I'm not talking about Christmas. I'm not even talking about the Superbowl (though as a diehard Steelers fan I can assure you Sunday is about number two on the importance scale). I'm talking about Oscar season. As a self-proclaimed movie fanatic, the Oscars showcase a number of my idols all together in the same room, which is about the equivalent to my version of heaven. And this year I'm rather pleased with the movies the Academy has chosen to honor with nominations--something I haven't been able to say in a long time, quite frankly--and as such, it seems appropriate to chose this momentous occasion for my current events blog.
The movie up for the most awards this season is David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. With a total of thirteen nominations, it's clear that Mr. Fincher must
have done something right ...including his poster. The images displayed of Benjamin Button in theaters were rather unique in their layout; there were two variations of the graphic, one featuring Mr. Pitt, the other, Ms. Blanchett. The one of Ms. Blanchett is featured left, with the title of the movie, its stars, its opening day, as well as the word Life printed behind the text. The name of the main character, Benjamin Button, is written in what appears to be Trajan Pro font, but don't quote me on that. Anyway, the Cate Blanchett poster, while quite beautiful, is not particularly noteworthy by itself: after all, Cate isn't even the main star of the movie. That distinction lies with Brad Pitt. And it is Mr. Pitt's poster that creates a level of singularity in the Benjamin Button franchise.
The image at the right is the second in that series of graphics. Much like Ms. Blanchett's piece, this one advertises the title of the movie, its stars, its opening day, as well as the word Life printed behind the text. The only aspect different in this poster (minus the part where it's Brad Pitt's face as opposed to Cate Blanchett's) is the fact that the text--with the exception of the film's opening day--is written backwards. The significance of this, if you haven't already figured that out, is (spoiler alert!) the plot of the movie is that Benjamin Button ages backwards. In this way the graphic artist responsible for this series is using text to symbolize the theme of the movie: regression, reversal, and opposition to the norm. It's a fairly simple concept, mirroring the words to represent a larger motif, but its effect was certainly enough to make me stop and wonder. And isn't that exactly the point of graphic design, to make a person stop, wonder, consider, examine?
The Oscars are the most important time of the year for anyone involved in the film industry. These awards have set the standards for any and all films that have been made over the past 81 years. The award show is more elaborate than anyone can imagine. Designer dresses pack the red carpet and anybody who's anybody is there. So naturally the advertisements, posters, and promotion material have to convey a feel of regality. The poster to the left is the for the 2009 Oscars, coming up on Sunday. The design for this poster personifies the Oscar trophy by putting him on stage, as if it was a star receiving an award. The colors of black, white and gold also help give this poster an elegant feel. Previous years' posters has gi
ven the same feel of sophistication, elegance and class. Every poster has the signature Oscar on it, but it is always done in a different way. Look at last years poster. For the 80th anniversary show, the designer used film strips to create Oscar.
I think this design was very creative and really catches your eye. Going back to the 80s, you can still see consistency in the feel of each poster and the Oscar. The Oscars, and its posters along with it, are so vital to American culture that they are sold online at various websites.
