Once Upon A Time In The West

Artist: Frank McCarthy
Format: UK Quad (30"x 40")
Condition: Excellent
Year: 1968

Description

Like every genre, the western has seen its share of classics and duds, hits and bombs and successes and failures. From the genre’s popular silent beginnings to its Golden-age heyday defined by legends like John Ford and John Wayne, to the slews of B-movie westerns that followed and then to the more brutal spaghetti western and revisionist periods made popular by trailblazers Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah, the western cannon has been erratic though undeniably entertaining in quality. The same can be said about the collectability of the posters used for the genre, many being forgettable and unappealing. However, to dismiss the posters would be just like dismissing the genre itself for, amongst the more dubious and ‘throwaway’ pieces, there are the classics that define the genre and would make worthy contributions to any collection.

 

For an example, look no further than Frank McCarthy’s classy Quad for Leone’s 1968 epic, “Once Upon a Time in the West”. Whilst the film has since become regarded as one of the best films of any genre, let alone western, the intricate and exciting poster deserves similar recognition. Brilliantly capturing the celebrated opening scene of the film where Charles Bronson’s character coolly dispatches three assassins, the use of red script set against a smoking background presents ominous and distinctive imagery.

 

Although somewhat more restrained, the stunning artwork is typical of McCarthy who covered his canvasses with colour and often chose to centre the design on one action-packed sequence, freeze-framing some form of movement. This is also seen in his Quad for “The Green Berets”, (Quad courtesy of www.moviepostermem.com) also released in 1968. The unusual and highly inventive framing that McCarthy inserted into both designs almost places the viewer there, amongst the action whilst the strange angles that he creates are a highly original tactic in film poster art.

 

For another example of McCarthy's talent for composing western film posters, see the Quad for “Lawman” (Quad courtesy of www.moviepostermem.com) released in 1971. “Lawman” again utilises interesting framing in an action-packed fashion with Burt Lancaster positioned in a Bond-esque pose.