He was the doyen of celluloid terror, writing books such as The Horror Film Handbook and Horror Movies, Monsters and Vampires. Now original horror film poster artwork from the collection of the late film critic Alan Frank (1937 to 2023) comes to auction at Ewbank’s on Thursday, May 30.
Created by two of the most celebrated film poster artists of the 20th century, Tom Chantrell (1916-2001), who designed the iconic posters for Star Wars, and Bill Wiggins (1917 to 2012), these are classics of the genre.
They include Chantrell’s original artwork for the 1967 Hammer Horror Frankenstein Created Woman, starring Peter Cushing as Baron Frankenstein. The mixed media on board is the original prototype artwork created for the British quad and double bill posters.
The imagery is a close match to the British quad poster, the difference being that the artwork only shows one branched tree on the left slope and, importantly, the quad poster shows the girl clothed.
It had been thought that this original artwork had not survived. Offered with it will be the corresponding transparency. The estimate is £3,000 to £5,000.
Bill Wiggins enjoyed a 60-year career designing movie posters from 1920 to 1980 and remains one of the most revered figures in poster design. On offer in this sale are two pieces of his poster artwork, both for Frankenstein.
The Monster From Hell (1974) starred Peter Cushing, alongside Dave Prowse (later Darth Vader), Patrick Troughton (the second Dr Who) and Bernard Lee (the original M from the James Bond films).
Each of the pieces of artwork is pitched at £2,000 to £4,000, and they are in mixed media on paper. The one designed without the title of the film was the prototype artwork for the British quad poster that was eventually adopted.
Alan Frank, a friend of Cushing, was the film critic of the Daily Star for 35 years, retiring in 2014 from what he called the best job in the world. He also acted as an extra on occasion, appearing in The Guns of Navarone (1959), among others.
He had first become hooked on cinema when growing up in Africa and, aged 11, he encountered Clark Gable in Kenya and was then introduced to Ava Gardner, swiftly followed by Frank Sinatra. They were filming Mogambo, a John Ford adventure that was eventually released in 1953.
It was only when Frank went to the University of Cape Town that he became immersed in the genre that was to make his name, horror, having been gripped by a showing of The Creature From the Black Lagoon.
Viewing is welcomed at the Burnt Common Auction Rooms in Send from Monday, May 27 until the day of the sale.
Consignments for future auctions are being accepted, contact the team on 01483 223101 or email [email protected].
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