Terry's Reviews
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Book Reviews: |
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HORROR – Poster Art Edited by Tony Nourmand and Graham Marsh Aurum Press – 2005 |
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| A dazzling collection of hundreds of the best
HORROR – Poster Art ever published. This is a coffee table sized book in glorious
color with a Foreword by Professor Christopher Frayling. You can sit and look at this book in one sitting and/or multiple sittings as you turn each page a new film is represented by beautiful horrific and terrifying images. The films are even grouped into different categories such as; Universal Studio’s films, Hammer Films, Japanese horror movies, horror spoofs and serial killer movies. Also the work of noted directors is featured such as Alfred Hitchcock, Roman Polanski, Brian DePalma and David Cronenberg. DEAD OF NIGHT (1945) shows tremendous artistic hand drawn creativity. The directness of NOSFERATU (1922) is incredibly powerful. VARGTIMMEN (Hour of the Wolf) (1967) is one of the most frightening posters in this book with a sinister dark eyed face laughing in huge close-up. I’m one of the firm believers that movie posters designed with less have infinitely more power. Maybe its because the image is so direct and you don’t get bogged down in too many details. Wonderful examples are; the blood streaked slash into black background FROM HELL (2001), the ballet like victim dancing in her own blood SUSPIRA (1977), a pumpkin glowing out from the dark with a large butcher knife of death HALLOWEEN (1978), a extreme close-up of Drew Barrymore’s terrified face SCREAM (1996), a little girl barely illuminated by a television set surround by black POLTERGEIST (1982), the nude woman swimming unsuspectingly above the ferocious teeth of JAWS (1975), opposite use of black and white representing good & evil THE EXORCIST (1972) and the little boy with wolf shadow THE OMEN (1976). Paintings are a lost art on movie posters but this book allows you to appreciate some of the best paint work done for the horror cinema; THE WALKING DEAD (1936), Italian version of CAT PEOPLE (1942), THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933) and THE MUMMY (1932) to name a few. This is a treasure for all fans or horror, art, photography and design. |
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