He's known by millions of fans as the lead guitarist for the heavy metal band Metallica, but Kirk Hammett also has a deep passion for horror and sci-fi, which is reflected in his massive collection of posters for classic and cult films from both genres. Currently on display at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, Hammett's impressive collection is also featured in a new hardcover book called It's Alive that's out now from Skira Rizzoli, and we have a look at some of the eye-popping posters included within the pages of the treasured collection.
Press Release: Uttered in several Frankenstein films since 1931, and titling Larry Cohen’s 1974 horror classic, “It’s alive!” is one of those kitschy, catchy phrases that become part of the vernacular.
IT’S ALIVE: CLASSIC HORROR AND SCI-FI MOVIE POSTERS FROM THE KIRK HAMMETT COLLECTION—in both exhibition and book form—offers an unconventional look at the world of horror and science fiction art. Through an international selection of the greatest film posters of this genre, fans and aficionados are invited to explore the power of graphic design and the manner in which poster art communicates and evokes emotion.This handsome volume showcases the impressive personal collection of Metallica guitarist and horror movie buff Kirk Hammett, which also accompanies an exhibition at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, scheduled to run from August 12 through November 26, 2017.
From the age of six, Hammett gathered toys, ephemera, and memorabilia from his favorite films, and a plethora of these gems made their way into IT’S ALIVE! Complementing the archival materials is PEM’s Russell Knight Curator of Maritime Art and History Daniel Finamore’s essay investigating the horror poster from an art historical perspective, delving into how the works convey horror graphically, and how the genre itself reflects on societal issues and fears.
Neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux’s text draws on recent findings to reveal why we enjoy the thrill of watching horror flicks and what happens to the brain when the fear response is triggered. Writer Steve Almond’s section of the book takes an in-depth look at Hammett’s passion on the subject, from his eclectic collection of movie art and magazines to founding an annual fright fest.
From classics like Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man to cult favorites like Blacula and Barbarella; from blockbusters such as Rosemary’s Baby and Alien to lesser-known pictures like Invasion of the Saucer Men and I Walked with a Zombie—and,of course, The Day of the Triffids, the motion picture cited as launching Hammett’s lifelong obsession with horror—IT’S ALIVE is the ultimate collection of horror and sci-fi movie posters amassed by the dark mind of Kirk Hammett.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS:Daniel Finamore is the Russell W. Knight Curator of Maritime Art and History at the Peabody Essex Museum. Joseph LeDoux is the Henry and Lucy Moses Professor of Science at New York University in the Center for Neural Science and directs the Emotional Brain Institute of New York University and the Nathan Kline Institute. Steve Almond’s essays appear regularly in publications includingT Magazine and theBoston Globe. He is the author of ten books, co-hosts a podcast, and is a frequent contributor on NPR.Kirk Lee Hammett is the lead guitarist and contributing songwriter for the heavy metal band Metallica, and has been a member of the band since 1983. In 2003, Hammett was ranked 11th on Rolling Stone's list of “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” He is the creator of the annual horror convention Kirk Von Hammett's Fear FestEvil, and has been an avid collector of horror film memorabilia.
© It’s Alive! Text by Daniel Finamore, Joseph LeDoux, and Steve Almond, Skira Rizzoli, 2017.
IT’S ALIVE: CLASSIC HORROR AND SCI-FI MOVIE POSTERS FROM THE KIRK HAMMETT COLLECTION
Text by Daniel Finamore, Joseph LeDoux, and Steve AlmondHardcover / 9” x 11⅞” / 120pages / 88color and black & white illustrations PRICE: $30.00 U.S. / $40.00 CAN / ₤22.50ISBN: 978-0-8478-6098-2/ Skira Rizzoli, an imprint of Rizzoli New York Publication Date: September 2017
Images courtesy of the Collection of Kirk Hammett:
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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