Poster Nirvana Rocks!

If Kurt Cobain were alive today, he might say that the movie poster collection on Poster Nirvana was in full bloom. Mel, the owner, just recently started collecting back in March 2009 and has quickly amassed a nice solid stash of contemporary classics — and his website neatly divvies up his holdings by ratings, decade, genres, and sub-genres. Another cool facet of his site is the “Recalled Section” where he provides some interesting back stories to how and why several big-time movie posters (Clockers, Dick Tracy, Pulp Fiction, and more) were pulled by their respective studios over the years.

Although it appears that he’s a major fan of the franchises like Star Wars and James Bond films, he also has an impeccable knack for display as he seamlessly mixes in 60’s and 70’s mod pieces with 21st Century one-sheets …and yet somehow makes it all work. And I’m sure his framer must be one happy guy/gal!

Tom Chantrell (1916-2001)

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!

The Brothers Hildebrandt!

Everyone’s heard of The Coens, The Wachowskis, and The Hughes Bros — but what about Tim and Greg Hildebrandt? These wonder twins were purveyors of sci-fi/fantasy art (unfortunately, Tim died in 2006) and their legendary Star Wars poster is beloved by many Lucas fanboys, but their illustration was in fact based on the already existing Tom Jung version below (top right).

Jungian Posterology

“The goal of poster art”, Tom Jung once said, “is to crystallize a film into a simple image — to catch a moment.” That’s consciousness. Jung’s work picked up where Howard Terpning left off in the 60’s. Bold, dramatic, and full of passion.