list2103Polish Poster

Day Ten – Trading Places

Trading Places is one of the best comedies ever made. Top ten for me. It’s a virtuoso movie both in Eddie Murphy’s deftly intelligent timing and Dan Akroyd’s deliciously snooty turn. Jamie Lee Curtis topless. Magic. This poster seems to think the film is a Terry Gilliam joint. The Polish have brought the world many things like Krakow and Krakow addicts but their finest export by far has been their movie posters, bizarre and oftentimes jaw-dropping interpretations of films from all over the world. Sometimes literal examinations of their source but sometimes absolutely batshit pieces of art that almost take on a life of their own. Over the next fifteen weekdays I’ll be sharing some of the best examples of how these creative necromancers interpret American cinema. Trading Places is about two men of very different backgrounds being forced into each other’s worlds by wealthy assholes but in actuality it’s clever class struggle comedy regardless of the hook. Under John Landis’s perfect direction it’s mainstream bliss. The Polish poster manages to capture many of the themes (greed, fish out of water, blending in to succeed) without getting a lick of the fun.

What would this movie be like?

Galapagos. Predator. Species. The Jungle Book.

Who is the audience for this film?

Boy George’s karma. Piers Anthony. Me.

What the fucking fuck is fucking fucking?

It’s good to look at it’s fucked to look at.

The domestic poster for Trading Places:

trading_places

Tagline vs. Tagline?

There are two taglines on the American poster, both of which feed the film’s concept. There’s jack dick on the Polish poster. Good, because words can’t help us in this day and age.

What other movies could effectively use this poster?

Enchanted.

Tomorrow: Indian murderer!

Day OneDay TwoDay ThreeDay FourDay Five
Day SixDay SevenDay EightDay Nine Day Ten
Day Eleven – Day Twelve – Day Thirteen – Day Fourteen – Day Fifteen

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Trading Places (1983) 116 min

A snobbish investor and a wily street con artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.

Released
06.08.1983 (USA)
Directors
  • John Landis
Writers
  • Timothy Harris
  • Herschel Weingrod
Actors
  • Denholm Elliott
  • Dan Aykroyd
  • Maurice Woods
  • Richard D. Fisher Jr.
  • Jim Gallagher
Genres
  • Comedy
Watch or buy now

Trading Places on IMDb