Dr. No poster (top); Paul Crifo at work (bottom)
Posters for Dr. No, Ragtime, and dozens of other movies will be on display in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ new exhibition, "Art of the Movie Poster: Illustrated One-Sheets and Design Concepts from the Paul Crifo Archive," opening on Thursday, September 17, in the Academy’s Grand Lobby Gallery in Beverly Hills. Admission is free.
As per the Academy's press release, "'Art of the Movie Poster' will focus on the decades from the 1950s through the ‘80s, showcasing the creative process by which a finished movie poster was achieved. Each stage of the process will be represented, through reference stills, concept sketches, and hand-rendered and photographic 'comps' (design mock-ups incorporating graphics and text). Also featured will be many of the approved original illustrations of 'key art.' Multiple poster concepts will be displayed alongside the final 'winning' posters, which are from the collections of poster designer Paul Crifo and the Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library. This exhibition marks the first time that much of Crifo’s work will be on display for public viewing."
Other films represented in the exhibition include The Great Escape, In the Heat of the Night, Paths of Glory, Separate Tables, Tom Jones, Zorba the Greek, The Group, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, The Producers, Play It Again, Sam, A Separate Peace and Mahogany.
Paul Crifo studied illustration at Pratt University; from 1942 through 1986, he worked on more than 400 motion picture advertising campaigns, personally designing 120 film posters for Hollywood studios, foreign distributors and independent film companies, mostly while working out of New York City.
"Art of the Movie Poster" will be on display through December 13. The Academy’s Grand Lobby Gallery is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills and is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weekends, noon to 6 p.m. The gallery will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, November 26 through 29.
For more information call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.
Photos: Courtesy of the Paul Crifo Archive (Crifo / The Great Escape), Courtesy of the Margaret Herrick Library (In the Heat of the Night, Dr. No)
My uncle Paul is not only an acclaimed artist, but he is also one of the kindest, most compassionate men I have ever had the pleasure to meet.