One of the world’s premier collections of horror and sci-fi movie posters comes, not altogether surprisingly, from Kirk Hammett of Metallica, one of the most successful and beloved bands in rock history. Long before Hammett assumed the heavy metal mantle as Metallica’s lead guitarist, he was obsessed with the imaginative universe of horror. From the age of six, he gathered toys, ephemera, and memorabilia from his favorite films. This generously illustrated book highlights the finest examples from Hammett’s personal collection—an astonishing trove of horror and sci-fi film posters that span the history of the genre—along with intriguing essays by Daniel Finamore, Joseph LeDoux, and Steve Almond on the rise of horror culture and the rise it gives us.
The publication accompanies the exhibition “It’s Alive!”: Classic Horror and Sci-Fi Art from the Kirk Hammett Collection on view at the Peabody Essex Museum from August 12 to November 26, 2017.
Daniel Finamore is The Russell W. Knight Curator of Maritime Art and History, 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 is the author of eleven books of fiction and nonfiction, and the co-host of WBUR’s Dear Sugar Radio.
The 120 page hardcover book features 90 color illustrations and retails for $30. You can order a copy HERE.
