''Birdman of Alcatraz'', 1962 - art by Renato Casaro
by Movie World Posters
Title
''Birdman of Alcatraz'', 1962 - art by Renato Casaro
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Mixed Media - Vintage Movie Posters
Description
A vintage Italian movie poster reprint of ''Birdman of Alcatraz'',a 1962 American biographical drama film directed by John Frankenheimer. The film stars Burt Lancaster in the lead role as Robert Stroud, a real-life criminal who gained notoriety for his time spent in the United States Penitentiary on Alcatraz Island.
The plot of "Birdman of Alcatraz" is based on the true story of Robert Stroud, who was a convicted murderer and a lifelong prisoner. While incarcerated, Stroud developed a strong interest in ornithology, the study of birds. He began raising and studying canaries and other birds in his cell, which ultimately led to significant contributions to the field of ornithology.
The film explores Stroud's transformation from a violent and troubled prisoner to a respected and knowledgeable ornithologist. It delves into his relationships with fellow inmates, as well as his interactions with prison officials and medical personnel who are initially skeptical of his pursuits.
Burt Lancaster delivers a memorable performance as Robert Stroud, earning critical acclaim and receiving an Academy Award nomination for his role. The film portrays Stroud's dedication to his avian studies, his personal growth, and the challenges he faces within the prison system.
"Birdman of Alcatraz" is known for its compelling character study and its portrayal of the redemptive power of education and passion. While the film takes some artistic liberties with Stroud's life story, it remains a significant work in cinema for its exploration of the complexities of a real-life figure who found purpose and meaning behind bars.
Overall, "Birdman of Alcatraz" is a classic biographical drama that sheds light on the life of Robert Stroud and his journey from a notorious criminal to a respected figure in the world of ornithology. It is celebrated for its performances and its examination of redemption and transformation within the confines of a prison.
About the artist:
Born in 1935 in Treviso, Italy, Casaro painted posters for many of the world's leading producers and directors. He was exceptionally skilled at his accurate portrayals of actors and his unique use of color and composition. As a result, he was in demand by many of the major film studios, for which he created about 2,000 posters.
In October 2021, "The New York Times" stated that during the six decades of his career, "Casaro's hand-drawn art has hooked movie audiences around the world since the 1950s. Tarantino and Stallone are big fans." His artwork has graced numerous Italian and American posters along with many from Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
His career began when, realizing that besides loving going to see movies, he had a natural knack for drawing and painting. He was offered a job when he was 17 by the owner of Garibaldi Cinema in Treviso, Italy, to paint billboards in exchange for free admission. A year later, he moved to Rome to work as an apprentice for Favalli Studio, a leading film advertising agency.
In 1956, he opened his own art studio at the age of only 21. Within a few years, he drew the attention of film producer Dino De Laurentis. Then in 1965, another producer, Sergio Leone, engaged him to design posters for many of his films, including his early westerns starring Clint Eastwood. In Leone's film, "Once Upon a Time in America" (1984), he gave Casaro's artwork recognition in the movie's end-credits.
In 1968, Casaro began working with Cineriz, an Italian media company involved primarily in producing and distributing films. He was among the first artists to use a manual airbrush for his works, beginning in 1975. This new technique helped revolutionize poster art, which had until then relied on a more impressionistic style with traditional brushwork.
In 1982 De Laurentis commissioned Casaro to paint posters for films featuring a new actor, one who he felt was destined for fame: Arnold Schwarzenegger. He then painted the posters for the "Conan" trilogy, the breakthrough films for Schwarzenegger, who was mostly known as a champion bodybuilder. However, De Laurentis wanted Casaro to focus on the actor's face, not his impressive physique. "Dino wanted to launch him," Mr. Casaro said. "He knew that Schwarzenegger would explode as an actor."
That same year, another major star, Sylvester Stallone, said he loved how Casaro had depicted him in the film poster depicting the troubled Vietnam vet, "Rambo" (1982). "Stallone said that I had entered into his soul," Casaro said.
He continued painting and designing film posters throughout the following decades. In 1987, director Bernardo Bertolucci hired him to design the poster for "The Sheltering Sky." Beginning in 1989, he began using a new style for many of his posters, that of interpreting actors and scenes inspired by masters from the 16th century.
He continued designing posters until recently. In 2018, director Quentin Tarantino commissioned him to produce the artwork for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."
Looking back at his poster styles, Casaro said, "The important thing was to capture the essential: that moment, that glance, that attitude, that movement that says everything and condenses the entire story. That's the hard part."
He currently lives in Andalucia, Spain, where he still paints. However, he largely stopped doing posters in 1998, as he preferred creating hand-painted or manually airbrushed images over the digital and photoshopped renderings that had become the industry standard.
In 2017, the book "Renato Casaro: The art of movie painting" was published, showcasing a large selection of his works and describing the evolution of film art from its early years to the present. And in 2020, a documentary film about his life was released, titled, "The Last Movie Painter".
Search "Casaro" to see other works.
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May 29th, 2021
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