8mm Forum: Ken Films cover art

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Posted by Germaine Fodor (Member # 550) on March 12, 2006, 10:00 AM:

I'm trying to find out more about the history behind the Ken Films box art. I mean the wonderful stylized handpainted 4-color print covers, not the later still-shot photo covers.
I'm guessing Ken Films must have had an in-house art department cranking these out, or perhaps just one person?...their own Frazetta? These are such unique paintings- low-brow art, sure, yet amazing. How do I find out who created these??

And ok...for that matter- who was Ken?

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on March 12, 2006, 08:46 PM:

Hi Germaine,

I'm also curious about Ken. There's very little info about the Fort Lee, NJ company on the web which means it's time to do some old fashioned research.

I agree about Ken's box art. Some of them are very creative reworkings of the original poster art. Some however, look much better as small pics in their catalog than on the box itself. Has anyone taken a close look at their "Sound of Music" artwork?

Just look at the young lad running up the hill on the right side.

Shame about his nose!

Doug

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on March 15, 2006, 08:24 AM:

Very nice - My money goes to CASTLE FILMS, their artwork was far superior to most - Some of those early boxes were manufactured in Paterson NJ, so it's all reserached in the area of New Jersey on some of these outfits; Fort Lee, etc - I've long wanted to place an ad in BIG REEL asking for information on the artists of the film boxes we cherish, I'm sure some of these people are still around - Shorty

Posted by Andreas Eggeling (Member # 105) on March 18, 2006, 04:01 PM:

Hi all,

have an old catalog with hundreds of very amazing artwork.
Click on the pic for download the 8MB zip-file from my server.

http://www.movies-and-sound.com/boxart.zip

Posted by Scott G. Bruce (Member # 384) on March 18, 2006, 04:31 PM:

Thank you so much for posting this outstanding resource, Andreas! Some of those covers are wild! Who knew that Japanese pearl diving could be so interesting?

SGB

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on March 18, 2006, 09:19 PM:

Thanks for posting this neat catalog. It was like strolling down memory lane.

Some of the boxes I had never even seen! [Smile]

Thanks again.

Nick.

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on March 19, 2006, 01:45 AM:

Wow, from cartoons to Nazi Death Camp ?????????? Talk about diversity.
Thanks Andreas, this is great.

Posted by Andreas Eggeling (Member # 105) on March 19, 2006, 02:59 AM:

Hi,

I think it is a catalog from Mountain Films Ltd, London.
I love the artwork of the KEN horror films. Does anybody knows
if these b/w films were also available with sound or as color versions?

Here a paper which was in the catalog:

Andreas

PS: Looking for a print of "Silver Streak", "People that time forgot" and "At the earth´s core" (400ers only)

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on March 19, 2006, 11:53 AM:

Andreas,

None of Ken's early horrors were released in color or sound. I believe the first round of Ken 200' sound horror/monster films were released in mid 1974 and started with:

276-Konga (Color sound)
277-Destroy All Monsters (B&W sound, Color sound)
278-Frankenstein Conquers The World (B&W sound)
279-It Conquered The World (B&W sound)
280-Master Of The World (B&W sound, Color sound)
281-War Gods Of The Deep (B&W sound, Color sound)
282-The Screaming Skull (B&W sound)
283-Reptilicus (B&W sound, Color sound)
285-The Crimson Cult (B&W sound, Color sound)
286-Night Of The Blood Beast (B&W sound)
287-Monster from A Prehistoric Planet (B&W sound, Color sound)
288-The Phantom Planet (B&W sound)
289-Yongary, Monster From The Deep (B&W sound, Color sound)
290-Bucket Of Blood (B&W sound)
291-Voyage Into Space (B&W sound, Color sound)
292-The Raven(Color sound)
293-The Pit And The Pendulum (Color sound)

The "Planet Of The Apes" series came out about the same time. The 400' Fox/American International digests followed.

Doug

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on October 29, 2007, 10:22 AM:

Hi Germaine, please stay in touch, Shorty at jvcaruso@bellatlantic.net

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on October 29, 2007, 10:23 AM:

Hi Germaine, please stay in touch, Shorty at jvcaruso@bellatlantic.net

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