independent movie poster book review

Cinema on Paper Examines the History of the Movie Poster

By Film Threat Staff | May 21, 2021

EXCLUSIVE BOOK EXCERPT! Comprising more than 100 works from one of the most prominent private collections of film posters in the world, Cinema on Paper: The Graphic Genius of Movie Posters is a tribute to the superior talent of an international group of artists whose creativity captured a movie’s essence with arresting precision. Selected for their masterful design, these mass-produced hallmarks of the movie industry represent comedies, musicals, Westerns, sci-fi thrillers, dramas and other cinematic works that date from the turn of the 20th century to the early 2000s. Posters for legendary features, such as Casablanca and The Godfather , stand alongside foreign films and memorable cult classics, including Le Samourai and Barbarella .

Luxuriously reproduced for their iconic design and graphic excellence, these rare Hollywood and foreign-produced posters are displayed side by side in order to illustrate differences in cultural viewpoint through graphic expression and provide insight into the depth and detail of poster design. This collectible volume not only celebrates film posters as unique works of art, but also as cultural time capsules that reflect historic trends in design and popular culture.

Ben Mankiewicz writes in the Foreword: “Plenty of artists and the rest of us have drawn inspiration from movies that affected us emotionally. But often the first brick of that cinematic tabernacle is the movie poster.”

Steven Heller writes in the Introduction: “So adjust your eyes, turn off your phones, indulge your cravings, and prepare yourself for a feast of exciting memorabilia. You may find that just glancing at these posters will inspire you to immediately stream the movies they represent.”

Dwight Cleveland identified his first conquest in 1977 at age 16 (Wolf Song, c1929, Lupe Vélez & Gary Cooper): “But seeing the vivid colors and striking design of this particular card felt like being hit by a lightning bolt.”

KISS OF DEATH (1947)

This bleak icon of film noir has several distinctions in film history, including what is arguably Victor Mature’s finest screen performance, the audacious and welcome debut of Richard Widmark, and what may well be the most perverse depiction of violence on screen from any legitimate studio film. Some of the American posters were printed in black and white for effect, but this Dutch design by Kik Berg blows all the doors off conventionality with its bizarre expressionist color scheme and layout, which makes a bull’s-eye target of the lovers’ crimson lips performing the titular kiss of death.

SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950)

In this spot-on design, Waldemar Swierzy, Poland’s supreme master of film poster art, has turned Gloria Swanson’s silent-screen star Norma Desmond, well past her “best by” date, into a snake-headed Medusa. Her classic, hyper-dramatic pose is rendered by Swierzy directly from the film’s conclusion, in which the delusional actress descends the staircase for the cameras to the coaching of Erich von Stroheim, believing that Cecil B. DeMille is directing her close-up. Just as the Medusa of myth had the power to freeze viewers into stone, so too does Swierzy’s fantastic tribute to Swanson have the same effect – stopping viewers dead in their tracks.

Get the book from author Dwight Cleveland’s official site for Cinema on Paper . 

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The Independent Movie Poster Book

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Striking designs from our collection of mostly 1980-2005 indie posters from around the world (out of print - paperback - 132 pp)

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The Independent Movie Poster Book Paperback – May 1, 2005

• Print length 176 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Harry N. Abrams
• Publication date May 1, 2005
• Grade level 8 and up
• Reading age 13 years and up
• Dimensions 9 x 0.75 x 12 inches
• ISBN-10 081099190X
• ISBN-13 978-0810991903
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Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harry N. Abrams; First Edition (May 1, 2005)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 081099190X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0810991903
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 years and up
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 8 and up
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.8 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9 x 0.75 x 12 inches
• #5,516 in Commercial Graphic Design (Books)
• #14,212 in Performing Arts (Books)
• #19,380 in Movies (Books)

About the authors

Spencer drate.

I am a award-winning creative director/designer/author/curator/radio personality. Nominated for the 2019 National Design Award. Spencer drate and Judith Salavetz are legendary music designers for the music famous including 25 Rock Hall of Fame inductees.My music design and with Judith Salavetz in MoMA,AIGA and Rock n Roll Hall of Fame archival collections and in major museum and gallery shows. In major music design MoMA shows 2010 and 2016. Our design displayed in traveling museum shows "Who Shot Rock n Roll Show" in 2009 and RAMONES show at The Queens Museum and GRAMMY Museum in 2016. Spencer and Judith both nominated for the 2019 National design award. Co-authored 21 pop-culture books with Judith Salavetz and all books visually driven. Spencer a selected 7 time GRAMMY judge on the album packaging nyc committee and both Making Vinyl Event Awards judges on the vinyl album packaging committee. Spencer nominated for a GRAMMY in album packaging co-designing "Talking Heads-Fear of Music" album in 1979. Spencer and Judith both conceived/curated a "Art of Vinyl Cover Show" on youtube selecting some of the best designed album/45 covers internationally and many never displayed before. Spencer Drate and Judith Salavetz authored "45 RPM" and "FIVE HUNDRED 45s" books included in The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame archival collection. Spencer and Judith Interviewed in AIGAdesign video and Zach Rocks! 3 radio interview series on youtube. Book mentioned in famous author Anthony DeCurtis "Lou Reed: A Life" book having album designed with Judith Salavetz and Sylvia Reed for Lou Reed "New York" and Magic and Loss" and The Velvet Underground. HOWL gallery Spencer Drate and Judith Salavetz major music design life event "It's a Long Way to the Top!" in May 2017.Spencer Drate and Judith Salavetz interviewed in many design books and current book "Album Art" by john Foster (Thames and Hudson). Spencer and Judith have won many major design awards and interviewed in major media. Film judge for "southeastern international film festival". I was first aIbum cover designer interviewed on MTV/VH1. I am still designing in nyc with Judith Salavetz. Spencer Drate on Facebook. "Spencer Drate/Judith Salavetz" searchout design site on Facebook.

On facebook we have a VINYLTALK and FILMTALK site. Spencer contributes articles for Punk Globe Magazine and co-hosts a pop-culture radio show interviewing the famous in pop-cuture. Interviewed in major media and books. Interviewed on MTV/VH1 and AXS TV supported. Authored 5 major film and movie poster books and film judge for major film festivals.

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Movie Poster Book Review - Project Based Learning and Book Reviews!

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Description.

Have students create a fun book review through creating a movie poster!

In this project, students will use critical thinking skills to create a movie poster from a book they've read! Taking a twist with traditional book reports, this project will allow students to summarize the story, research other movie posters, and create a movie poster that fits the book they have read. This project involves research, collaboration, revision, and reflection. A unique and fun twist to a classic school project!

This product includes:

• Poster Fact Sheet - book title, characters, setting, best part, conflict, solution, sketch
• Movie Summary - write the plot of the story (without giving the ending away!)
• Poster Examples - students research movie posters and analyze similarities/differences between them
• Rough Draft Poster
• Final Poster
• Poster Reflection

Please let me know if you have any questions!

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