Write Up: Ghoulish Gary Pullin's "Martyrs" Movie Poster

[Note: There's one sentence in the first paragraph that is a little spoiler-ish, meaning if you haven't already watched the film but plan to, skip to the second paragraph. Thanks!]

Much like the movie Martyrs, Ghoulish Gary Pullin's poster may be a bit divisive given its graphic nature. But for anyone who's ever seen the film, love it or hate it, a huge part of what made the story so memorable was its indelible ideas and visuals, like, oh you know, flaying someone's body as a way to trigger transcendence. In summation: Martyrs is nucking futs, and in all honesty, I'm still not sure how I feel about the movie, but I can say, without any reservations, that I'm a big fan of Gary's take on the controversial French horror flick.

Martyrs Movie Poster
Ghoulish Gary Pullin
26.5" x 38.5" (Screen Print) - Numbered
£40 (UK) / £50 (International) - Limited to 75

My advice to fans of the film: I'm guessing there won't be too many more opportunities to pick up another illustrated Martyrs print (at least of this quality) in the near future, so act fast if you want to snag one. Now that I've finished doling out sage advice, let's take a closer look at Gary's artwork. Yes, this poster holds nothing back, and yes, it probably wouldn't make a great gift for grandma (although, you'll never know until you try), but what makes Pullin's composition so interesting is that it doesn't just grab your attention, it demands it. And while the poster's gory appearance may put some off (on second thought, let's just give grandma a framed photo of the grandchildren this year), there's a beautiful symmetry to the grisly visuals that really floats my boat. Here's what the artist had to say about his relationship with the movie and his approach to the poster's design (taken from the FrightFest Originals website):

"Martyrs is the kind of horror film that I would call a 'game changer'. It is a modern day masterpiece, pulls no punches and was the first horror film in a long time that truly disturbed me and left me gasping for air a few times. It takes you places, gets under your skin and stays there. I wanted to create a poster that played up the surgical aspect of the film and Martyr theme - a woman reborn in the Jesus Christ pose on a surgical cross is mysteriously fully enlightened. The creature in the basement, which is what you see in the background, is pure b-movie, scary fun, in an otherwise sobering, straight laced horror film. I felt the poster design should feel very European, a bit inspired by the ghastly artwork from the films of Lucio Fulci or Dario Argento. A disturbing movie should have a disturbing poster. I hope fans of the film like it."

Ghoulish Gary Pullin's Martyrs movie poster is currently available through the FrightFest Originals store for £40 to UK buyers and £50 (around $79) for international customers. Note: both prices include shipping. The screen print measures 26.5" x 38.5" and is limited to an edition of 75. For more info on FFO, head over to frightfestoriginals.com, sign up for their mailing list and follow @frightfestorigi on Twitter. And to see more of Gary's work, visit ghoulishgary.com and follow @ghoulishgary.