Cul-De-Sac
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| Poster Origin : | United Kingdom |
| Poster Size : | British Quad Crown / 40 x 30" |
| Poster Artist : | Jan Lenica |
| Poster Year : | 1966 |
| Poster Version : | First Release |
| Film Origin : | United Kingdom |
| Film Director : | Roman Polanski |
| Film Year : | 1966 |
The monochrome portraits, fashioned entirely from snipped and torn pieces of paper, somehow take on remarkable likenesses of the actors and their on-screen personas. The simple features clearly define each character, and reveal something of their place in the story. The small text between the men looks like a torrent (of noise, abuse, or perhaps just hot air) from the barking mobster Richard, directly into George’s face. He stands his ground, though his emotions are exposed and vulnerable as he tries to protect his castle, and his handsome but vacuous trophy wife. Spatially, she is no closer to her husband than the criminal is, indicating the couple’s inability to unify in the face of adversity.
The blue title lettering, also formed from paper cut-outs, seems to lurch and tumble like the cold waves crashing on the Northumberland coast. The erratic, unpredictable shapes are also quirky and fun, words which can also describe the film.
Lenica perhaps doesn’t quite match his exquisite poster for Repulsion a year earlier, but as a companion piece this is similarly striking, and just as memorable.