Movie Poster Books - Best of

[erik1925]

Graven Images came in today, Jeff. I took a gamble on a used copy off of Amazon and lucked out, it's immaculate. Can't wait to dive in.

The Hammet book should be in soon as well, I'll shoot some pics when I get a second. Incidentally a new book of his collection will be out soon in coordination with his exhibit at the Peabody Museum in Salem, Mass. which starts in August. Plan on taking a trip to check it out.

Chris, have you had a chance to sift thru Graven Images at all? It's such an awesome book.

And did Hammett's book arrive yet?

[Chris9000]

Chris, have you had a chance to sift thru Graven Images at all? It's such an awesome book.

And did Hammett's book arrive yet?

Yeah man, Graven Images is fascinating. The art, chapter forewords, and footnotes are all stellar reading. I've been mega busy, so I haven't gotten too far into it, just finished up the '30s. I really loved Bradbury's into to that chapter. The stories of him and Harryhausen sneaking into the theater to see Kong, him having drinks with Fritz Lang, and how all of those classic horrors inspired him... great stuff.

Hammett's book did arrive as well... what a killer collection. I want to finish Graven Images before I get too far into it, but have flipped through the book and admired all of his stuff, looks like it'll be a less educational/historical/serious discussion of the hobby, but a bit more loose and fun, which is alright with me as well.

[erik1925]

Yeah man, Graven Images is fascinating. The art, chapter forewords, and footnotes are all stellar reading. I've been mega busy, so I haven't gotten too far into it, just finished up the '30s. I really loved Bradbury's into to that chapter. The stories of him and Harryhausen sneaking into the theater to see Kong, him having drinks with Fritz Lang, and how all of those classic horrors inspired him... great stuff.

Hammett's book did arrive as well... what a killer collection. I want to finish Graven Images before I get too far into it, but have flipped through the book and admired all of his stuff, looks like it'll be a less educational/historical/serious discussion of the hobby, but a bit more loose and fun, which is alright with me as well.

I don't own this book, but from all Ive read, both here on the forum, and other reviews, it looks like a must have, for sure.

It's long been on my book list. Especially with some of the rare, Uni stuff he has like his killer The Mummy (1932) 3 sheet.   

[ddilts399]

I would add the John Alvin book Mel, it's a good one as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Art-John-Alvin-Andrea/dp/0857689290/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496883318&sr=8-1&keywords=john+alvin

[guest4955]

An updated version of the 2009 book, "Reynold Brown: A Life in Pictures" by Dan Zimmer will be shipping in September. With an added 80 pages, it looks to be quite nice with many new, added pictures and text.

Pre order and preview info can be found here:

http://mailchi.mp/theillustratedpress/reynold-brown?e=73cf7f2cb1

This is absolute must have! Thanks for the link Jeff.

[guest4955]

Good news I greatly improved the MPC.guide book page.

Now it has 47 MP images with links to Amazon.

I added 95% of all books referenced in this thread. Mucho thanks to all contributors!

Check it out.

[crowzilla]

Cool to see all the books listed on one page Mel, and thanks for including mine.
I will say that the link goes to some apple live page though and not Amazon.

Sean

[erik1925]

This is absolute must have! Thanks for the link Jeff.

Sounds like the 80 pages of updates will be interesting with new added info and imagery.

[guest4955]

Cool to see all the books listed on one page Mel, and thanks for including mine.
I will say that the link goes to some apple live page though and not Amazon.

Sean

Fixed the link to your very cool book:

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Japanese-Monsters-Sean-Linkenback/dp/0991459911/

[crowzilla]

Fixed the link to your very cool book:

 

[eatbrie]

Don't forget the Film Posters of the 70s and 80s.

Also, the Choko books on Grinsson, Soubie, Noel, Monsters, Bardot...

T

[guest4955]

Sounds like the 80 pages of updates will be interesting with new added info and imagery.

Perhaps I'm misremembering, but I recall from Round 1 the Reynold Brown book was rare and out-of-print and selling for several hundred dollars, so $50 for the new one is a bargain....

[guest4955]

Don't forget the Film Posters of the 70s and 80s.

Also, the Choko books on Grinsson, Soubie, Noel, Monsters, Bardot...

T

There are too many "best of decade" books so I just went with one sample.

Added the Choko Bardot, couldn't find the others on Amazon. I'll add one more if you find a source that is actually selling the book.

[Chris9000]

Mel,

Picked this one up not long ago, and noticed it wasn't on your site (maybe purposefully?). It's on my list to read this summer, but from what I've skimmed it seems to be well written and contains plenty of historical background on the Nazi film industry and the films themselves.

The films, many of which no longer exist, don't interest me a whole lot, but I'm eager to read about their context and that of the posters that represent them.




https://smile.amazon.com/Posters-Third-William-Gillespie-Nelson/dp/1424330076/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1496968199&sr=8-9&keywords=posters+of+the+third+reich

[guest4955]

Nah I'll have to pass on that. Too controversial!

But please keep posting more books.

[guest4531]

Mel,

Picked this one up not long ago, and noticed it wasn't on your site (maybe purposefully?). It's on my list to read this summer, but from what I've skimmed it seems to be well written and contains plenty of historical background on the Nazi film industry and the films themselves.

The films, many of which no longer exist, don't interest me a whole lot, but I'm eager to read about their context and that of the posters that represent them.




https://smile.amazon.com/Posters-Third-William-Gillespie-Nelson/dp/1424330076/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1496968199&sr=8-9&keywords=posters+of+the+third+reich

The best period in German and Austrian cinema, especially the early Third Reich movie.  I heard on BBC that a festival in Germany showing the best movies of this period made lot of controversy despite the festival being organised by historians and movie being placed into historical context with a short introduction by organisators and group discussion after movies.   I can understand this, problem is that some people are still very much into nationalist views and some are real nazis themselves.  The glorifying part and cult of personality is problematic

Even Goebbels admitted that German lost the propaganda war but USA did it bigger and better... while German cinema was going in the late 30s due too much censorship and financial issues, the US propaganda machine was going full speed and take over by army to produce "technical" movies to teach new recruits how to shoot, fight, etc. ; the war bond paid off in the long term.

[erik1925]

Mel,

Picked this one up not long ago, and noticed it wasn't on your site (maybe purposefully?). It's on my list to read this summer, but from what I've skimmed it seems to be well written and contains plenty of historical background on the Nazi film industry and the films themselves.

The films, many of which no longer exist, don't interest me a whole lot, but I'm eager to read about their context and that of the posters that represent them.




https://smile.amazon.com/Posters-Third-William-Gillespie-Nelson/dp/1424330076/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1496968199&sr=8-9&keywords=posters+of+the+third+reich

Very interesting looking book there, Chris.

Certainly an historical look as well as images of film posters done during that period.

Thanks for posting about it.

[oldposterho]

The surprising thing about the Nazzy era films is how mostly banal they actually are.  For those of us brought up on From Caligari to Hitler I think most of us thought German films from this period are rife with goosestepping and master-race baiting.  While there is certainly a degree of that - particularly during the war years - it is mostly subtle and rarely blatant and in your face.  Notable, appalling exceptions are of course quite apparent. 

Thanks to the pirates on YouTube a lot of these films can now be seen and it's quite a surprise that some of them are quite good.  They remind me a lot of MGM films of the same period.

Film Posters of the Third Reich is very well done and about as non-controversial as you can get for a book on Shicklgruber's Deutschland. Recommended for those interested in that sort of thing.

[Antoine1973]

Oldposterho, "From Caligari to Hitler" is a fantastic study, I remember reading in grad school and finding it fascinating. 

[erik1925]

A couple more books, for horror and sci fi fans, both by Jim Gresham. Both books are long out of print but can be found on sites like Amazon or even on ebay now and then.

And Jim is putting out an updated and revised edition of "Children of the Night," which was originally published in 2007. He thinks it will be available in the late Fall. He said it will have many new and updated pics and info.

[erik1925]

I mentioned in my previous post that Jim Gresham's books were available thru ebay and Amazon.. but some of the Amazon sellers are priced crazy high (after looking into it tonight).

I commented, based on recalling copies being available on Amazon from years ago.. but now, some sellers are wanting upwards of $180.00- $778.00 for USED copies of "Children of the Night"[ (2007):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0615198708/ref=tmm_hrd_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=&sr=

And new copies are being offered for between $200.00 - $438.00 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0615198708/ref=tmm_hrd_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=&sr=

Jim's follow up, sci fi based book, "They're Here Already (2011) is listed (used) for just under $157.00

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0615404650/ref=tmm_hrd_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=1498371999&sr=1-1

And new copies are offered from $85.00 to $704.00   

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0615404650/ref=tmm_hrd_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1498371999&sr=1-1

 

I dont get it. 

[guest4955]

I mentioned in my previous post that Jim Gresham's books were available thru ebay and Amazon.. but some of the Amazon sellers are priced crazy high (after looking into it tonight).

Not worth crazy prices IMO. The book pics are average quality and the same 3000px, unwatermaked images are available from HA, for free which deserves special credit b/c they are virtually the only dealer/auctioneer not to ruin their images with ginormous, intrusive watermarks, except for a handful of $$$$$ posters like Frankie first releases. (yes, I do publicly thank them for using their images on MPC.guide.)

[erik1925]

What things, books or otherwise, can be worth is truly subjective, as we all know. I just wasnt sure why a handful of book sellers have all kind of zeroed in on these high re-sell prices. I guess I'm wondering what the basis for those numbers is.

Ebay might be the better/cheaper 'hunting ground.'

[CSM]

This is 'coming soon' from Taschen - and relatively cheap for:

Hardcover, 14 x 19.5 cm, 600 pages

No idea on the overall quality yet or if just basically a reproduced HA auction picture book but could be worthwhile...

https://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/film/all/49349/facts.film_noir_movie_posters.htm




PS - try to ignore Gabin in The Grand Illusion which is clearly not a proper noir 

[guest4955]

This is 'coming soon' from Taschen - and relatively cheap for:

Fantastic find Chris! I'll add it to MPC.guide and I registered for advance notice.