A Conversation with Drew Struzan

Please click here to purchase Drew’s new book “The Art of Drew Struzan”

Here’s a question…

What if “Back to the Future” was released TODAY?
What kind of poster would the studio unleash on us?
Well, I’ll tell ya…a giant Michael J. Fox head pasted over a giant clock (or something along those lines!)
What about “The Goonies”? The original poster art is a beautifully painted scene depicting seven kids precariously (and magically) dangling from stalactites. Today’s “Goonies” poster? Seven giant photoshopped heads. No painting, no anticipation of a good time, no FUN. What’s the film about? What do we have to look forward to?…Well, we would know ONE thing, it’d most likely be in 3-D!

That’s where the ART of movie posters have gone…lazy digital pictures of movie stars.

It’s sad…but true.

The studios have taken the artist out of the poster, er, picture. Very RARELY do we see hand painted poster art that sells the fun and anticipation of the movie, not just its movie stars. Just look at some of today’s posters like, “The Switch” starring Jennifer Aniston & Jason Bateman’s GIANT heads!…and, oh yeah, how about “Dinner For Schmucks”? …another PICTURE of two oversized noggins! Real pieces of…art? I think not. They say nothing about the movie. Absolutely nothing. And yes, I can’t say it enough, they are lazy.

Going to the movies today will never match up to when we were kids growing up in the 1980’s.

© Copyright Drew Struzan. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Who am I? A movie nerd…and proud of it! As a kid growing up in the 80’s, my father or grandmother would take me to the movies almost every weekend. That was a magical time for me that shaped who I am today…WHO wouldn’t be a movie nerd after watching “The Empire Strikes Back”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “E.T.” or “Back to the Future” for the first of countless times on the BIG screen?

Every time I would walk into the theatre lobby, I would stare at the framed one-sheet’s (or movie posters, for those not ‘in the know’)…most were hand-painted and FUN to look at. Take for example, the “Back to the Future” poster: Marty McFly looking at his watch as time runs out in the glow of the Delorian…It got me excited to see the film, even after I had maybe seen it 3 or 4 times already…it was the anticipation of the movie experience, a break from my normal everyday teenage life. I was going back to the future in just a few short minutes, with something Marty didn’t have…a large popcorn and Sno-Caps! (the BEST movie candy, by the way!)

We may know the images that are forever burned into our fondest memories of going to the movies…but WHO are the artists that created them for us? Well, for me, a few names come to mind…Richard Amsel, Bob Peak, John Alvin…and Drew Struzan.

Mr. Struzan is the legendary poster artist who painted some of the most iconic movie posters in the history of cinema. He is most famous for his beautiful work on titles like “The Thing”, “The Goonies”, the “Back to the Future” trilogy, “Blade Runner”, “Star Wars”, “Big Trouble in Little China”, “Police Academy”, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”, etc, etc, etc…He is also the OFFICIAL Indiana Jones artist. Mr. Struzan has painted actor Harrison Ford more times than any living person! (I have his beautiful poster for “Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom” signed and proudly framed on my wall…but I’m sure you guessed that already!)

Fast forward…

I currently live in Hollywood and I’m an actor. I still love the movies and movie posters…mostly those of the 70’s and ‘80’s. I have several framed throughout my home…whenever I don’t get the part, or have a bad day on set, I come home and

see these reminders of why I love the movies and remember they’re impact on me…and why I became an actor in the first place.

© Copyright Drew Struzan. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

When Drew premiered his new book, “The Art Of Drew Struzan” at Comic-Con this year, you better believe that I was in

line to get a copy (or two) and meet the man. Drew’s appearance was worth the drive to San Diego. What an honor, considering the fact that the book was available (and quickly sold out) a month before it hit bookshelves AND he was on hand to sign them! One of the books was for my sister, Jessica, who was turning 21 in a few weeks. I had schooled her on movies and poster art since she was a kid. She is a fan. Drew inscribed the book to her and I quickly mailed it out.

On the day of her birthday, Jessica called me to tell me that she had received her “present”. She then started to cry over the phone. I was concerned. What? Was it damaged? Crushed? What?!…she then answered through her tears, “it’s just so…beautiful”. Drew’s art had worked it’s magic on her.
Now what the hell do I get her next year?!

Just a few short weeks later…

My good friend (and fellow movie nerd) Mike Gencarelli, one of the two “Movie Mikes”, called me up out of the blue and said to me, “ Drew Struzan has agreed to do an interview with you…at his studio!”. I was, uh…shocked. I mean, THE Drew Struzan was actually going to sit and talk with ME…in his STUDIO!?! No waiting in line at Comic-Con! I could ask him anything I’ve always wanted to know! I could tell him nerdy things like, as a kid, I thought the smoke billowing from Michael Keaton’s ear on his “Johnny Dangerously” poster was cool…or how I loved the way all of the crazy characters were so amazingly captured in his “Cannonball Run” art…or how about the way he nailed the fun and zaniness of the first four “Police Academy” posters? I mean, you just KNEW what you were getting into when you saw his art displayed in theatres or newspapers and went to see those flicks! The way Michael Keaton, Burt Reynolds and Steve Guttenberg looked right at YOU and pretty much said, “welcome to the fun!”…very few posters did that. Drew captured the spirit of every movie he created the poster for.

It was short notice, I only had one day to prepare my questions…and decide whether or not it was going to be the standard written piece…or a video interview? Hmmmm…

I decided to record the interview on camera, and if it didn’t work…I’d just transcribe it and write the article. I called in a favor to a talented camera operator and childhood friend, Dave Casella, who also grew up admiring Drew’s art. He jumped at the chance to record the on-camera interview.

On the morning of the interview, I called Drew to confirm. A soft-spoken voice answered the phone, my heart raced…

Drew: “Hello?”
Me: “Mr. Struzan?”
Drew: “Yes?”
Me: “I’m Jon Donahue from MovieMikes.com, are you still available for our 10 a.m. interview?”
Drew:…“I’m expecting you!”
Me: “Great! We’re on our way!”…

And that was it.

When Dave and I arrived at Drew’s Studio, he greeted us at the door and invited us in. I was in awe. WE were actually IN Drew Struzan’s studio!

As I looked around, I noticed a display case that housed a lightsaber AND a statue of a kneeling Darth Vader, a gift from LucasFilm when Drew retired.

It was a very warm and comfortable place…like a cozy cabin that you would find in the woods somewhere. It seemed so far removed from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood.

Dave and I arranged a couple of Drew’s comfy brown chairs next to each other, classic talk show style…and we began the interview. It turned into a spirited and informational conversation. You see, after a few minutes, I had pretty much thrown away my questions, as I knew I would. Once we started talking posters and art…I didn’t need them! It just flowed. I didn’t start with the standard “how did you get started painting movie posters?” question, I just simply asked him questions that, I, as a fan of his work, have always wanted to know.

Drew was very open and honest, in short, amazing. And yeah, I gushed a few times.
When we were done recording, Drew was kind enough to sign a few one-sheets that we had brought along. Each time he would autograph a poster with his familiar trade-mark signature, Dave and I would utter a “wow” under our breaths. I’m pretty sure Drew could hear us. I’m also pretty sure he’s used to it.

Dave and I kept it simple, no fancy lighting or multiple camera angles. Just a relaxed one-camera, two-shot set up.

A week later…with my talented editor, Paul Joseph, we went to work on piecing it together. How hard could it be? Well, it was difficult NOT to put everything in! Originally, this was intended to be a two-part piece, but artistically, we found that it just flows better as one. Maybe an extended cut in a few weeks?

I hope you enjoy our “conversation”…

Sincerely,

Jon Donahue

Please click here to purchase Drew’s new book “The Art of Drew Struzan”

All images used in this article and video interview are courtesy of Drew Struzan and Titan Books. © Copyright Drew Struzan. All rights reserved. Used with permission.