Close-up

"Hunter S Thompson" Close-up

"Hunter S Thompson" Art Print
Von
19.6" x 15.7"
£45 - Limited to 60

I love, love, love these last two images. They're portraits, but they also tell a story. Von's "Hunter S Thompson" print features a man in the midst of a desert fever dream brought on by copious amounts of illicit narcotics. Hunter's portrait appears to be made of smoke trails and hazy edges, making him almost ethereal, although I think my favorite touch may be "The Great Red Shark." If you've seen the film or read the book you already know what I'm talking about, right? Yep, it's the red convertible (next to the cactus). It's one of those elements that an artist puts in and is not immediately noticeable from a distance, but once it's been spotted, you couldn't imagine the picture without it. To be honest, with the ravenous cult following both the book and the film have, I'm surprised this print is even still available. The "Hunter S Thompson" poster measures 19.6" x 15.7", is limited to an edition of 60 and costs £45 (about $71), but most importantly, it's available now at shopvon.com!

"Alfred" Close-up

"Alfred" Close-up

"Alfred" Art Print
Von
A3 (11.7" × 16.5")
A2 (16.5" × 23.4")
£45 (A3) / £90 (A2) - Limited to 60 per size

I'm not sure which print I like better, this Hitchcockian masterpiece or the drug-addled Thompson portrait, but I know a good thing when I see it. The "Alfred" art print is downright mesmerizing. This is surely one of those images that needs to be seen in person to be believed, because the detail is just so damn insane (look at those birds). I really dig this artwork for the same reason I love Von's "Hunter S Thompson;" it's more than just a portrait, there are elements at play, or more accurately at flight, that speak to the cultural mark Hitchcock left, and Von has again masterfully mixed the photorealistic with the beautifully surreal. Von's "Alfred" print is available in two sizes, A3 and A2, and costs £45 and £90 respectively. Both prints can be purchased through shopvon.com and are limited to 60 per edition.

To keep up with all of Von's upcoming prints and originals I recommending heading over to his website and signing up for the mailing list immediately. Oh yeah, and don't forget to follow him @ShopVon. Good night!