Starstruck: Vintage Movie Posters from Classic Hollywood [Hardcover]

Ira M. Resnick (Author), Martin Scorsese (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

For four decades film historian Ira M. Resnick has been amassing a superb collection of 2,000 vintage movie posters and 1,500 stills, which has never before been published. Starstruck: Vintage Movie Posters from Classic Hollywood features the best of Resnick's collection, with vivid reproductions of 250 posters and forty stills from a golden age of Hollywood, from 1912 to 1962.

In a moving introduction, Resnick relates how his love of vintage movie art translated into a career as a collector and the founder of the Motion Picture Arts Gallery, the first gallery devoted exclusively to the art of the movies. Resnick's firsthand account offers entertaining anecdotes about how he managed to acquire such stellar film artwork, as well as historical information about the stars and films shown on the pieces he collected. Guiding the reader through the best posters and stills of his collection, Resnick provides a tour of cinematic history, starting in the silent film era and continuing up to Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). By showcasing several posters for each performer--such as Lillian Gish, the Marx Brothers, Marilyn Monroe, John Barrymore, and Audrey Hepburn--Resnick offers a unique method of charting the evolution of each movie star's career. Offering both a chronological and thematic organization, in later chapters Resnick discusses some of Hollywood's legendary directors and films, and critiques fantastic graphic art from little-known films. Bonus material includes a list of Resnick's fifty favorite one-sheets, helpful tips for the collector, and a glossary of terms and poster sizes. A must-have book for every collector and film buff, Starstruck offers a beautifully illustrated, personal tour of a bygone age of the motion picture advertising industry.

About the Author

Author Ira M. Resnick started his impressive collection while studying at New York University Film School. A professional photographer, he founded the Motion Picture Arts Gallery, the first gallery devoted exclusively to the art of the movies. Resnick is a trustee of the Film Society of Lincoln Center and served as chairman of the board from 1999 to 2005. Resnick is also a trustee of the International Center for Photography and MUSE Film and Television. He resides in New York City with his wife and two children.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 280 pages
• Publisher: Abbeville Press; 1 edition (February 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789210193
• ISBN-13: 978-0789210197
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 10.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #407,782 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ira M. Resnick started his impressive movie poster collection while studying at New York University Film School. A professional photographer, in 1982 he founded the Motion Picture Arts Gallery in New York City, the first gallery devoted exclusively to the art of the movies. He wrote Starstruck as a way to share his collection and his passion with those who love movies worldwide. In the book, he guides readers through his favorite posters and stills, providing a tour of cinematic history from the silent era through 1961's Breakfast at Tiffany's. In addition to chapters about his own background and the development of his collection, Resnick devotes two chapters to "The Golden Age of the Talkies" separately discussing the male and female stars that defined the era from 1927 to 1941. He also includes a chapter on silent films and stars, explores many of Hollywood's legendary directors and classic films, and devotes another chapter to critiquing fantastic graphic art from little-known films.

For Resnick, collecting movie art is much more than simply amassing cinematic memorabilia. It's about making a close personal connection with the great films, directors, actors and actresses of the past, and helping preserve an important piece of American history.

"Movie posters during the days of classic Hollywood, particularly under the studio system, were a film's main promotional vehicle," notes Ira. "They were integrally connected to every aspect of a film's production and release, and each one tells a different story. When you look at a poster, you're literally reaching back to the people, the art and the history of great filmmaking."

One of New York's most enthusiastic and involved film aficionados, Resnick is a trustee of the Film Society of Lincoln Center and served as chairman of the board from 1999 to 2005. Resnick is also a trustee of the International Center of Photography and MUSE Film and Television. He resides in New York City with his wife and two children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Poster Struck, March 7, 2010

By 

Ira (Bronx, NY, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Starstruck: Vintage Movie Posters from Classic Hollywood (Hardcover)

Mr Resnick's passion has created a collection of movie posters that reflect the creativity and quality prevalent in marketing movies in the golden era. The collection has been carefully thought out and the narrative brings us insight into a time when studios, writers, directors and stars brought us high quality entertainment of infinite variety. The graphic artists who created the marketing materials should also be lauded for their exceptional work. I appreciate Mr. Resnick's recognition of this work as an art form.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book with UNCOMMON posters and Lobby Cards from Common films, October 2, 2010

By 

Steven I. Ramm "Steve Ramm "Anything Phon... (Phila, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Starstruck: Vintage Movie Posters from Classic Hollywood (Hardcover)

Ira Resnick has - according to his own text in this large and beautifully produced coffee-table-size book - been collecting classic movie posters for over 30 years. When it became more of an obsession he opened the only private art gallery devoted to movie posters. He also found himself on the Board of Trustees of Film Society of Lincoln Center, which allowed him to meet many of the still-living stars of films he loved.

Though his collection numbers in the thousands, he has chosen 285 posters, lobby cards and publicity photos to present in this book. I expected to find the usual images I see in the many movie history books and at collectors' shows. Not so! The usual lobby card from the Marx Brothers' Duck Soup isn't here. In its place is one I've never seen. The same goes for films like It Happened on Night, The Lady Eve, and My Man Godfrey. The posters in the book cover the period from the silents (in this case 1912) through Breakfast at Tiffany's in 1962 - though the late 50s and early 1960s are not highly represented. The first 40 pages, or so, contain essays on how Resnick began collecting, illustrated by some of his favorites. The following two chapters are presented chronologically with The Silents first and then separate chapters for the men an women of the later films. Each image is identified by size, date and country of origin (the graphic designers are not provided). And Resnick provides brief essays on the stars. Then we move on to posters grouped by Director and one on the most famous films. Finally there is a small grouping of beautiful posters for lesser-known (and in y cases "Lost") films. A bibliography and index complete the book.

Since these images are being published - in most cases - for the first time, there will be many new discoveries for vintage film poster collectors, and film lovers in general. And, while not a reference book for theater facts - Resnick admits that he is is not a film scholar - the text is lively and entertaining.

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"