When I was asked to do Mondo Exploito’s final ever poster of the week, I felt strangely intimidated by the task. I’ve been lucky enough to contribute to Mondo Exploito since the beginning and it sure is sad to see it end. While my contributions in recent times have been relegated to posters of the week, it is an opportunity I have always enjoyed. It seemed appropriate that I should farewell this series with a bang, but it seemed (and still seems) impossible to give it the bang it deserves. Therefore i have opted to be selfish and finish the series with one of my all-time personal favourites. Anyone who knows me will not be surprised to see it’s a Czech poster. I have waxed lyrical about Czech poster design so often that I’m sure most people just shut me off when I speak now.
The following poster for The Beast is Loose was designed by the great Karel Teissig and is (to my eyes) among the greatest examples of his work. His work has managed to garner some critical acclaim outside of the Czech Republic, but it is still too seldom. Anyone interested in Eastern European poster design from the 60s should make a point of exploring his work. I have always found the use of collage techniques to be among the best attributes of Czech poster design and with The Beast is Loose, this is explored to its maximum potential.
It has been a genuine pleasure contributing to Mondo Exploito over the years. I hope this proves a fitting way to send such a valuable resource of trash cinema off into whatever afterlife websites enjoy.
