Asia-themed Movie Posters

 

 

Movie posters need to be immediately appealing to lure the potential customer into the cinema. Some though go way beyond appealing and are really artistic. I will share some of my favourites in this blog, aiming for a grouping of twelve around a certain theme. We kick off with the theme 'Asia' (also because the Lunar New Year is just a few days away) - the movie posters are listed in chronological order. The image above is made via Photofunia and is free from copyright restrictions.

 

 

Shanghai Express (1932)

 

We kick of with Josef von Sternberg's classic movie Shanghai Express, starring Marlene Dietrich and Anna May Wong. The poster is a beautiful example of late Art Deco with even a hint of cubism in Marlene's hair.

 

 

  The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

 

My own lady from Shanghai is of course the main reason why movie posters related to Shanghai are interesting to me. That said, this Orson Welles movie, starring himself, Rita Hayworth and Everett Sloane, comes with a great stylish poster, especially in the French version. 

 

The Deer Hunter (1978)

 

This Michael Cimino war drama about the war in Vietnam is truly a classic movie - one of the best I have ever seen. An amazing performance by the cast, including Robert de Niro, Christopher Walken, and John Savage . A classic poster as well, zooming in on one of the most poignant scenes of the movie, in a tricolor version that is quite effective.

 

 

 Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983)

 

This Nagisa Oshima movie is one of the most impressive world war two movies I have ever seen, helped of course by the fabulous music, including one of my all-time favourite songs, Forbidden colours by David Sylvian. The lead role of a British officer imprisoned in Japanese occupied Singapore is played astonishingly well by David Bowie. The poster is worthwhile as well, in its almost cartoon like minimalism.  

 

 

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

 

This Isao Takahata movie (original title Hotaru no haka) is the only animated movie included in this post. I came across this beautiful poster in the IMDB top 250 list, where it is at a highly respectable 41st place.

 

 

The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)

Several years ago we picked up this DVD from the local library, a Vietnamese Tran Anh Hung drama, starring Tran Nu Yên-Khê, Man San Lu, and Thi Loc Truong. I did not watch it, but I fell in love with the poster. Exoticism at its most beautiful.

 

 

The Red Violin (1998)

 

This 1998 François Girard drama film star Samuel L. Jackson, Carlo Cecchi and Sylvia Chang. It spans four centuries and five countries as it tells the story of a mysterious red-coloured violin and its many owners. And one of those countries is China, late sixties' Shanghai.The excellent soundtrack is by contemporary classical composer John Corigliano, and the corresponding movie poster really appealed to me. Great weathered look, and though a tad crowded, the overall effect is very pleasing. Plus the Man Ray reference obviously resonates well.

 In the Mood for Love (2000)

 

One of the favourite movies of my wife, this 2000 romantic Wong Kar-wai drama set in Hong Kong, and starring Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung, with a beautiful soundtrack. Wonderfully atmospheric poster as well.

 

 

Memoirs of a geisha (2005)

 

This 2005 Rob Marshall American epic period drama film about a young girl being forced to become a geisha is one of the most intriguing ones I've seen - only the ending was 'too Hollywood' for my taste. It starred Zhang Ziyi, Ken Watanabe, and Michelle Yeoh.The poster is very attractive as well - it reminds me a bit of the art by Partick Nagel.

 

 

 The Painted Veil (2006)

 

The John Curran drama starring Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, and Toby Jones, tells the story of a mismatched British couple ending up in the Chinese countryside. The poster, gorgeous as it is, is deceptively romantic - there is a lot more to the story, based on a Somerset Maugham novel. The settings in Guangxi (Guilin - we have been there) are stunning and Naomi Watts is simply magnificent in the lead role.

 

 

Snow Flower and the secret fan (2011)

It may not have gotten the best reviews, but I would love to see this Wayne Wang movie starring  Gianna Jun, Li Bingbing, and Vivian Wu. It is based on Lisa See's novel of the same name, which I liked very much (as usual for this author). The poster is great as well, with a visual play on the secret theme in the way she holds the fan in front of her lips.

 

 

Khamoshiyan (2015)

 

This Indian horror movie by Karan Darra stood out in an overview of the best movie posters of the year 2015. A slight echo of the famous Silence of the lambs poster, but still very original and highly effective in its use of selective colouring.
  

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Album Covers 1968 -1970

Over the past 5-6 decades, album covers have become more and more artistic, to the point where the best of them deserve a place in this blog. They featured prominently in the past, and of course they will be present in the new set-up. I have gone for a grouping per years of release (covering 2-3 years per post). I will try not to include the most famous album covers (like Sergeant Pepper, Dark Side of the Moon, Nevermind), but focus on more obscure but very good examples. Also the aim is no duplication of acts within one post. These posts are meant to be illustrative only, not necessarily my personal top twelve for the time period. The image above is created via Photofunia and is free from copyright issues.

 

 

Rotary Connection by Rotary Connection (1968)

 

Rotary Connection is the eponymous debut album of the American soul group Rotary Connection. I had never heard of this band, but the album cover is different and stunning. The album credits include "Curt Cole Burkhart – Photography", so I assume he was responsible for the cover.

Bookends by Simon and Garfunkel (1968)

Bookends is the fourth studio album by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel. It is a concept album that explores a life journey from childhood to old age. The black and white cover was shot by famous photographer Richard Avedon.

 

 

Wow/Grape Jam by Moby Grape (1968)

Wow/Grape Jam is the second album by the Ameican rock band Moby Grape. It is different from most double album releases in that it was released as two different albums in separate covers, but packaged together. Wow (shown above) had a colour gatefold sleeve, while Grape Jam had a color non-gatefold sleeve. The Daliesque cover for the Wow album is by Bob Cato.

 

 

Clouds by Joni Mitchell (1969)

 

Clouds is the second album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. The cover is a self-portrait by the artist herself - possibly the first time that this occurred. Incidentally it is also one of my favourite albums of the sixties. 

 

 

Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band (1969)

 

Trout Mask Replica is the third studio album by the American rock band Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, a double album with a cover that must have been even more special in those days, and which fits the surreal rock music on the album perfectly. The cover design is credited to Cal Schenkel.
  

 

Ummagumma by Pink Floyd (1969)

 

Ummagumma is the fourth album by English rock band Pink Floyd. It is a double album - one album with live recordings, and one with solo compositions by each member of the band. The artwork is a relatively early effort by the famous design group Hipgnosis and features a number of pictures of the band combined to give a Droste effect, although with a twist as band members swapped places from picture to picture. 

 

 

Hot Buttered Soul by Isaac Hayes (1969)

 

Maybe because I sympathize with his lack of hair, but this is a cover which must have stood out at a time when artists were usually depicted facing the camera and hence the record buyer. The cover design is by Christopher Whorf .
 

Tommy by The Who (1969)

 

Tommy is the fourth studio album by the English rock band the Who, a rock opera on a double album. Even today it is regarded as an important and influential album in the history of rock music. The pretty unique cover is by Mike McInnerney.

Quatermass by Quatermass (1970)

 

Quatermass is the only studio album by English progressive rock band Quatermass. The cover is quite stunning for the time in its play with perspective and choice for black and white. It is another relatively early effort by the famous design group Hipgnosis. 

Abraxas by Santana (1970)

 

Abraxas is the second studio album by Latin rock band Santana. The iconic album cover is based on the 1961 painting Annunciation by German-French painter Mati Klarwein.

 

 

The Man who Sold the World by David Bowie (1970)

The Man Who Sold the World is the third studio album by English musician David Bowie. It is one of the notorious examples of albums having to be released with different covers in the UK and the USA. The one shown was shot by Keith MacMillan and was an early exploitation of Bowie's androgynic looks he would cultivate more in years to come. It was considered too risky for the US release - they chose a cartoon-like cover drawing by Bowie's friend Michael J. Weller instead.

 

Time and a Word by Yes (1970)

 

Time and a Word is the second studio album by English progressive rock band Yes. Although their covers would become really outstanding in the seventies, this one is pretty special as well, from the black and white rendering to the nudity - which of course meant a different cover had to be used for the US release. The UK cover which I selected was photographed by Barrie Wentzell .

 

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The compositions of Dmitri Shostakovich

Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (1906 – 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist. In 1919 he was admitted to the Petrograd Conservatory, then headed by Alexander Glazunov, who monitored his progress closely and promoted him. His musical breakthrough was the First Symphony, written as his graduation piece at the age of 19. He lived and worked in the Soviet Union all his life, building up a complex relationship with the government, from which he earned state awards and privileges, but also received severe criticism for some of his works. Although Shostakovich's oeuvre covers most genres of classical music, he is particularly remembered for his 15 symphonies, 15 string quartets, and 6 concertos (Wikipedia). The photograph of Shostakovitch is by Roger & Renate Rössing, shared under a CC BY-SA 3.0 de license.

As with all posts dedicated to one composer, I will select my 12 favourite works, listed in chronological order. All depicted CD's are from my own collection.

 

 

Symphony No.4 in C minor (1936)

After an astonishingly confident first symphony (composed when he was only 19 years old), the second and third were a bit of a letdown, very much propaganda works (although I still enjoy them). The fourth was a major step forward musically, and a major step backward with respect to his reputation in Stalin's Soviet Union. He was forced to withdraw the symphony, and its premiere had to wait until 1961. In many ways it is the most Mahlerian of his works - and indeed, he had been studying Mahler, who at the time was an almost forgotten composer. The work is in four movements and the average playing time is 63 minutes (AllMusic). The version shown above is by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Bernard Haitink on a Decca CD.

Symphony No.5 in D minor (1937)

 

The backlash he got after the (withdrawn) fourth was reflected in the fifth symphony, published just one year later. The phrase "a Soviet artist's creative response to justified criticism" may or not have been by Shostakovich himself, but it certainly fits the circumstances. The fifth was a big success with the public as well as the official critics, and has remained one of his most popular compositions, a masterpiece of the orchestral repertory, poignant and economical in its conception. The work is in four movements and the average playing time is 46 minutes (AllMusic). The version shown above is by the USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra under Gennadi Rozhdestvensky on a Melodyia CD.

 

 

Piano Quintet in G minor (1940)

 

Although the piano quintet is not my favourite combo in chamber music, this one is awesome from start to finish, in five contrasting movements. It proved an immediate popular and critical success, and many commentators agreed that the quintet was among his finest creations up until that point. In 1941, it was awarded the Stalin Prize. The work is in four movements and the average playing time is 32 minutes (AllMusic). The version shown above is by the Borodin Quartet with Elisabeth Leonskaja on a Teldec CD.

 

Symphony No. 7 in C major "Leningrad" (1941)

 

Largely composed after the Germans invaded the Soviet Union, the seventh symphony quickly became a symbol of resistance to fascism. For more background and detailed descriptions see the excellent Wikipedia article. More than any other of his symphonies, the Leningrad tends to divide the listeners. Some find it vulgar and bombastic in its overblown dramatics, others (like me) consider it the best work by a composer they love. The work is in four movements and the average playing time is 74 minutes (AllMusic). The version shown above is by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Leonard Bernstein on a DG CD.

 

 

Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor (1944)

 

For me this is the best piano trio ever composed, even better than the Ravel or the three Brahms works. It is full of phrases typical for this composer. The Jewish melody from the last movement was quoted in Shostakovich's famous String Quartet No. 8. The average playing time is 27 minutes (AllMusic). The version shown above is by the Florestan Trio on a Hyperion CD.

 

 

Violin Concerto No. 1 (1948)

The first Violin Concerto was completed in 1948 and premiered seven years later because the composer considered it unsuitable for the oppressive climate for artists in the Soviet Union at the time. This is vintage Shostakovich, dark, gloomy and leading to a triumphant ending that gives a fake impression. A typical example of a work that grows stronger and stronger with repeated hearing. The work is in four movements and the average playing time is 37 minutes (AllMusic). The version shown above is by Lydia Mordkovitch and the Scottish National Orchestra under Neeme Järvi on a Chandos CD. 

Symphony No.10 in E minor (1953)

 

Although Shostakovich started on the work in 1946, it is significant that he completed it about half a year after his nemesis Stalin passed away. Years later he wrote: "I did depict Stalin in my next symphony, the Tenth. I wrote it right after Stalin's death and no one has yet guessed what the symphony is about. It's about Stalin and the Stalin years. The second part, the scherzo, is a musical portrait of Stalin, roughly speaking. Of course, there are many other things in it, but that's the basis." This epic symphony is generally recognized as one of the most important compositions of Shostakovich. The work is in four movements and the average playing time is 53 minutes (AllMusic). The version shown above is by the WDR Symphony Orchestra under Rudolf Barshai from a Brilliant Classics 11 CD's box with the collected symphonies.

 

 

Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major (1957) 

 

Only two of Shostakovich' concertos made my final list of twelve masterpieces; this is the second. I have selected it both for its intrinsic qualities and for contrast: it is one of the sunniest pieces in his repertoire. Flanked by two lively movements, it is the romantic second movement that is the most impressive. It is puzzling that the composer himself (barely a week after he had finished it) wrote that the work had "no redeeming artistic merits". The work is in three movements and the average playing time is 19 minutes (AllMusic). The version shown above is by Dmitri Alexeev and the English Chamber Orchestra under Jerzy Maksymiuk on a Classics for Pleasure CD.

 

String Quartet No. 8 in C minor (1960) 

The eighth String Quartet is the highlight of what for me is the best cycle of string quartets ever composed, all fifteen very much worthwhile - and it pains me that I could not make room for more than one of them in this overview of Shoastokovich masterpieces.This quartet was composed in three days, and is in five movements. It makes extensive use of the DSCH motif – Shostakovich's musical signature. The average playing time is 21 minutes (AllMusic). The version shown above is by the Borodin Quartet on a Virgin CD.

 

Symphony No.13 'Babi Yar' in Bes minor (1962)

 

This is one of Shostakovich' most controversial (and beautiful) works. The symphony, for bass solist, men's chorus and large orchestra, is in five movements, each a setting of a Yevgeny Yevtushenko poem - a poet who during the composition of this work became subjected to a campaign of state criticism. The premiere of the work ran into problems because soloists and directors dropped out at the last moment. All this takes nothing away from the sheer beauty of the work. The average playing time is 61 minutes (AllMusic). The version shown above is by Concertgebouw Orchestra under Bernard Haitink with Marius Rintzler on a Decca CD.

 

 

Symphony No.14 (1969)

 

The 14th Symphony is a work for soprano, bass and a small string orchestra with percussion, consisting of eleven linked settings of poems by four authors. Most of the poems deal with the theme of death, particularly that of unjust or early death. The composer himself was initially unsure what to call the work, eventually designating it a symphony rather than a song cycle to emphasize the unity of the work musically and philosophically: most of the poems deal with the subject of mortality. The average playing time is 50 minutes (AllMusic). I have a number of versions, but I'm always going back to the first one I heard, which has the added bonus that the poems are all sung in their original language. It is the version shown above, by the Concertgebouw Orchestra under Bernard Haitink, with Julia Varady and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, on a Decca CD.

 

 

Viola Sonata (1975)

It is appropriate to end this post with the Viola Sonata, composed just weeks before his death. It is a work of mood swings, with references to some of his own works as well as surprisingly Beethovens Moonlight Sonata. The swan song of one of the classical voices of the century. The average playing time is 32 minutes (AllMusic). The version shown above is by Isabelle van Keulen and Ronald Brautigam on a Challenge Classics CD.

 

 

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R.I.P. Meat Loaf

This is the first post under the label "Intermezzo", which I will be using for brief posts triggered by the news. In this case, it is the death of Michael Lee Aday (September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), better known as Meat Loaf, an American singer and actor. His 1977 debut album Bat out of Hell is a perennial favourite of mine. In his memory, I link to the title track of the album, the best song he ever made. Thanks for the memories.

Click here to see the video.

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Judge Magazine Covers

 

Judge was a weekly satirical magazine published in the United States from 1881 to 1947. It was launched by artists who had seceded from its rival Puck. Judge boomed during the '80s and '90s, surpassing its rival publication in content and circulation. By the 1900s, the magazine had become successful, reaching a circulation of 100,000 by 1912. Harold Ross was an editor of Judge for a few months during 1924. He used the experience on the magazine to start his own in 1925, The New Yorker. The success of The New Yorker, as well as the Great Depression, put pressure on Judge. It became a monthly in 1932 and ceased circulation in 1947. Today it is mainly remembered for its beautiful covers, especially during the twenties (information from Wikipedia). The image above was made at the Photofunia site, which has no copyright issues.

 

 

 

April 1921

We kick off with a beautiful minimal cover. The illustration was drawn by Louis Fancher. 

February 1922

 

A bit of surrealism creeps into this cover with the girl apparently emerging from an oyster-like oversized pocket watch. This drawing is by C.J. Monroe.

 

 

 July 1923

A summertime cover, showing how much time has changed - this was probably considered risque in that age. This cover was created by Simon Werner.

 September 1923

So much to love here, not only the girl in her stunning dress, but also the setting in what we now call an old timer car, but which must have been modern then. This cover was created by Simon Werner.

October 1924

 

A typical flapper girl on this cover, complete with the jazz age style hat. Another cover by Simon Werner.

 

 

June 1925

 

There is a strong Ahoy Sailor! vibe in this one - and I like it also because it is so different, from the setting to the way she looks at us. One of the first covers by the famous Ruth Eastman.
 

 

February 1926

 

A bit different style compared to others  from this period - there is some fun here in the way the attractive flapper girl is flirting with the bookmaker to the consternation of other customers waiting in line tio make a bet. The drawing is by David Robinson.
 

 

July 1926

A typical summer mood in this one. You have to love that bathing suit, including a beautiful Art Deco swimming cap. This one was drawn by Ruth Eastman.

October 1926

This colourful Art Deco extravaganza is one of the best Judge covers. It is based on work by John Holmgren.

 

 

December 1926

Here is one for the holiday season that is a few weeks behind us. A charming dancing couple in Art Deco gear. The cover was made by John Holmgren.

 

 

June 1928

One notices some changes in typical lay-out of the covers with time, including a more playful font for the title. Although they are still illustrations, they tend to become more elaborate, like this summer themed image, created by Ruth Eastman.

 

 

December 1929

 

It is  rather typical that even for an issue that focuses on "What the well-dressed man must wear" the cover shows an elegant woman. Well, apparently she is the one picking the ties for her husband... Drawing once more by Ruth Eastman.

 

 

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