Anyone who steps inside Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammetts West Coast home will find walls of horror horror movie paraphernalia, that is.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is a lifelong horror movie buff, and hes made it a point to surround himself with a wide-reaching collection of movie posters, props, costumes and more.
I feel very comforted in the presence of my collection, Hammett said. When I feel comfortable and inspired, I almost always want to grab my guitar and start playing whatever and however I feel. Having said that, in my house where all this stuff was on display, in the corner of just about every room, there was a guitar and amp just ready for me to pick up and start playing.
Theres an operative word there: was. This week, a huge part of Hammetts heart and soul went on public display at Peabody Essex Museum in Salem.
The exhibit is centered around one of heavy metals most legendary riff-masters. Its Alive! Classic Horror and Sci-Fi Movie Posters From the Kirk Hammett Collection runs through Nov. 26 and features 75 posters, along with movie props, statues and guitars.
This past Monday, the museum was closed as it is every week but recordings of Hammetts riffs echoed through one of the exhibit halls as Its Alive! curator Dan Finamore stood in the center of the vacant hall and looked over the work on display.
Kirk has been collecting this material for his entire adult life, and hes always felt that the artists arent given their due, that this material is much better than people give it credit for, Finamore said. Some of these are images that are burned into our brains and, for the rest of our life, well never forget that.
Walking through the display, the unforgettable face of Boris Karloff glares at the museum guest. At one point, the famed English actor depicts The Mummy (1932). He takes on one of horrors most recognizable monsters in 1931s Frankenstein. The actor later meets The Bride of Frankenstein (1935).
In another area, the peering eyes of The Invisible Man (1933) watch the guest alongside the lifeless eyes of the robot featured in Metropolis (1927). The unforgettable Count Orlok, meanwhile, gazes out between brick-encased bars in a poster printed in 1931 for Nosferatu.
When I started this process, I went to Kirks house and started to go through the collections, went through the drawers and saw whats on the walls, Finamore said. I realized I had seen a lot of this stuff before. This image I remember, that image I remember. It stuck with me so that speaks to the effectiveness of some of the stuff.
This is a visual culture of what many people are raised on and what they live with on a daily basis, he said.
But for Hammett, these posters permeate his life.
Crafting a collection
Jet-lagged after a border-crossing flight to Vancouver and hours away from playing with Metallica on Monday night, Hammett told The Salem News what launched his collection.
Ive been into this stuff ever since I was 5 or 6 years old, Hammett said, and I collected it as a child.
As he entered his teenage years, Hammett discovered music. He picked up the guitar by age 15 and, over the next 10 years, put every dime he could into his craft.
When I started to see a little bit of money here and there with the band, I instantly put it right into picking up where I left off (with the collection), Hammett said. I pretty much went right down to the local comic store and started buying a bunch of old comics and whatnot, monster magazines. I started getting a lot of the things that, as a kid growing up in that part of town, I could never really afford.
Eventually, the posters started piling up. They started lining the walls of his home, accompanied by guitars and amps. Movie props popped up everywhere as fast as his band notched on Billboard hits.
Ive had this stuff around me so much, and Ive watched the movies countless times, so I kind of live and breathe this stuff, Hammett said. It courses through my veins. It inspires and informs ... just my life in general. So, of course, my music is going to be inspired by this, too.
Several of Hammetts favorite posters have been made into instruments that scream out the legendary riffs of Master of Puppets or spine-crushing melodies of Sad But True, all to the ringing ears of tens of thousands of metal-heads at a time.
Its just another cool facet of how I like to just intermingle my horror aesthetic with my everyday life, Hammett said. The movie posters I love the most and love staring at the most, I put them on my guitars because it gives me the opportunity to stare at the poster while playing guitar, the ultimate in multitasking.
Several of those guitars are on display at Peabody Essex Museum, with the posters they were inspired by hanging nearby.
When asked how he felt about the guitars being on public display, Hammett said, the guitars are the least of my worries.
The posters, meanwhile, are a different animal. Every print is a fragment of Hammetts soul, every lithograph a piece of his life.
But Hammett wants the posters to be seen, he said. Through them, visitors can see American history the introduction of aliens in cinema after World War II brought the introduction of atomic warfare; the growth of women in cinema as clear as the feminism movement rolling ahead of it.
Its always been my thing to raise awareness, you know? And kind of acknowledge how beautiful and not just how beautiful, but how important culturally these movies and movie posters still are in this modern day and age, Hammett said. When I got the initial call that the Peabody Essex Museum was interested, I thought, Oh, my God, this means I can finally do this thing on a scale thats a bit more respectable, a bit more accessible.
Its a narrative about cinema from the late 1920s and 30s that Finamore was ecstatic to tell.
Hammett said that he doesnt expect every piece of the collection to jibe with the viewer. But thats art, he said.
It all boils down to what really moves you as a human being, Hammett said. Some people are moved by something as simple as art, the simplest art. Some people are moved by cartoons or comics. Some people are moved by butterflies. For me, movie posters; its all within the eye of the beholder.
IF YOU GO
What:Its Alive! Classic Horror and Sci-Fi Movie Posters From the Kirk Hammett Collection
When: Through Sunday, Nov. 26. Open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on the third Thursday of every month until 9 p.m.
Where: Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex St., Salem
How much: Admission is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, $12 for students, and free for youths 16 and under.
More information: 978-745-9500 or http://www.pem.org
Read the original post:
Oh, the horror! - The Salem News
- 'Immaculate' ending explained: Was the baby a demon? - Business Insider - April 2nd, 2024
- 10 Horror Movies That Would Have Ended Earlier If Their Heroes Were Smarter - CBR - Comic Book Resources - April 2nd, 2024
- Terrifier 3 director reveals they filmed 'most insanely horrific scenes' that nearly made lead actor vomit on set - UNILAD - April 2nd, 2024
- The Latest Stephen King Horror Movie Has A Killer Cast And Director - SlashFilm - April 2nd, 2024
- THE FIRST OMEN 2024: Release Date, Cast, Plot, And Everything You Need to Know - FANGORIA - April 2nd, 2024
- Sting Review | Excellent Creature Feature with an Emotional Backdrop - MovieWeb - April 2nd, 2024
- IMMACULATE Interview with Director Michael Mohan, Discussing the Making of the Film, Reactions to the Ending, and ... - Daily Dead - April 2nd, 2024
- Mood 'Windigo' - Book and Film Globe - April 2nd, 2024
- A 2016 Thriller Is The Top Movie On Netflix Right Now - HuffPost - April 2nd, 2024
- 10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching Beetlejuice, 36 Years Later - Screen Rant - April 2nd, 2024
- All the Horror Movies We Can't Wait To See in 2024 - The Mary Sue - April 2nd, 2024
- A Buzzy Korean Horror Movie Is Sneakily One Of The Biggest Box Office Hits Of 2024 - SlashFilm - April 2nd, 2024
- Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3 horror movie confirmed, after second film debuted to a surprise perfect Rotten ... - Gamesradar - April 2nd, 2024
- Fear Street 4 Is Reviving An Old Horror Trend That Was Perfected 48 Years Ago - Screen Rant - April 2nd, 2024
- Lisa Frankenstein Hides The Fact That It Cast The Real Star Of 2023's Viral $181 Million Horror Movie - Screen Rant - April 2nd, 2024
- Finally, Someone Confirms That A Sequel To HELLRAISER Is In The Works - FANGORIA - April 2nd, 2024
- We're definitely hard at work on: Hellraiser Sequel Promises to Be Even More Terrifying as Producer Vows to Take ... - FandomWire - April 2nd, 2024
- Future Chucky Movie Will Connect To The Series, Says Don Mancini - Screen Rant - April 2nd, 2024
- After Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2, Freddy and Jason Need to Cameo in the Poohniverse - MovieWeb - April 2nd, 2024
- Chucky Creator Reveals He is Working on a New Child's Play Movie: 'Whatever Keeps Me Working' - MovieWeb - April 2nd, 2024
- AI In Late Night With The Devil Sparks Controversy - Forbes - March 24th, 2024
- A horror movie based on a Stephen King novel with a disappointing Rotten Tomatoes score is climbing Netflix's top 10 - Gamesradar - March 24th, 2024
- This is why we're so obsessed with nuns in horror movies - according to the official source, a nun - Gamesradar - March 24th, 2024
- Stephen King reveals the one horror movie he couldn't sit through as he was too scared - UNILAD - March 24th, 2024
- Late Night With the Devil directors address the use of AI art in the film - JoBlo.com - March 24th, 2024
- David Dastmalchian on Late Night with the Devil, The Life of Chuck and Good Fiend Films - Kansas City Pitch - March 24th, 2024
- Welcome to the Poohniverse: Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey Team to Unite Pooh, Bambi, Tinkerbell and More in Low-Budget Horror Crossover (EXCLUSIVE)... - March 24th, 2024
- Late Night with the Devil is the best horror movie of the year so far - Yahoo Movies Canada - March 24th, 2024
- Sydney Sweeney 'wanted to be drenched in blood' in 'Immaculate' - Entertainment Weekly News - March 24th, 2024
- Film of the Week: 'Stopmotion' - The best horror film of 2024 so far - Euronews - March 24th, 2024
- How to Watch Immaculate: Is the Sydney Sweeney Movie Streaming? - TheWrap - March 24th, 2024
- THE FIRST OMEN: A Battle With The Devil And An NC-17 Rating FANGORIA - FANGORIA - March 24th, 2024
- Elevated Horror: The New Wave of Artful Scares Taking Over Hollywood - LRM Online - March 24th, 2024
- Late Night With the Devil Plot Explained: The True Meaning of the Movie - The Direct - March 24th, 2024
- David Chase is directing his first film in 12 years. Its a horror movie. - NJ.com - March 24th, 2024
- Us Was The Box Office Hit That Gave Jordan Peele True Power In Hollywood - SlashFilm - March 24th, 2024
- Cast of 'Gremlins': Catch Up With the Stars of the '80s Hit - First For Women - March 24th, 2024
- 'Immaculate' Review: Sydney Sweeney Is Wide-Eyed but Sly - The New York Times - March 24th, 2024
- Sydney Sweeney explains that bloody 'Immaculate' ending - Entertainment Weekly News - March 24th, 2024
- When Will Sydney Sweeney's Horror Film, 'Immaculate,' Be Available to Stream? - AOL - March 24th, 2024
- Blumhouse to Return Insidious and Other Titles to Theaters for Halfway to Halloween Fest - Hollywood Reporter - March 16th, 2024
- Every Movie In The Wrong Turn Franchise Ranked - SlashFilm - March 16th, 2024
- Blumhouse Celebrating 'Halfway to Halloween' With Five Horror Movies Returning to 100 AMC Movie Theaters - Bloody Disgusting - March 16th, 2024
- DeWanda Wise Sings Creepy Theme Of New Horror Film: 'Imaginary' - The Root - March 16th, 2024
- Hostel: Part II (2007) WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? - JoBlo.com - March 16th, 2024
- New LEPRECHAUN Movie Will Be Funny, Scary And Full Of Practical Effects - FANGORIA - March 16th, 2024
- Blumhouse Celebrating Halfway to Halloween With Five Horror Movies Returning to 100 AMC Movie Theaters - IMDb - March 16th, 2024
- The Horror Nail-Biter On Max With A Controversial Ending - Giant Freakin Robot - March 16th, 2024
- "Says the person who was in Madame Web": Sydney Sweeney is Getting Skewered for Saying Modern Horror Movies ... - FandomWire - March 16th, 2024
- First trailer for horror movie reboot The Crow features an unrecognizable Bill Skarsgrd on a bloody mission of revenge - Gamesradar - March 16th, 2024
- You'll Never Find Me Is Unforgettable Horror, See The Terror In Action - Giant Freakin Robot - March 16th, 2024
- The First Omen star has seen all of your internet theories about the horror movie prequel and, well, they're all wrong - Gamesradar - March 16th, 2024
- Sltface take on horror movies with their new single, 'Final Grl' - Dork Magazine - March 16th, 2024
- From 'Five Nights at Freddy's' to 'Imaginary': Why Blumhouse loves PG-13 horror - theday.com - March 16th, 2024
- The First Omen's Big Death Reveal Really Doesn't Bode Well For The Prequel - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- 20 Scariest Horror Movies to Come Out in the Last 5 Years - MovieWeb - March 16th, 2024
- 'The Animal Kingdom' Exclusive Clip Previews the Gnarly Body Horror of Magnet's New Movie - Bloody Disgusting - March 16th, 2024
- 'Oddity' Review: This Supernatural Horror Film Will Tear You To Pieces | SXSW 2024 - Collider - March 16th, 2024
- "Marketing is failing this movie tremendously": David Dastmalchian's Late Night With the Devil Dubbed as One of the ... - FandomWire - March 16th, 2024
- STOPMOTION is a handcrafted tale of beauty and horror - Moviejawn - March 16th, 2024
- Horror Lovers Will Love this Dining Spot in Texas - klaq.com - March 8th, 2024
- Is Late Night With The Devil Based On A True Story? - Screen Rant - March 8th, 2024
- Kooky King: 6 of the Weirdest Stephen King Film Adaptations - Nightmare on Film Street - March 8th, 2024
- The Unknown, the Viral Willy Wonka Experience Villain, Is Already Getting Their Own Horror Movie - IGN - March 8th, 2024
- 13 Original Horror Movies We Can't Wait to See in 2024 - Screen Rant - March 8th, 2024
- From 'Imaginary' to 'Five Nights at Freddy's.' Why Blumhouse loves PG-13 horror - Los Angeles Times - March 8th, 2024
- Imaginary Movie Review: M3gan Meets The Boogeyman - Mama's Geeky - March 8th, 2024
- Christopher Nolan Originally Conceived Inception As A Horror Movie - SlashFilm - March 8th, 2024
- 'Whalefall' Movie in the Works From 'No One Will Save You' Director Brian Duffield - The Mary Sue - March 8th, 2024
- Horror Movie Based On THE UNKNOWN From Glasgow's WILLY WONKA Experience In The Works Horror Movie ... - CBM (Comic Book Movie) - March 8th, 2024
- Horrifying 'Late Night With The Devil' Trailer Released - Outkick - March 8th, 2024
- Imaginary review: M3GAN, take the wheel - Dexerto - March 8th, 2024
- The Unknown: Horror Movie Based on Unofficial Willy Wonka Experience Is in the Works - ComingSoon.net - March 8th, 2024
- Imaginary Film Review: Light on Frights - Loud And Clear Reviews - March 8th, 2024
- Dead Mail Directors on Their '80s Horror Influences - MovieWeb - March 8th, 2024
- HORROR BEAT: Blumhouse offers a non-update on the future of THE EXORCIST - Comics Beat - March 8th, 2024
- And the Oscar for best picture doesn't go to ... horror! - NPR - March 8th, 2024
- Shaitaan OTT Release: When And Where To Watch R Madhavan And Ajay Devgn Starrer Horror Thriller Film - Indiatimes.com - March 8th, 2024
- The 'Wonka Experience' Is Being Turned Into A Horror Movie - UPROXX - March 8th, 2024
- 8 new horror movies on Netflix, Max, Shudder and more in March 2024 - TechRadar - March 8th, 2024
Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero