I've never been to FrightFest, though by all accounts it sounds like one hell of a fun time, but I do make the yearly trek to Austin for Fantastic Fest. Besides all of the insane / fun / terrifying / hilarious / captivating films we see and the direct interaction attendees get to have with filmmakers and fellow film fanatics, I'm always super excited to see what Mondo releases during the festival. Sometimes it's a beautiful print for a movie that's premiering that year, sometimes it's a past Fantastic Fest favorite, and sometimes it's something completely unpredictable and even more exciting. All of this is my rather roundabout way of saying film festivals and limited edition screen prints go together like Italian cinema and questionable dubbing. That is to say, it just works.
FrightFest Originals, a venture spearheaded by Ian Rattray (a founding director of FrightFest) and Alex Chambers (an art collector and screen printing aficionado), recently went live and is now sporting five (count 'em five) sweet looking posters through their online store. Here's the official blurbage (taken from
FrightFest Originals' About page):
"FrightFest Originals launched in August 2012 to promote UK screenprints for discerning collectors. All our artwork is fully authorised and gives each artist completely free reign - we're trying to create extremely limited edition prints that are rare, exclusive and most importantly, original...
...We are for the fans, for the artists and all for exclusive stuff. These posters are authorised and unique. Buying a FrightFest Orignals print guarantees you quality, collectability and access to the best upcoming and established artists in the world. Known or unknown, we'll work with you if you're good enough, and sell you a print if you're quick enough. Get in touch via the contact tab if you want to be involved. We hope you feel the same way we do - UK and foreign designs for the discerning collector."
That sounds all well and good to me, but how does the artwork stand up against those promises? Very well, actually. For your reading pleasure, I've included a brief review of each print below. Enjoy!
 |
Zombie Flesh Eaters Movie Poster
Nat Marsh
26.5" x 38.5" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
£40 (UK) / £50 (International) - Limited to 75 |
Zombie Flesh Eaters AKA
Zombie AKA
Zombi 2 is definitely one of Lucio Fulci's better known films, if for no other reason than it features a zombie fighting a shark. Due to its increased popularity, there might have been a bit more pressure on artist Nat Marsh to create something compelling and beautiful. Good news! We can all rest easy, because Nat absolutely nailed it. His poster is moody, clever (notice the stalking silhouette created by the sole shaft of light?) and absolutely gorgeous. I also love the fact that the UK title,
Zombie Flesh Eaters, was used. We can finally fill that unsightly gap on the wall between our
Zombie and
Zombi 2 posters! Marsh's
tropical print is
currently available through the
FrightFest Originals store to both UK and international customers. The
poster measures 26.5" x 38.5" and is limited to 75. Note: the higher international price also includes shipping. To learn more about Nat Marsh, visit
nathanael.com.
 |
Maniac Movie Poster
Aniheads
26.5" x 38.5" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
£40 (UK) / £50 (International) - Limited to 50 |
I've yet to see Franck Khalfoun's remake of Lustig's
Maniac, but from what I've read it's incredibly creepy and very likely superior to the original. For the uninitiated, here's a quick rundown of the 1980s gem: a crazy guy scalps women, shortly thereafter placing their flayed skin on a mannequin's noggin. In other words:
Mannequin: On the Move, this is not. And based on the film's simple premise, I'd say Aniheads' print fits the bill to a tee. It's disturbing, it features mannequins, we've got the titular maniac (played by Elijah Wood) skulking around the background, and it's not overly complicated. Now, there's not too much more I'd feel comfortable saying without first seeing the new film, but I did want to mention just how much I liked the small stream of blood running down Elijah's face. The use of red is subtle, restrained, and wonderfully eye-catching.
Aniheads' Maniac poster is
currently available through the
FrightFest Originals site. The
screen print measures 26.5" x 38.5" and is limited to an edition of 50.
 |
"Cinema of Horrors" Art Print
Graham Humpreys
26.5" x 38.5" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
£40 (UK) / £50 (International) - Limited to 50 |
What's not to love about Graham Humpreys'
"Cinema of Horrors" print? I've always been a fan of the kitchen sink approach, and the above poster certainly doesn't shy away from filling its borders with more film references than you can shake a stick at. And color-wise, Graham's print really compliments Nat Marsh's
Zombie Flesh Eaters poster. Bottom line: if you're a horror movie fan, this poster has something for you. Mr. Humphrey's
"Cinema of Horrors" print is
currently available for purchase and is limited to an edition of 50. The
screen print measures 26.5" x 38.5" and is signed and numbered. To see more of the artist's work, head over to
grahamhumphreys.com.
 |
V / H / S Movie Poster
Aniheads
26.5" x 38.5" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
£40 (UK) / £50 (International) - Limited to 50 |
I like this
V / H / S poster for the same reason I so thoroughly enjoy Jay Shaw's work. Yes, it's smart, but even more than that, it's like a 3D sculpture in 2D print form. There's something immediately tangible and maybe even tactile about Aniheads' design. My only real complaint is that the standard title typography feels like a missed opportunity. I would've loved to have seen something more playful done with the letters. But, really, this poster works for me, and had I been a bigger fan of the film, would make for an easy purchase. In summation, I dig the print, but can't concisely explain why. Aniheads'
V / H / S movie poster is
currently available through the
FrightFest Originals storefront. It measures 26.5" x 38.5", is signed and numbered, and is limited to an edition of 50.
 |
Nightbreed: Extended Cabal Cut Movie Poster
Aniheads
38.5" x 26.5" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
£40 (UK) / £50 (International) - Limited to 50 |
This one brings back memories. Hazy ones, yes, but memories nonetheless. True, I don't remember much of
Nightbreed's plot, I however do recall being completely enthralled by all of the monster makeup (that was sort of my thing back then). Enough of my doddering babble though, to the artwork! While this print plays it pretty straight and narrow, eschewing any radically stylistic elements beyond what was offered in the
original one-sheets, the damn thing is beautiful to behold. The massive moon in the background (look closely or you just might miss it) is absolutely jaw-dropping and I can only imagine looks even more spectacular in person. My advice is this: as I doubt you'll be seeing too many
Nightbreed prints in the near future, if you're at all interested in the film, you'd be stupid not to jump at this poster.
Aniheads' Nightbreed: Extended Cabal Cut is
available for purchase through the
FrightFest Originals site. The
signed and numbered artwork measures 38.5" x 26.5" and is limited to 50.
And that's that. As you can see, FrightFest Originals is definitely starting off on the right foot and promises to be yet another bright spot for us movie poster people. To learn more about FFO, be sure to visit
frightfestoriginals.com, join
their mailing list, and follow
@frightfestorigi on Twitter.
