Category Archives: 1980s posters

The Art of Drew Struzan

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If you’re a movie poster fan who likes the stories behind the one-sheets, then be sure to check out The Art of Drew Struzan book (not to be confused with The Movie Posters of Drew Struzan). This elegant coffeetable edition on the legendary 80s movie poster maker shows off Struzan’s huge oeuvre as well as provides an insightful look at his thought process, displaying the many different versions of designs — including lots of rejects — he has come up with over the years.

With an introduction by Frank Darabont (Shawshank Redemption), Struzan tells of his joys and frustrations with the movie poster biz, including how he didn’t actually meet Harrison Ford in person until 2010 (well after the proven popularity of his Indiana Jones posters) and how he recycled this unused Crocodile Dundee art (below) into the classic Coming To America movie poster…

Brain Drain

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Here’s your brain…on movie posters! Come to think of it, how come most brain-driven movies are horror/sci-fi stories (with the exception of Steve Martin’s brilliant comedy, The Man With Two Brains)? Aren’t big brains a good thing? We should be celebrating the mind — not running away in terror from them!

Used Cars Posters

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That vintage movie poster purveyor, EatBrie, has picked himself up some sweet lemons with these delightful door panels from the 1980 auto-comedy, Used Cars…which will nicely complement his already burgeoning Zemeckis Collection.

Btw, the one-sheet on the lower left was designed by Roger Huyssen and the International caricature version on the lower right is credited to Sandy Kossin.

Players Club Movie Posters

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Here’s a look at two similar-looking French posters: Truffuat’s Shoot The Piano Player by Jouineau Bourduge (which has nothing to do with They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?) and Robert Altman’s Hollywood classic, The Player…

Long Live Lumet!

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The movie industry lost a legend today with the passing of film director, Sidney Lumet. Known for his powerhouse courtroom dramas and just flat-out Hollywood classics like 12 Angry Men, Network, and Dog Day Afternoon, Lumet worked with the best actors of his day and even finished on a high note with his last film, the much-underappreciated dysfunctional family heist flick, Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead.

Nagel Meets Gatsby

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Although the once-popular limited-edition prints of Patrick Nagel seem to be perpetually stuck in the 80’s, I can’t help but feel a soft spot for his memorable Pop Art style. Upon doing some research, it was disheartening to discover that Nagel died way too young at the age of 38 of a heart attack after appearing in a celebrity aerobics “aerobathon” for the American Heart Association. Wow, how fitting is that (considering his prints often featured jet black-haired women in sporty Flashdance tops and headbands)…

Famous for his Duran Duran Rio album cover, Nagel got his start in the 70s sketching Playboy babes (much like Alberto Vargas) — and doing commercial work, including this handsome Ballantine Scotch movie tie-in ad for The Great Gatsby, which is now up for auction at EMoviePoster. So whatever you think of Nagel’s work, it is undeniable that the man’s designs defined his time.

Hand Jobs!

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Okay, don’t get too excited because this is just a simple tribute to movie posters with hands, including a few classics by such poster design legends as John Alvin (E.T.) and Saul Bass (The Man With The Golden Arm, In Harm’s Way, and Phase IV).

Crazy For Swierzy

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Waldemar Swierzy, one of the most dynamic Polish movie poster designers of the 20th Century, tackled some of Hollywood’s greatest 70’s and 80’s movies (and American Jazz artists) with his striking, abstract “only in Polish” designs.

Oh yeah, and if you like Swierzy’s brush-tastic take on The Muppets Movie, it’s for sale at Film/Art.

The Russians Are Coming!

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In the past, I haven’t featured many ANY Russian movie posters on the Meansheets, but here’s a colorful trifecta that seem worthy of mentioning — Solaris, The Professional, and the 80’s Mel Gibson drama, The River.

(*Full Disclosure: the Solaris poster (top left) was featured prominently on the cover of the excellent Art of the Modern Movie Poster book.)