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1967/1968 Ganster Typography
Posted by letters in
12 Jul 2005 — 12:10pm
12 Jul 2005 — 12:10pm
The theme is 1967/1968 gangster. Imagine a very Brigitte Bardot/Faye Dunaway looking girl against the door of an Astin Martin, quietly holding a gun. Think gangsters, elegant, British...
What I am looking for are typefaces that would be evocative of this—work in this period. Of course, the 1930’s Bonnie & Clyde visual comes to mind, but I am looking for something more late 60’s.
Any ideas or suggestions?
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12 Jul 2005 — 1:41pm
You can't get anymore '60s than ITC Avant Garde Gothic except that you need to use several alternates to give it that "dated" look.
MEAN STREETS
or BUSORAMA also smacks of the 60s.
I just don't equate "elegant British" with "60s gangster babe", unless you mean more of the "Mrs. Emma Peale" appeal.
Then again, you could go for that script look in The Thomas Crown Affair.
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Yes, I'm old, but I'm back in style!
12 Jul 2005 — 1:57pm
Norbert: The Avengers, John Stead and Emma Peale doing almost surreal spy/detective work, weird plots but fun. You just reminded me of that series. Now what was that series with Patrick McGooen where he was a spy who quits the agency only to end up on an Island and his name is changed to number six.
12 Jul 2005 — 2:02pm
THE PRISONER
... and don't get me started or I'll write about each and every episode! Their newspaper was called the Tallyho (sp?).
Be seeing you! ;)
12 Jul 2005 — 2:05pm
Come on Norbert do you remember the Avengers episode where the bad guy could crawl on the ceiling like a spider? And I want a bowler hat like Stead it might be useful in Manhattan. Bither way who was number one?
12 Jul 2005 — 2:13pm
Who is Number One? You are, Number Six.
12 Jul 2005 — 5:12pm
I AM NOT A NUMBER!
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Yes, I'm old, and I'm being chased by a huge balloon!
12 Jul 2005 — 6:18pm
Is it a red baloon?
ChrisL
13 Jul 2005 — 5:57am
The Thomas Crown Affair original poster was a great suggestion. Though not what I had in mind, its somethin gI had not been thinking of, and is definitely bringing ideas to mind...
thanks
13 Jul 2005 — 12:15pm
Christian,
After re-reading your request for typeface suggestions, I forgot to ask you the obvious:
Is this for print such as posters?
or
Is this for cinema screen, such as movie titles?
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"Yes, I'm old, but I like to watch!" said Chauncey
13 Jul 2005 — 1:37pm
But who was number one, Tony Blair, Maybe Dubya?
13 Jul 2005 — 1:55pm
No. 6 was No. 1!
That is to say,
6 defeated 2 then became the New No. 2,
But 6 said "I am not a number" and therefore not the New No. 2,
but then No. 6 was brought to trial and found "GUILTY,"
so 6 rebeled and demanded to meet No. 1,
only to find that No. 1 was always No. 6 to begin with.
Is it all clear now?
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Yes, I'm old, but so confused!
13 Jul 2005 — 2:07pm
I love it Norbert but who is number one at Typophile is it number six?
13 Jul 2005 — 2:09pm
Bither way who couldn't enjoy looking at Emma Peale in those leather skin suits. She is even charming on PBS, but not sexy any more. Sigh
14 Jul 2005 — 8:44am
I want INFOMAYSHUN.
The last episode of that series was so bizarre. My wife and I watched the closing sequence over and over, laughing our heads off. Doesn't he frolick through London with a midget or something?
14 Jul 2005 — 8:59am
Norbert's Busorama was what jumped to my mind too. A lot of the gangster aesthetic after a certain point was gaudy, retro pastiche, rather than distinct style (or taste). In my mind's eye, I see the gangsters of that era (visually) as tacky echoes of the post-War (think Godfather I) era gangsters...
Maybe Moderna?
14 Jul 2005 — 10:48am
Yes, crugen,
that's why (letters) Christian Palino's request for a design that was evocative of 1967/1968 "gangster, elegant, British" seemed a bit incongruous to me.
Instead of "gangster," perhaps Christian's thinking was more like "heist" since he seemed interested in the Thomas Crown Affair poster. Heists by elegant, dashing characters was a popular movie theme of the 60s & 70s.
I'm also waiting to see if Christian will offer us more insight into the project he is planning for.
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Yes, - - - - - style!
14 Jul 2005 — 11:17am
Paralucent here after battling through Flash. I think Get Carter used Eurostile and The Prisoner used Albertus and a Caterham and a small village in Wales .
Tim
14 Jul 2005 — 12:21pm
Perhaps it is the old TV show "The Rogues" where the family of elegant flim-flam artists wouls bilk millions from wealthy bad people.
ChrisL
14 Jul 2005 — 1:40pm
http://www.retroweb.com/prisoner.html
The Prisoner appreciation society. Norbert the huge balloon chasing you is called the Rover.
14 Jul 2005 — 1:48pm
So who does Number Two work for?
14 Jul 2005 — 1:50pm
Gee, we've really gone retro on this thread. I was just stuck on the Prisoner fan site trying to stitch together loose threads (ha!)
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Yes, you've got my number!
14 Jul 2005 — 1:55pm
Norbert do you think the title font on that site was the one used originally on the series?
14 Jul 2005 — 5:28pm
Pretty darn close.
Watch and enjoy.
Notice that the title played during the clip is what matches. The one at the end of the clip looks like the distributor trying to match it.
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Where's Rover?
15 Jul 2005 — 3:39am
Sorry Norbert I use a Mac and that is a Windows video site, but I'll trust your judgement. What typeface is that if it is indeed a typeface? Rover is always just behind you, lurking.
15 Jul 2005 — 4:46am
> A lot of the gangster aesthetic after a certain point was gaudy, retro pastiche, rather than distinct style
Right Chris, I don't recall Brit gangsters being a media thing in the 60s, apart from the Krays, who were too close for comfort. Speaking of whom, David Bailey, another East End lad, had photographed them in the mid 60s. He also shot the Stones, so that gives me a mod, Compacta/Impact vibe. The Krays were hardcore psycopaths, and once the full nature of their crimes became apparent in court (eg slicing off people's faces), their glamour disappeared (for 20 years, at least). Get Carter is an awesome film, but after the 60s. There is a definite fault line there, somewhere around the Beatles breaking up. I think the Get Carter typeface in its poster is Gill Kayo.
16 Jul 2005 — 4:44am
Nick,
You are right about the Get Carter typeface on the original poster (I was looking at a video cover which used Eurostile which at least is of the period and stylish). But I don't think anyone would expect a gangster to be equipped with an Aston Martin or Bardot, while Carter had a Jag and Britt in 1971 not that far from 68. A more obvious reference would be the Italian Job (attractive cars and women) which was made before the need for an identity was regarded as a necessary marketing tool to a movie – the original British poster was a blocky almost constructivist sans, while another British one was almost Brody-esque and the American one looks like a Didone.
BTW Avant Garde was produced in the early 1970s wasn't it?
Tim
16 Jul 2005 — 12:49pm
>BTW Avant Garde was produced in the early 1970s wasn’t it?
Commercially available, yes.
However, Herb Lubalin had used it in the magazine for several years by then.
The Avant Garde logo, from which the face evolved, dates from 1967.