AMSEL: Illustrator of the Lost Art

Robert Risko: A keen eye and keen perception I could make a fatal drinking game for every post I preface by apologizing for the lack of updates. Long story short, this year I’m now teaching both filmmaking and art classes for high schoolers, and...

Read about my interview with legendary artist, ROBERT RISKO!

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Remembering JOHN FREAS, Amsel's art teacher I’m saddened by the news of John “Jack” Warren Freas’ passing yesterday, December 29th. Freas was one of Richard Amsel’s art teachers at the Philadelphia College of Art (later renamed The University o...

I’m saddened by the news of John “Jack” Warren Freas’ passing yesterday, December 29th.

Freas was one of Richard Amsel’s art teachers at the Philadelphia College of Art (later renamed The University of the Arts, which closed in 2024).

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Today would have been Richard Amsel's 78th birthday.

This pic's courtesy of Marsha Cohen, one of Amsel's friends during his early years in NYC. The center picture of her and Amsel was taken during a going away party in 1971.

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This giving Tuesday, please consider making a charitable donation to the documentary AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR OF THE LOST ART -- the first in-depth profile of the legendary gay artist behind Indiana Jones, and other classic movie posters and celebrity portraits.

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WORLD AIDS DAY / Remembering Amsel, now 40 years gone Today marks yet another WORLD AIDS DAY, where we commemorate those lost to AIDS, as well as to support the many people still struggling to survive with the disease. I think the younger generations may...

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This week – on December 4th – also marks what would have been Richard Amsel’s 78th birthday.

#worldaidsday

From now through giving Tuesday (Dec. 2nd), donate $25 or more to our project and enter to win an original one sheet of MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME, from the personal collection of Richard Amsel himself. Comes with a letter of authenticity.

To donate, go to www.richardamselmovie.com/donate-contr...

END OF YEAR GIVING PROMO (AND NEW REWARDS!)

As 2025 comes to a close, it’s time I reach out again for support towards the project’s completion funds.

To learn more, go to www.richardamselmovie.com, or check out our donation page at www.richardamselmovie.com/donate-contr....

Happy Holidays!

After all these years and struggles, it's nice to finally get some positive buzz!

Remember the titans: On Drew Struzan, David Byrd, Renato Casaro, and more... I’ve been very slow to comment here on Drew Struzan, who died October 13th at the age of 78. I heard the news within hours of his passing, and it broke my heart. Rather than write another simple blog ...

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I'm honored to have recently received a Communicator Award, a Telly Award, and a Davey Award for AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR OF THE LOST ART.

Such recognition is not only professionally gratifying, but feels like something of a personal validation that all that hard work and struggle have been worth it.

AMSEL campaign is a 2025 Gold Award Winner at the Davey Awards! AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR OF THE LOST ART is now a Gold Award Winner at this year's DAVEY AWARDS, in the category of Social Campaigns-Arts, Culture & Lifestyle.While the film itself is still in progress, the...

AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR OF THE LOST ART is now a Gold Award Winner at this year's DAVEY AWARDS, in the category of Social Campaigns-Arts, Culture & Lifestyle.

To all of you who have supported this project over the years, I can not thank you enough.

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Made from a photo I took the last time I saw Drew.

New fundraising push to help with the film's post-production. New prints and postcard designs are available, including Amsel's work for PAPILLON, ROY BEAN, and portraits of Robert Redford and Marilyn Monroe!
Donations are tax-deductible where allowed by law.
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Work in progress: a restoration of Amsel's cover for ARGOSY magazine, featuring Robert Redford in THE GREAT WALDO PEPPER. This one is taking me a long, long time, and the colors are especially challenging.

I only saw the film recently, and the aerial stuntwork is jaw-dropping.

R.I.P. to RENATO CASARO, the Italian illustrator behind many hundreds of movie posters, including for films by Francis Ford Coppola, Sergio Leone, Quentin Tarantino, and Franco Zeffirelli.

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Robert Redford, the megawatt movie star of some of the greatest films of all time, as well as an Oscar-winning director, producer, activist, and godfather of independent cinema through his Sundance Institute and film festival, died today at the age of 89.

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Two prints of Richard Amsel's RAIDERS posters have been donated to a charitable fundraiser, held at the ADVENTURER'S SUMMIT Sept. 12-14. Check here for more info: www.adventurerssummit.de/en/

Revisiting lost works: PAPILLON and CUBA I previously wrote about Amsel’s poster work for both PAPILLON and CUBA, neither of which were used for the films’ main marketing campaigns. I’m happy to share some new images I created, following dig...

Read about Amsel's unused art for PAPILLON and CUBA!

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Revisiting lost works: PAPILLON and CUBA I previously wrote about Amsel’s poster work for both PAPILLON and CUBA, neither of which were used for the films’ main marketing campaigns. I’m happy to share some new images I created, following dig...

Read about Amsel's unused art for PAPILLON and CUBA!

www.richardamselmovie.com/single-post/...

Finding new life for JUDGE ROY BEAN... Sorry I haven’t posted any updates in a while. I’ve been busy this summer preparing for a new position at a nearby high school, developing and teaching a new Cinematic Arts elective! It’s been a lot o...

Read about Richard Amsel's work for THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN...including a long-lost alternate version that was unused!

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Correction: This is actually a 1:1 silkscreen print. But I'm still glad and lucky to have it!

Richard Amsel's art for PAPILLON was only used in a modified version for the film's rerelease.

This is the original piece. Color reproductions always varied wildly. Happily, a recent auction of the original illustration finally allowed me to capture how the work is supposed to appear.

Another lost gem now found: Richard Amsel's original art for THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN.

Amsel did at least three variants for the poster. The other two designs were in color, but I strongly suspect this B&W piece served as the direct source from which the alternates were modified.

I've spent 25 years wondering where this piece was, as it was originally auctioned off by Christie's following Amsel's death.

Happily, this final (but unused) piece for the film CUBA has been found -- and it's a nice birthday gift to myself.

The Return of the Great Adventure: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK celebrates 40 years! June 12th marks the 40th anniversary of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. To celebrate, I wanted to share some details about the two posters Richard Amsel created for the film. As fate would have it, productio...

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK was released on this day in 1981. Read about Richard Amsel's memorable work for two of the film's iconic posters...

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Oh, David, how I miss you my friend. I can't get through the 1:53 mark without welling up.

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Silver Winner, Documentary Series at The 2025 Telly Awards! AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR OF THE LOST ART is now a Silver Winner at this year's TELLY AWARDS.Work done for the forthcoming AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR OF THE LOST ART has received a Silver Award, Series - Documentary...

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FLASH GORDON’s Melody Anderson / Tonys salute to David Byrd I’ve written in the past about 1980’s FLASH GORDON, which has grown hugely popular over the years, and whose poster remains one of Richard Amsel’s most enduring works.Some years ago I did a quick inte...

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My friend, artist DAVID BYRD, will be included in the in memoriam section of this Sunday's Tony Awards...

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One of my art students knitted this adorable toy sock cat as a goodbye gift during my last few days at the school. I took this picture of it with my cat at home. I think it's one of the nicest gifts I've received in a long time.