24 Sheet Poster (104" x 232")
Bob Peak and ROLLERBALL
Well, much like all my posts, I start out with a great idea and then quickly get distracted and go down memory lane'. This is another one of those times and I apologize in advance, for wasting your time once again. I just can't help myself. I originally had intended to simply do post about Robert Peak, an American illustrator that I greatly admire, AND talk about his work blah, blah, blah. Then I realized that there were probably hundreds of Blog Posts out there all saying the same shit lifted from Wikipedia, so why retype all that? Just click the link below if you're interested in who this guy is/was and realize how familiar YOU are with his work, already: Bob Peak
What I REALLY want to talk about is: Rollerball a film that I saw during the summer of 1975 at the Westerly Drive-In (in Rhode Island), with my parents and my younger brother when I was 9 years old.
It was part of our summer routine (this is where I saw Star Wars for the first time in 1977), staying up late locked in the car while your Dad killed you with second hand smoke from his cigarettes, and seeing all types of crazy inappropriate films (for our age) and we partaking in a strict family 'ritual' when it came to seeing a movie at the Drive In...we ALWAYS had to stop at the Hitching Post. I can still remember how the car smelled... and how delicious everything tasted. It was here that we would eat our dinner of 'Clam Frittahz' and 'Chowdah' with the occasional 'Lobstah Roll' prior to the evening fun, and assorted Drive-In Snackbar treats...
Well, tonight's fun was part of a double bill that included: The Hindenburg- which was the film I REALLY wanted to see, because at that age I was fascinated with things blowing up... especially Nazi things. I'd watch War movies with my mom, so I guess they figured I'd like to see it, and Rollerball was rated R and would be the second film shown and they assumed I'd be asleep by then....due to the inevitable sugar crash that would be taking place after all the trips to the snack bar. Unfortunately that theory was quickly shattered once I heard the opening music kick in...I heard Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor ...and I immediately thought Rollerball was going to be a Horror film starring Vincent Price! I couldn't wait. So, while my brother slowly drifted off to sleep in the back seat of the car, I immediately perched myself up between my parents and began to watch this crazy movie where guys wearing football helmets, roller-skates and hanging onto the back of motorcycles while they beat the shit out of one another, trying to put this heavy chrome ball into a target...I was hooked.
Did I mention they wore SPIKED gloves?
This movie was BADASS! My prepubescent mind was totally blown, I made sure to pay attention and try to memorize every scene so I could tell everybody about it in the 4th grade when we went back to school in the fall! But, in the meantime I would gather my friends from the neighborhood and reenact all the best scenes using our Schwinn Stingray Bicycles and Skateboards (no one had Roller-skates), Baseball Glove and a Softball...and if you had a helmet you were lucky. We'd ride around a chalk circle in the street and beat the shit out of each other...it was glorious. I had a lot of fun that summer.
Which FINALLY brings us to Bob Peak and the original reason for this post. I've been going through my 'treasures' lately, and stumbled across my Rollerball portfolio filled with illustrations from the film that I picked up in that Movie Collectible store that I had mentioned in my previous post. This is a GREAT collections of prints that are16.75" x 19.25" that I always intended to frame but never got around to doing. The discovery of this 'portfolio' (tucked inside a different portfolio) is what triggered my memory and the reason for this post.
Portfolio Sketches
Here are few of his preliminary sketches for the portfolio that I was able to find online-I love these almost as much as the finished pieces.
I've been on the lookout for the following set of posters as well, but they're harder to come by since they were originally sent out to exhibitors for promotional purposes....and are expensive as hell if you can find them! These silkscreened posters represent the matches that took place in the film, and I really love the flat graphic approach and design.
Silkscreen Posters (20.25" x 29.5")
Mylar Advance/Teaser Poster (27" x 41")
Mylar Advance/Teaser Poster Sketches
One Sheet Poster (27" x 41")
3 Sheet Poster (40.5" x 77")
Half Sheet Poster (22" x 28")
Window Insert Poster (14" x 36")
New York Subway Poster (45" x 59.5")
British Quad Poster (30" x 40")
Film Poster Sketches
These are fantastic to see how he designed the concept for the theatrical release poster. Sometimes these are better than the final design.
American Lobby Cards (11" x 14")
German Lobby Cards (11" x 14")
Assorted on-set Sketches
Below is a collection of sketches he did while he was on set and a basis for the portfolio prints AND all the advertising and promotional material for the film.
Film Stills
Just a few fun stills from the film that got 9 year old me all fired up to beat the shit out of the neighborhood kids that summer.
Black&White Film Stills
These are copies of the Press Kit Package- I really wish these photos were of better quality, but they're most likely 3rd or 4th generation copies.
The Final Match: Houston vs New York
As a 9 year old kid, I thought the wayJonathan broke that guys neck on the railing was the coolest thing I had ever seen.
Jonathan...Jonathan...JOHNATHAN...JONATHAN!
Well, so much for my Blarrg Post about Robert Peak-like I had originally intended. But all and all it wasn't too bad, you got see some of his artwork and some really cool images from the film Rollerball!
...you're welcome.
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