Copyright © 2008 Jim Sizemore.
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Judging solely by the graphic qualities of these two posters, which one would more likely entice you to see the movie it represents—the original design from 1951, or the promo for the remake, which opens Friday, December 12, 2008? Click images for larger views. To vote (and perhaps tell us why you prefer one more than the other), click the word “Comments” below. The poll results will appear as an addendum to this post on December 3.
Poster Poll Results: There were a total of 14 responses to my query—three as direct comments on the 11/26 post, and the rest via e-mail. (And, because of the small sample, let’s assume an error rate of 97%, give or take.) The ballot breakdown is thus: Only one person, a friendly contrarian, voted for the new poster design. That means that the other thirteen voters—including me—like the old poster better. (Judging solely by the few clips I’ve seen, I think it’s safe to say that most of us will feel the same about the remake of the movie itself—but we’ll leave that discussion for another time.) Personally, aside from the unimaginative composition, mundane font selection and symmetrical layout, the thing that rankles most about the contemporary poster design is its lack of human juice. It’s cold. Even the Speilberg back lighting trick to create “drama” has been used so often it’s a visual cliche. (Sigh—they just don’t make movie posters (or movies) like they did in the good old days! I know, I know—I’m a curmudgeon.)
Copyright © 2008 Jim Sizemore.
To purchase reprint rights for this cartoon, buy a print, or have it reproduced on T-shirts, mugs, aprons, etc., visit the CartoonStock website by clicking the sidebar link. If you would like to own the original of any of my selection of more than 500 gag cartoons, contact me for information about price and availability. My e-mail address is: jimscartoons@aol.com
Copyright © 2008 Jim Sizemore.
To purchase reprint rights for this cartoon, buy a print, or have it reproduced on T-shirts, mugs, aprons, etc., visit the CartoonStock website by clicking the sidebar link. If you would like to own the original of any of my selection of more than 500 gag cartoons, contact me for information about price and availability. My e-mail address is: jimscartoons@aol.com Copyright © 2008 Jim Sizemore.
Drink Chilly Willee Now!
In 1940s South Baltimore there seemed to be a “mom and pop” grocery store on every other street corner—and many more in the middle of blocks—and the densely packed and populated neighborhood of shoulder to shoulder row homes meant their were plenty of people to keep them busy. (One friend of mine, a successful comic strip artist, grew up in a 1,500 square foot home with his parents and six siblings.) Those small commercial establishments were what today we’d call “convenience stores,” the “7-Elevens” of that era. (Among scores of items, they sold my favorite snack food, called “Coddies,” or codfish cakes, made daily and served on salty crackers with mustard; they cost five cents each.) The basic day-to-day supplies people needed were just steps away from their front doors, and everything else could be found at the end of a slightly longer walk to the full-service shopping areas on Light and Charles Streets, and in Cross Street Market; or a short street car ride uptown. Meanwhile, most of the booming wartime labor force walked to their jobs at the dry docks and factories lining the harbor. Few families could afford a car, and none that I knew of had more than one, so there were no parking problems. (That’s unlike today in South Baltimore where there are at least two cars to each home.) The photographs I’ve used to illustrate this post were taken in the late 1970s, but they give you some idea of what I saw as a boy growing up in South Baltimore in the 1940s and ’50s. My only regret is that I could have (should have) photographed more of the remaining corner stores—of which there were still many in the ’70s—and the unintentional beauty of their cluttered window displays.
Copyright © 2008 Jim Sizemore.
To purchase reprint rights for this cartoon, buy a print, or have it reproduced on T-shirts, mugs, aprons, etc., visit the CartoonStock website by clicking the sidebar link. If you would like to own the original of any of my selection of more than 500 gag cartoons, contact me for information about price and availability. My e-mail address is: jimscartoons@aol.com Copyright © 2008 Jim Sizemore.