Cape Fear is a relentless, suffocating film built on the unsettling feeling that Max Cady is always there – and so much closer to the family than they realize. I designed my poster in an attempt to capture this unease. I want the viewer to see and feel Max in every inch of the page.
Doing super intricate illustrations like this is actually so fun for me. Watched Cape Fear a half dozen times and sketched and made notes, then took all those little ideas and tried to see where they could overlap. I remember showing my friend one of the early sketches that had Max chilling on the wall, that was also his tattoo, and it was also actually becomes his face and eyes on the house boat. I was so stoked cause I could see where it was going – she was just like yeah ok maybe that’s a thing, could you please stop buying olives and pesto and leaving them in my fridge.
The poster was designed for Gallery 1988‘s “30 Years Later” show in January 2021. Prints available here.
