Film
Custer of the West
1967
UK Quad / (30″ x 40″) / Single Sided / Printed in England by Leonard Ripley & Co Ltd. London
UK / British
Very Fine minus – Very Fine / Originally Folded (as issued)
Robert Siodmak
Jeffrey Hunter, Kieron Moore, Lawrence Tierney, Mary Ure, Robert Ryan, Robert Shaw, Ty Hardin
A rare find…Truly magnificent western artwork that has been perfectly designed to suit the landscape format of the British UK quad film poster. The imagery creates a wonderful ‘widescreen’ sweeping vista depicting Custer’s heroic ‘Last Stand’ at The Battle of Little Big Horn. The impressive unrestored original UK quad movie poster for Robert Siodmak’s “Custer of the West” offered here is from first year of release 1967 and displays & presents to very good effect. This unrestored, originally folded (as issued) example has very minor handling & age wear with deep, vibrant colours tones. One of only a handful of western genre titles that remains very sought after with its superbly detailed all-action imagery. A most desirable western genre poster that rarely comes up for sale and represents a great piece of original collectable cinema movie memorabilia.
…more detailVintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria... read more +
“The story of U.S. Army commander George Armstrong Custer, a flamboyant hero of the Civil War who later fought and was exterminated with his entire command by warring Sioux and Cheyenne tribes at the battle of Little Big Horn in 1876.”
As many have noted, “Custer of the West“ takes flamboyant liberties with the historical George Armstrong Custer and Battle of the Little Big Horn. This movie doesn’t pretend to strive for historical accuracy. The movie, with a decidedly European influence, consciously plays with the mythological Custer, who is widely regarded today as a rash fool, famous for almost flunking out of West Point, but a born cavalry officer. This Custer, with no historical support, is at times sympathetic to the Indians he must subdue, yet determined to carry out his mission. Among other matters, the movie overlooks the fact that Custer led an expedition that discovered gold in the Black Hills in 1874 — a gross oversight, given the anguished Custer presented here who reluctantly yields to harsh realities and allows miners to flood into the Lakota treaty lands.
The climactic battle scene at the Little Big Horn — mythologized earlier in Annheiser Busch beer posters, pulp novels and countless movies — is choreography, not historical depiction. The filmmakers’ point seems to ask viewers: What if Custer were a complex, sympathetic figure, a genuine hero trapped by historical forces beyond his control? Actually, in terms of historical context, the movie has a certain integrity. Still, not everyone will be able to suspend disbelief and ride along.
And yet there’s something compelling about this movie, at its heart an operatic spaghetti Western with a lot of good acting and high production values. The cinematography is breathtaking, with a lot of riveting action and tracking shots that keep the story, although ludicrous at times, moving engagingly. Not a small accomplishment for a work of dramatic entertainment never aspiring to be a documentary.
Trade Address:
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The Broadway
Old Amersham
HP7 0HL
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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.
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 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 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
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.
