Minimalist movie posters
February 10, 2015 6:51 AM Subscribe
Minimalist movie posters using only circles, created by designer Nick Barclay.
"I came up the idea while sitting through Interstellar and hating it," Nick told us when we asked him how this series came about. "It got me thinking about how in 2001: Space Odyssey a circle could be a main character in a film. So I wanted to see how many popular movies I could break down into circles and still be recognizable.
Previous project: expressing symptoms of depression using only geometric shapes.
"I came up the idea while sitting through Interstellar and hating it," Nick told us when we asked him how this series came about. "It got me thinking about how in 2001: Space Odyssey a circle could be a main character in a film. So I wanted to see how many popular movies I could break down into circles and still be recognizable.
Previous project: expressing symptoms of depression using only geometric shapes.
Pulp Fiction is surely either a ball gag or a butt hole.
posted by Going To Maine at 7:03 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Going To Maine at 7:03 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
These are neat, but also terrible as advertisements; you pretty much have to already be familiar with the movie to get the joke.
posted by Going To Maine at 7:04 AM on February 10, 2015 [13 favorites]
posted by Going To Maine at 7:04 AM on February 10, 2015 [13 favorites]
Can someone help me with the Forrest Gump one...
So I wanted to see how many popular movies I could break down into circles and still be recognizable.
If this is the intention, it sort of fell short of the mark. I wouldn't have gotten ANY of them if the posters didn't also include the title of the movie.
Maybe the Total Recall one.
posted by Reyturner at 7:09 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
So I wanted to see how many popular movies I could break down into circles and still be recognizable.
If this is the intention, it sort of fell short of the mark. I wouldn't have gotten ANY of them if the posters didn't also include the title of the movie.
Maybe the Total Recall one.
posted by Reyturner at 7:09 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
box of chox
posted by oceanjesse at 7:10 AM on February 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by oceanjesse at 7:10 AM on February 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
(－‸ლ)
posted by Reyturner at 7:12 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Reyturner at 7:12 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
I too loved Green Lantern.
Lord of the what?
posted by GuyZero at 7:13 AM on February 10, 2015 [5 favorites]
Lord of the what?
posted by GuyZero at 7:13 AM on February 10, 2015 [5 favorites]
Pulp Fiction is surely either a ball gag or a butt hole.
Ball gags are traditionally orange, like a street hockey ball, so that can't be it.
posted by Sys Rq at 7:15 AM on February 10, 2015
Ball gags are traditionally orange, like a street hockey ball, so that can't be it.
posted by Sys Rq at 7:15 AM on February 10, 2015
The Trainspotting one appears to be track marks
posted by Ragged Richard at 7:15 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Ragged Richard at 7:15 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
So I wanted to see how many popular movies I could break down into circles and still be recognizable.
Apparently not as many as he thought there were.
posted by Billiken at 7:15 AM on February 10, 2015 [16 favorites]
Apparently not as many as he thought there were.
posted by Billiken at 7:15 AM on February 10, 2015 [16 favorites]
These are neat, but also terrible as advertisements; you pretty much have to already be familiar with the movie to get the joke.
Yes, these are "jokes," not "movie posters". I look forward to the day someone does a minimalist project that is just whitespace.
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 7:15 AM on February 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
Yes, these are "jokes," not "movie posters". I look forward to the day someone does a minimalist project that is just whitespace.
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 7:15 AM on February 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
The Pulp Fiction one looks like a condom to me, but I can't think of a significant (or even insignificant) role played by one in the movie.
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 7:16 AM on February 10, 2015
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 7:16 AM on February 10, 2015
I look forward to the day someone does a minimalist project that is just whitespace.
Rauschenberg, 1951
posted by Sys Rq at 7:17 AM on February 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
Rauschenberg, 1951
posted by Sys Rq at 7:17 AM on February 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
I think the Pulp Fiction one is the big red target dot they draw on Uma's chest when she ODs.
posted by phunniemee at 7:18 AM on February 10, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 7:18 AM on February 10, 2015 [4 favorites]
The Pulp Fiction one seems to be... Marsellus Wallace's anus?
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:19 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:19 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think every designer who attempts minimalist movie posters should make a few for made-up movies. They're cute exercises in iconography, but as Going to Maine said upthread, they completely miss the point of movie posters, which is advertising the movie to its intended audience. No one who would want to see Forrest Gump would be persuaded by a series of brown dots. Forrest Gump is just not an arty-series-of-brown-dots movie.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:22 AM on February 10, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:22 AM on February 10, 2015 [4 favorites]
I have a brilliant desire for donuts after seeing that Trainspotting poster.
posted by Redfield at 7:23 AM on February 10, 2015
posted by Redfield at 7:23 AM on February 10, 2015
The Pulp Fiction one is a $5 shake, viewed from overhead.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:23 AM on February 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:23 AM on February 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
Life was like an arty-series-of-brown-dots...i mean chocolates.
posted by oceanjesse at 7:23 AM on February 10, 2015
posted by oceanjesse at 7:23 AM on February 10, 2015
Also, I thought the Pulp Fiction poster is supposed to be the logo for those cigarettes they smoke in it? Cherry Somethings?
Edit: Never mind. I'm wrong.
posted by Redfield at 7:24 AM on February 10, 2015
Edit: Never mind. I'm wrong.
posted by Redfield at 7:24 AM on February 10, 2015
do you have to spend a year doing indentured minimal movie posters before you can start your career in graphic design or something
posted by p3on at 7:26 AM on February 10, 2015 [19 favorites]
posted by p3on at 7:26 AM on February 10, 2015 [19 favorites]
Leon is the title character's sunglasses? I agree, though, that without knowing which movies these were for, most of them would be nigh-unrecognizable. Or even with knowing -- for Dracula those dots need to be smaller and in the lower corner, since I presume they represent fang marks.
I thought the Reservoir Dogs one was clever, though the color scheme is more important than the circles.
posted by Gelatin at 7:26 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
I thought the Reservoir Dogs one was clever, though the color scheme is more important than the circles.
posted by Gelatin at 7:26 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
Rauschenberg, 1951
Huh. Nothing new under the sun.
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 7:28 AM on February 10, 2015
Huh. Nothing new under the sun.
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 7:28 AM on February 10, 2015
regarding Pulp Fiction:
Marsellus Wallace *or* Christopher Walken's butthole
Red Apple Cigarettes
the only $5 shake flavors are Amos and Andy (choc) or Martin and Lewis (vanilla)
Gooooood it's like I'm the only one in this thread who's seen that movie more than 30 times.
posted by phunniemee at 7:29 AM on February 10, 2015 [10 favorites]
Marsellus Wallace *or* Christopher Walken's butthole
Red Apple Cigarettes
the only $5 shake flavors are Amos and Andy (choc) or Martin and Lewis (vanilla)
Gooooood it's like I'm the only one in this thread who's seen that movie more than 30 times.
posted by phunniemee at 7:29 AM on February 10, 2015 [10 favorites]
I thought Pulp Fiction was the marker dot on Mia's chest for the adrenaline shot.
posted by Lucinda at 7:36 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Lucinda at 7:36 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
I thought we went through the minimalist movie poster thing last year already...
Oh, these are minimalist minimalist posters.
*sigh*
posted by surazal at 7:41 AM on February 10, 2015 [4 favorites]
Oh, these are minimalist minimalist posters.
*sigh*
posted by surazal at 7:41 AM on February 10, 2015 [4 favorites]
My first thought for the Forrest Gump one was "Shit happens."
posted by darksasami at 7:46 AM on February 10, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by darksasami at 7:46 AM on February 10, 2015 [5 favorites]
Lord of the Rings or University of Oregon? Can't tell.
posted by GrapeApiary at 7:51 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by GrapeApiary at 7:51 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
These are terrible.
posted by graventy at 8:05 AM on February 10, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by graventy at 8:05 AM on February 10, 2015 [7 favorites]
Rauschenberg, 1951
I'm a fan of Johns, 1955, but that's kind of a maximalist minimalism.
(I don't know what it's actually called don't shoot me)
posted by a car full of lions at 8:07 AM on February 10, 2015
I'm a fan of Johns, 1955, but that's kind of a maximalist minimalism.
(I don't know what it's actually called don't shoot me)
posted by a car full of lions at 8:07 AM on February 10, 2015
I think it's safe to say that the minimalist movie poster thing has now come full circle.
posted by Flashman at 8:09 AM on February 10, 2015 [24 favorites]
posted by Flashman at 8:09 AM on February 10, 2015 [24 favorites]
Trainspotting must be the deleted scene where they go to University and join the crew team
posted by thelonius at 8:13 AM on February 10, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by thelonius at 8:13 AM on February 10, 2015 [4 favorites]
It's cute, I guess, but considering that actual artists make movie posters (as well as movies) I don't see why their work needs to be reduced.
posted by Ideefixe at 8:19 AM on February 10, 2015
posted by Ideefixe at 8:19 AM on February 10, 2015
First thought with Pulp Fiction that it was a cross-section of Travolta's syringe
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:19 AM on February 10, 2015
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:19 AM on February 10, 2015
guys I was thinking....what if instead of "maps" countries had....vintage minimalist posters!!!!
usa
france
chile
swaziland
posted by threeants at 8:25 AM on February 10, 2015 [18 favorites]
usa
france
chile
swaziland
posted by threeants at 8:25 AM on February 10, 2015 [18 favorites]
The concept is very similar to the well-known Olly Moss series of minimalist poster designs from 2009 (though making it ONLY circles is an interesting twist / challenge). His design for The Great Dictator from this series ended up being used by Criterion on the blu ray release.
The Deer Hunter poster design is virtually the same.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 8:28 AM on February 10, 2015
The Deer Hunter poster design is virtually the same.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 8:28 AM on February 10, 2015
A better Pulp Fiction might have been a hamburger viewed from above.
posted by Flashman at 8:33 AM on February 10, 2015
posted by Flashman at 8:33 AM on February 10, 2015
Here's mine for Pulp Fiction:
o
(it's a tall glass of OJ seen from above, the pulp-free kind).
posted by ORthey at 8:34 AM on February 10, 2015
o
(it's a tall glass of OJ seen from above, the pulp-free kind).
posted by ORthey at 8:34 AM on February 10, 2015
The Professional I took to be Leon's sunglasses.
I'm totally at sea on Harry Potter, but then again, I'm not a huge fan of the series, either.
posted by eclectist at 8:45 AM on February 10, 2015
I'm totally at sea on Harry Potter, but then again, I'm not a huge fan of the series, either.
posted by eclectist at 8:45 AM on February 10, 2015
It took me a while, but I'm pretty certain Pulp Fiction is:
Red Ball Gag
Surrounded by Pink Lips
On a Black Face
...that's the best fit of the available alternatives.
posted by leotrotsky at 8:47 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
Red Ball Gag
Surrounded by Pink Lips
On a Black Face
...that's the best fit of the available alternatives.
posted by leotrotsky at 8:47 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
...but considering that actual artists make movie posters (as well as movies) I don't see why their work needs to be reduced.
Because the cool kids dig anything mid-century modern, and they lump Saul Bass into that category (because Hitchcock?). But, they have misinterpreted Saul Bass' work as simply being unrelentingly minimalist to a cold, sterile fault, and haven't been bothered to actually look at Bass' work, and understand its real graphic depth. And, they have copies of Illustrator.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:54 AM on February 10, 2015 [5 favorites]
Because the cool kids dig anything mid-century modern, and they lump Saul Bass into that category (because Hitchcock?). But, they have misinterpreted Saul Bass' work as simply being unrelentingly minimalist to a cold, sterile fault, and haven't been bothered to actually look at Bass' work, and understand its real graphic depth. And, they have copies of Illustrator.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:54 AM on February 10, 2015 [5 favorites]
The Professional I took to be Leon's sunglasses.
I'm totally at sea on Harry Potter
Not sure if serious...but if so, keep thinking along that "eyeglass frames" theme...
posted by yoink at 8:54 AM on February 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
I'm totally at sea on Harry Potter
Not sure if serious...but if so, keep thinking along that "eyeglass frames" theme...
posted by yoink at 8:54 AM on February 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
I'm totally at sea on Harry Potter, but then again, I'm not a huge fan of the series, either
I'm pretty sure it's his butt.
Either that or his glasses.
posted by ORthey at 8:54 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm pretty sure it's his butt.
Either that or his glasses.
posted by ORthey at 8:54 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm pretty sure it's his butt.
Hmm...
posted by phunniemee at 8:58 AM on February 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
Hmm...
posted by phunniemee at 8:58 AM on February 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
The Deer Hunter poster design is virtually the same.
Except, having never seen the movie, I immediately understood the original.
posted by darksasami at 8:59 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
Except, having never seen the movie, I immediately understood the original.
posted by darksasami at 8:59 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
These would have worked better as a Games magazine puzzle.
posted by benito.strauss at 9:14 AM on February 10, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by benito.strauss at 9:14 AM on February 10, 2015 [5 favorites]
I'd like to see the poster for Cube.
posted by parki at 9:37 AM on February 10, 2015 [12 favorites]
posted by parki at 9:37 AM on February 10, 2015 [12 favorites]
The Professional I took to be Leon's sunglasses.
Professional assassin: double tap execution was my read, bullet holes on skin.
posted by biffa at 9:44 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Professional assassin: double tap execution was my read, bullet holes on skin.
posted by biffa at 9:44 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
I took Trainspotting to be a set of linked train cars, but since they are circles, don't look anything like train cars.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 9:48 AM on February 10, 2015
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 9:48 AM on February 10, 2015
The Dracula one should be two horizontal small red dots on the bottom right or bottom left side of the poster. This would symbolize the biting of the neck. The Leon and Harry Potter ones should be higher up. If we had portraits of the main characters in the frame then we would fade everything out but the glasses. the way the glasses are positioned now implies that both characters wear their glasses on the tip of their nose.
Oh, and it could be more interesting if the Matrix one was vertical. Red on top (ascending to "enlightenment" regarding the Matrix) and the blue on the bottom (representing going back down to sleeping/dreaming in the Matrix.)
Just my personal opinions.
posted by I-baLL at 9:48 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
Oh, and it could be more interesting if the Matrix one was vertical. Red on top (ascending to "enlightenment" regarding the Matrix) and the blue on the bottom (representing going back down to sleeping/dreaming in the Matrix.)
Just my personal opinions.
posted by I-baLL at 9:48 AM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
I took Trainspotting to be a set of linked train cars, but since they are circles, don't look anything like train cars.
It's a train of spots. And it also invokes the idea of trackmarks.
I don't think the author is proposing that these would make effective publicity posters, it's an exercise that quite consciously relies on previous knowledge of the films, but works to see if some essential feature of the movie can be represented using only circles. So it's not "look at this poster and you'll know what the movie is about!" but "if you know what the movie is about, you'll get this poster! (with a little bit of thought)"
posted by yoink at 10:03 AM on February 10, 2015
It's a train of spots. And it also invokes the idea of trackmarks.
I don't think the author is proposing that these would make effective publicity posters, it's an exercise that quite consciously relies on previous knowledge of the films, but works to see if some essential feature of the movie can be represented using only circles. So it's not "look at this poster and you'll know what the movie is about!" but "if you know what the movie is about, you'll get this poster! (with a little bit of thought)"
posted by yoink at 10:03 AM on February 10, 2015
The Professional I took to be Leon's sunglasses.
Professional assassin: double tap execution was my read, bullet holes on skin.
And I thought the Dracula one was going to be Lolita or American Beauty. Maybe there's a bit of Rorschach Testing going on with these posters.
posted by Flashman at 10:04 AM on February 10, 2015
Professional assassin: double tap execution was my read, bullet holes on skin.
And I thought the Dracula one was going to be Lolita or American Beauty. Maybe there's a bit of Rorschach Testing going on with these posters.
posted by Flashman at 10:04 AM on February 10, 2015
Ball gags are traditionally orange, like a street hockey ball, so that can't be it.
Every ball gag I've seen has been pink or red.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:07 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Every ball gag I've seen has been pink or red.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:07 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
everyone loves urban....after all it is where innovation and creative collide....so why not re envision transit maps as......vintage minimalist posters!!!!
paris
new york
london
boston
posted by threeants at 10:11 AM on February 10, 2015 [7 favorites]
paris
new york
london
boston
posted by threeants at 10:11 AM on February 10, 2015 [7 favorites]
Oh, and it could be more interesting if the Matrix one was vertical. Red on top (ascending to "enlightenment" regarding the Matrix) and the blue on the bottom (representing going back down to sleeping/dreaming in the Matrix.)
Think it has to do with either the hands holding the pills, or the reflection in the sunglasses during that scene.
posted by synthetik at 10:17 AM on February 10, 2015
Think it has to do with either the hands holding the pills, or the reflection in the sunglasses during that scene.
posted by synthetik at 10:17 AM on February 10, 2015
I'm totally at sea on Harry Potter, but then again, I'm not a huge fan of the series, either.
They might also be owl eyes.
posted by maxsparber at 10:27 AM on February 10, 2015
They might also be owl eyes.
posted by maxsparber at 10:27 AM on February 10, 2015
A better Pulp Fiction might have been a hamburger viewed from above.
posted by Flashman at 10:44 AM on February 10, 2015
posted by Flashman at 10:44 AM on February 10, 2015
The Dracula one should be two horizontal small red dots on the bottom right or bottom left side of the poster.
Actually, while the dots should be down on the side, they should be vertical or slightly off vertical, because they should penetrate the Jugular Vein.
For example.
posted by happyroach at 10:57 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Actually, while the dots should be down on the side, they should be vertical or slightly off vertical, because they should penetrate the Jugular Vein.
For example.
posted by happyroach at 10:57 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
everyone loves urban....after all it is where innovation and creative collide....so why not re envision transit maps as......vintage minimalist posters!!!!
Given the MBTA's present state, I was expecting the Boston map to be a blank page.
posted by Metroid Baby at 11:19 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Given the MBTA's present state, I was expecting the Boston map to be a blank page.
posted by Metroid Baby at 11:19 AM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
I tried to scroll down and guess before I got to the title of each, but didn't get a single one. In fact, I thought Reservoir Dogs was Scooby Doo.
Go on, take another look.
posted by tracicle at 11:31 AM on February 10, 2015
Go on, take another look.
posted by tracicle at 11:31 AM on February 10, 2015
I design using only squares. Hundreds of thousands of tiny, colored squares.
posted by Ratio at 12:01 PM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Ratio at 12:01 PM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
I thought this one was going to be Mallrats.
posted by mbrubeck at 12:28 PM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mbrubeck at 12:28 PM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
everyone loves urban
he is dredd and mccoy
posted by biffa at 12:30 PM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
he is dredd and mccoy
posted by biffa at 12:30 PM on February 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
Yeah the only one I guessed correctly as I scrolled down was Monsters Inc.
posted by misozaki at 1:58 PM on February 10, 2015
posted by misozaki at 1:58 PM on February 10, 2015
Somebody needs to help me out re: why the ratio of black to white spots on the 101 Dalmatians poster.
posted by EmGeeJay at 2:20 PM on February 10, 2015
posted by EmGeeJay at 2:20 PM on February 10, 2015
There are 101 white spots. (The nine dark spots are “unused” spaces in the 10×11 grid.)
posted by mbrubeck at 3:40 PM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mbrubeck at 3:40 PM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
There are 101 white spots. (The nine dark spots are “unused” spaces in the 10×11 grid.)
For me, this is the only one that doesn't make graphic sense: why not just blanks along that last line, with the 101st one coolly on its own? The other ones are brilliant. I especially like The Deer Hunter.
posted by anothermug at 4:43 PM on February 10, 2015
For me, this is the only one that doesn't make graphic sense: why not just blanks along that last line, with the 101st one coolly on its own? The other ones are brilliant. I especially like The Deer Hunter.
posted by anothermug at 4:43 PM on February 10, 2015
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