Raiders of the Lost Ark / quad / style B / UK

06.01.12

PosterPosterPosterPosterPoster
Title
Raiders of the Lost Ark
AKA
--
Year of Film
1981
Director
Steven Spielberg
Starring
Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott, Alfred Molina
Origin of Film
USA
Genre(s) of Film
Action | Adventure
Type of Poster
Quad
Style of Poster
Style B
Origin of Poster
UK
Year of Poster
1981
Designer
Unknown
Artist
Brian Bysouth
Size (inches)
30" x 40"
SS or DS
SS
Tagline
--

A superb montage by the great British artist Brian Bysouth for the first film in Steven Spielberg‘s legendary Indiana Jones series. This is technically the Style B quad because, as I understand it, the British distributors (Paramount UK?) decided that the artwork on the first quad (Style A) was too dark and Indy looks too dour and thus commissioned a second poster to be designed and printed.

The artwork on this replacement quad is definitely more exciting and leaves no question that the film contains plenty of action and adventure. It does ditch the now classic Indiana Jones logo, and some balk at the fact that Indy is depicted without his fedora and leather jacket, but it does a much better job of selling the film than the first poster, in my opinion.

In my 2012 interview with Brian this poster was discussed:

What about the Raiders of the Lost Ark quad? You must have done that whilst still with Ken [Hayter]?
Yes, that was done for the Lonsdale Advertising agency. They showed me their revised pencil visual and the first poster that had been done by Richard Amsel. They said that they didn’t like it because it didn’t show anything of what the film was about; it was a very dark poster, and the film isn’t like that, is it? It’s an absolutely classic, boys-own thriller and a very colourful film. Whilst the Amsel version is a great piece of art I think my painting does a better job of showing what the film is really about.

Were you given any directions for the re-design?
No. I knew I had to make it more exciting and if you look at the poster you’ll notice that the free brushwork helps to give it movement. I had to paint it quickly because the first quad was already up on the Underground and all over the country. Lonsdales wanted the new poster to replace the Amsel one as quickly as possible.

One thing that people often remark about in your Raiders quad is that Indy is missing his Fedora and leather jacket, which later became his trademarks.
I was given a headshot of Harrison Ford with no body reference to paint from. I struck the likeness from the reference I was given. I didn’t think the original reference photo was the best image of Harrison Ford but I did my best with what I was given. At that time the jacket and fedora had not become iconic and were not considered a requirement.

It’s interesting to note that the decision was taken to drop the text referencing two previous hit films from Spielberg (Jaws) and George Lucas (Star Wars). This artwork was later re-used when the film was re-released at cinemas (the press-quote was replaced) and was also printed as a UK one sheet.

My overall favourite Indiana Jones poster is by Richard Amsel and was for the 1982 re-release of the film in the US. It can be seen here.

Other posters by Brian Bysouth I’ve collected can be seen by clicking here.

 

Raiders of the Lost Ark / quad / style A / UK

06.01.12

PosterPosterPosterPosterPoster
Title
Raiders of the Lost Ark
AKA
--
Year of Film
1981
Director
Steven Spielberg
Starring
Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott, Alfred Molina
Origin of Film
USA
Genre(s) of Film
Action | Adventure
Type of Poster
Quad
Style of Poster
Style A
Origin of Poster
UK
Year of Poster
1981
Designer
Unknown
Artist
Richard Amsel
Size (inches)
30 1/16" x 39 15/16"
SS or DS
SS
Tagline
The creators of Jaws and Star Wars now bring you the Ultimate Hero in the Ultimate Adventure

This was the first British poster released for the first film in Steven Spielberg‘s legendary Indiana Jones series. The poster uses artwork by American artist Richard Amsel, as featured on the US one sheet. Both posters had the task of selling the new character to cinema-goers and you’ll notice that they emphasise two previous hit films from Spielberg (Jaws) and George Lucas (Star Wars).

This is technically the style A quad because, as I understand it, the British distributors (Paramount UK?) decided that the artwork was too dark and Indy looks too dour and thus commissioned a second poster to be designed and printed. This resulted in the Style B quad with artwork by the great British artist Brian Bysouth. The montage on that poster leaves no doubt that the film contains plenty of action and adventure. It also ditches the now classic Indiana Jones logo and some folks balk at the fact that Indy is depicted without his fedora and leather jacket.

I believe this poster was then withdrawn once the Style B was available. I do like Richard Amsel’s artwork but I feel that Brian Bysouth’s portrait of Indy and the great composition of the other characters means the replacement is the better of the two posters.

My overall favourite Indiana Jones poster is by Richard Amsel and was for the 1982 re-release of the film in the US. It can be seen here.

Other posters by Richard Amsel I’ve collected can be seen by clicking here.

Sorceress / one sheet / international

04.01.12

PosterPosterPosterPoster
Title
Sorceress
AKA
La Spada e la Magia (Italy)
Year of Film
1982
Director
Jack Hill
Starring
Leigh Harris, Lynette Harris, Bob Nelson, David Millbern, Bruno Rey, Ana De Sade, Roberto Ballesteros
Origin of Film
USA | Mexico
Genre(s) of Film
Action | Fantasy | Adventure
Type of Poster
One sheet
Style of Poster
--
Origin of Poster
International
Year of Poster
1982
Designer
Unknown
Artist
Robert Tanenbaum
Size (inches)
27 2/16" x 41"
SS or DS
SS
NSS #
--
Tagline
An epic adventure of swords and sorcery when good and evil clash in the ultimate cosmic struggle!

The last film from Jack Hill, the director of several exploitation films such as Foxy Brown and The Swinging Cheerleaders, Sorceress was one of several fantasy films released in the wake of Conan the Barbarian. It currently sits on a meagre IMDb score of 3.7 out of 10 and sounds like something of a clunker:

Sorceress is bad. Astronomically bad. Not the kind of bad that we’re used to. No, not mediocre Hollywood bad. It’s so bad, it’s almost a religious experience.

To be fair, with a poster like this it’s not like the audience were expecting much, as another reviewer points out:

Tremendously fun if you approach it in the correct frame of mind (and probably even better when one is drunk). Oh, did I happen to mention the beautiful boobies on display in this?

This is the international one sheet featuring artwork by American artist Robert Tanenbaum. The other posters I’ve collected by him can be seen here.

The US one sheet looks like this and the original trailer is on YouTube (contains bewbs).

 

Inferno / B2 / Japan

02.01.12

PosterPosterPosterPosterPoster
Title
Inferno
AKA
--
Year of Film
1980
Director
Dario Argento
Starring
Leigh McCloskey, Irene Miracle, Eleonora Giorgi, Daria Nicolodi, Sacha Pitoëff, Alida Valli, Veronica Lazar, Gabriele Lavia, Feodor Chaliapin Jr., Leopoldo Mastelloni, Ania Pieroni
Origin of Film
Italy
Genre(s) of Film
Horror
Type of Poster
B2
Style of Poster
--
Origin of Poster
Japan
Year of Poster
1980
Designer
Unknown
Artist
--
Size (inches)
20 6/16" x 28 13/16"
SS or DS
SS
Tagline
--

A unique montage on this Japanese poster for the second in Italian horror maestro Dario Argento’s ‘Three Mothers’ trilogy of films. The series began in 1977 with the brilliant Suspiria and would end 27 years after this film with the disappointing Mother of Tears. Set in New York and Rome, Inferno focuses on a brother and sister and their investigation into a mysterious coven of witches, with predictably deadly consequences.

Like many of Argento’s films the plot is often secondary to the incredible visuals and inventive death scenes, but it’s definitely up there as one of his best and now has a well-deserved cult following. The film was partly financed by 20th Century Fox, following the success they had distributing Suspiria, however they declined to give it as wide a release as the previous film and Inferno suffered as a result. I’ve been unable to find out much about the UK cinema release, although this is what the poster for it looked like.

I’m a fan of the original Italian poster, which can be seen here.

British distributor Arrow Films released a lavish 30th anniversary edition blu-ray here in the UK (in 2010) and the US home video label Blue Underground also released the film last year.

The spectacularly nuts original US trailer can be viewed on YouTube.

Swashbuckler / 30×40 / USA

30.12.11

PosterPosterPosterPosterPoster
Title
Swashbuckler
AKA
The Scarlet Buccaneer (UK) | Le pirate des Caraïbes [The Pirate Of The Caribbean] (France) | Il corsaro della Giamaica [The Pirate of Jamaica] (Italy)
Year of Film
1976
Director
James Goldstone
Starring
Robert Shaw, James Earl Jones, Peter Boyle, Geneviève Bujold, Beau Bridges, Geoffrey Holder, Avery Schreiber, Tom Clancy, Anjelica Huston, Bernard Behrens, Dorothy Tristan
Origin of Film
USA
Genre(s) of Film
Action | Adventure
Type of Poster
30x40
Style of Poster
--
Origin of Poster
USA
Year of Poster
1976
Designer
Unknown
Artist
John Solie
Size (inches)
29 7/8" x 40 1/16"
SS or DS
SS
NSS #
76/164
Tagline
Come have a wonderful time - Enjoy the Biggest Grandest Pirate Movie ever!

Great artwork featuring the legendary actor Robert Shaw in a dramatic pose for this largely forgotten pirate romp Swashbuckler. The film is known as Scarlet Buccaneer in several other English-speaking territories, including the UK. The Japanese poster featuring an adaptation of this artwork can be seen here.

The artwork on this poster is by the American artist John Solie who has been working as an illustrator for over 40 years. Film posters are just one aspect of his output, which also includes book and magazine covers, sculptures, portraits and work for NASA. He continues to paint today in Tucson, Arizona. Here are the posters by John Solie I have collected to date.

The original trailer can be viewed on IMDb.

Death Wish 3 / quad / UK

28.12.11

PosterPosterPosterPosterPoster
Title
Death Wish 3
AKA
--
Year of Film
1985
Director
Michael Winner
Starring
Charles Bronson, Deborah Raffin, Ed Lauter, Martin Balsam, Gavan O'Herlihy
Origin of Film
USA
Genre(s) of Film
Action | Thriller
Type of Poster
Quad
Style of Poster
--
Origin of Poster
UK
Year of Poster
1985
Designer
Unknown
Artist
Stan Watts
Size (inches)
30 1/16" x 40"
SS or DS
SS
Tagline
He's back in New York bringing justice to the streets...

The legendary Charles Bronson in full effect on this British quad for director Michael Winner’s final Death Wish film (Bronson would go on to star in two more). Today, the film has a cult following despite being critically panned upon release. Although it’s set in New York the majority of filming took place in London and the British actors later had their voice dubbed over by American airmen based in the UK.

The film features a lot of memorably over-the-top action – a prime example would be the ‘Giggler’ scene – and several spectacularly cheesy lines of dialogue; “It’s like killing roaches – you have to kill ’em all, otherwise what’s the use?”

The quad is an adaptation of the American one sheet featuring artwork by Stan Watts that can be seen here.

The original trailer is on YouTube.