Film
The Whale
2022
Special Poster – Limited Edition, Artist Proof – Signed by Darren Aronofsky and James Jean, Hand- Numbered #22/50 HC
United States (USA)
Near Mint / Single Sided / Flat & Unfolded (as issued)
Darren Aronofsky
“A reclusive, morbidly obese English teacher attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter.”
The poster marketing campaign for any Darren Aronofsky movie is always special, with Aronofsky himself always personally involved with the design. For his Academy Award winning “The Whale” in 2022, a signed and numbered limited edition giclée print by James Jean was commissioned for the film. The print features a custom embossment and gold foil embellishments, each signed by both the artistJames Jean and Darren Aronofsky. There are very few in existence, with the example offered here, an even scarcer Artist Proof, hand-numbered #22/50 HC. One of the best looking movie related posters of recent years presented in high grade investment condition.
James Jean had this to say on the commission – “After Darren screened The Whale for me last year and asked me to create its poster, I immediately thought of Lucien Freud’s paintings of Leigh Bowery, and Kiki Smith’s self portrait, My Blue Lake. In the latter, Smith used a special camera to capture the periphery of her torso, resulting in an image that reads like a topographical map of her skin. While drawing Charlie (Brendan Fraser), I tried to channel Freud’s intimate yet unforgiving observations of Bowery. The depth of Charlie’s grief in the film is manifest in the expansive landscape of his body, barely able to contain all the feeling within. The skin is but a thin boundary between the external and internal worlds. In my drawing, his pain is full bleed and stretches beyond the margins, but his humanity and optimism breach the surface in the peaks and valleys of his face. A subtle texture of crumpled paper is embedded in the portrait, referencing the essay Charlie clutches in his hands throughout the film, an artifact from his daughter’s childhood that he cherishes for years and keeps him anchored away from the brink”
Trivia: Following its debut screening at the Venice Film Festival, both the movie and lead actor, Brendan Fraser, were given a six-minute standing ovation. The moment, caught on camera, brought Fraser to tears.
…more detailVintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria... read more +
“Idaho, 2016. Scarred by the profound wounds of grief and guilt, couch-bound Charlie, an online writing instructor living with chronic obesity, now has a crystal-clear view of his secret intentions. And confined to his claustrophobic and musty apartment, the self-destructive shut-in has all the time in the world to contemplate the damaging faults of the past, fatherhood, and reconciliation. Because, more than anything, flawed Charlie longs for communication and reconnection. After all, he hasn’t spoken to his estranged, angry teenage daughter, Ellie, in years. But everyone knows whales don’t live in the shallows. Can love and forgiveness wipe away the tears and the painful mistakes of a lifetime?”
There’s a part of “The Whale” that even before going in I was apprehensive about. Is it exploitative? More than probably, yes. Is it phobic in a certain way? It isn’t impossible to think that. But being far removed from certain aspects of what the movie shows and yet being so close and feeling related to a lot of other things the movie portrays, I can only speak from what I got and felt about this movie.
Performances by Brendon Fraser, Sadie Sink and Hong Chau were absolutely fantastic. But that’s something almost everyone knew even before going in. What really touched me was the detailing through which they showed why each character behaves in certain ways and how everything ended up this way. The absolute helplessness of humans under a system and subsystems across various levels of power that are meant to make life better creates more obstacles for everyone involved are arguably the root of the evils here. But the way each person deals with the evils they face is entirely different even when those reactions have so much in common. That is really reflected in each of the performances. Each of them shows a variety of emotions that are so humane and makes your heart break even more with the contrast between their philosophies on life and how life treats them.
For me, the film wanted to tell us that everyone is flawed, but it’s the authenticity that should matter more than anything else which should be the road to happiness in life.
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Mint
A poster that has never been used or displayed and may show the most minor signs of age and wear. The poster should have no holes or tears.
Near Mint
A generally unused poster with fresh, saturated colors. May have minimal tears at folds. Has no significant holes, no paper loss, may have minor tears along edges, may have fine pin holes.
Very Fine
A poster with bright colour and crisp overall appearance. It may have very general signs of use including slight fold separation and fold wear. It may have pin holes or very minor tears. This is the highest grade allowed for a poster that has been restored either on linen or on paper.
Fine
A poster with good colors and overall clean appearance. It may have minor tears small paper loss and minor stains. It may have some fold seperation.
Good
An average poster with overall fresh color. May have tears, minor paper loss, minor hazing. Paper may be brittle due to age, may have minor stains. May have a small amount of writing in an unobtrusive place. May have medium or major restoration.
Fair
A poster with faded colors and brittle paper, showing significant signs of use. May have tears and paper loss. May have tape, writing, stains in image area. In need of restoration or had major restoration.
Poor
A poster that is worn, torn, and/or damaged. May have staining, cracking, dry rot, and/or large tears. May be heavily soiled, may have pieces missing. In need of major restoration.
All photographs and images used on our site are photographs of the actual poster/item you are buying, we do not use stock photographs.
LOBBY CARD
11 x 14″ printed on heavy stock paper. Used as display in theatre lobbies. Originally made in sets of eight. Some sets have a title card, which contains credits and artwork, essentially a mini-poster. The remaining seven cards are coloured photographic credits and poster artwork showing different scenes from the movie.
WINDOW CARD
14 x 22″ printed on heavy stock paper with the top 4-6 inches usually left blank for the local cinema owner to fill in the cinema and the date it was due to play. Largely discontinued during the 1970’s.
HALF SHEET
22 x 28″ printed on heavy stock paper. The image displayed is normally a smaller version of the main poster, although some do have different artworks and sometimes come in two versions.
INSERT
14 x 36″ printed on heavy stock paper. Inserts usually have the same artwork as a one sheet. Popular with collectors since they are smaller and easier to frame. Normally come tri folded or rolled.
STYLE Y/FORTY BY SIXTY
40 x 60″ printed on heavy stock paper. Rare since they were primarily used for major motion pictures only. Designed to be used outside the theatre, on an easel, normally at a drive-in movie theatre.
ONE-SHEET
27 x 41″ printed on paper. This is the most common size of poster, intended to be displayed in a glass “marquee” case. It is the most sought after size by collectors. Since the 1980’s most posters are sent to the theatre rolled and maybe slightly smaller measuring 27″ by 40″ and with the advent of backlit light boxes a growing number of modern movie posters are available double-sided and the more traditional single-sided.
THREE-SHEET
41 x 81″ printed on paper. These were printed on two or three separate sheets designed to overlap, few survive. Used for larger advertising spaces, normally posted on walls, perfect for huge movie theatres the drive-in, where people could see them from a distance. From the 1970’s on, three-sheets were sometimes printed in one piece and issued as “international” versions to be used abroad.
BRITISH QUAD
30 x 40″ Most common poster size used in the UK. British Quads are horizontal and may have different artwork to the US one sheet. Like a US one sheet they normally come in two versions. Like a US one sheet they are usually supplied single-sided or more commonly now as a double sided poster.
BRITISH ONE-SHEET
27 X 40″, printed on paper. Very rarely used size.
ITALIAN LOCANDINA
13 x 28″ six inches shorter than the US insert, very nice size to frame. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.
ITALIAN PHOTOBUSTA
18 x 26″ Glossy, high quality, used as lobby cards in Italy. Size may vary, either vertical or horizontal format. There are also double Photobusta or mini Photobusta.
2-FOGLIO (DUE)
(DUE): 39 x 55″ This is the standard poster size used in Italy. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.
4-FOGLIO
(QUATTRO) 55 x 79″ Very large Italian poster printed in two pieces, often contains very beautiful artwork.
FRENCH
47 x 63″ (GRANDE) or 24 x 33″ (PETITE) French movie posters normally come with different artwork to either the US or the UK. Like the Italian’s some of the artwork is extrememly beautiful.
