''American Graffiti'', 1973 - art by Macario Quibus
by Movie World Posters
Title
''American Graffiti'', 1973 - art by Macario Quibus
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Mixed Media - Vintage Movie Posters
Description
A vintage movie poster reprint of ''American Graffiti'', a 1973 coming-of-age film directed by George Lucas and set in Modesto, California, during the summer of 1962. The film is known for its nostalgic portrayal of youth culture, the music of the era, and the lives of a group of teenagers on the cusp of adulthood.
The story of "American Graffiti" follows a group of high school friends, including Curt Henderson (played by Richard Dreyfuss), Steve Bolander (played by Ron Howard), Terry "The Toad" Fields (played by Charles Martin Smith), and John Milner (played by Paul Le Mat), as they spend one final night together before going off to college and adulthood. The film captures their adventures and misadventures as they cruise the streets of Modesto, listen to rock and roll music, and contemplate their futures.
"American Graffiti" is notable for its soundtrack, which features a collection of classic rock and roll songs from the early 1960s, adding to the film's sense of nostalgia. The music plays a significant role in the storytelling, providing a backdrop to the characters' experiences.
The film is celebrated for its authentic portrayal of the teenage experience, the cars and fashions of the early 1960s, and the sense of longing and uncertainty that comes with the transition to adulthood. It also explores themes of friendship, love, and the passage of time.
The ensemble cast, which includes several young actors who would go on to have successful careers in Hollywood, delivers memorable performances that capture the essence of their characters and the era. The film's humorous and heartfelt moments contribute to its enduring appeal.
"American Graffiti" received critical acclaim upon its release and was a commercial success. It was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The film's impact on popular culture is significant, and it is regarded as a classic of American cinema.
Overall, "American Graffiti" is celebrated for its evocative portrayal of a specific time and place in American history, its memorable characters, and its timeless themes of youth and nostalgia. It continues to resonate with audiences as a timeless coming-of-age film.
About the artist:
Macario ("Mac") Gomez Quibus (1926-2018), born in Reus (Tarragona) Spain in 1926, was a well-known Spanish film poster artist. He developed a reputation among Hollywood studios for the powerful images he painted on Spanish film posters. He signed his works using the nickname, "Mac."
In his style, Mac is an artist with two faces. Some works are strongly expressive and dramatic, others lighter and luminous. There are movies posters characterized by vigorous brushstrokes, chiaroscuro effects, dark palettes, and almost Caravaggio-like lighting; others are extremely graphic, linear, schematic, characterized by the dazzling use of white color. The art of Quibus is a painting style based on lights and shadows, which goes beyond the conformist standards of design to achieve great expressive power.
When he was two, his father died in a work accident. Following an early talent in art, Mac studied at the School of Fine Arts beginning in 1935 and during the Spanish Civil War. At the age of 20, he visited Barcelona's Museum of Modern Art, where he discovered the work of 19th century Catalan painter Mariano Fortuny. Enamored by his style, Mac spent days examining Fortuny's canvases.
With a renewed motivation to continue studying art, he enrolled at the Escola de Belles Arts in Barcelona. He also began working in 1952 with an advertising company specializing in cinema. Later, he created art for the famous design studio, Clavé and Martí Picó (MCP), where he made numerous posters. One was a poster for "Ivanhoe," which caught the attention and acclaim of a senior executive at MGM.
In 1956, he earned his most significant break when Paramount studios hired him to design the poster for "The Ten Commandments," which led to a friendship with its star, Charlton Heston. Mac gifted Heston with a custom-painted portrait of Moses from the film, which the actor hung in his office. Similarly, Kirk Douglas received the original painting for "The Justices of the West."
From that point on, he continued to develop a style that transgressed the standard rules of composition and interpretation. Instead, he produced unique works with great expressive force. His style was credited for its creativity, nonconformity, and harmony. In recognition of his talent, in 1955, he was put in charge of all the publicity material for Tandem Films, a major Madrid film production company, and distributor.
Throughout his 20-year career, Mac earned esteem as one of Spain's finest film poster artists, having created over 4,000 works. Among the numerous Spanish posters he painted are some of today's most beloved films: "Casablanca," "A Streetcar Named Desire," "Rebeca," "Moulin Rouge," "El Cid," "Dr. No," "Play it Again, Sam," and "From Russia with Love."
Mac eventually became an independent artist who worked with all the American distributors. And although he had the chance to move to the United States, he chose not to leave his family or the creative inspiration he received living in Barcelona.
During his career, he received numerous honors. In 2012, the Sitges festival premiered the short film "Un chico de Portada," directed by David Muñoz, covering Mac's life and work, with interviews with the artist himself. In 2013, he was named an honorary member of the Catalan Film Academy. And in 2014, he received the Creu de Sant Jordi from the Generalitat de Catalunya. In addition, his work has been exhibited at the National Film Library in Madrid and the Verdi cinema in Barcelona.
By the time of his death in 2018, at the age of 92, he had created over 4,000 works, many of which still captivate movie fans today.
Search "Mac" to see more of his posters.
Uploaded
May 27th, 2021
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