Tim League to auction off private Mondo collection to help pay Alamo Drafthouse staff

Prints by Aaron Horkey, provided courtesy of Mondo to benefit Tim League's archive auction.
(Image credit: Prints by Aaron Horkey, provided courtesy of Mondo.)

If you've been trying to find a way to help struggling cinemas while we can't go to the movies, Alamo Drafthouse and Mondo might have just provided the solution you've been looking for. 

There's no argument that the future of theaters is in question right now. The Alamo Drafthouse is certainly no different and, despite some questionable choices in regards to trying to open keep some cash flow, they're doing the best they can to ensure that their staff keep their jobs and their doors remain open when this is all over. Which brings us to the auction in question.

Alamo Co-Founder Tim League has been collecting Mondo posters for some time. The guy has thousands of the things, and he's partnering with Mondo and eMoviePoster.com to auction them off to pay Alamo staff and to help pay off some of the theater chain's COVID-related debts. 

Here's the quick breakdown:
When:
November 29th - December 13th
Where: eMoviePoster.com
How Much: Bidding on each item starts at $1

You can read the full details in the press release below, including a note from Tim League.

Austin, TX --- November 17, 2020 --- Yes, there is a basement in the Alamo, and it’s ready to open for visitors.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is inviting guests to Invade the Alamo Basement – an ongoing sale of Alamo Drafthouse and Mondo collectibles that kicks off with the largest and most comprehensive auction of Mondo prints ever. Drawn entirely from Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League’s personal collection of nearly 2,000 Mondo limited edition prints, the auction begins Sunday, November 29th in partnership with eMoviePoster.com. Bidding for each item begins at just $1.

"I love Mondo posters. I own quite a few of them and the interpretations of my films by the Mondo crew are a source of great pride to me,” says SHAUN OF THE DEAD director Edgar Wright. “It is clear they are in the middle of a very cool Venn diagram composed of huge artistic talent and a genuine love of movies."

The auction will begin at 5:00PM on November 29th and close on December 13th. Bidders must have a free account at eMovieposter.com to bid. Everything in the auction is certified original and in mint or near mint condition. Each poster will be meticulously inspected and graded prior to the auction by the eMovieposter team.

From Tim League:

“Cinemas across the country are facing extraordinary financial hardships. We are legally unable to open many of our venues, and where we can open, our capacity is significantly reduced, the product - the supply of blockbuster films - has evaporated, and our debt from accrued rent during closure continues to mount.

100% of proceeds from the sale will go towards paying staff of the Alamo Drafthouse and paying debt and expenses accrued during the COVID closures. These next four to six months are critical and the proceeds from this auction will help immensely.

If you are a Mondo collector, if you have a movie fan in your life who would like something unique under the Christmas tree this year, or if you have never purchased a poster before, we invite everyone to explore the incredible history of nearly 15 years of beautiful poster design in this auction.

We are also very proud to be partnering with our friends at eMovieposter.com. I’m a longtime buyer from Bruce Hershenson, and chose his company for many reasons. First, they take exceptional care with the posters they sell and quickly ship when the auction closes. But there are unique features at eMovieposter.com that Mondo collectors will also appreciate, namely that a bot or a sniping tool cannot win at eMovieposter. If you bid within the last five minutes of an auction, an additional five minutes is automatically added. The playing field is leveled and you will not be outbid at the last microsecond.

The other unique aspect of eMovieposter is that in over 30 years of auctioning, there has never been a reserve for any item. All posters begin at $0, and the opening bid is $1. If you’ve always wanted a specific Mondo poster but haven’t been able to get one, this is your unique chance.”

Alamo Drafthouse's history of creating special hand-silkscreened event posters dates back to early partnerships with then gig poster luminary and Mondo co-founder Rob Jones on posters for QT Fest and early outdoor Rolling Roadshow events like Cinemapocalypse. Later, Mondo Tees – the tiny iron-on T-shirt shop in the original Alamo Drafthouse’s ticket booth – began creating and releasing collectible prints that became highly sought-after, and revolutionized the film poster world.

Mondo’s reputation for graphic excellence continues with inventive, artist-driven designs for everything from the latest studio blockbusters to cult classics. That commitment to has led the company to work with a roster of world-renowned artists that include Aaron Horkey, Becky Cloonan, Francesco Francavilla, Frank Kozik, Jermaine Rogers, Jason Edmiston, Jay Ryan, Jay Shaw, Jock, Tula Lotay, Laurent Durieux, Matt Taylor, Olly Moss, Stan Sakai, Shepard Fairey, Drew Struzan, Vania Zouravliov, and many more.

Amelia Emberwing

Amelia is an entertainment Streaming Editor at IGN, which means she spends a lot of time analyzing and editing stories on things like Loki, Peacemaker, and The Witcher. In addition to her features and editorial work, she’s also a member of both the Television Critics Association and Critics Choice. A deep love of film and television has kept her happily in the entertainment industry for 7 years.