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1980:
  • Flash Gordon
  • Little Miss Marker (unused)
  • Nijinsky (2 images; only 1 used)
  • Coal Miner's Daughter (unused)
1981:
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • The Incredible Shrinking Woman (unused)
  • All Night Long (unused)
1982:
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark (rerelease)
  • The Dark Crystal
1983:
  • A Star is Born (1983 restoration & rerelease)
  • Krull (unused concepts)
  • Beyond the Limit/The Honorary Consul
  • Yentl (unused concepts)
  • Terms of Endearment (unused)
  • Sahara (unused concepts)
1984:
  • Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (unused concepts)
1985:
  • Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
  • The Jewel of the Nile (unfinished; only early sketches)
 
 
Titles in red are unpublished posters or sketches I'm still trying to locate.

...and more images below.

BEHIND THE POSTERS: 1980-1985

Behind the scenes of select concept sketches, final illustrations, and triva regarding Richard Amsel's

movie poster work. They're listed below in chronological order.

NIJINSKY (1980)

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)

I like to deconstruct Amsel's process, starting out with the final product and then working back through his earlier designs. Here, we can see how his vision for the poster was very defined, even in the early stages. The simplest pencil sketch still perfectly captures Indiana Jones. The more polished comp strikes me as having a more dramatic, Bob Peak influence -- I'm still indecisive about whether or not I prefer the harsh lighting of the comp to the more flatly lit, "antique" style employed in the final poster. 

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1982)

"The Greatest Hand-Drawn Movie Poster of all time."

TOTAL FILM, 2011

Many are quick to compliment Amsel's skill at capturing likenesses, but this particular poster demonstrates a gift that most illustrators lack: a strong sense of composition and form. There's a reason why this remains one of the most celebrated and beloved posters of all time: it truly captures the spirit of the film, and is far more than just a jigsaw of assembled faces and body parts from different photos.

 

Unlike the original 1981 poster, made when the film was kept under great secrecy, the 1982 rerelease poster targeted audiences already well aware of the film as an "event" picture. It proves the advantage an artist has when they don't have to second guess the content of the film they're illustrating!

THE DARK CRYSTAL (1982)

Amsel's poster for Jim Henson's elaborate fantasy adventure was up against some stiff competition -- including art from his idol, Bob Peak. As with the film, the poster remains extremely popular, and the orignal final illustration recently went up for auction.

BEYOND THE LIMIT / THE HONORARY CONSUL (1983)

While neither the film nor the poster represent the highlight of Amsel's work, BEYOND THE LIMIT is special because of the lovely woman who modeled for it. Judy Goldman was one of Richard's dearest and most trusted friends, and she owns the original artwork along with some other pieces. She even shared a photo Amsel took of her, modeling for the seductive woman in the poster. Over the years, Judy has been my rock of emotional support, and I'm amazed how she's been able to put up with me.

MAD MAX: BEYOND THUNDERDOME (1985)

Amsel's final poster is also one of his best -- representing an artist at the peak of his creative powers. Tina Turner's stylized hair... the textures and color scheme.... I still wonder what great work he would have done had he not left us so young.

THE JEWEL OF THE NILE (1985)

And, with bittersweet sadness, we come to the very last work of Richard Amsel: his preliminary sketches for THE JEWEL OF THE NILE -- a project he was forced to abandoned as his health rapidly declined. The final poster, done by another artist, emphasized the comic aspect of the film, while Amsel's sketches demonstrate a more romantic sensibility. Very special thanks to David Byrd for sharing these images with me; he collected them from Amsel's apartment after the artist's death.

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