Vania Zouravliov's "13 Assassins" Movie Posters

Wow! Just wow! That's about all I'm capable of saying at this point, because my tongue has literally rolled out of my mouth and is currently unspooling on the floor. Alright, maybe I can temporarily take care of this tongue thing to rhapsodize over these prints for a bit, but I'm thinking I should probably head to the hospital as soon as possible. Vania's posters are absolutely stunning and not only make me want to watch 13 Assassins again and again, but are also driving me to seek out everything Mr. Zouravliov has ever created. I'm serious. Ever. I'm getting ahead of myself, though. Let's start with Takashi Miike's samurai epic. I might lose my remaining film geek cred with this next statement, but I've never been nuts about Miike's Audition. Don't get me wrong, it's a well made film and touches on some really interesting themes, but it just doesn't work for me. 13 Assassins on the other hand, is about as good as it gets and brings to mind every epic sword fight Kurosawa ever filmed. In case that last sentence wasn't clear enough: I love 13 Assassins! Now that I've got that out of the way, it's time to talk to art (of the screen printed variety).

13 Assassins Movie Poster (Yellow)
Vania Zouravliov
16.75" x 36" - Numbered
$50 - Limited to 120

13 Assassins Movie Poster (White)
Vania Zouravliov
16.75" x 36" - Numbered
$50 - Limited to 120

13 Assassins Movie Poster (Blue)
Vania Zouravliov
16.75" x 36" - Numbered
$50 - Limited to 120

Vania's design is beautiful in a way that few film posters are and represents the artist's unflinching drive to create something that looks both lived in and authentic. True, I'm no expert on Japanese art, so I can't say for sure whether this is an accurate depiction of what a painting would have looked like in 1840s Japan. In fact, I'm guessing it's probably not. But what I can say with complete confidence, is that these prints are so expertly put together and jaw-droppingly gorgeous that I'm happy to buy whatever it is they're selling, figuratively and literally. The beautiful caligraphy, the flowing clothing, and the atmospheric wisps of I'm-not-even-sure-what, come together to create something completely immersive and indescribable. In all honesty, as much as I love 13 Assassins, I think my respect for this poster may even exceed my respect for the film. Yikes. And, I wasn't sure this could ever be accomplished, but Zouravliov's prints also one-up the official and incredible 13 Assassins one sheet (included below). Double yikes. It goes without saying that that these three works of art will probably capture a top spot in my "Best of 2012" feature and I'll definitely be trying my luck tomorrow with the rest of my poster collecting brethren. What's your take on Vania's art?

Vania Zouravliov's breathtaking 13 Assassins movie posters will be available tomorrow (5/24) through Mondo's website at a random time. Every version of the poster (yellow, white, and blue) measures 16.75" x 36", costs $50 and will be limited to 120. To get the drop on this poster drop, be sure to follow @MondoNews on Twitter and prep those F5 / Command-R pressing fingers. And to learn more about this artist, you can check out his portfolio at bigactive.com, and that's about it - seriously, there's not a ton of information about the guy out there.