The Long Morrow
Me, my art, and the stuff that moves me.
Monday, November 25, 2024
COPS OF FUTURE PASSED
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Miracles Never Cease
This art was done for an over-the-top fantasy/martial arts double feature entitled TWO TOAIST TALES, which includes the films TAOSIM DRUNKARD (1984) and THE YOUNG TAOISM FIGHTER (1986). These are "loose" sequels to THE MIRACLE FIGHTERS (1982) created, for the most part, by the same team of filmmakers. Because of that, and since they are also very similar in theme and tone to that first film, I continued in the same art style I used for that film's presentation previously.
Below is the result of that inspiration. (Maybe you have to squint to see it.) But, the inspiration is in there somewhere. I promise.
The kung fu shenanigans continue in THE YOUNG TAOISM FIGHTER. Is someone fighting against Taosim? Shouldn't it be The Young Taoist Fighter? I watched it and I still can't remember what the heck was happening. So, what do I know. Anyway. There was a jiāngshī hopping zombie vampire at one point. And disembodied arms and legs flying around fighting some dude with a fanatical love for black mascara, complete with cartoon sound effects. Or my meds were out of balance again. Half the time, with these flicks, I can't tell which.
For the included booklet cover, I did a simple rendering of the reflexology hand map seen on a wall in one of the films. A respite from the above scenes of colorful chaos.
Monday, October 28, 2024
Kicking and Scheming
His orignal poster for the 1983 sports/action/comedy THE CHAMPIONS is one such example. In my updated version, I've continued that motif of the exaggerated head for Biao, with an added spash of color 'peeling' off his uniform. To, hopefully, give it more energy and excitement. The color-coded cast is lined up for battle (good guys in red, and bad guys in blue), matching the soccer/football jersey colors used in the film. All this is set against a diagonal slash of team colors, Yuen popping off against white, with faint magnified details of grass and sports jersey material.
Next up.... MIRACLES never cease.
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Tiger Man
This 1973 Hong Kong actioner shot in Japan, was intended to star Bruce Lee. But after his untimely death the lead role went to HK-Taiwanese martial artist Jimmy Wang Yu. And he gives a intensely crazed performance as the man driven to avenge his father's mysterious murder. Yes it's a who-killed-my-father-oh-YOU-killed-my-father-prepare-to-die flick.
For the A MAN CALLED TIGER blu-ray package I designed a fairly typical 70s style exploitative action thriller poster. Wang Yu conveys his prototypical facial expression used heavily throughout the film. (Usually the last thing his adversary sees before it's "lights out".)
Tiger imagery is common in my town, from the school mascot to the tiger sancuary down the road. So some sublte stripes and blazing bengal colors seemed a natural fit, even though Yu is the only true "animal" in the film.
Overall the design came off as sorta "sharp". Not so much in clarity, but more in angularity. I think it's due to the pointy achitecture and jagged bleeding text. Oddly enough, I can't recall ever seeing a cablecar in a movie unless their was a fight atop it. Certainly more often than not.
For the booklet cover design, I went with simple silhouettes in bengal hues. An airborne Jimmy rages out center stage, surrounded on all sides by dead men who just don't know it yet.
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
IT'S RIGGED!
For the booklet cover, black oil drips down the page along side visual references to cause and effect. Wealth. And/or Death. Two inevitable consequences for the characters in the film who deal with the stuff. You could say their ends were quite... "crude".
I'll show myself out.
Next time. A TIGER goes on a rampage!
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
It's a MIRACLE
Saturday, June 29, 2024
Save The Queen
For this piece I got to draw Bond, James Bond.... well, sorta. George Lazenby (ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, 1969) stars in this 1976 Hong Kong production, A QUEEN'S RANSOM (aka THE INTERNATIONAL ASSASSIN) where his role is reveresed. Rather than serving the Queen of England, he's in charge of a group of villians planning on killing her during a visit to Hong Kong. Well, sorta. It gets complicated.
For the cover art style I went with a painted collage on a stark, mostly blank background, popular with political thrillers and exploitation films at the time this film was made. A favorite poster style of mine as well. Angela Mao, Jimmy Wang Yu and Bolo Yeung get to flex amongst the Union Jack.