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While I have always been an avid reader, I have never been much of book collector. I have quite a library of movie poster related books, and they are great for shop deco, but beyond that, when it comes to coffee table books, I do not have much to offer.
Many, or actually most of my favorite movie poster books were edited by Tony Nourmand, founder and former mastermind of the Reel Poster Gallery in London, which rightfully called itself the world’s premiere movie poster place. Starting with his now legendary first publication, FILMPOSTERS OF THE 60s (which was subsequently followed by similar volumes covering the 30s, 40s, 50s, 70s, 80s and 90s) Tony has edited a large number of movie poster related coffee table books.
With his own company Reel Art Press he has long expanded far beyond that, covering all kinds of pop culture topics. If you are looking for a primer on how to do a coffee table book, simply pick up anything that says Tony Nourmand on the cover.
DENIM – THE FABRIC THAT BUILT AMERICA is another cooperation with denim authority and longtime partner in crime, Graham Marsh. It was published in October 2024 and, not unusual, the Postercowboy was somewhat late in the game for this one. I actually stumbled over this book while doing some private research into Japanese denim last year and immediately got me a copy.
To cut a long story short, Tony and Graham have dug themselves through the extensive photo archive of the American Farm Security Administration (FSA). 250 images, all taken between 1935 and 1944, were selected for this wonderful volume.
‘Marty, you’re a lowlife, no offence. You have no style. I don’t ever want to see you again.’ (Cosmo Vitteli)
Cosmo Vitteli is of course Ben Gazzara‘s character in John Cassavetes’ THE KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE. (On a side note, Cassavetes created all the movie posters himself, including my all time favorite Timothy Carey poster which can be seen HERE.)
Cosmo is a night club owner, a gambler, and a somewhat ‚controversial‘ character to put it mildly. But the one thing he has in abundance is STYLE. In Cosmo‘s (half)-world and in his personal set of values, a lack of style is THE WORST possible shortcoming.
If there is one thing pretty much everybody portrayed in this amazing coffee table book has in common, it‘s STYLE. If you are looking for a guide book on how to wear your denims (or blue jeans as we called them in the 1970s) properly, look no further, here it is.
If you have any interest in the history of denim, this volume is also a must-have. You will find plenty to like and a lot to learn within these pages.
And/or if you are anything like me and you simply enjoy revisiting a time when people still had faces you would remember for more than five seconds, this book is also for you.
Reel Art Press is a small independent publisher and their books sell out frequently, so don‘t wait too long or you may be sorry later.
Signed copies of DENIM – THE FABRIC THAT BUILT AMERICA are available directly from the publisher:
