Czech Alien Film Poster by Zdenek Ziegler, 1982 for sale at Pamono

Description

Although Western films were shown during the Soviet era in the Communist Bloc, American publicity materials were banned, allowing the state-commissioned artists to operate with total creative freedom from the demands of the big Hollywood studios, offering quirky and sometimes surreal interpretations which often had little reference to the film. Almost abstract, Zdenek Ziegler’s dark and intense halftone artwork for the first Czech release of Ridley Scott’s seminal sci-fi horror ‘Alien’ seems to manifest the film’s tagline “In space no one can hear you scream!,” giving us a glimpse of the pulsing terror to come when the eponymous alien stalks and attacks the crew of a spaceship. Starring Tom Skerrit and Sigourney Weaver in her first leading role, the film was critically acclaimed on release in 1979, winning an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, and inspired numerous sequels and prequels. It is widely regarded as one of the most influential sci-fi movies of all time.