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Mark Batty Publisher Launches New Book that Gives Fresh Perspectives on the Art of Movie Posters
April 15, 2008
Contact: Joel Samberg
Telephone: 1.973.857.8070
New York, NY, April 15, 2008 – Mark Batty Publisher, a leader in distinctive books covering all the graphic and communication arts, has announced the publication of Translating Hollywood by movie poster aficionado, Sam Sarowitz. Culled from the vast collection of Sarowitz’s Posteritati Gallery in New York City, Translating Hollywood examines the creative choices made to advertise and promote the same movie in various countries and cultures.
“How cultural tendencies are reflected in graphic design is a major element of this book. There are some very interesting ways that posters are used to sell a film in different countries. It’s about so much more than just the language that is used,” said Buzz Poole, managing editor at Mark Batty Publisher. “At the core of the poster comparisons in Translating Hollywood is the idea that the ways in which distributors attempt to promote films in any given country have, in some cases, more to do with the county and its culture than the content of the film.”
One example from the 160-page volume explores the 1982 movie “Tootsie,” which effectively sets the tone for this captivating book. Considering the “Tootsie” posters from the U.S. and Poland, readers might wonder if the film were a comedy about a desperate, over-the-top actor, or a mystery about a shadowy, underground spy. In the U.S. version, a smiling Dustin Hoffman is shown asserting his independence as an American ‘woman,’ while the Polish poster features a seemingly furtive face of someone who is, at once, both man and woman.
Spanning decades of film history, Translating Hollywood examines posters from many films in a variety of styles. There are posters from classic films made by legendary directors, and some that are coveted collectibles. Also featured are works by such noted designers as Saul Bass. The book covers the gamut from American blockbusters to obscure Russian science fiction movies, with multiple takes on a wide variety of films from Hollywood, France, Japan, England, Argentina, Belgium, Cuba and much of Eastern Europe. The accompanying captions discuss the various visual elements used in each of the posters, including typography, colors, connotations, catchphrases, and more.
Translating Hollywood also features an introduction to the history of film posters by New York Times columnist Dave Kehr. “What Sarowitz has done is taken a long-standing industry practice of poster promotion and contrasted the design and content of some of the most interesting ones like no other book has done,” Poole said.
About Mark Batty Publisher
Mark Batty Publisher is an independent publisher dedicated to producing distinctive books on the visual art of communicating, showcasing the visual power and innovation of contemporary culture in all its varied poses. Today, the visuals come at us from more places than ever, and dissemination is faster and more advanced every year. Affordable, well designed, thoughtfully created, and produced to last, MBP books are artful products that readers will want to hold onto forever. For more information, please visit www.markbattypublisher.com.
Translating Hollywood
Sam Sarowitz; Introduction by Dave Kehr
Popular Culture, Graphic Design, Film Studies
160 pages
Color throughout
Casebound, 7 x 11 inches
ISBN-13: 978-0-9772827-9-1
$45.00
May 2008
