Died Young Stayed Pretty: Poster posers get graphic
SUPPLIED PHOTO The network of artists who design rock concert promotion posters are the subject of 'Died Young Stayed Pretty.'
Email story Print Choose text size Report typo or correction
SUBSCRIBE TO THE STAR'S WEEKLY MOVIE UPDATE
Nov 14, 2008 04:30 Am Comments on this story (1) JASON ANDERSON SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Died Young Stayed Pretty
(out of 4) Directed by Eileen Yaghoobian. 95 minutes. At the Royal Cinema. 14A
The text on one of the many concert posters displayed in Died Young Stayed Pretty is so hard to read, even the designers can barely figure out what the poster was meant to advertise. Then again, just about all of the artists featured in this Canadian documentary on rock posters would agree that their handiworks have limited usefulness as promotional devices. Their wares are more aptly described as "cultural artifacts," though some examples are more inventive and compelling than the bands they ostensibly serve – for instance, Death Cab for Cutie aren't half as cool as the posters they inspire. A stimulating though structurally scattershot doc by Montreal filmmaker Eileen Yaghoobian, Died Young Stayed Pretty exposes the thriving network of artists who use the task of concert promotion as an excuse to indulge their own creative energies. Their gig posters generally do not look much like the photocopied flyers you find on telephone poles, though the poster scene certainly adheres to the DIY aesthetic established by punk three decades ago. The works are more sophisticated in nature, matching inventive graphic design with bold and sometimes lurid imagery. Guns, syringes, busty women, motorbikes and other trusty signifiers of rock 'n' roll traditionally predominate, though bunnies and octopi are popular, too. Many of Yaghoobian's interview subjects bemoan the abundance of these clichés and rightly wonder if any image still has the power to shock, especially now that what used to be the underground went topside years ago. This is one of many intriguing topics that Yaghoobian's film raises without satisfactorily exploring. Nor is there much in the way of historical context for those not already familiar with contemporary poster art and its roots in the punk and fanzine culture of the '70s and '80s. The perspectives of musicians and collectors would also have been welcome, though Died Young Stayed Pretty is too crowded already – Yaghoobian packs the film with interviews with dozens of designers across the U.S. and Canada. Luckily, many prove to be lively company. Known for his sleeves for such record labels as Sub Pop and Amphetamine Reptile in the `90s, Art Chandry is as gleefully profane as his art would suggest. A designer whose work decorates the releases by his band Lightning Bolt, Brian Chippendale is more genial as he gives Yaghoobian a tour of his art-stuffed home. Though Died Young Stayed Pretty could have used some serious streamlining, it still succeeds as a showcase for some of this decade's most arresting examples of graphic design. The best artists here brandish an equally subversive attitude toward art, advertising and the cultural detritus that surrounds them.
Comments on this story are moderated | Login to Comment Commenting Guidelines
I was blown away not only by the highly intriguing characters and their unique art, but also by the eerie tone of the film. This is due largely in part to the original music by Greenberg, coupled with interesting camera angles and lighting. Yaghoobian deserves a huge amount of credit for not only producing and filming this doc all by herself, but for presenting the content in such a way that we feel like the outsiders provided with a rare glimpse into the strange world of poster art. The above article says that Yaghoobian doesn't satisfactorily explore a number of intriguing topics. However, I dont believe that is the purpose of this film. Instead, I think Yaghoobian is presenting the content as an art form itself, with a collage of imagery and characters to be interpreted by the individual. The viewer sees more than a group of old weird guys who are making poster art in their basement. We see a counterculture that exists as one of the last "underground" art communities in society. Submitted By thelux at 12:18 PM Wednesday, November 19 2008
thank you Eileen!
1 comment:
Died Young Stayed Pretty: Poster posers get graphic
SUPPLIED PHOTO
The network of artists who design rock concert promotion posters are the subject of 'Died Young Stayed Pretty.'
Email story
Print
Choose text size
Report typo or correction
SUBSCRIBE TO THE STAR'S WEEKLY MOVIE UPDATE
Nov 14, 2008 04:30 Am
Comments on this story (1)
JASON ANDERSON
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Died Young Stayed Pretty
(out of 4)
Directed by Eileen Yaghoobian. 95 minutes. At the Royal Cinema. 14A
The text on one of the many concert posters displayed in Died Young Stayed Pretty is so hard to read, even the designers can barely figure out what the poster was meant to advertise.
Then again, just about all of the artists featured in this Canadian documentary on rock posters would agree that their handiworks have limited usefulness as promotional devices.
Their wares are more aptly described as "cultural artifacts," though some examples are more inventive and compelling than the bands they ostensibly serve – for instance, Death Cab for Cutie aren't half as cool as the posters they inspire.
A stimulating though structurally scattershot doc by Montreal filmmaker Eileen Yaghoobian, Died Young Stayed Pretty exposes the thriving network of artists who use the task of concert promotion as an excuse to indulge their own creative energies.
Their gig posters generally do not look much like the photocopied flyers you find on telephone poles, though the poster scene certainly adheres to the DIY aesthetic established by punk three decades ago. The works are more sophisticated in nature, matching inventive graphic design with bold and sometimes lurid imagery.
Guns, syringes, busty women, motorbikes and other trusty signifiers of rock 'n' roll traditionally predominate, though bunnies and octopi are popular, too.
Many of Yaghoobian's interview subjects bemoan the abundance of these clichés and rightly wonder if any image still has the power to shock, especially now that what used to be the underground went topside years ago.
This is one of many intriguing topics that Yaghoobian's film raises without satisfactorily exploring. Nor is there much in the way of historical context for those not already familiar with contemporary poster art and its roots in the punk and fanzine culture of the '70s and '80s. The perspectives of musicians and collectors would also have been welcome, though Died Young Stayed Pretty is too crowded already – Yaghoobian packs the film with interviews with dozens of designers across the U.S. and Canada. Luckily, many prove to be lively company.
Known for his sleeves for such record labels as Sub Pop and Amphetamine Reptile in the `90s, Art Chandry is as gleefully profane as his art would suggest. A designer whose work decorates the releases by his band Lightning Bolt, Brian Chippendale is more genial as he gives Yaghoobian a tour of his art-stuffed home.
Though Died Young Stayed Pretty could have used some serious streamlining, it still succeeds as a showcase for some of this decade's most arresting examples of graphic design.
The best artists here brandish an equally subversive attitude toward art, advertising and the cultural detritus that surrounds them.
Comments on this story are moderated
|
Login to Comment
Commenting Guidelines
I was blown away not only by the highly intriguing characters and their unique art, but also by the eerie tone of the film. This is due largely in part to the original music by Greenberg, coupled with interesting camera angles and lighting. Yaghoobian deserves a huge amount of credit for not only producing and filming this doc all by herself, but for presenting the content in such a way that we feel like the outsiders provided with a rare glimpse into the strange world of poster art. The above article says that Yaghoobian doesn't satisfactorily explore a number of intriguing topics. However, I dont believe that is the purpose of this film. Instead, I think Yaghoobian is presenting the content as an art form itself, with a collage of imagery and characters to be interpreted by the individual. The viewer sees more than a group of old weird guys who are making poster art in their basement. We see a counterculture that exists as one of the last "underground" art communities in society.
Submitted By thelux at 12:18 PM Wednesday, November 19 2008
Post a Comment