Silkscreen poster for John Sturges 1960 western. First and only printing, circa 1985. For more information about Silkscreens click here
The Magnificent Seven is a dramatic Western in which Mexican villagers hire seven professional gunfighters from across the border to protect them from the annual invasion of a gang of bandits. In this stunningly simple design, Bass used seven bold brushstrokes to represent the gunfighters, and to suggest the notches on the handle of a gun. The film is based on the Japanese film Seven Samurai, 1954, directed by Akira Kurosawa, with the brush strokes reminiscent of Japanese calligraphy. The near abstract forms dominate the design. The only additions are Bass' well-placed signature and the black type spelling out the name of the film and its director. The commissioning studio considered the design too avant-garde, however, and did not use it.