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20,000 Leagues Under The Sea

£195.00

Film

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea

Additional information

Year

1954 (1963 RR)

Size/Type

UK Quad (30" x 40") Single Sided, Printed in England by S. & D. S. Ltd

Country of Origin

UK / British

Condition

Near mint minus – Very fine plus / originally folded (as issued)

Director

Richard Fleischer

Actor/Actress

James Mason, Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas, Peter Lorre

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“Walt Disney’s Mighty, Magnificent, Memorable 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea !”

This original UK quad film poster for “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” is a spectacular display of imaginative ‘Steampunk’ artwork. It beautifully displays the key elements from the book and the film and its landscape format perfectly suits with a design that is unique to this British 1963 re-release. If you are a Jules Verne fan, this is simply one of the best pieces of art you can get. Directed Richard Fleischer and personally produced by Walt Disney. It was the first feature-length Disney film to be distributed by Buena Vista Distribution company and is also considered by many to be a precursor to the ‘Steampunk’ genre, beautifully illustrated by the design of the aquanaut diving suits. Of course no movie poster for this film would be complete without Verne’s imaginative submarine “The Nautilus” which takes centre stage here. This rare classic Walt Disney sci-fi adventure UK quad film poster displays and presents superbly and is offered in excellent folded (as issued) unrestored original condition. A rare piece of original movie memorabilia for an extremely popular fantasy adventure film.

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Vintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria... read more +

Film Description

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea Movie Poster

“A ship sent to investigate a wave of mysterious sinkings encounters the advanced submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo.”

Very simply, Richard Fleischer‘s 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea is a gorgeous adaptation of Jules Verne‘s famous novel. This is an excellent adventure movie told with quite a lot of humour. Fleischer introduced humour in a few sequences and especially in dialogs. But the movie also includes a sadistic side. This sadistic side is epitomised by Captain Nemo himself. You can describe him as a despotic man who’s got a grudge against the earth that made him suffer. Moreover, he regards himself as a sort of governor of the ocean. In this way, Jules Verne’s novel introduces a reflection about man and the extension of his power thanks to the machine (the Nautilus).

Of course, the movie is supported by a dazzling performance. James Mason is an unforgettable Nemo. As for Kirk Douglas, well he said once: “I’ve made a career of playing sons of bitches”. It’s probably true if you study his character of Ned Land. But in parallel, Douglas makes his character funny and likeable. Then, Paul Lukas and especially Peter Lorre are outstanding.

No matter that the movie was launched in 1954, the special effects aren’t antiquated. Thanks to them, the movie could keep a certain charm and nowadays, it lets itself watch with pleasure.

TRIVIA: The iconic design of the Nautilus in the words of the Production Designer Harper Goff…“My idea has always been that the shark and the alligator were the most terrifying monsters living in the water. I there for combined the scary eyes of the alligator that can watch you even when it is nearly submerged….with the dangerous pointed nose and menacing dorsal fin – its sleek streamlining and its distinctive tail. The disgusting rough skin of the alligator is well simulated by the rivets. As Verne insists that the Nautilus drove its way clean threw it’s victim, I designed a protective sawtooth spline that started forward at the bulb of the ram and slid around all out-jutting structures of the hull. These included the conning tower, the diving planes, and the great helical propellor at the stern.”

 

Vintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria

Mint
A poster that has never been used or displayed and may show the most minor signs of age and wear. The poster should have no holes or tears.

Near Mint
A generally unused poster with fresh, saturated colors. May have minimal tears at folds. Has no significant holes, no paper loss, may have minor tears along edges, may have fine pin holes.

Very Fine
A poster with bright colour and crisp overall appearance. It may have very general signs of use including slight fold separation and fold wear. It may have pin holes or very minor tears. This is the highest grade allowed for a poster that has been restored either on linen or on paper.

Fine
A poster with good colors and overall clean appearance. It may have minor tears small paper loss and minor stains. It may have some fold seperation.

Good
An average poster with overall fresh color. May have tears, minor paper loss, minor hazing. Paper may be brittle due to age, may have minor stains. May have a small amount of writing in an unobtrusive place. May have medium or major restoration.

Fair
A poster with faded colors and brittle paper, showing significant signs of use. May have tears and paper loss. May have tape, writing, stains in image area. In need of restoration or had major restoration.

Poor
A poster that is worn, torn, and/or damaged. May have staining, cracking, dry rot, and/or large tears. May be heavily soiled, may have pieces missing. In need of major restoration.

All photographs and images used on our site are photographs of the actual poster/item you are buying, we do not use stock photographs.

Most Popular Poster Types

US Posters

LOBBY CARD
11 x 14″ printed on heavy stock paper. Used as display in theatre lobbies. Originally made in sets of eight. Some sets have a title card, which contains credits and artwork, essentially a mini-poster. The remaining seven cards are coloured photographic credits and poster artwork showing different scenes from the movie.

WINDOW CARD
14 x 22″ printed on heavy stock paper with the top 4-6 inches usually left blank for the local cinema owner to fill in the cinema and the date it was due to play. Largely discontinued during the 1970’s.

HALF SHEET
22 x 28″ printed on heavy stock paper. The image displayed is normally a smaller version of the main poster, although some do have different artworks and sometimes come in two versions.

INSERT
14 x 36″ printed on heavy stock paper. Inserts usually have the same artwork as a one sheet. Popular with collectors since they are smaller and easier to frame. Normally come tri folded or rolled.

STYLE Y/FORTY BY SIXTY
40 x 60″ printed on heavy stock paper. Rare since they were primarily used for major motion pictures only. Designed to be used outside the theatre, on an easel, normally at a drive-in movie theatre.

ONE-SHEET
27 x 41″ printed on paper. This is the most common size of poster, intended to be displayed in a glass “marquee” case. It is the most sought after size by collectors. Since the 1980’s most posters are sent to the theatre rolled and maybe slightly smaller measuring 27″ by 40″ and with the advent of backlit light boxes a growing number of modern movie posters are available double-sided and the more traditional single-sided.

THREE-SHEET
41 x 81″ printed on paper. These were printed on two or three separate sheets designed to overlap, few survive. Used for larger advertising spaces, normally posted on walls, perfect for huge movie theatres the drive-in, where people could see them from a distance. From the 1970’s on, three-sheets were sometimes printed in one piece and issued as “international” versions to be used abroad.

BRITISH Posters

BRITISH QUAD
30 x 40″ Most common poster size used in the UK. British Quads are horizontal and may have different artwork to the US one sheet. Like a US one sheet they normally come in two versions. Like a US one sheet they are usually supplied single-sided or more commonly now as a double sided poster.

BRITISH ONE-SHEET
27 X 40″, printed on paper. Very rarely used size.

ITALIAN Posters

ITALIAN LOCANDINA
13 x 28″ six inches shorter than the US insert, very nice size to frame. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.

ITALIAN PHOTOBUSTA
18 x 26″ Glossy, high quality, used as lobby cards in Italy. Size may vary, either vertical or horizontal format. There are also double Photobusta or mini Photobusta.

2-FOGLIO (DUE)
(DUE): 39 x 55″ This is the standard poster size used in Italy. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.

4-FOGLIO
(QUATTRO) 55 x 79″ Very large Italian poster printed in two pieces, often contains very beautiful artwork.

FRENCH Posters

FRENCH
47 x 63″ (GRANDE) or 24 x 33″ (PETITE) French movie posters normally come with different artwork to either the US or the UK. Like the Italian’s some of the artwork is extrememly beautiful.