Drew Struzan's "The Thing" Art Print

Hear that heavenly sound? That choir of angelic voices? If I had to guess, I would imagine it's pretty similar to the sound Indiana Jones first heard when discovering the Holy Grail. Or when Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine. Or how about when the "Star Wars Kid" realized his fifteen minutes of fame were almost up. I bet he was pretty stoked. That's sort of how I feel about today's poster. Hyperbole aside, Struzan's The Thing print, which holds a hallowed spot in film history, is sure to sit high atop most poster enthusiasts' "must own" list for a long, long while. It's hard not to get excited for its release, but a darker, more realistic side of me knows that actually getting my hands on one for a reasonable price will be nigh impossible - I can already taste the heartbreak. Then again, maybe if I just remind myself that it's only a piece of paper and some ink I can rise above my prescient depression and realize that I don't need material things to be happy. Maybe I can be a better pers- Nope. I need that poster, I want that poster, I must own and frame that poster.

The Thing Art Print
Drew Struzan
26" x 38" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$250 - Limited to 435

I'm not sure I have anything new to contribute to the conversation about Struzan's iconic The Thing poster, but that's never stopped me before. The one sheet for The Thing remains one of the most awesomely beautiful bits of promotional artwork ever created. It's otherworldly in that it suggests something literally extraterrestrial, but also uses the film's setting and transforms what many already consider alien - the frigid and inhospitable Antarctic - into a mind-blowing kaleidoscopic winter wonderland / wasteland. If you haven't discovered the great interview with Drew Struzan at movies.com, I highly recommend you head over there now. I was surprised to learn while reading it, that not only did the man only have a single day to create the original 1982 art from start to finish, he also had no reference shots from the film to work from. This poster is the perfect snapshot of Struzan's creativity and clearly holds a place in film lovers' hearts the world over, even to this day. I only wish Mondo had printed about a thousand more of these.

Drew Struzan's The Thing print will be available tomorrow (6/28) through Mondo at a random time. The poster measures 26" x 38", is limited to an edition of 435, and will cost $250. For up to the minute drop info be sure to follow @MondoNews, although you're probably better off F5ing all day. And as an FYI, Mondo has hinted that this poster release will be happening a little later than usual. Do with that tidbit what you will. To learn more about Struzan, visit drewstruzan.com, where you can spend lots and lots of money on his work, and be sure to pick up his newest book Drew Struzan: Oeuvre. Good luck!

Jordan Debney's "Insidious" Movie Poster

I first learned about Jordan Debney a few months back and had been planning on including some of his work in an early "Art Appreciation" column of mine. Fast forward to today, June 25th, and I've yet to write about the guy. This has nothing to do with him, it's more a testament to my unorganized life and debilitating bouts of laziness. But when I spied the print he did for James Wan's Insidious, I decided now was my chance to strike (and by "strike" I mean write about his art).

Insidious Movie Poster
Jordan Debney
24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$60 - Limited to 300

Insidious was a film that impressed me, but I could never love. It takes the tried and true haunted house model and then turns it on its head by adding a dose of interplanar travel. It's a cool concept that I felt was never properly explored by Wan and company. That said, Debney's poster captures what I think was the most compelling aspect of the film, that's right, the aforementioned wibbly wobbly timey wimey* astral projecting shenanigans teased at in the story. Jordan's twisting, turning and warping of his subjects is visually splendid and a bit unsettling given the design's surreal properties and unnatural proportions. And those decrepit hands. My god, those hands are ghoulish in all the right ways. My only real complaint with the poster is the child's face. Perhaps it's contorted on purpose, but the nose and mouth area just look a little off to me. And again, that could be 100% purposeful. Other than that minor gripe, this is a wonderful tribute to a film I didn't fall head over heels for, but can certainly respect. Bottom line: if you dig the film and you're digging Debney's artwork, which has a bat shit crazy Alex Pardee vibe to it, then this print is a must buy, buy, buy.

Jordan Debney's Insidious movie poster is currently available for preorder through Kickstarter for $60. The print measures 24" x 36", is limited to an edition of 300, and was commissioned by DzXtinKt Originals. To learn more about Mr. Debney, head over to eyerupture.com, where you can also pick up a few of Jordan's prints and apparel. And I'm out! Good night everyone!

* Stole that from Dr. Who.

Grzegorz Domaradzki's "Drive" Movie Posters

In case you didn't already know, I'm a huge fan of Grzegorz Domaradzki (aka Gabz). His artwork manages to operate in the grey area between being anarchic, giving all of his work a kinetic quality that's hard to define, and featuring some of the most precise and calculated line work I've ever seen. Oh, and did I mention this is a poster for my (and hopefully your) favorite film of last year? That's right. Drive. Do you really need any more reasons to pick this print up?

Drive Movie Poster (Regular Edition)
Grzegorz Domaradzki (aka Gabz)
24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$60 - Limited to 300

Drive Movie Poster (Variant Edition)
Grzegorz Domaradzki (aka Gabz)
24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$60 - Limited to 50

As previously stated, Domaradzki's work is at once deliberate while also buzzing with life and unpredictability. This combination makes for art that's impossible to look away from and is sure to attract those who are also fans of poster giants Tyler Stout and Martin Ansin. I personally favor the variant, but honestly, both versions are wall-worthy purchases. While the regular edition reminds me of the neon-drenched night scenes in Drive, the variant exudes an inescapable searing Los Angeles heat. Ultimately, each poster's color palette comes to represent a different side of the same coin - a really, really beautiful rare coin. Gabz' composition also suggests the interconnectedness of Driver (played with unrelenting intensity by Gosling) and the many relationships he forms throughout the film's runtime by literally connecting all of the main characters within the piercing visage of our lead badass. However, there are hints of Driver's crumbling and fragile facade near the bottom of the poster where Grzegorz subtly depicts our hero's body slowly disintegrating. The above posters offer us a thoughtful take on the film, and for fans of Drive this is a must own.

Drive Poster (Regular) Close-up

Drive Poster (Regular) Close-up

Drive Poster (Variant) Close-up

Drive Poster (Variant) Close-up

Gabz's Drive posters are currently being funded through Kickstarter and can be purchased for $60 or $120, depending on whether you want both or just the one. Both posters measure 24" x 36" and are numbered, with the regular version being limited to 300 and the variant being limited to 50. These officially licensed prints were commissioned by DzXtinKt Originals, whose goal is to provide high quality, affordable, limited edition posters for a diverse selection of TV shows and movies. If this is any indication of the quality we'll be seeing from DzXtinKt, I can't wait to see what they do next. To learn more about DzXtinKt Originals head over to Kickstarter right now and while you're there be sure to support some very cool art by pledging some of your hard-earned mula! To see more of artist Gabz' work, checkout iamgabz.com.

New Flesh's "That's a Big Twinkie" Art Print

New Flesh Prints' recent ectoplasmic entry represents yet another high point in the studio's relatively short history. Not only because N.E.'s art continues to impress, but it's also the first glow in the dark poster that New Flesh Prints has ever done.

"That's a Big Twinkie" Art Print (Glow in the Dark Edition)
N.E. (New Flesh Prints)
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$30 - Limited to 84
Inspired By: Ghostbusters

"That's a Big Twinkie" Art Print - When Seen in the Dark

I'll be writing the rest of my review later today, but I did want to let everyone know that this kickass print will be available on Monday (6/25) at 10 AM Central (8 AM Pacific). The poster will be available through New Flesh's online store for $30. It measures 18" x 24" and will be signed and numbered. To learn more about the fine folks at New Flesh Prints, checkout newfleshprints.com and follow @newfleshprints and @nenewflesh on Twitter. Good luck!

Phantom City Creative's "The Night of the Hunter" Movie Poster

"Leaning, leaning / safe and secure from all alarms / leaning, leaning / leaning on the everlasting arms." If you've ever seen Charles Laughton's The Night of the Hunter, reading those lyrics likely gave you chills. Mitchum's performance as Harry Powell is that memorable and that devastating. To take it a step further, Night of the Hunter is one of the most gorgeous black and white films you'll ever see, and is just as creepy as I imagine it was in 1955, maybe even more so, with its stop-at-nothing depiction of a man wielding religion to his own bloodthirsty ends. Now that my keyboard is officially covered in drool what with all the praise I've been heaping on this film, let's take a look at Phantom City Creative's beautiful Night of the Hunter print below.

The Night of the Hunter Movie Poster
Phantom City Creative
24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$40 - Limited to 170

There's a lot to say about this print, but I'll just start with the most obvious: how menacing does Mitchum look? Those haunted eyes and clasped hands tell you everything you need to know about this guy - stay away, stay the hell away. Phantom City Creative perfectly captured the stylized look of Stanley Cortez and Charles Laughton's expressionistic compositions, ultimately creating something angular, mysterious, and altogether terrifying. Like our villain's switchblade slicing through his own jacket, a faint beam of light cuts through the thick shadows to reveal the hint of an appropriately sinister visage. Also, I'm not 100% sure if this was the artist's intent, but the triangle at the bottom of the frame is very reminiscent of a visual motif that's constantly popping up in the film. I've included a few screenshots from the movie below, but again, this is only a theory of mine. If this was actually what the artist was attempting to do, well, that's pretty amazing and yet another reason why this poster is a must buy.

The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Night of the Hunter (1955)

Phantom City Creative's jaw-dropping The Night of the Hunter movie poster will be available through Mondo tomorrow (6/22) at a random time. The poster measures 24" x 36", is limited to an edition of 170, and will cost $40. If you'd like to learn more about Phantom City Creative, head over to phantomcitycreative.com and be sure to follow them on Twitter @phantomcitycrtv. They've also got a great online store with a bunch of prints still in stock at phantomcitycreative.bigcartel.com. Most importantly, if you don't already own Night of the Hunter on Blu-ray or DVD, do yourself a favor and buy it! Good luck!

Contest - "Deathtrap" Movie Poster by Jacob Van Loon

Hey all! How's everyone doing? As you probably noticed, I've been MIA recently for a variety of reasons that may or may not include laziness, video games, a murderous gang of old-timey vagabonds and work, work, work, but that's all about to change my friends. Oh yes, that's all about to change. My goal from the beginning of this site's creation was to post something interesting each and every day. With this in mind, I decided to resurrect a feature I employed back in my Darrell Street* days. I think I called it "Poster of the Day" or something to that effect. However, in the interest of trying to maintain the illusion of originality, which, let's face it, is already long gone, I decided I needed to come up with a new and even catchier title.

If you read this site, you already know I tend to write reviews for film and television inspired prints that are either currently on sale or are about to go on sale. And while I'll still be pouring the majority of my efforts into these sorts of posts, the new daily feature will solely focus on awesome posters or prints that have long since sold out or never existed in the first place (AKA concept posters). These won't be lengthy posts, but I'll do my best to include some colorful commentary for every image I select.

So, here's what I'm asking of you: help me think of a title. Maybe it rhymes, maybe it's an alliterative tongue twister, maybe it's inspired by a movie title or television character. Who knows? It's completely up to you. Now for the awesome part: whoever comes up with the best title, wins a Deathtrap movie screen print by Jacob Van Loon! Pretty sweet, right? Please leave a comment below with your idea(s) (there's no limit on how many titles you can submit) and an email address. This contest is open internationally. You read that correctly! Now have at it!

Deathtrap Movie Poster
Jacob Van Loon
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered
Sold Out - Limited to 35

*Darrell Street was a tiny little poster site, much like Posterocalypse, that I created a few years back

Joshua Budich's "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" Movie Poster

I'm a little ashamed to admit this, but I've only ever seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show in what was surely an edited-for-television broadcast. That's right, I'm a Rocky Horror Picture Show virgin, with "virgin" being the label for those who've yet to see the film in theaters. Adding insult to injury, I've never even seen the movie in its unabbreviated R-rated form. Sheesh. I've been told that watching Rocky Horror in crowded theater with a bunch of crazed fans dressed in full Rocky Horror attire is the only proper way to experience it, but for some reason or another, I've just never made it to a screening. Tonight's poster by Joshua Budich is not only a very clear reminder of something I still need to cross off my to-do list, it's also a great looking print by one of my favorite artists. Budich's Rocky Horror Picture Show poster also happens to be the first print made in collaboration with The Loft Cinema and my fellow movie poster obsessees at Poster Collective. Very cool.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show Movie Poster
Joshua Budich
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$30 - Limited to 100

I really enjoy Budich's visual style for the same reason I enjoy the work of Martin Ansin and Tyler Stout. Their movie posters are like a tightly composed class photo that, despite all sense and logic, successfully cram every important character together (and make it look effortless). Budich's print juggles The Rocky Horror Picture Show's unruly cast and manages to create a dynamic symmetry by integrating the iconic RKO radio waves, which seem to be exploding out of Tim Curry's intense pose. I also wanted to mention the color, or lack thereof, Joshua decided on. In certain cases, such a limited color palette, especially stacked up against some of Mondo's more prismatic offerings, may seem wanting, but given the film's campy respect for old sci-fi, horror and B-movies, it feels like the perfect fit. In doing a little research about the film, I found the following on IMDb:

"The film was originally intended to be shown in black and white until Frank's entrance, and then only his lips would be in color: the rest would still be in black and white, up until the end of 'Sweet Transvestite,' at which point it would go immediately to color, and then it was supposed to stay in color up until the 'Superheroes' song."

I'm not sure if this tidbit is something Joshua happened upon while creating this poster, but it definitely adds a fun dimension to the work in my opinion. Whatever the case may be, it's a great print for a movie I desperately need to re-watch.

Joshua Budich's Rocky Horror Picture Show movie poster is currently available for pre-order for $30 through Poster Collective's website. The print measures 18" x 24", is hand numbered, and will be limited to an edition of 100. As an FYI for those interested in learning more about the poster's creation, there's a great interview at the Poster Collective with Budich. And for those interested in movie posters of all shapes (though mostly rectangular if I'm being honest) and sizes, again, go ahead and visit the Poster Collective. To see more of Joshua's work, head over to joshuabudich.com and follow him on Twitter @jbudich. Looking forward to see what the Poster Collective gang comes up with next!