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MondoCon III Artist Interview: Ghoulish Gary Pullin

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With MondoCon III just around the corner, we sat down with one of our favorite Mondo artists, Ghoulish Gary Pullin for a quick chat.

Pullin’s work is heavily centered in a lot of genre favorites. His use of bright colors and specific detail is hypnotic and can be seen through all of his works. Originally, Pullin worked as a art director for ‘Rue Morgue Magazin’e and has since won a Rondo Hatton Award for artist of the year, and become a popular Mondo artist. His work echoes the same sensibilities as those special horror films you never get tired of watching and have the gravity to transport you back into some of your favorite movie moments.

iHORROR: Who were some of your influences?

Gary Pullin: If we’re taking about who my biggest contemporary influences are from the poster scene then, I’d have to say my three biggest are probably Jay Shaw and my Canadian cohorts Jason Edmiston and Justin Erickson from Phantom City Creative. Jay Shaw for his brilliant solutions, simple concepts and use of text. He can nail a movie or soundtrack with one simple, clean image and that can be a powerful thing. Edmiston for his monster talent at painting, drawing, bright lighting techniques and his ability to render just about anything from striking portraits to landscapes. Justin for his clever concepts and strong graphic design that seamlessly mends with his illustration style.

iH: I know it’s prolly a ever-changing list. But, right now what are your top 3 horror films?

Gary Pullin: You’re right, my top three horror films constantly rotate and if you were to ask me next month, it may be slightly different but lately, I keep going back to ‘The Changeling,’ ‘Session 9’ and ‘The Creature From The Black Lagoon.’ I’m also obsessed with the original ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre,’ ‘Friday the 13th’ and ‘John Carpenter’s The Thing.’ See, it’s too hard!

iH: This is the third year of MondoCon. What do you enjoy most about being part of it?

Gary Pullin: Aside from the exhibiting aspect and meeting the people who like my artwork, I’d have to say it’s hanging out and meeting  all of the incredible artists there. I’m lucky to call a lot of these folks friends. It’s also always great catching up with the hardworking folks at Mondo that make MondoCon possible. They have created a whole new convention experience for fans of film inspired artwork, music and pop culture. It’s also in Austin, which is reason enough to attend, I love it there.

iH: With licensing set aside, do you have any dream projects that you would like to work on?

Gary Pullin: I’d love the opportunity to work with Criterion on a blu-ray release, or work with Quentin Tarantino on something. I grew up reading Stephen King books, so I would jump at the chance to do a cover for anything he’s written and as much as I’ve been inspired by movie posters from the 1980s, there was some memorable book covers from that era too like ‘Christine,’ ‘Pet Cemetery,’ ‘Skeleton Crew’ and ‘Salem’s Lot.’

iH. What print do you own (other artists work) that is your all time fave. The one you love the most.

Gary Pullin: That’s another tough question because it changes often, but if it was a matter of of saving one print from a house fire right now it would be Jason Edmiston’s ‘Halloween’ variant. If there was time to run back into the house, I’d grab Ken Taylor’s ‘Maniac.’

iH: What is your process after you choose a project?

Gary Pullin: I usually start out by watching the film again with a sketch book and I’ll do very rough thumbnails, write down thoughts and ideas. If it’s a soundtrack, I’ll listen to it to help find the mood or atmosphere I want to convey. Once I’ve got a few things jotted down, I’ll move onto the computer to tighten up my layouts and to present my best concepts. I like to show a broad range of ideas to show I’ve thought about different directions. It happens once in a while but it’s rare I land on the first idea that comes to mind. Sometimes the client has a general idea or suggestion for what they are looking for or what they would like too see, which helps too and we go from there.

iH: ‘Fright Night,’ ‘Scream’ and ‘It’ are all amazing prints of yours that have had remakes in film and TV. What are your feelings on genre remakes? Do you think there are good ones out there?

Gary Pullin: Thanks very much! I do think there are great remakes that have been made, but the knee-jerk reaction, especially from the horror community, is to instantly pounce on a proposed remake. Considering most of them haven’t been so great,  it’s hard to keep looking forward to them. I look at it like when a band covers a song. If the artists covering the material can’t bring something new to it, build upon the original or are just doing it note for note, then what’s the point? But when they work, they can stand on their own so I try to reserve judgement until I see it. ‘The Thing,’ ‘The Fly,’ ‘The Blob,’ ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,’ ‘The Ring,’ ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ and ‘Piranha 3D’ were all successful updates to me but there’s been more than a few that make me think they really should have just left it on the shelf.

iH: Your artwork for the Monster Squad soundtrack is fantastic. The creature is on of my fave characters. Can you tell me how you got involved in that project? And what’s a dream soundtrack you would love to work on?

Gary Pullin: I really felt like a kid working on ‘The Monster Squad’ vinyls. Mondo first contacted me about creating the Wolfman cover for the 7″ singles that was released back in May. They often joke that Randy Ortiz, Jason Edmiston, Justin Erickson and I are like the Canadian Monster Squad so the asked each of us to do one. I also got to design the back covers of those first four releases so when Mondo came to me to do the full package soundtrack design, they asked what I would do, I suggested we could take that back cover idea of Monster Magazine classified ads and carry it across the rest of the packaging. I imagined what kind of stuff you could order from the back pages of monster magazines or comic books and mixed the whole monster kid craze from the 1950s with ‘The Monster Squad.’ For example, the 6-foot Frankenstein’s Monster on the cover is a nod to the actual Jack Davis’ standee and the Creature model is a nod to the Aurora model. It just seemed to make sense to try this direction and it was incredibly satisfying coming up with the accompanying verbiage and imagery. I felt right at home in the clubhouse working on this one. Up until last year it was ‘My Bloody Valentine’ but I got the opportunity to do that with WaxWork Records but I’d love to do anything official for ‘The Changeling,’ both for the soundtrack or a poster.

Those lucky enough to attend MondoCon III, need to make sure to stop by Gary’s booth and say hello. Among the many great prints and vinyl soundtracks, he will feature a Monster Squad soundtrack with a fantastic Creature (From the Black Lagoon) interior.

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MondoCon features tons of amazing artists, prints, vinyls pins, beer, food and film. For more info on how to be part of the beautiful chaos go to, https://mondotees.com/pages/mondocon.

MondoCon is a celebration of everything we love, including movies, art, comics, music, toys and food. It’s a weekend curated with our fans in mind, featuring incredible Artists & Creators from around the world, Panels, Screenings, Food Trucks & Interactive Events. MondoCon 2016 takes place October 22nd and 23rd in Austin, Texas.

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‘Strange Darling’ Featuring Kyle Gallner and Willa Fitzgerald Lands Nationwide Release [Watch Clip]

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Strange Darling Kyle Gallner

‘Strange Darling,’ a standout film featuring Kyle Gallner, who is nominated for an iHorror award for his performance in ‘The Passenger,’ and Willa Fitzgerald, has been acquired for a wide theatrical release in the United States by Magenta Light Studios, a new enterprise from veteran producer Bob Yari. This announcement, brought to us by Variety, follows the film’s successful premiere at Fantastic Fest in 2023, where it was universally praised for its creative storytelling and compelling performances, achieving a perfect score of 100% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes from 14 reviews.

Strange Darling – Movie Clip

Directed by JT Mollner, ‘Strange Darling‘ is a thrilling narrative of a spontaneous hookup that takes an unexpected and terrifying turn. The film is notable for its innovative narrative structure and the exceptional acting of its leads. Mollner, known for his 2016 Sundance entry “Outlaws and Angels,” has once again employed 35mm for this project, cementing his reputation as a filmmaker with a distinct visual and narrative style. He is currently involved in adapting Stephen King’s novel “The Long Walk” in collaboration with director Francis Lawrence.

Bob Yari expressed his enthusiasm for the film’s upcoming release, scheduled for August 23rd, highlighting the unique qualities that make ‘Strange Darling’ a significant addition to the horror genre. “We are thrilled to be bringing nationwide theatrical audiences this unique and exceptional film with terrific performances by Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner. This second feature from talented writer-director JT Mollner is destined to become a cult classic that defies conventional storytelling,” Yari told Variety.

Variety’s review of the film from Fantastic Fest lauds Mollner’s approach, saying, “Mollner shows himself to be more forward-thinking than most of his genre peers. He’s clearly a student of the game, one who studied his forebears’ lessons with adroitness to better prepare himself to put his own mark on them.” This praise underlines Mollner’s deliberate and thoughtful engagement with the genre, promising audiences a film that is both reflective and innovative.

Strange Darling

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Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Barbarella’ Revival Forges Ahead

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Sydney Sweeney Barbarella

Sydney Sweeney has confirmed the ongoing progress of the much-anticipated reboot of Barbarella. The project, which sees Sweeney not only starring but also executive producing, aims to breathe new life into the iconic character that first captured audiences’ imaginations in the 1960s. However, amid speculation, Sweeney remains tight-lipped about the possible involvement of celebrated director Edgar Wright in the project.

During her appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Sweeney shared her enthusiasm for the project and the character of Barbarella, stating, “It is. I mean, Barbarella is just such a fun character to explore. She really just embraces her femininity and her sexuality, and I love that. She uses sex as a weapon and I think it’s such an interesting way into a sci-fi world. I’ve always wanted to do sci-fi. So we’ll see what happens.“

Sydney Sweeney confirms her Barbarella reboot is still in the works

Barbarella, originally a creation of Jean-Claude Forest for V Magazine in 1962, was transformed into a cinematic icon by Jane Fonda under the direction of Roger Vardim in 1968. Despite a sequel, Barbarella Goes Down, never seeing the light of day, the character has remained a symbol of sci-fi allure and adventurous spirit.

Over the decades, several high-profile names including Rose McGowan, Halle Berry, and Kate Beckinsale were floated as potential leads for a reboot, with directors Robert Rodriguez and Robert Luketic, and writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade previously attached to revive the franchise. Unfortunately, none of these iterations made it past the conceptual stage.

Barbarella

The film’s progress took a promising turn approximately eighteen months ago when Sony Pictures announced its decision to cast Sydney Sweeney in the titular role, a move that Sweeney herself has suggested was facilitated by her involvement in Madame Web, also under Sony’s banner. This strategic decision was aimed at fostering a beneficial relationship with the studio, specifically with the Barbarella reboot in mind.

When probed about Edgar Wright’s potential directorial role, Sweeney adeptly sidestepped, merely noting that Wright has become an acquaintance. This has left fans and industry watchers speculating about the extent of his involvement, if any, in the project.

Barbarella is known for its adventurous tales of a young woman traversing the galaxy, engaging in escapades that often incorporate elements of sexuality—a theme Sweeney seems eager to explore. Her commitment to reimagining Barbarella for a new generation, while staying true to the character’s original essence, sounds like the making of a great reboot.

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‘The First Omen’ Almost Received an NC-17 Rating

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the first omen trailer

Set for an April 5 theater release, ‘The First Omen’ carries an R-rating, a classification that was almost not achieved. Arkasha Stevenson, in her inaugural feature film directorial role, faced a formidable challenge in securing this rating for the prequel to the esteemed franchise. It seems the filmmakers had to contend with the ratings board to prevent the film from being saddled with an NC-17 rating. In a revealing conversation with Fangoria, Stevenson described the ordeal as ‘a long battle’, one not waged over traditional concerns such as gore. Instead, the crux of the controversy centered around the depiction of the female anatomy.

Stevenson’s vision for “The First Omen” delves deep into the theme of dehumanization, particularly through the lens of forced birthing. “The horror in that situation is how dehumanized that woman is”, Stevenson explains, emphasizing the significance of presenting the female body in a non-sexualized light to address themes of forced reproduction authentically. This commitment to realism nearly landed the film an NC-17 rating, sparking a prolonged negotiation with the MPA. “This has been my life for a year and a half, fighting for the shot. It’s the theme of our film. It’s the female body being violated from the inside outwards”, she states, highlighting the importance of the scene to the film’s core message.

The First Omen Movie Poster – by Creepy Duck Design

Producers David Goyer and Keith Levine supported Stevenson’s battle, encountering what they perceived as a double standard in the ratings process. Levine reveals, “We had to go back and forth with the ratings board five times. Weirdly, avoiding the NC-17 made it more intense”, pointing out how the struggle with the ratings board inadvertently intensified the final product. Goyer adds, “There is more permissiveness when dealing with male protagonists, particularly in body horror”, suggesting a gender bias in how body horror is evaluated.

The film’s bold approach to challenging viewers’ perceptions extends beyond the ratings controversy. Co-writer Tim Smith notes the intention to subvert expectations traditionally associated with The Omen franchise, aiming to surprise audiences with a fresh narrative focus. “One of the big things we were excited to do was to kind of pull the rug out from under people’s expectations”, Smith says, underscoring the creative team’s desire to explore new thematic ground.

Nell Tiger Free, known for her role in “Servant”, leads the cast of “The First Omen”, set for release by 20th Century Studios on April 5. The movie follows a young American woman dispatched to Rome for church service, where she stumbles upon a sinister force that shakes her faith to its core and reveals a chilling plot aimed at summoning evil incarnate.

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