Most movie sites talk about Bond girls — but we here at Meansheets prefer Bond illustrators! Which brings us to Mitchell Hooks, the man who drew up the original poster for Dr. No. Like Robert McGinnis, he was also a very successful book cover jacket designer of paperback romances and pulp fiction novels, and was inducted into The Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame in 1999. So he’s kind of a big deal!
Once again, thanks to Sim Branaghan’s excellent book, British Film Posters, I discovered the life and work of Vic Fair, a rockin’ Englishman who did his part to push the boundaries of the “quad”-rophenia (for all you Who fans out there)!
Upon hearing of Burt Reynolds‘ recent heart surgery (and expected full recovery!), I got a little wistful recalling some of his more popular movies from the 70’s and 80’s. Other than Clint Eastwood, I can’t think of another movie star who was featured in so many cool posters — if not, entirely successful movies. And I’m not talking about the macho, rugged, respectable Deliverance Burt or The Longest Yard Burt — I mean the funny, goofy, cheesy Burt from Paternity (by of my faves, Birney Lettick) and Stroker Ace…Get well, Burt. We love ya!
Arnaldo Putzu, the brilliant, though unfortunately named Italian illustrator, stormed British shores in the late 1960’s and lit up England’s theatre lobbies and magazine covers for years to come with his dazzling, colorful, handcrafted posters. And rumor has it that he’s still alive and well and painting in Rome!
Starting out as an apprentice to UK legend, Tom Chantrell, Tom Beauvais sketched out quite a colorful path for himself, designing several memorable quads for Mad Max, Honkytonk Man, and Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid.
To learn more about him and British Film Poster artists in general, check out this interesting podcast by Sim Branaghan…
Tom Chantrell was a prolific British illustrator who did one of the more legendary Star Wars posters as well as the infamous Raquel Welch stunner for One Million Years BC and a whole slew of others. And judging by his obit, he seemed like one heckuva charmer!
Considering yesterday’s tragic killer whale attack at SeaWorld, it brought to mind the work of John Berkey, a fantastic sci-fi illustrator who specialized in Star Wars concept art and disaster movies. Unfortunately, Mr. Berkey passed away in 2008, but his terrific terrifying images will live on to terrorize us all…
Uncovered Films sent me a cool video about Pablo Ferro, the originator of the title sequences for Dr. Strangelove, Beetlejuice, and L.A. Confidential, to name just a few. So here’s a few more gems from the man that was once called a genius by Stanley Kubrick…
Along with Jack Davis and Jack Rickard, Mort Drucker came from The Mad Magazine School of Art. Drucker’s cartoony style and celebrity caricatures have made him one of the “funniest” illustrators in the history of the movie/comics business!
Movie Poster Museum 
