December 13, 2024:
1995-96 Fleer #133 Brian Shaw
This is some freaky stuff.
The existential crisis Fleer was going through in 1995 has been well documented, and its basketball set was no different. A variety of motifs were used in this set, some of them being the supersaturated color switch filter close-up used as background as seen above. Brian Shaw was unfortunate enough to have been depicted as if by some sort of alien x-ray. It's kind of an off-putting picture, to be honest.
This card makes me think of the ways unsettling imagery placed within an otherwise benign medium can provoke a strong visceral response from a viewer. I'm thinking of the infamous Large Marge jump scare from Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Another instance that comes to mind is how that one lady gets turned into a cyborg with all the metal sticking to her face in Superman III. That's something I can remember scaring me as a kid. I'm sure there are other examples of "freaky inside normal, " and you're welcome to share your examples in the comments.
Those eyes.
ReplyDeleteCan't think of any examples off the top of my head... but that Shaw card is indeed freaky and worthy of this card-vent calendar.
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