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Hard To Buy

Man, if all had gone according to my plan I would’ve posted in a week or so to show off a photo of the all time greatest movie poster. What I didn’t foresee was some other motherfuckers were able to pay more money for a Japanese Above the Law poster than I was.

Click through to see the picture of the poster and feel my pain.

mp_big_abovethelaw

Look at that! Fuckin beautiful. I love how this is from when he was young but the artist made him more grizzled, like he knew he would look tougher as he aged. And it’s got Henry Silva in there, it’s got Vietnam, Seagal hugging Sharon Stone…

Apparently it’s a Japanese artist who also did Star Wars and Godzilla posters. I don’t think there will ever be another Seagal poster as good as that one.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 7:05 pm and is filed under Seagal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
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42 Responses to “Hard To Buy”

  1. doghouse_reilly

    August 27th, 2009 at 7:24 pm

    You were not exaggerating. That is spectacular. The caricature of Seagal is dead-on.

    Was there only one available for purchase?

  2. Jareth Cutestory

    August 27th, 2009 at 7:53 pm

    I know it’s no consolation – and I’m sure you’ve seen this similar but less spectacular version – but here you go, buddy:

    http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_poster/above_the_law_1988.htm

  3. Ducki3x

    August 27th, 2009 at 7:53 pm

    Did you try this site? They have it for cheaper (assuming it is in stock – he says to email for availability):

    http://www.posteroid.com/proddetail.php?prod=AboveTheLaw%28B2%29

  4. Outlaw Vern

    August 27th, 2009 at 8:12 pm

    Thanks guys, good catches. I like that other one too Jareth, why have I never seen these before? I guess I never explored the world of painted Seagal posters.

  5. geoffreyjar

    August 27th, 2009 at 9:21 pm

    Man do I miss awesome poster art like this.

    I’m sorry in advance for being ‘one of those’

    But what happened to art of poster art? All those wonderful painted prints that made you want to see or interested in the movies they depict? Or those crazy Polish posters?

    Oh yeah they created photoshop and could get an intern to do it for free and under five minutes rather than pay an artist a couple hundred/thou (?) and five weeks to make a piece of art. (and to avoid paying royalties when the art is used again)

    And what’s up with these photoshop kids and decapitated heads that fly?
    Some kind of fetish? Cause shits kinda freaky…

  6. Rusty James

    August 27th, 2009 at 9:31 pm

    Wow, these are some badass Above the Law posters.

    Vern, I feel like if the winning bidder were any kind of S. Segal fan he’d want you to have the poster.

  7. telf

    August 27th, 2009 at 9:35 pm

    That’s a shame – no one deserves that poster more than you, Vern.

    Does that mean that It was only called Above The Law in the US? It was Nico in the UK and apparently asia too. It’s another one that I’m torn on – they’re both good names. Hardly a Blue Jeans Cop vs Shakedown kind of deal.

  8. a

    August 27th, 2009 at 9:52 pm

    geoffreyjar – true everything was better when we were younger, but there is still good work being done: http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-11-awards-campaign-2009/posts/first-look-george-clooney-and-the-poster-for-up-in-the-air

  9. Justin

    August 27th, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    Jesus. That’s incredible.

  10. Virgin Gary

    August 27th, 2009 at 10:53 pm

    hey vern and friends,

    just thought i’d chime in from japan to translate the title.

    the main title (in red) says “Detective Nico” (“Keiji niko”), and the sub-title (in white) says “Blind Spot of the Law” (“Hou no shikaku”), which i guess could roughly be translated into “Above the Law.” so anyway, i guess the main title in japan is “Detective Nico.” not bad.

    btw, huuuuuge longtime fan, been waiting around to bust my comments section cherry.

  11. Vern

    August 27th, 2009 at 11:01 pm

    Blind Spot of the Law. I like that. No one is blind spot of the law.

    Thanks Gary.

  12. Virgin Gary

    August 27th, 2009 at 11:03 pm

    oh, also, the tagline on the right (in yellow) says “Crime that the law can’t reach, Leave it to me!” (“Hou no todokanu yama ha, ore ni makasero!”). that’s a very literal translation.

  13. Marlow

    August 27th, 2009 at 11:41 pm

    The Japanese own when it comes to posters, it’s a fact:

    http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_poster/ran_1985.htm

    Every one of those is solid gold, and this list doesn’t even have the best Ran poster! I’ve only seen that one in a book.

    Bummer you didn’t get that kiler poster Vern, but it will make it all the better when you do finally snag one. Happy hunting.

    Also count me among those who miss old school movie posters. There may be a good one here or there, but it used to be that even crappy movies had great posters. It was deceiving, and I miss that. Why else would I have given Neon Maniacs a try?
    This is the best series of posters I’ve seen in awhile, and even they aren’t so good as much as kinda funny:

    http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2009/07/cabin_in_the_woods_posters_hor.php

  14. CallMeKermiT

    August 28th, 2009 at 2:01 am

    A couple of years ago I was looking for a few posters to hang near the TV , to create that cinema feel , and the one I wanted was the THUNDERBALL 007 poster , this one :

    http://eu.movieposter.com/poster/MPW-30282/Thunderball.html

    Look at it , there’s everything in this poster : Sean Connery , a jet pack , an underwater battle , girls . The only thing missing is NINJAS!!
    I always liked the lower part , with Bond trying to look cool with all the girls around , in full scuba gear !! Unfortunately the price for an original was too much for me , so I decided to , uhh.., print it on a A4 piece of paper. Pathetic .

  15. CallMeKermiT

    August 28th, 2009 at 2:17 am

    I’m also a big fan of all the aspects of art departments in movies : storyboards , posters , design ,matte painting . One of my favorite painters was the great late Albert Whitlock , matte painter extraordinaire , of The Thing , Earthquake and The Birds fame. Being an amateur painter myself , I am blinded by the quality of his work . And I , too , think that it’s better to pay good money for a professional artist instead of a quick CG shot . Look at the work of Moebius , Ron Cobb and Giger on movies like Aliens and Dune . Their work DEFINES this movies almost as much as the work of directors and actors.

  16. Mr. Majestyk

    August 28th, 2009 at 5:09 am

    I am the proud owner of this amazing piece of art devoted to the film from which I stole my name: http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_product_static.asp?master_movie_id=5090&sku=204374

    I could look at Bronson kicking that guy’s hat off all day.

  17. geoffreyjar

    August 28th, 2009 at 6:47 am

    a

    I refuse to believe you that ANYthing that comes out after I ‘turned into an adult’ is good.

    Quality ceased when I turned 20! Now everything is bad and just trying to be as good as the worst thing I saw from my childhood!

    -I’m really not nostalgic for these posters by the way. I grew up late-80s & early-90s and by then these beautiful things were already a thing of the past.

  18. One Guy From Andromeda

    August 28th, 2009 at 6:59 am

    I just have to jump on this Seagal topic opportunity to finally ask this unrelated question, which has been so important to me over the years i always forgot to ask. But i guess around here the issue can finally be settled once and for all: Is it SEA-gal or sea-GAL, pronounciation-wise?

  19. Mr. Majestyk

    August 28th, 2009 at 7:33 am

    It’s sea-GAL, as in “I can’t believe you had the gall to come at me with a meat cleaver.”

  20. Vern

    August 28th, 2009 at 7:41 am

    I believe I have now acquired one of the posters, and for below my top bid in the first auction. Thank you to the Vern Junior Outlaw Squad for getting my back on that one.

    As for how SEAGAL is pronounced, I believe it was a Vanity Fair article that claims his family pronounces it like Siegel, but that he changed it after viewing an exhibit of Chagall paintings.

    No big deal though – unless we want to start calling Van Damme “Van Varenberg” and Bronson “Buchinski.” Great poster, Majestyk.

  21. GoodBadGroovy

    August 28th, 2009 at 7:44 am

    On a completely different topic i just thought i’d post this for anyone who’s interested in ‘Ninja’. 5 behind the scenes videos that make the film look badass. Looks like there’s going to be a “ninja in feaudal japan” scene and the finale seems to be old skool ninja vs. high tech ninja, which sounds fucking awesome. One of the videos even gives background on the history of real life ninjas which is cool.

    http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/five-behind-the-scenes-videos-for-ninja/

    I do wonder who decides whether a film gets a cinematic release or not, the amount of money they spend on a lot of DTV efforts nowadays is often equal to smaller budgeted cinema releases.

  22. PacmanFever

    August 28th, 2009 at 8:33 am

    On that note, does anyone know what the most expensive DTV ever made is? I thought it was SOLAR CRISIS with $55million (in 1990 money!) but it turns out that actually had a brief theatrical release (I bought it just because of this, although I suppose a barely theatrically released 1990-$55million film is interesting enough). I think it might *still* be THEODORE REX from 1995, with a $33.5 million budget, and that’s without adjusting for inflation. Before it was released INTO THE SUN was said to have a $30-35million budget, but IMDB lists it at $16million, which, if you’ve seen the film, I think you’ll agree is much more believable (although the production values are good for a Seagal DTV)

  23. Chase

    August 28th, 2009 at 8:38 am

    Those are all some cool posters but if you want something a bit different I give you the Polish Movie poster people…

    http://www.polishposter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=0869

    Unfortunately that’s the only Seagal one they have I think.

  24. Mr. Majestyk

    August 28th, 2009 at 8:45 am

    That’s amazing. How did Above the Law get turned into a madcap 1960s farce?

  25. Chase

    August 28th, 2009 at 8:54 am

    Polish people are heavy drinkers traditionally. That probably helps.

  26. Mr. Majestyk

    August 28th, 2009 at 8:57 am

    Man, those Poles are crazy. I really want this awesome Return of the Jedi poster where Darth Vader’s head explodes, but unfortunately, I don’t have several hundred dollars lying around.

    http://www.atthemovies.co.uk/movie-posters/3808.html

  27. Chase

    August 28th, 2009 at 9:17 am

    That’s a awesome print.

  28. Chase

    August 28th, 2009 at 9:18 am

    *an* awesome print too.

  29. travis-dane

    August 28th, 2009 at 9:59 am

    That poster is pure OLEG!
    blind spot of the law….GREAT!

  30. GoodBadGroovy

    August 28th, 2009 at 10:02 am

    Ha these polish posters are awesome. I love this one where it looks like C-3PO is the main character of Return of the Jedi.

    http://www.polishposter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=4056

  31. Marlow

    August 28th, 2009 at 10:18 am

    Polish Godzilla is fucking trippy:

    http://www.polishposter.com/html/poster0454.html

  32. telf

    August 28th, 2009 at 11:09 am

    Virgin Gary,

    Please, please, please translate every Seagal movie you can be bothered to. Preferably preceded with Seagal-San is… (even if it doesn’t really fit)

    You know it’s going to be worth it.

  33. Stuntcock Mike

    August 28th, 2009 at 12:07 pm

    Fuck Avatar. That literally fucked my eyeballs.

  34. CallMeKermiT

    August 28th, 2009 at 12:10 pm

    GoodBadGroovy : Holy shit , thanks for the NINJA links !!!

  35. Mr. Majestyk

    August 28th, 2009 at 4:13 pm

    I’ve been trying to figure out what the Blind Spot of the Law (CAUTION! If you cannot see the law’s sideview mirrors, the law cannot see you!) poster reminded me of, when finally it hit me: Mad magazine covers from the 70s. Check it out: http://www.collectmad.com/madcoversite/index-covers.html

  36. dan

    August 28th, 2009 at 4:51 pm

    excellent posters guys. a few are incredible eye candy. think i need to reconsider my living room decorations.

  37. Great Unwashed

    August 29th, 2009 at 12:25 am

    I grabbed my avatar from a Polish poster for Weekend At Bernies.

    http://www.joeydevilla.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/weekend-at-bernies.jpg

  38. Virgin Gary

    August 29th, 2009 at 8:08 pm

    hey guys,

    if you link me to other japanese posters (seagal or not), i will be happy to try and translate them. i am, however, far too lazy and worhtless to look for them myself.

    cheers!

  39. frankbooth

    August 30th, 2009 at 1:46 am

    It’s rumored that when it came time to create the poster art, Segal was unavailable, so they got Dan Hedaya to pose for it instead.

  40. Vincent

    August 31st, 2009 at 3:24 am

    Great art. Sharon Stone has de longest arm ever in that poster.

  41. Jam

    September 17th, 2009 at 3:40 am

    Late on this talkback, but I thought some of you guys would appreciate these hand-drawn film posters from Ghana…
    http://www.ghanamovieposters.com/servlet/the-MOVIE-POSTERS/Categories

  42. solo

    October 2nd, 2009 at 2:05 pm

    Wow. And you can’t even buy a cheap repo? When I saw your article. I never imagined it be this good!

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