Bad Times at the El Royale © 2018 Twentieth Century Fox. Taking their cue from the film’s locale, LA let loose with luminous letters. Mark Simonson took inspiration from retro scripts in the same vein when he designed Parkside, Lakeside, and Kinescope; Zavier Cabarga rendered neon tube lights as Neon Stream.

An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn © 2018 Picturehouse Entertainment. P+A produced a fun, campy one-sheet with ITC Bookman’s swash caps. These, however, pale in comparison with the swashalicious extravaganza that is Bookmania. The most faithful interpretation of the original Bookman Oldstyle, Mark Simonson’s family sports over 680 swashes (the most of any Bookman digitization), making countless variations possible.

Bullitt County © 2018 Mr. Pictures. Scott Woolston’s stylish key art makes great use of evocative silhouettes and a glowing color palette, making the characters look like they’re frozen in amber. The image is tastefully framed in old, yellowed paper with the title set in Cheltenham. If you like subtle, stubby serifs, check out Richard Lipton’s Collier.

Charm City © 2018 PBS Distribution. The blue-and-black duotone treatment with Franklin Gothic gives Midnight Marauder’s theatrical one-sheet a vintage vibe. ITC Franklin, David Berlow’s definitive revision of this American classic, comes in six weights in four widths, all with matching obliques.

Viper Club © 2018 Roadside Attractions. Cold Open effectively silences Susan Sarandon, censoring her mouth with a sunset scene and weathered typewriter type in this intense one-sheet.

Moynihan © 2018 First Run Features. Kevin Gaor produced a punchy, typographic poster. The alternating black-and-white images and deep-red, wood-type letters create a strong rhythm on the canvas, a throwback to both old boxing posters and vintage jazz-album art. Rhode and Titling Gothic FB draw from the same sources.

Wildlife © 2018 IFC Films. P+A seats Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan in front of a gigantic mushroom cloud in eerily sweet, soft candy colors, as they gaze at each other awkwardly. The title’s Scotch Roman shares roots with Carter & Cone’s Georgia and Miller.

On Her Shoulders © 2018 Oscilloscope Laboratories. This suitably subdued one-sheet treats the delicate subject matter with respect and dignity, spelling out the title in spaced-out high-contrast serif caps. Big Caslon and Big Moore have similar classical proportions and attenuated hairlines.

Brewmaster © 2018 4th Row Films. The use of Erik van Blokland’s Eames tells us that this interpretation of mid-century advertising posters is in fact a contemporary design. David Berlow’s Belizio, based on Aldo Novarese’s Egizio, would be a fitting European alternative.

Studio 54 © 2018 Zeitgeist Films. Rainbow-colored glitter, cherry-red lips, and an iconic logo make this poster a no-brainer for a documentary about the legendary New York nightclub. If you want to talk disco, you can’t go wrong with Dunbar Tall.

ScreenFonts: January 2019 | The Leftovers