So last Wednesday I was heading to the center city TLA video store, yes, the very same TLA where I once overhead a yuppie on his cell-phone exclaim, "I'm at the movie shop!". "Movie Shop", my ass. It's a friggin' video store.

Yes, the very same video store where I once saw a girl eating Cheez Doodles leave bright orange fingerprints on all the New Release DVD cases. She'd plop a doodle in her mouth and then, before she reached back into the bag, would vigorously rub her thumb and forefinger together dusting the carpet with cheesy ashes like an overzealous Minnesota Fats chalking his cue.

If the above sentence has you thinking dirty thoughts, that's all on you. Yes, you in the last row...glasses, red blouse. Question? What movie? Oh,right, I was returning "The Party". The one where Peter Sellers plays an Indian actor lost in the wilds of an LA...well, party, actually. For folks who think actors playing outside their race or ethnicity is offensive, I submit the above performance as exhibit "A" in my argument for said folks stupidity.

So I'm walking past the Rosenwald-Wolf gallery on Broad Street (part of the UArts) and I suddenly remember...they've got a Richard Amsel exhibit! (This is why I love living in the city, I'd have forgotten all about this otherwise, and who wants to find parking?)

Amsel was a phenomenally talented designer and you almost never realize how many film posters the man did in his (relatively) short career. He was a strong undercurrent in the design landscape of the 70s. They have some gorgeous finished pieces, but the stars of the show are all the thumbnails and comps that are invaluable to process junkies and anyone who's studying design. I mean, when will you ever be able to see both FIRST thumbnails for the original Raiders of the Lost Ark poster AND the 82 re-release side by side. And then turn your head and realize the final pieces are nearly identical to the thumbnails. Mind-blowing.

The show only runs till May 14th, so I encourage anyone in the Philadelphia area to hurry up and get to the gallery. I'd leave the Cheez Doodles at home. They frown on that sorta thing at fancy "Picture Exhibitions."