Luke Insect's "Hostel" Movie Posters

It's January 2006 and I'm a college senior getting ready to make my mark on the world (little did I know just how small that mark would be). My roommate and I are itching to see something truly despicable and gory at the box office, and wouldn't you know it, we've heard a thing or two about this movie titled Hostel. Mind you, none of the theaters in Santa Barbara were even playing the flick, so we had to drive to the next town over to feed our basest cinematic needs. What I saw was a film that delighted in our discomfort and gave us all the girls, gore, and gratuitous knee cap drilling we could take. It's now seven years later, and while I in no way think Hostel changed the horror genre like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre or Psycho, I'm more than happy to admit I had a fantastic time partaking in its worldly thrills and chills. I mention all of this as an introduction to Luke Insect's sexy / terrifying new Hostel posters, which may just have you rethinking your upcoming trip to Slovakia.

Hostel Movie Poster (First Variant)
Luke Insect
26.5" x 38.5" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
£40 (UK) / £50 (International) - Limited to 50

Hostel Movie Poster (Second Variant)
Luke Insect
26.5" x 38.5" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
£40 (UK) / £50 (International) - Limited to 50

I'll start with what are maybe the most eye-catching elements present in these prints: they're bright and they feature a titillating silhouette. But much like the film's story, once you look beyond the sex and seduction, all that's really left is violence and depravity. Artist Luke Insect has masterfully assembled a collection of devious looking torture implements and composed them in such a way as to suggest they may also serve an anatomical purpose. Not to get all metaphorical on you, but could these tools represent the internal organs that are pumping life into Hostel's Elite Hunting Club (the fictional organization at the center of the movie)? Mad ramblings aside, I'm mighty impressed at how perfectly this poster distills the film's bleak tone. Here's what Luke had to say about his work (taken from the FrightFest Originals blog):

"When the FFO guys first suggested Hostel as a print, I was like, hmmmm not too sure how many people would go for some (unfairly titled) Torture Porn on their wall. But then, I guess it's all about the artistic interpretation - so all the elements are present and correct: drills, saws, eyeballs, teeth, chainsaws - but stylistically I went for a Pop Art meets Eastern European poster feel - all neon inks referencing Amsterdam and handwritten type from the eastern block. I actually think it suits the film pretty well, and not a drop of blood in sight. Hopefully you'll get the Slovakian text reference in there too!"

Luke Insect's Hostel prints are currently available through the FrightFest Originals website for £40 or £50, depending on where you're shipping them. Both posters measure 26.5" x 38.5" and are limited to an edition of 50 per variant. For additional info on the artist, head over to lukeinsect.com and follow @lukeinsect. And to learn more about FrightFest Originals' offerings, which is something you should definitely be doing, check out frightfestoriginals.com, their Facebook page, and @frightfestorigi on Twitter. They've also got a super helpful mailing list you can sign up for on their homepage.