Cool Stuff: New 'Oldboy,' 'Full Metal Jacket,' And 'El Topo' Prints
A movie poster exhibit recently opened in Montreal, Canada and it comes complete with three beautiful new prints. The exhibit is called "J'ai tué le photographe" (which translates to "I killed the photographer") and it runs through October 30 at the Cinema du Parc. The three prints made for the show are Oldboy by Rhys Cooper, Full Metal Jacket by Tim Doyle and El Topo by Martin Ansin. Cooper, Doyle and Ansin have each been featured numerous times on /Film and are just a few of the artists working to prove that specially designed movie posters are back in a big way. Hit the jump to see the posters, get info on how to buy them and read more about the exhibit.
The point of the "J'ai tué le photographe" exhibit is to celebrate a new renaissance in movie posters where, much was the case decades ago, artists are once again being given the opportunity to create a personal interpretation of a film instead of just using photos – which has become standard practice in recent decades. The official description of the show, in fact, cites the guys at Mondo and the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas for spearheading this trend and it would be hard to disagree with that – though, last year's Lost campaign kind of kicked it into another gear, in this poster collector's personal opinion.
Each of these prints will be first available at 1 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday October 5 to purchase as a limited edition set of three. Then, at 1 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday October 6, they will go on sale individually. All the sales will be at Von Scaramouche.
Rhys Cooper – Oldboy
18 x 24, Edition Size: 210
Description as per Rhys Cooper:
I came across Chan-wook Park's dark and twisted masterpiece "Oldboy" as I was channel surfing late one night. I'd just fallen across the infamous hammer / teeth scene only to be followed by the even more incredible and iconic hallway fight scene. After seeing these, my mind fully blown, I turned off the tv, it was enough for me to hunt down and buy the dvd the next day.
For the concept and design of my Oldboy poster I really wanted to capture what had become of Oh Dae-Su as his life and sanity had been pushed to its limits, to the point where even his grips on his humanity come into question. Fans of the film should pick up on the numerous references and clues while hopefully, as all good posters should, it encourages those who haven't seen it to seek it out and experience it. But be warned, don't fall in too deep.
Tim Doyle – Full Metal Jacket
18 x 24, Edition Size: 200
Description as per Tim Doyle:
I saw Full Metal Jacket at WAAAAAYYYY too early of an age, and it formed my opinion on war in a brutal 2 hour salvo. That opinion? It's not for me. As a work of art, the film is a difficult one- the tone shifts considerably at just about the half-way point- it's essentially 2 films that just happen to have the same lead. But both show the complete dehumanization one must undergo in the process of becoming war-ready, and in the execution of it. The vulgar phrase, "Sally-Jane Rottencrotch's pretty pink panties" fall on the ears like the memory of a soft lullaby of wholesomeness compared to the spray of bullets and stacks of human meat later in the film. The ubiquitous MOUSE ends each chapter in the film (in epithet and song) and presents a smiling face, now obscene in it's ineffectual innocence. And to be honest, I think it balances the poster out nicely.
Martin Ansin – El Topo
24 x 36, Edition Size: 265
(Variant Edition Size: 35)
Description as per Martin Ansin
The design of this poster is heavily influenced by the symbolism of Jodorowsky's "El Topo". Behind the presentation of the characters of the film, lies a geometric arrangement that relates to the Christian and Eastern symbolism in the journey of the main character. The original inspiration for this arrangement came from totemic culture and geometric religious shapes, such as mandalas.
For instance, on this poster the five faces can resemble a Christian cross, hinted at by the lighting on Jodorowsky's face, and relating to the downfall and "rebirth" of the main character at the end of the first half of the film. Also, the composition shows two triangles—described by the hands and bottom face, and the three top heads and hats—forming a shape similar to a unicursal hexagram, allegedly used in mythology to express the belief that one can eventually become some sort of a divine figure, a theme that runs through the film.
Source: Inside The Rock Poster