Battle Creek Brawl (known in the US and elsewhere as The Big Brawl) was martial arts superstar Jackie Chan‘s first attempt at breaking into the American film industry. The film was directed by the late Robert Clouse who was behind Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon, the first martial arts film to be co-produced by a Hollywood studio (also sadly to be Lee’s last). Clouse went on to direct Jim Kelly’s Black Belt Jones (1974) and put together the posthumous Bruce Lee film The Game of Death (1978) so he was an obvious choice for Chan’s hopeful big break into the lucrative US market. The director chose to employ much of the crew from Enter the Dragon.

Set in 1930s Chicago, though filmed mostly in Texas, the film focuses on Chinese-American Jerry Kwan (Chan) whose father runs a restaurant. One day a gang of mobsters pays the restaurant a visit and tries to force Kwan’s father to pay part of his profits to them. When Jerry fights back the mob take notice of his martial arts skills and force him to take part in the illegal fighting tournament Battle Creek Brawl by kidnaping his brother’s fiancee.

Kwan must enlist the help of his martial arts master Herbert (played by Japanese-American actor Mako) in order to train to face his opponents, including the fearsome, brutal fighter Kiss (H.B. Haggerty), winner of the previous tournament whose nickname is due to the single kiss he gives his defeated opponents. Sadly for all involved the film was something of a flop and was nowhere near the Enter the Dragon success story that Chan was hoping for. After trying his hand at various supporting roles (including Cannonball Run) Chan eventually scored his first hit with the Hollywood production Rumble in the Bronx 15 years later.

This is the Japanese B2 for the release of the 1971 biography of the legendary stuntman Evel Knievel that was made whilst he was only 32 years old and still at the height of his fame. It was also before his infamous attempted jumping of Snake River Canyon in 1974 that ended in a near fatal crash. The film was shot in Evel’s home town of Butte, Montana and starred the prolific actor George Hamilton as the man himself.

The film is told in a series of flashbacks with Evel narrating various incidents that happen throughout the film, including events regarding his relationship with his wife. It features actual footage of Knievel on his bike and completing various stunts, including one on the Ontario Motor Speedway. The film ends with Evel at the edge of the Grand Canyon because the real stuntman was planning a jump of the famous landmark that never came to pass.

The film is now out of copyright and is in the public domain, freely available to watch online should you wish to do so.

This particular design by Drew Struzan was never actually used as a theatrical one sheet. It was apparently sold at later date. I’m not 100% certain that my copy is an original, although I do trust the seller I bought it from, so it’s hard to say for sure.

Wonderfully detailed artwork by Ted CoConis for this classic fantasy tale directed by legendary puppeteer Jim Henson and starring David Bowie in one of his best-loved film roles as Jareth the Goblin King.

This is one of those films that had a huge impression on me as a child and there are countless scenes that have stuck with me to this day. The character design is superb and I’m particularly fond of Sir Didymus the fox knight and the detachable-limbed Fire Gang. The music is also hugely memorable and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who has seen the film that can’t recite at least a few of the songs, with Bowie’s Dance Magic Dance being a definite favourite.

One particular costume worn by Bowie in the film has become fairly infamous. To see what I mean open up Google and type in ‘Labyrinth Bowie’ (without the quotes) and don’t hit enter. Notice what the first result in the more word suggestions field is!

Check out the recently released Manga Return to Labyrinth.

Here’s the original trailer.

Ron Lesser artwork on this 30×40 for the American release of this 1973 crime thriller starring Donald Sutherland and the gorgeous Jennifer O’Neill. Sutherland plays an insurance investigator who begins romancing O’Neill’s character when he suspects her of being a diamond thief. It was apparently made following the success of other ‘romance and thievery’ films such as The Thomas Crown Affair.

Lesser studied as a fine artist and much of his output appears to have been in the area of Western and military paintings, with particular focus on the American Civil War. He also worked on a number of book covers and multiple film posters during the 1970s, including the fantastic one sheet for High Plain’s Drifter. This website features galleries of his work as well as a mini biography.

The other posters I’ve collected by him can be seen here.

I’m a big fan of the none-more-1970s typeface used for the title and top-billed names, and it can be seen on a number of posters from the era. You’ll notice an Aston Martin DB5 is featured inside the diamond, along with several other scenes from the film.

The tagline references the previous hits of the two stars and for some reason the Italian title of the film even has Klute in the title, despite Sutherland playing a completely different character.