''The Sound of Music'', 1965 - art by Macario Quibus

by Retro Movie Posters

Title

''The Sound of Music'', 1965 - art by Macario Quibus

Artist

Retro Movie Posters

Medium

Mixed Media - Vintage Movie Posters

Description

A vintage movie poster of ''The Sound of Music'', a 1965 musical film directed by Robert Wise and based on the stage musical of the same name by Rodgers and Hammerstein. The film is beloved for its enchanting music, captivating story, and the iconic performance of Julie Andrews. Here's a description of the movie:

Plot Summary:
"The Sound of Music" is set in Austria in the late 1930s and tells the story of Maria, portrayed by Julie Andrews, a young and spirited aspiring nun who is sent to be the governess for the seven children of Captain Georg von Trapp, portrayed by Christopher Plummer.

Captain von Trapp is a strict and widowed naval officer who runs his household with military precision. His seven children, Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl, have been left largely to their own devices since the death of their mother. The children have a reputation for being unruly and difficult to manage.

Maria's arrival at the von Trapp household brings a breath of fresh air and music into the family's lives. Her warmth, kindness, and love for music quickly endear her to the children, and she introduces them to the joy of singing. Maria's influence transforms the von Trapp home into a place of laughter and music.

As Maria and the children's bond deepens, Captain von Trapp, initially distant and stern, begins to soften and fall in love with Maria. However, their burgeoning romance is complicated by the looming threat of the Nazi regime, which is encroaching on Austria.

The film's iconic music, including songs like "Do-Re-Mi," "My Favorite Things," "Edelweiss," and the titular "The Sound of Music," is woven throughout the narrative and serves as a means of expression, emotion, and resistance against the impending political turmoil.

As the Nazi presence grows, Captain von Trapp is faced with a difficult decision: whether to join the German Navy or risk his family's safety by defying the Nazis. The film climaxes with a dramatic escape as the von Trapp family, with the help of Maria and others, flees Austria to avoid Nazi control.

"The Sound of Music" is celebrated for its timeless and uplifting story, memorable music, and the radiant performance of Julie Andrews as Maria. The film's breathtaking Austrian landscapes and Robert Wise's direction contribute to its visual splendor.

Upon its release, "The Sound of Music" became a critical and commercial success. It won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and became one of the highest-grossing films of all time. It remains a beloved classic and a favorite among audiences of all ages.

The film's themes of love, family, resilience, and the power of music continue to resonate with viewers, making it a cherished and enduring cinematic masterpiece.

About the artist:

Macario ("Mac") Gomez Quibus (1926-2018), born in Reus (Tarragona) Spain in 1926, was a well-known Spanish film poster artist. He developed a reputation among Hollywood studios for the powerful images he painted on Spanish film posters. He signed his works using the nickname, "Mac."

In his style, Mac is an artist with two faces. Some works are strongly expressive and dramatic, others lighter and luminous. There are movies posters characterized by vigorous brushstrokes, chiaroscuro effects, dark palettes, and almost Caravaggio-like lighting; others are extremely graphic, linear, schematic, characterized by the dazzling use of white color. The art of Quibus is a painting style based on lights and shadows, which goes beyond the conformist standards of design to achieve great expressive power.

When he was two, his father died in a work accident. Following an early talent in art, Mac studied at the School of Fine Arts beginning in 1935 and during the Spanish Civil War. At the age of 20, he visited Barcelona's Museum of Modern Art, where he discovered the work of 19th century Catalan painter Mariano Fortuny. Enamored by his style, Mac spent days examining Fortuny's canvases.

With a renewed motivation to continue studying art, he enrolled at the Escola de Belles Arts in Barcelona. He also began working in 1952 with an advertising company specializing in cinema. Later, he created art for the famous design studio, Clavé and Martí Picó (MCP), where he made numerous posters. One was a poster for "Ivanhoe," which caught the attention and acclaim of a senior executive at MGM.

In 1956, he earned his most significant break when Paramount studios hired him to design the poster for "The Ten Commandments," which led to a friendship with its star, Charlton Heston. Mac gifted Heston with a custom-painted portrait of Moses from the film, which the actor hung in his office. Similarly, Kirk Douglas received the original painting for "The Justices of the West."

From that point on, he continued to develop a style that transgressed the standard rules of composition and interpretation. Instead, he produced unique works with great expressive force. His style was credited for its creativity, nonconformity, and harmony. In recognition of his talent, in 1955, he was put in charge of all the publicity material for Tandem Films, a major Madrid film production company, and distributor.

Throughout his 20-year career, Mac earned esteem as one of Spain's finest film poster artists, having created over 4,000 works. Among the numerous Spanish posters he painted are some of today's most beloved films: "Casablanca," "A Streetcar Named Desire," "Rebeca," "Moulin Rouge," "El Cid," "Dr. No," "Play it Again, Sam," and "From Russia with Love."

Mac eventually became an independent artist who worked with all the American distributors. And although he had the chance to move to the United States, he chose not to leave his family or the creative inspiration he received living in Barcelona.

During his career, he received numerous honors. In 2012, the Sitges festival premiered the short film "Un chico de Portada," directed by David Muñoz, covering Mac's life and work, with interviews with the artist himself. In 2013, he was named an honorary member of the Catalan Film Academy. And in 2014, he received the Creu de Sant Jordi from the Generalitat de Catalunya. In addition, his work has been exhibited at the National Film Library in Madrid and the Verdi cinema in Barcelona.

By the time of his death in 2018, at the age of 92, he had created over 4,000 works, many of which still captivate movie fans today.

Search "Mac" to see more of his posters.

Uploaded

May 30th, 2021

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