Polish Film Posters

Michael Organ Collection

Introduction

The following is a listing of Polish film posters from my personal collection. I first came across examples of these posters during 2005, and they immediately caught my eye. As can be seen from those listed below, the Polish movie poster is often abstract, colourful and thought provoking. Until the 1990s they were invariably different from the tradition Hollywood style poster - often strikingly so. Whilst in case I initially focused attention on Polish posters of Australian film productions, I subsequently expanded this interest to include films from all corners of the globe. There is a variety of imagery and subject content present within the Polish movie poster, especially prior to the 1990s. The following collection is arranged chronologically, and includes information on the poster, the designer and the movie. I hope you find it interesting.

Poster	Title	Description
	Eureka Stockade / Fort Eureka	1954 Artist: Witold Chmielewski (b.1910). Size: 23 x 33 inches / 58 x 82 cm Director: Harry Watt. Starring: Chips Rafferty, Alicia Dunne and Peter Finch. Comment: British Australian co-production. Original release 1949. Polish release 1954.
	Little Secrets / Tajemnice Kaliakry	1968 Artist: Zuzanna Lipinska (1946- ). Size: 26.5 x 38 inches. German production. Polish release 1968. Director: Wolfgang Staudte. Starring: Apostol Karamitev, Karl Michael Volger, Ani Bakalova and Maya Dragomanska. Comment: Lipinska's late sixties poster reflects the colours of the psychedlic and popculture movements which were then so dominent amongst western cultures. Flourescent colours were commonly seen in concert and performance posters, though much less so in movie posters. However the relatively young age of the artist - the 22 year old daughter of Polish poster artist Eryk Lipinski - gave rise to this modern graphic design.
	Wake in Fright / Na Krancu Swiata (Outback)	1972 Artist: Wiktor Gorka (1922-2004). Size: 22 x 33 inches / 58 x 82 cm. American Australian co-production. Original release 1971. Polish release 1972. Director: Ted Kotcheff. Starring: Donald Pleasance, Gary Bond, Chips Rafferty and Sylvia Kay. Comment: This is a brutal image, reflecting the harshness of the film and the characters who feature in it - Australian Aborigines and drunken white farmers and stockmen. The distorted, smiling faces weilding guns and knives portray a society where life is cheap and violence rampant.
	Picnic at Hanging Rock	1976 Artist: Wiktor Sadowski (b.1953). Size: 26.5 x 38 inches. Australian production. Polish release 1992. Director: Peter Weir. Starring: Rachel Roberts, Helen Morse and Anne Lambert. Comment: Australian production. Original release 1975. Polish re-release 1992.
	The Power of Desire / Ofiara Namietnosci / Poder del deseo	1978 Artist: Andrzej Piwonski (1941- ). Size: 26.5 x 38 inches. Circulation: 6000. Spanish production. Original release 1975. Polish release 1978. Director: Juan Antonio Bardem. Starring: Marisol, Murray Head and Jose Maria Prada.
	Caddie	1978 Artist: Jerzy Flisak (b.1930). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. Australian production. Original release 1976. Polish release 1978. Circulation: 7,000. Director: Donald Crombie. Starring: Helen Morse. Comment: The surreal imagery and rich red colouring of this poster make it a standout. The film Caddie is about a young Australian woman who works in a hotel. The artist is perhaps reflecting the starkness of her life in the portrayal of an empty place and sun-bleached bones of an animal.
	Storm Boy / Chlopiec z burzy	1978 Artist: Eryk Lipinski (1908-1991). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. Australian production. Original release 1976. Polish release 1978. Director: Henri Safran. Starring: Greg Rowe, David Gulpilil.
	Blue Fin / Blekitna Pletwa	1980 Artist: Danuta "Danka" Baginska-Andrejew (b.1951). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. Australian production. Original release 1978. Polish release 1980. Director: Carl Schultz. Starring: Hardy Kruger and Greg Rowe.
	Chain / Lancuch	1982 Artist: Lech Majewski. Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. Polish film. Polish release date ..... Director: ......
	Man of Flowers / Kwiaty Jego Zycia	1984 Artist: Wieslaw Walkuski (b.1956). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. Australian production. Original release 1983. Polish release 1984. Director: Paul Cox. Starring: Norman Kaye, Alyson Best, Chris Haywood.
	The Year of Living Dangerously	1985 Artist: Jerzy Flisak (b.1930). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. Australian production. Original release 1982. Polish release 1985. Director: Peter Weir. Starring: Mel Gibson, Sigourney Weaver.
	Out of Africa / Pozegnane Z Afryka	1986 Artist: Mieczyslaw Wasilewski (b.1942). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. US film. Polish release date 1986. Director: Sydney Pollack. Starring: Robert Redford, Meryl Streep.
	Lost Chance / Utracona Szansa	1986 Artist: Eugeniusz Skorwider. Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. Czechoslovakian film. Polish release date 1986. Director: .....
	Some Like it Hot / Pol Zartem, Pol Serio	1987 Artist: Wieslaw Walkuski (b.1956). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. US film. Polish release 1987. Director: Billy Wilder. Starring: Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis.
	Crocodile Dundee / Krokodyl Dundee	1987 Artist: Andrzej Pagowski (b.1953). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. Australian production. Original release 1986. Polish release 1987. Director: Peter Faiman. Starring: Paul Hogan, Linda Koslowski.
	Big Trouble in Little China / Welka Drake w Chiniskei Dzelnicy	1988 Artist: Mieczyslaw Wasilewski (b.1942). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. US film. Polish release 1988. Director: John Carpenter. Starring: Kurt Russell, Kim Catrell.
	The Dead of Winter / Smiertelnie Mrozna Zima	1988 Artist: Grzegorz Marszalek (b.1946). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. US film. Polish release date 1988. Director: Arthur Penn. Starring: Mary Steenbuger, Roddy McDowall, Jan Rubes, William Russ.
	Broadcast News / Telepasja	1989 Artist: Andrzej Pagowski (b.1953). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. US film. Polish release date 1989. Director: James L. Brooks. Starring: William Hurt, Jack Nicholson.
	House on Carroll Street / Dom Przy Carroll Street	1989 Artist: Eugeniusz Skorwider. Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. US film. Polish release 1989. Director: Peter Yates. Starring: Kelly McGillis, Jeff Daniels.
	Gorillas in the Mist / Goryle we mgle	1989 Artist: Jacob Erol (b.1941). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. US film. Polish release date 1989. Director: Michael Apted. Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Bryan Brown, Julie Harris.
	Scream / Krzyk	1996 Artist: Unknown - based on US poster image. Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. US film. Original release 1994. Polish release date 1996. Director: Wes Craven. Starring: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Drew Barrymore. Scenario: A psychopathic serial killer stalks a group of teenagers in a manner similar to the movies.
	The Pillow Book	1996 Artist: Wiktor Sadowski (b.1953). Size: 27 x 39 inches / 67 x 97 cm. International film. Polish release date 1996. Director: Peter Greenway. Starring: Vivian Wu, Ken Ogata, Ewan McGregor. Scenario: Story of a young Japanese girl Nagiko, whose father paints characters on her face and whose aunt reads to her from The Pillow Book.