Nuance Makes a Cameo in Movie Poster Art

BY MADS BAJARIAS | What a nicely evocative poster for the new Judy Ann Santos starrer "Ploning." This is such a relief from the deluge of Pinoy "fiesta-style" movie posters crammed with actresses to the last square inch. Or where Sharon Cuneta's pudding face fills up the poster space leaving the movie credits scrunched up in a corner.

This one has an understated design, yet there's enough to pique one's curiosity and interest. The calligraphy-style title is beautiful: its dynamism and circularity suggesting the yin-yang symbol and eternal renewal. The trailing brushstrokes on the "P" and the "G" seem to move toward each other. And the upper halves on the letters "PLONING" are like cresting waves, an image reinforced by the seascape background. The photoshopping of the actress' body and head, however, resulted in an unnaturally long neck. The blunt-worded tagline somewhat mars the overall effectiveness but, thankfully, the designer obscured it among those staples of the dramatic love story: sepia and tobacco-hued clouds.

All in all, not bad. This poster is enough to make me watch the movie.

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21.5.08 UPDATE: I have seen the movie and, oh boy, all I can say here is that the movie doesn't quite match the promise of the poster--but the producers should be lauded for trying to make something smart, fresh and beautiful. There was a real effort by the makers to make something different and good. My thoughts about the movie, written immediately after viewing.