“Cujo” Alt Poster by Huan Do!
I think this Cujo alt poster by Huan Do is much better than the original theatrical poster. Right?
RIP: Drew Struzan
It was announced that Drew Struzan died yesterday. Mr. Struzan had dealt with Alzheimer’s disease for may years . Drew Struzan was 78.
Drew Stuzan was born in Oregon City, Oregon. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from the ArtCenter College of Design in Los Angeles. After graduation Drew Struzan began working for the design studio Pacific Eye & Ear. During his time there Mr. Struzan designed many record album covers including covers for the Beach Boys, the Bee Gees, Roy Orbison, Black Sabbath, Glenn Miller, Earth, Wind & Fire, and many others. Perhaps the most famous of Drew Struzan’s album art is Welcome to My Nightmare created for Alice Cooper.
Drew Struzan and a friend decided to start their own company, Pencil Pushers. In these early days, Mr. Struzan began to get movie poster work, but it was mostly for B-films such as Empire of the Ants. In 1977, Drew Stuzan was asked to work with Charles White III on a poster for the re-release of Star Wars. Mr. Struzan painted the human likenesses and Mr. White worked on the spacecraft, robots and Darth Vader. The poster was a hit.
Drew Struzan was considered by many to be THE go-to guy for a great movie poster. Steven Spielberg said that Drew Struzan was his favorite artist and “I had to almost live up to the art that we later were going to ask Drew to create for the poster.” High praise indeed.
Some of the movies that featured posters by Drew Struzan include: Escape to Witch Mountain; Robin and Marian; Harry & Walter Go and New York; Food of the Gods; Futureworld; Car Wash; The Seven-Per-Cent Solution; Tentacles; Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope; Empire of the Ants; The Last Remake of Beau Geste; March or Die; California Suite; The Muppet Movie; The Frisco Kid; Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back; Fame; Oh, Heavenly Dog; Raise the Titanic; All Night Long; Raiders of the Lost Ark; The Cannonball Run; The Great Muppet Caper; The Fox and the Hound; I, the Jury; E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; The Thing; Blade Runner; Tron; First Blood; The Dark Crystal; The Sting II; The Pirates of Penzance; Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi; Under Fire; Risky Business; To Be or Not to Be; Police Academy; Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom; Ladyhawke; Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment; The Goonies; Back to the Future; Better Off Dead; White Nights; Police Academy 3: Back in Training; Big Trouble in Little China; The Name of the Rose; An American Tail; Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol; Harry and the Hendersons; Adventures in Babysitting; Masters of the Universe; Coming to America; The Land Before Time; Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade; Harlem Nights; All Dogs Go to Heaven; Back to the Future Part II; Back to the Future Part III; Hook; Aladdin; The Muppet Christmas Carol; The Flintstones; Angels in the Outfield; The Mask; The Shawshank Redemption; Mallrats; Cutthroat Island; Mars Attacks; The Lost World: Jurassic Park; Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace; The Green Mile; Harry Potter and the Sorcer’s Stone; Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; Hellboy; Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith; War of the Worlds; Pans Labyrinth; The Mist; Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; This is the End; Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and Animal Crackers.
I first became aware of Drew Struzan’s art before I even knew who he was. I saw a drawing of Sly Stallone for First Blood on a paperback cover. I actually wrote to the publishing company with a self-addressed stamped envelope asking for the name of the artist that did the art. I held out little hope for a response, but I got one. Sadly, the person who responded didn’t know the name of the artist. They did tell me that the company used was Pencil Pushers. Since this was the days before the internet, I never found where Pencil Pushers was located. Or that Drew Struzan created the art. I would learn that later when I like every other movie fan fell in love with his beautiful movie posters.
My favorite Drew Struzan posters are the First Blood paintings he did followed very closely by his artwork for I, the Jury starring Armand Assante. Thanks to the internet, as well as Drew Struzan’s personal website and his instagram page, we’ve been able to see many pieces of his art that weren’t movie posters. I love Drew Struzan’s sketches, drawings, commissions and personal work. There’s always a thrill to see a Drew Struzan piece for the first time. Like all great artists, the thrill of repeated viewings is always there.
Out thoughts and prayers go out to Drew Struzan’s family, friends and fans.
“The Conversation” (1974) written & directed by Francis Ford Coppola; starring Gene Hackman / Z-View
The Conversation (1974)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Screenplay: Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Allen Garfield, Frederic Forrest, Cindy Williams, Michael Higgins, Elizabeth MacRae, Teri Garr, Harrison Ford, Mark Wheeler, Ramon Bieri, Gian-Carlo Coppola, Robert Duvall and Robert Shields.
Tagline: Harry Caul is an invader of privacy. The best in the business. He can record any conversation between two people anywhere. So far, three people are dead because of him.
The Plot…
Harry Caul is an audio recording specialist. Perhaps the best in the business. That’s why Harry is hired to secretly record conversations for high priced clients. Harry says he doesn’t care how the recordings are used once he turns them over. Truth is Harry feels guilty that some of his recordings may have led to the murders of three people.
When on his current job Harry pieces together muffled audio, the conversation indicates someone is going to be murdered. Now Harry feels it is his responsibility to stop the killing.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Conversation was nominated for three 1975 Academy Awards…
- Nominee for Best Sound – Walter Murch, Art Rochester
- Nominee for Best Writing, Original Screenplay – Francis Ford Coppola
- Nominee for Best Picture –Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola’s screenplay for The Conversation, written in 1966, couldn’t get financing until his success with The Godfather.
Harrison Ford’s part was originally written as a cameo. His character didn’t even have a name. Ford’s suggestion to play the character as gay (an unusual choice in 1974) and his suggestions to Coppola, led to the part being expanded.
Gene Hackman and Terri Garr would also appear together in Young Frankenstein the same year.
Most folks rate The Conversation higher than me. It currently has a 7.7 rating on IMDB and on Rotten Tomatoes it has a 94% reviewers rating and 89% users’ rating. So, as always, your mileage may vary.
The Conversation (1974) rates 3 of 5 stars.
Cool DRIFTER: OMNIA Art by Nic Klein!
Check out this cool Nic Klein art! The character is from the DRIFTER: Omnia series that Klein did with Iván Brandon.
Marv, Hartigan and Nancy by Jason Heichel!
Marv from Frank Miller’s Sin City is one of my all-time favorite characters. I love seeing artists do their “take” on the big lug. Today we have Marv, Hartigan and Nancy by Jason Heichel.
Genndy Tartakovsky’s “Primal” – The SEASON 3 FIRST LOOK Trailer is Here!
The first two seasons of Primal had more heart than most live-action shows. The trailer for Season 3 is here and it has a surprise for those following the series. (And if you haven’t checked out Primal, you should!)
Primal Season 3 is coming January 2026.
“The Vampire Lestat” aka “Interview with the Vampire: Season 3” – The Extended First Look Trailer is Here!
The first two seasons of Interview with the Vampire were must-see tv. I’m hoping the third season, now titled The Vampire Lestat, will be as well. This trailer for the new seasons looks like expectations will be met.
Bang bang.
Anne Rice’s #TheVampireLestat premieres in 2026 on AMC and AMC+.
PUSH THE WALL: MY LIFE WRITING, DRAWING, AND THE ART OF STORYTELLING by Frank Miller is Coming!
Frank Miller the genius behind Sin City, 300, The Dark Night Returns, Batman: Year One, Ronin and so many more great comic tales has a new book coming. Here’s the lowdown…
From the all-time bestselling mind behind Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Daredevil, 300, and Sin City, Push the Wall is part memoir, part master class for budding artists and writers by one of the greatest living creators whose work has influenced pop culture for decades.
Frank Miller is our greatest living comic book writer and artist.
Frank Miller shares his life, and through, his artistic process. Miller’s artistic influence is evident in so very much of our popular culture, perhaps most notably with Batman — every film adaptation from the past forty years has been influenced by Miller’s work with the Dark Knight.
Simply, Frank Miller has transformed the way comics are told.
Here, Frank’s mix of autobiographical lessons evokes Patti Smith’s Just Kids as it weaves his struggles as a seventeen-year-old kid fresh from Vermont into a seedy 1970s New York City with his eventual success on reimagining Daredevil and Wolverine. From there to Miller’s rescue and revitalization of Batman, to his time in Hollywood, the Sin City comics and film adaptations he would codirect, and the retelling of the Spartans’ last stand in 300. Miller, by constantly challenging himself as an artist and writer on his terms, built an iconoclastic career.
With over a dozen illustrations of Miller’s art, PUSH THE WALL is the work of his career—it is a masterclass as it encapsulates his life in sixteen lessons for the aspiring creative reader.
This will be a must-have for aspiring writers and artists, as well as die hard Miller fans.
The Batman Who Strikes Fear Into the Hearts of Evil-Doers by Dustin Nguyen!
Batman is a character that can work in just about any setting/genre. Is your Batman the world’s greatest detective? Do you prefer Batman when played as camp? Or maybe you like Batman teamed with other superheroes? Would you prefer as much time be given to Bruce Wayne? Maybe you like Batman as a mentor to Robin? Then again, maybe an old man Batman like Frank Miller cooked up is the one that resonates best for you?
While I’ve enjoyed all the versions of Batman described above (and many more), my favorite has always been the Batman that is a creature of the night. The Batman who just being seen strikes fear into the hearts of evil-doers. The Batman that is never seen in daylight and is thought by some to be an urban legend. You know, the kind of Batman in the drawing above by Dustin Nguyen.
“The Burrowers” (2008) / Z-View
The Burrowers (2008)
Director: J. T. Petty
Screenplay: J. T. Petty
Stars: Clancy Brown, Joel Kinnaman, Jocelin Donahue, Doug Hutchison, Laura Leighton, Suzi McLaughlin, Tatanka Means, David Midthunder and William Mapother.
Tagline: Evil will surface.
The Plot…
1879. When a family of settlers is found brutally mutilated, it is thought that hostile Indians did it. Some family members, including a young girl are missing and believed to have been kidnapped. Although there are strange holes in the ground surrounding the kill zone, not much notice is paid to them. A group is formed to track the Indians and save the survivors.
Little does the posse know that the holes were created by vicious creatures that live beneath the prairie. And the posse is heading straight into their territory.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The creatures are pretty cool. I wish we had more action with them.
The Burrowers (2008) rates 2 of 5 stars.
“Brothers by Blood” aka “The Sound of Philadelphia” (2020) / Z-View
Brothers by Blood aka The Sound of Philadelphia (2020)
Director: Jeremie Guez
Screenplay: Jeremie Guez; based on BROTHERLY LOVE by Pete Dexter
Stars: Matthias Schoenaerts, Joel Kinnaman, Maika Monroe, Nicholas Crovetti, Antoni Corone, Michael McFadden, Joshua Lacey and Ryan Phillippe.
Tagline: Loyalty Has a Price
The Plot…
Peter and Michael are cousins raised together in a family of criminals from childhood. Now adults, the two of positions of power within the Irish mob. Tensions have been high between the Irish and Italians. To make matters worse, Peter’s behavior has grown increasingly erratic. Michael will need to make some tough choices before they are made for him. He will also have to come to grips with the tragedy that cost his sister and father’s lives years ago.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
I was expecting more.
Brothers by Blood aka The Sound of Philadelphia (2020) rates 3 of 5 stars.
“The Creature from the Black Lagoon” by Aaron Lopresti!
The Creature from the Black Lagoon is one of my all-time favorite movies. Aaron Lopresti has created a drawing worthy of it.
Sly Stallone is The Tulsa King by Rich Hennemann!
Rich Hennemann is a freelance artist. A few years ago I picked up his sketchbook and a sketch and I was hooked. Since then I’ve gotten several sketches from Rich.
For this piece I requested Sly Stallone as Dwight Manfredi from the hit television series Tulsa King. Rich absolutely nailed it. I couldn’t be more pleased. There will be more art from Rich in my future. If you’re a sketch collector, you owe it to yourself to get a piece as well.
“Tombstone” Alt Poster by Yvan Quinet!
Yvan Quinet is an amazing artist turning out beautiful alt posters and prints. Check out his take on Tombstone above!
“I’ll be your Huckleberry!”
You can see more of Yvan Quinet’s art at his website and/or his Instagram page.
“Cross”: Season 2 – The Teaser is Here!
The teaser for Cross: Season 2 is here. I loved Season 1. Bring on Season 2.
About Cross: A Washington, D.C. crime drama that follows Alex Cross, a brilliant homicide detective, whose personal struggles threaten to derail his career and life. Based on the worldwide bestselling book series by James Patterson.
