IT’S ALIVE!: CLASSIC HORROR AND SCI-FI MOVIE POSTERS FROM THE KIRK HAMMETT COLLECTION

IT’S ALIVE!

Classic Horror and Sci-Fi Movie Posters from the Kirk Hammett Collection

Text by Daniel Finamore, Joseph LeDoux, and Steve AlmondHardcover 
9” x 11⅞”/ 120pages 88color and black & white illustrations



Uttered in several Frankenstein films since 1931,and titling Larry Cohen’s 1974 horror classic, “It’s alive!” is one of those kitschy, catchy phrases that become part of the vernacular.IT’S ALIVE: CLASSIC HORROR AND SCI-FI MOVIE POSTERS FROM THE KIRK HAMMETT COLLECTION—in both exhibition and book form—offers an unconventional look at the world of horror and science fiction art. Through an international selection of the greatest film posters of this genre, fans and aficionados are invited to explore the  power  of  graphic design and  the  manner  in  which  poster  art  communicates  and  evokes  emotion.This handsome volume showcases the impressive personal collection of Metallica guitarist and horror movie buff Kirk Hammett, which also accompanies  an exhibition at  the  Peabody  Essex  Museum  in  Salem,  Massachusetts, scheduled to run from August 12 through November 26, 2017.From the age of six, Hammett gathered toys, ephemera, and memorabilia from his favorite films, and a plethora of  these  gems  made their way into IT’S ALIVE! Complementing  the  archival  materials  is PEM’s Russell Knight Curator of Maritime Art and History Daniel Finamore’s essay investigating the horror poster from an art historical perspective, delving into how the works convey horror graphically, and how the genre itself reflects on societal issues and fears. Neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux’s text draws on  recent  findings  to  reveal  why  we  enjoy  the  thrill  of  watching horror flicks and what happens to the brain when the fear response is triggered. Writer Steve Almond’s section of the book takes an in-depth look at Hammett’s passion on the subject,from his eclectic collection of movie art and magazines to founding an annual fright fest.

From  classics  like Dracula, Frankenstein,  and The  Wolf  Man to  cult favorites  like Blacula and Barbarella;from blockbusters such as Rosemary’s Babyand Aliento lesser-known pictures like Invasion of the Saucer Men and I Walked with a Zombie—and,of course, The Day of the Triffids, the motion picture cited as launching Hammett’s lifelong obsession with horror—IT’S ALIVE is the ultimate collection of horror and sci-fi movie posters amassed by the dark mind of Kirk Hammett.

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS:
Daniel Finamore is the Russell W. Knight Curator of Maritime Art and History at the  Peabody  Essex  Museum.

Joseph  LeDoux is  the  Henry  and  Lucy  Moses  Professor  of  Science  at  New  York University in the Center for Neural Science and directs the Emotional Brain Institute of New York University and the  Nathan  Kline  Institute.

Steve Almond’s essays  appear  regularly  in  publications  including T  Magazine and the Boston Globe. He is the author of ten books, co-hosts a podcast, and is a frequent contributor on NPR.

Kirk Lee  Hammett is  the  lead  guitarist  and  contributing  songwriter  for  the heavy  metal band Metallica,  and  has been a member of the band since 1983. In 2003, Hammett was ranked 11th on Rolling Stone's list of “The 100 Greatest  Guitarists  of  All  Time.” He  is  the  creator  of  the annual  horror  convention Kirk  Von  Hammett's  Fear Fest Evil, and has been an avid collector of horror film memorabilia.