Peter Gutierrez's "Metropolis" Movie Posters

The age of Metropolis is upon us. Don't believe me? We have not one, not two, but three separate print releases for the Fritz Lang film. And you know what? I couldn't be happier. How often do we see a movie from 1927 get this much poster love? I'll go ahead and answer that one: not often enough. Without further ado, I'd like to introduce Peter Gutierrez's stylish Metropolis artwork.

Metropolis Movie Poster (Regular)
Peter Gutierrez
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$30 - Limited to 90

Metropolis Movie Poster (Metallic Gold Variant)
Peter Gutierrez
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$40 - Limited to 40

I believe this is the first time I've ever mentioned Peter on Posterocalypse before, but if these prints are any indication of what's to come, it certainly won't be the last. Like a spotlight aimed directly at your peepers, this artwork is bold, bright, and glitzy. It skillfully conveys just how enchanting Brigette Helm was as the dichotomous Marias, a role which would define the rest of her short career. And I love how tactfully Gutierrez depicts Metropolis' Cylon temptress, masking her features under the intense light radiating from the raised chalice' o doom, ominously suggesting the destructive power behind RoboMaria's indefinable siren song. If, like me, you want to learn more about Peter's design, I suggest checking out the Poster Collective's interview with the artist about his intentions and process. But before I retire for the evening, I want to share a few of the film's screenshots that inspired this print.

Metropolis Screenshot

Metropolis Screenshot

Pretty cool, right? Peter Gutierrez's Metropolis artwork goes on sale Friday (4/5) at 9AM PDT through the Poster Collective storefront. Every screen print measures 18" x 24" and is signed and numbered by the artist. For more info on Peter, visit graphic-black.com, dynamicrex.com, and follow @umbrapenumbra. And if you're a fan of this site or of posters in general, head over to postercollective.com and start following @posterpeople on Twitter.

Randy Ortiz's "The Imprecation of a Nameless Obscenity" Art Prints

UPDATE (3/14): I just found out there are still a few silver glow in the dark variants available through Randy Ortiz's storefront! Woot! Woot!

If you visit this site with any regularity, 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 those sorts of posts, my daily "Poster Per Diem" feature will focus on awesome prints that have since sold out, never existed in the first place (AKA concept posters) or just bear mentioning. In other words: this is my chance to say, "I never got a chance, for whatever reason, to write about you on this here website, but I think you're really purty and I want to let the world know." Or something like that. Oh, and Per diem is latin for "per day" or "each day."

"The Imprecation of A Nameless Obscenity" Art Print (Blue Regular)
Randy Ortiz
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$30 - Limited to 50

"The Imprecation of A Nameless Obscenity" Art Print (Gold Variant)
Randy Ortiz
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$35 - Limited to 50

"The Imprecation of A Nameless Obscenity" Art Print (Glow in the Dark Variant) Randy Ortiz 18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered Sold Out - Limited to 50

"The Imprecation of A Nameless Obscenity" Art Print (Glow in the Dark Variant) Randy Ortiz 18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered Sold Out - Limited to 50

The good folks at Poster Collective ("PC") have put out yet another delicious looking design in the form of three exceptional screen prints by artist Randy Ortiz. This not only marks the first (and hopefully not last) time Ortiz has worked with the Collective, it also represents the first time a PC release has not been explicitly film-related. Unfortunately, I'm a little late to the party on this one and the glow in the dark variant has already sold out, but both the blue and gold metallic versions are still available for $30 and $35, respectively. For more info on the artist, check out damnthedesign.com and follow @damnthedesign. And if you're interested in seeing some great writing on great artwork, visit postercollective.com and follow @posterpeople on Twitter.

Write Up: The Dude Designs' "Video Nasty" Art Print

I've got a ton of respect for the folks at Poster Collective. Like me, they love movie posters. So much so, the founding trio felt the need to create a website dedicated to their existence. But unlike me, they went one step further and started working with artists and commissioning art. It's cool enough that they're consistently publishing fantastic content, but they're also shaping and contributing to the underground movie poster movement, which is something I'm in awe of. Case in point: Tom Hodge's "Video Nasty."

"Video Nasty" Art Print
Tom Hodge (AKA The Dude Designs)
18" x 24" (Giclée) - Numbered
$45 - Limited to 150
Inspired By: Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Child's Play

For those of us who weren't born in the UK -- like me, for example -- I thought it might be helpful to provide a little context and background on the the term "video nasty." As I understand it, "video nasty" was an expression used by the British press to decry all that was wrong right with horror movies on home video throughout the 80s and 90s. What started as a derogatory moniker, seems to have been reappropriated by many a right-thinking horror fan and is now a battle cry of sorts in celebration of the schlocky, the gory, and the obscenely violent. In other words: "video nasty" is good, "video nasty" is great. And while you don't necessarily need any additional info about the term or its history to enjoy this beautifully illustrated walk down memory lane, I'd highly recommend checking out the comprehensive Q&A with The Dude Designs at postercollective.com where much is revealed about the print and its inspiration. Tom Hodge, the man behind this ode to things that go stab in the night, has already crafted a bunch of memorable movie posters / artwork (They Live Blu-ray art, Hobo with a Shotgun and The Innkeepers posters) and seems to have no problem tapping into that "this flick is going to shock the ever living hell out of you" terror / excitement we all secretly felt when walking through the rogues gallery that was the "Horror" section at our local video rental store when VHS ruled the world. And for that we thank him.

The Dude Designs' "Video Nasty" print will be available today at 10 AM Eastern (7 AM Pacific) through Poster Collective's site for $45. The artwork measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 150. If you need any more reason to pull the trigger, this tidbit is for you: a small portion of the profits from every poster sold will go to Keep A Breast (a nonprofit breast cancer organization). To learn more about artist Tom Hodge, be sure to check out his super informative blog and follow him on Twitter @the_dudedesigns. You can also follow the mad ramblings of the Poster Collective crew by adding @PosterPeople to your feed. Happy hunting!

Heads Up: Ghoulish Gary Pullin's "The Big Lebowski" Movie Posters

I had the distinct feeling I was in for some fantastic art when Poster Collective and Tuscon-based The Loft Cinema first announced their partnership. Little did I know they'd be dragging out the daddy of all cult films, The Big Lebowski, on their second go around (their first print / movie was The Rocky Horror Picture Show) and would bring artist Ghoulish Gary Pullin along for the ride. Now, The Big Lebowski is not a forgiving film to design a poster for. First and foremost, the movie's just so damn good - you definitely don't want to be that guy who drops the (bowling) ball and creates a crappy Lebowski design. Second, the film's fans (hey, that's me!) are very protective of its legacy and reputation - thou mustn't bore / anger / insult the White Russian-swilling masses (hey, that's still me!) with subpar art or else we'll "cut off your chonson." And finally, given the surplus of "Dude" inspired posters, memes, concept art, and animated gifs, it's easy to get lost in all that noise - you've got to make something memorable. Well, rest easy, my friends. Ghoulish Gary has not only stepped up to the plate, he swung for the fences and connected with that there ball! (Note: that's probably the one and only sports metaphor I will use this year.) Gary chose Lebowski's trippy dream sequence as his source of inspiration, while still managing to pack in all of the film's biggest and funniest characters without having the print feel busy or crowded. It's a killer work of art and, no doubt, another feather in the cap for Mr. Pullin. There's a lot more I could say, but it's past 2 AM here and there's already a great interview with Ghoulish Gary over at postercollective.com.

The Big Lebowski Movie Poster (Regular)
Ghoulish Gary Pullin
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$30 - Edition of 100

The Big Lebowski Movie Poster (Metallic Teal & GID Ink Variant)
Ghoulish Gary Pullin
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$40 - Edition of 25

Both of Gary's Big Lebowski posters will be available through the Poster Collective website at 9 AM ET (6 AM for us West Coasters) on Friday (8/31). The regular version costs $30 and is limited to 100, while the variant will cost $40 and is limited to only 25. Both prints measure 18" x 24" and will be numbered. Also, I think it's worth noting that these posters were printed by Tim Doyle and the good folks at Nakatomi Inc, so you know it'll be a quality work of art. To learn more about Ghoulish Gary Pullin head over to ghoulishgary.com and follow @ghoulishgary on Twitter. Sleep time for me!

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!

Links I Like - Volume 4

It's been a while since I've done of one these, but to quickly summarize: I'll be posting links to websites that I like along with why I like them. Pretty straight forward stuff. Most of the links will probably be poster or film related, but I'll be sure to occasionally throw something weird in the mix, just to keep you on your toes.

Crome Yellow

http://www.cromeyellow.com

This one's been a long time coming, although that's primarily because I haven't posted a "Links I Like" column in over six months. Crome Yellow is the perfect encapsulation of everything I'm obsessed with. Film? Check. Art and design? Check. New music, which I almost assuredly wouldn't have known about otherwise? Check. Okay, okay, so I'm not technically obsessed with that last one, but I think it's pretty cool nonetheless. In other words: all the geeky stuff I think is the cat's pajamas (and therefore force my very understanding fiancée to endure), the guys who run Crome Yellow also seem to like. It's a win-win. A few of my favorite recent posts include, but are in no way limited to: "John V. Muntean’s ‘Magic Angle’ Sculptures," "The ‘Ruins Of Detroit’ By Marchand & Meffre," and "Pattern Designs From Andy Gilmore." Check 'em out!

Ape on the Moon

http://apeonthemoon.com/

This is another website I've been in love with for quite a while now. Ape on the Moon is run by two London-based illustrators who clearly have a knack for finding incredible art and sharing it with us, their voracious readers. Their posts cover the strange and avant-garde to the more traditionally picturesque, and everything in between. Ape on the Moon also features some fantastic interviews and the occasional step-by-step tutorial for any aspiring artists out there. Highlights include: the "Chris Madden Tutorial Using Printed Ink Textures," "Hand-carved, Wooden, Sculptural Frames by Bonsoir Paris," "Model City Typography by Creative Studio, Soon," and "Happycentro’s Paper, Pen, and Plasticine Typography." Pretty cool, right?

Eye Sea Posters

http://www.eyeseaposters.com/

Did you enjoy Jay Shaw's Bullhead print? Do you like your movie posters with a dash of strange and a healthy heaping of what the fuck? Well, Eye Sea Posters is the place for you. Eye Sea specializes in the sale of Polish one sheets from the 60's and 70's by artists like Jerzy Flisak, Wiktor Gorka, Andrzej Krajewski and Maciej Zbikowski and is a must-have bookmark for anyone who loves movie posters. Sure, Posteritati may technically have a larger inventory, but I really appreciate the passion Eye Sea pours into their site and selection, making them the online authority on Polish posters in my book. Oh yeah, did I mention they've also got a great blog? You should probably visit that too. A few of my favorite Polish posters include: Gumshoe (AKA Prywatny Detektyw), Romancing the Stone (AKA Milosc Szmaragd i Krokodyl), and The Terrorists (AKA Godziny Grozy). It's like I always say, "Nobody does eyeball pistols like the Polish."

Poster Collective

http://www.postercollective.com/

If you like Posterocalypse, then there's a pretty good chance you'll love the Poster Collective. The Poster Collective, much like this site, is dedicated to poster art, with the majority of its focus centered on the wonderful world of film. Unlike Posterocalypse, the three hoodlums that run the Poster Collective have created some incredibly clever and very enjoyable features, including: "10 Valentine’s Day Movies (And Posters) For Every Relationship Status," "A DRIVE Through Car Movie Poster History," and their recurring "8 Questions" interview series. To add insult to injury, they've also got a better looking site and a much snappier motto ("Wall Things Considered") than I do. Thankfully for me, the Internet is a big enough place for more than one poster site to comfortably exist, and I consider Poster Collective to be among the best.

Movielicious!

http://www.chongweikk.com/

First things first: I cannot and have never been able to speak, read, or write Chinese. Granted, I've only got a questionable understanding of English and have retained about a paragraph's worth of Español from my time spent in Spanish 3, but again, Chinese is not my forté. Despite this obvious hindrance, the Chinese-language site Movielicious! is one of my favorite places to visit whenever new content is posted. I don't really know anything about the person or people who run Movielicious!, but I'm fairly confident we would be great friends based on their apparent affection for all things cinematic. No matter your ability to understand Chinese, Movielicious! is a website that deserves your attention. A handful of my favorite posts include: "12 Reinvented Visual Arts for Miyazaki’s Anime," "2012 Best Films Custom Art: BAFTA vs. OSCAR," and "Revisiting 2011: 10 Favourite Short Films." Enjoy!

What do you think? Know of any other good sites?