Leave it to Believer
My complimentary copy of The Believer slid through my letterbox today like a rude, papery tongue between metal lips. It’s the annual film issue, containing a free Godard DVD of ultra-rare shorts, little pieces by myself, B. Kite, J. Winter, S. Salamensky, and big meaty interviews with John Sayles, Sam Mendes, Julie Delpy, Mike Leigh. (I just saw and quite liked TOPSY TURVY so my Leigh-phobia has lifted a little.) Michael Atkinson curates and illuminates a selection of Polish film posters, and longer articles probe the works of Guillermo Del Toro, Jonas Mekas, and Friedkin’s THE EXORCIST.
A thing for you to buy!
My own Polish movie poster, bought in a shop on Victoria Street that sadly no longer exists.
shadowplay 
March 27, 2009 at 11:58 am
I love Polish posters…
Here’s Chinatown
http://www.polishposter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=4548&Category_Code=USA
THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON’T THEY
http://www.polishposter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=4548&Category_Code=USA
STAR WARS
http://www.polishposter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=4541&Category_Code=USA
THE SHINING
http://www.polishposter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=4334&Category_Code=USA
EYES WIDE SHUT
http://www.polishposter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=4333&Category_Code=USA
HELLO DOLLY
http://www.polishposter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=0451&Category_Code=USA
EL DORADO
http://www.polishposter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=0435&Category_Code=USA
and VERTIGO
March 27, 2009 at 2:04 pm
is that an homage to your ‘directors with shirts off’ meme?
March 27, 2009 at 2:09 pm
I don’t know what it is, other than typical Charles Burns oddness. Looks like Ralph Meeker in front.
March 27, 2009 at 4:59 pm
It’s Wiliam Shatner in front. There’s an article about INCUBUS inside.
March 27, 2009 at 5:55 pm
I thought that was Shatner. In his youth of course. But you’re right, he does favor Meeker.
March 27, 2009 at 6:12 pm
By the way, David, I sent an earlier post filled with links to other Polish posters. I can’t see it here, is it lost somewhere?
March 27, 2009 at 6:23 pm
I go find it!
March 27, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Yeah, WordPress decided that was Spam, for obscure reasons of their own. Maybe they counted the links and got nervous. Polish movie posters are indeed one of the wonders of the modern age. Turning every movie into a giant scary metaphor is definitely the way to go.
Still to see Incubus, it’s such a mad idea it seems like somehow it has to be good. And Shatner, when he’s on form, is an underrated force of nature — a bit like wind power, only Shatner blows harder.
March 27, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Shatner in The Intruder is indeed a force of nature – a hurricane of a performance. It’s a shame he seems so happy in self-parody.
If you need Incubus, by the way…
March 27, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Self-parody is quite a cosy place for the Shat now, but it would be nice to see him do something seriously serious. But I’m actually glad he’s found somewhere he can strut his stuff, because the post-Star Trek wilderness years were arid indeed.
Maybe we’ll trade for Incubus later, I think it needs looking at.
The Intruder rocks. Shatner’s Twilight Zones are all great too — to watch TZ is to see a golden age of acting!
March 27, 2009 at 7:06 pm
why ya ain’t lived till ya seen Wm Shatner in White Comanche play dual roles…One good decent brother..the other a wild savage Injun that wears bright bold War paint,looks like from a childs Finger Paint set,and delights in slapping women(with a silly grin)while high on Peyote..All to a lively jazz sounding score
March 27, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Hoooooooly crap. I’m so there I can almost taste him.
March 27, 2009 at 9:01 pm
heh heh..the double McBuffin..
March 28, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Hi David, glad you like Polish movie posters! Here’s a Polish-language website full of them — you will easily navigate it, it’s all visual stuff. Just clisk on any of the artist’s name. If you’re ever in Kraków, I will take you to the most amazing movie poster place!
http://www.poster.com.pl/pl/poster-artist.htm
Best–
–Michal
March 28, 2009 at 2:36 pm
I think my local shop used to order from there, selling the things on with a colossal mark-up in price. But they’re gorgeous things. Would love to visit Poland sometime — maybe next time I get something on the festival circuit.
March 28, 2009 at 2:39 pm
You should give some consideration to the Wrocław Film Festival, which will be in July:
http://www.eranowehoryzonty.pl/index.do?lang=en
It’s close to Kraków from there :-)
best,
M.
March 28, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Sounds good. I was thinking I might not make it until I have another film to screen, which will be a while anyway, but actually I might be able to get funding from my workplace… we’ll see. Thanks for the suggestion!
March 28, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Not a Polish poster and not a Polish film but the Poster of Scorsese’s next film is pretty cool…
March 28, 2009 at 7:25 pm
have you heard William’s version of Common People? better than Pulps !
March 28, 2009 at 10:23 pm
He’s one of the great interpreters of song, there’s no question about that. Once a song’s been given the Shatner treatment, it stays Shatnered.
April 7, 2009 at 1:26 am
Don’t forget “How’s Your News” — I had just discovered that dvd and so the follow-up Eggers interview was nice. As for the Godard footage — surpised to discover that my old buddy Chet (b. kite) had completely taken on the persona (body gestures, talk patterns, looks) in precise detail of Godard, without me realizing it. Ah those were the days.
April 7, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Remarkable.