Monday, September 13, 2010

My Movie Poster Collection: G

Looking over them now, I really think my collection of G-titled film posters is the most exciting alphabetical grouping of the bunch...so far, at least, this is true. What follows is a tasty collection of popping movie film art and relevant movie photography. Lemme know what you think. As always, click on the poster for a closer look.

GALLIPOLI (Peter Weir, 81). Folded, VG]
Is there a poster out there that (SPOILER ALERT) gives away the end of the movie like this brave piece of art does? Clearly influenced by Robert Capa's "The Fallen Soldier," this stands as one of the most powerful and well-produced ad campaigns of the 1980s, courtesy entirely of Peter Weir, a director of certain note.

THE GANG THAT COULDN'T SHOOT STRAIGHT (James Goldstone, 71). Folded, VG
Mad Magazine's Mort Drucker did the distinctive artwork for this troubled NYC comedy with everyone on the East Coast connected to it (and that includes Jerry Orbach, Herve Villachaize, Lionel Stander, Leigh Taylor Young, Jo Van Fleet, Burt Young, Paul Benedict, the 70s-ubiquitous character actor Jack Kehoe, Dave Grusin, Waldo Salt, Jimmy Breslin, Owen Roizman, and EVEN a young Robert De Niro). I've always heard this was the movie that set the Guinness record for most days in the editing room. Anybody out there know if this is bull or not? GOT-DANG, I'd sure like to see this!

THE GAUNTLET (Clint Eastwood, 77). Folded, G
Always, from now on, Ron Lesser's incredible artwork for Clint Eastwood's spooky 1973 western High Plains Drifter will remain the greatest of all Clint one-sheets. But Frank Frazetta's muscly artwork for the star director's 1977 uber-bulletfest will forever remain in second place (followed either by the one-sheets for The Beguiled or Bronco Billy). Whatever. This poster kills.

GET TO KNOW YOUR RABBIT (Brian De Palma, 72). Folded, VG
The art is by someone very famous. I have to do some research to find out who. The movie? Hell, I certainly have no idea WHAT to think. Is this even available to be seen?

GINGER (Don Schain, 71). Folded, G
Don't...you...fuckin'...move...


GIZMO! (Howard Smith, 77). Folded, G
A weird find: a one-sheet for a movie I used to see on late-nite TV called Gizmo! It's a bizarre-30s-by-way-of-the-70s compilation of film footage focusing in on crazy early, failed inventions. And it's the Jackass of its era.

GOING IN STYLE (Martin Brest, 79)
Seriously, one of the greatest (a) comedies, (b) heist movies, (c) sleepers, (d) debut directorial efforts, and possibly THE greatest (e) collection of old guys performing at the very top of their game. See it, immediately. You will love it.


THE GOOD GUYS AND THE BAD GUYS (Burt Kennedy, 69) Folded, VG 
Got this mainly for Mitchum, Tina Louise, and the superb Warner/7 Arts graphics.

GOODBYE COLUMBUS (Larry Peerce, 69). Folded, G
An ugly movie, but, boy, is the poster alluring? Yes, indeed. Ali MacGraw, in top form (deceptive) innocence, photographed superbly, and with a well-placed zinger of a tag line: "Every father's daughter is a virgin." One of my favorites here.

GOODFELLAS (Martin Scorsese, 90). Rolled, F
The classic. My copy is a little beat up along the edges. I still remember salivating, looking at this poster on an autumn opening night at 59th and 3rd in Manhattan, and later finding myself with Diane Sawyer, Mike Nichols, and Bill Murray (a late arrival) in the audience. Wow. What a movie!

GRASS (Ron Mann, 99). Rolled, NM
Gilbert Shelton may have given us the perpetually stoned Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, but his cohort Paul Mavrides has done his fair share of the post-1978 artwork. As such, he fittingly provides the hilarious poster image for Ron Mann's fun documentary. And remember: in the words of Freewheelin' Franklin: "Dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope."

THE GREAT GATSBY (Jack Clayton, 74). Folded, VG
Even if this is the most boring poster of the G batch, this gauzey image of Mia Farrow and Robert Redford in Theoni V. Aldredge's Oscar-winning costumes became a cultural touchstone, even if the movie was a semi-bomb. Screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola! No pressure there, F.

THE GREAT NORTHFIELD MINNESOTA RAID (Philip Kaufman, 72). Folded, VG
More Jesse James magic, done with great style, like an old-time cowboy show poster. And the film is Philip Kaufman's directorial debut (and certainly what led him to co-write and almost direct Clint Eastwood's The Outlaw Josey Wales).

THE GREAT TEXAS DYNAMITE CHASE (Michael Pressman, 76). Folded, VG
Pure 70s: big heads, small bodies, high-cut girly shorts, Claudia Jennings, The Rifleman's Johnny Crawford, and Roger Corman's New World Pictures. Plus a sizable cult following, and well-deserved.

GREGORY'S GIRL (Bill Forsyth, 81). Folded, VG
My eye's bugged out of my head when I saw this one-sheet. I love it, and the movie, so much.

THE GREY FOX (Philip Borsos, 82). Rolled, VG
This was one of the first movie posters I ever bought not because I liked the film (which I do), but because the image stuck me as unforgettable. This is also the first film poster I ever saw that was printed on thick card stock, a feature that's always a sign of a very-intentionally well-made one-sheet. And so, here it is, almost 30 years later, and my copy of this impossibly blue-eyed image of Richard Farnsworth is still in near-mint condition. Absolutely one of my all-time favorite pieces.

THE GRIFTERS (Stephen Frears, 90). Folded, video poster, G
I hate video release ad slicks, but this one looked just like the original (except for the inclusion of one little video logo), so I snapped it up. I love that the poster's image is included, memorably, in Frears' film.

GRINDHOUSE (Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, Eli Roth, Rob Zombie, Edgar Wright, 2007). Pre-Release, rolled, NM
Yes, of course, I had to have this. Read here.

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