John Henry Alvin (November 24, 1948[1] – February 6, 2008)[2] was an American cinematic artist and painter who illustrated many movie posters.
the Extra-Terrestrial, Blade Runner, Gremlins, Spies Like Us, The Color Purple, The Little Mermaid, Batman Returns, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Space Jam, The Emperor's New Groove, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action.
[2] Alvin graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles in 1971[1] and began work as a freelance artist.
[citation needed] Alvin's first official movie art campaign was the poster for Blazing Saddles, directed by Mel Brooks, in 1974.
[1] For example, in the poster, Alvin depicts Mel Brooks, who plays a Yiddish-speaking Native American chief in the film, wearing a headdress inscribed with the phrase, Kosher for Passover.
[1] His work for such film studios as New Line Cinema, Warner Bros., Disney Studios and Lucasfilm, include Blade Runner, Cocoon, The Lost Boys, Predator, The Princess Bride, Gremlins, The Goonies, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, Jurassic Park, and Space Jam.
[2] According to John Sabel, an advertising executive at Walt Disney Pictures who often worked with Alvin, "There was a reason why The Lion King did the numbers that it did...
In later years, Alvin focused more on cinematic fine art as the importance of movie posters was usurped by newer forms of digital advertising.
[5] The book includes examples of publicly used artwork, as well as previously unseen paintings and sketches,[6] with a foreword by Jeffrey Katzenberg and commentary by Alvin's widow.