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!