Remaking movie posters into ultra-minimal cinematic tributes has been one of the Internet’s favourite past-times of late, but the staid results — while occasionally clever — lack heart. Passion. Excitement.
Like that of mid-century graphic design legend Saul Bass, who was the king of the film poster and title sequence. He managed to inject basic forms with a distinct energy and urgency and his work — often thick swathes of black backed in primary colours — feels alive, somehow capturing the same thrill as seeing the films up on the big screen.
Bass made his major stylistic mark between the charmingly twee advertisements during Hollywood’s early years and today’s clichéd, digitally-constructed stills. Google honored his May birthday with an extra-special Doodle, and now Film.com has pulled together a gallery of every single one of his movie posters (the mere sight of which had me heading over to Netflix to add and sort out my queue accordingly; such is the man’s incredible power!).
Superfans should also check out this monograph, which offers a comprehensive look at the man and his work with lots of great pics of his tinseltown stylings as well as extensive corporate identity, logo and branding projects. [Film.com via @brainpicker]
The Big Country, 1958
The Man With The Golden Arm, 1955
Very Happy Alexander, 1968
One, Two, Three, 1961
Such Good Friends, 1971
The Fixer, 1968
Vertigo, 1958
The Shining, 1980
The Double McGuffin, 1979.
Schindler’s List, 1993.
The Human Factor, 1979.
Anatomy of a Murder, 1959.
Spartacus, 1960.
The Firemen’s Ball, 1967.
Seconds, 1966.
Nine Hours to Rama, 1963.
Advise & Consent, 1962.
