Grand Prix

Circa 1985 print run for John Frankenheimer's 1966 auto racing drama. For more information about Silkscreens click here

Grand Prix is a film about Formula One motor racing and the lives and loves of the drivers. Bass' stunning black and white symbol captures the tremendous thrust and power of the race cars that are so central to the dramas that unfold within the film, along with the visceral thrill of the races themselves. It encapsulates the name of the film within the pattern of the engine thrusts, adding greater visual and intellectual interest as the design reveals itself to the viewer. Into the negative space created by the racing cars moving upwards and to the left, seemingly about to exit the page, Bass insert only six words in clear type, announcing that this is a John Frankenheimer film and that it is filmed in Cinerama. Aside from designing the poster, Bass worked as a visual consultant on this film, designing and directing all but one of the race sequences.