5. “Mandy”
Panos Cosmatos‘ batshit psychedelic revenge film “Mandy” is nuts. Here, the poster’s beauty is in the pyramid structure and a kind of emotional hierarchy of needs. Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) appears on top with a large, faded rose on her chest (symbolism!). The clouds and the peaks of trees colored in a mixture of purples and pinks give the impression of innocence. She’s the coveted prize, clearly. Below her stands a very angry Nicolas Cage playing her vengeful lover, wielding a gnarly ax and surrounded by the bizarre cultists who took away everything he loved. Mandy is a phantasma living in the peaceful, heavenly places. But, below her, a ravenous stirring of lust and vengeance before the clash of blood and chainsaw. It encapsulates the essence of this simple yet gonzo, psychedelic fantasy of two lovers ripped asunder by pure evil. It tells you everything you need to know. The only thing missing is the Cheddar Goblin. – Jason Ingolfsland
4. “Suspiria
Luca Guadagnino’s spellbinding “Suspiria” is a seductive treat. A remake of Dario Argento’s dazzling 1977 horror classic of the same name, it was a mighty task to turn an influential work of genius and make it your own. But Guadagnino accomplishes just that, and he crafts a film that not only stands up to the original but perhaps even surpasses it in a few ways—at the very least it’s safe to say that it will stand on the shoulders of countless inferior horror wannabes before it (and likely after it, too). But when it comes to selling audiences on this extremely dark, uncomfortable, moody, dreary, existential, extraordinarily intensive two-and-a-half hour reimagining, one that lives up to every definition of “challenging” (in a good way, of course), you need a hell of a poster to bring butts into seats. And while the box office wasn’t quite as spectacular as it should’ve been, Amazon and the very talented poster designers at LA certainly lived up to that task. Each “Suspiria” poster is striking, eye-catching, unsettling and yet deeply alluring. They are bold, intensive, intimidating and fierce; there is no denying they’re more-than-worth of championing this masterful film. We love the pick below, but many of the one-sheets, collected here, are haunting too. –WA
3. “Her Smell”
Director Alex Ross Perry‘s abrasive, confrontational, sometimes unpleasant look at a gnarly, self-destructive ’90s punk rock superstar (Elisabeth Moss) ala Courtney Love won’t come out until the spring of 2019, but its film festival poster says so much even if you haven’t seen a lick of the movie’s footage. This teaser poster, obviously a throwback homage to vintage rock concert posters— the legacy of the fluorescent Colby L.A Print Shop look (which made famous posters for Jimi Hendrix, the Sex Pistols, et. al)—captures that chutzpah and arrogance of living the high life of rock star. That brassiness is seized in the starkness and choice of bold colors, but also in the photograph of Moss blowing one of the sassiest, f*ck you Bronx cheers. The Colby aesthetic is all there including the specific choice of ALL CAPS titling, plus a little mention of her band Something She emblazoned as an acronym in the top right hand of the poster. A lot of care and detail has been put into the design of the movie—its strewn with carefully crafted album covers, posters, and fake rock ephemera about Something She, Moss’ Becky Something and some of the other bands in the movie, but the pièce de résistance, the excellent visual summation of the movie that presents it accurately, rebelliously and sonically. – RP
2. “The Favourite”
From the jump the cleverly-designed “The Favourite” poster is askew—this is no run-of-the-mill period drama it says. Offering a jarring layout that demands you lean in and see what the hell is actually going on, you find Olivia Colman, as Queen Anne, face horizontally placed in the center while Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz straddling the Queen’s mug as they polish, measure, and take care of their sovereign in the hopes currying favor. It’s simple, direct in its messaging and yet creatively designed, not unlike the films of director Yorgos Lanthimos. With a kind of deco design, each woman’s name falls in line before the title, almost mimicking a court of sorts. Designed by frequent Lanthimos collaborator Vasilis Marmatakis, “The Favourite” poster gives glimpses of an evocative period drama that is chaotic, erotic, and far more vulgar than audiences are likely accustomed to. A delightful, absurdist romp, “The Favourite” upends the costume drama about royalty and cheekily illustrates, the behind the curtain of such aristocracy lies a much weirder kink. – Julia Teti
