Film
Dirty Harry
1971
UK Quad (30" x 40") Single Sided
UK / British
Near mint minus ; originally folded (as issued)
Don Siegel
Andrew Robinson, Clint Eastwood, Harry Guardino, John Larch, John Mitchum, John Vernon, Mae Mercer, Reni Santoni
The original UK quad film poster for “Dirty Harry” offered here is an extremely rare example from later 1971 with ‘red-style’ artwork that was only seen in the smaller independently owned cinemas in the UK provinces. This stunning original UK quad movie poster is based upon Bill Gold’s initial designs from the first release in early 1971 which had a bright white background; I personally think the RED is more appropriate and striking. Originally folded (as issued) this unrestored, totally original piece presents to excellent effect; the deep red background is truly vibrant with the other bold colours, deep & unfaded. Certainly the best example of this key poster I have ever seen, let alone have the pleasure to sell. Almost flawless in every way with only the very minimal handling and age wear…Clint Eastwood carved out a violent niche in the cinema with his portrayal of ‘Dirty Harry Callahan’ in this, the first in the popular series about a San Francisco detective who makes his own rules and this extremely scarce UK quad movie poster represents a fine piece of very collectable and desirable cinematic film memorabilia.
Trivia: (At around ten minutes) In the bank robbery scene (At around ten minutes into the movie), Harry enters a burger joint across the street from the bank. Around the corner from the burger joint, the viewer can see a movie theatre marquee that lists Play Misty for Me (1971). Clint Eastwood starred in and directed that movie, which was the first theatrical movie directed by Eastwood.
…more detailVintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria... read more +
“Dirty Harry“ might easily have passed for a popular tale of cops and robbers or, more particularly, cop and psychopath had it not been for the ruthlessness of Harry’s methods.
In this character, Clint Eastwood is the archetypal cop of the 1970s… He is unsociable, insensitive, silent without apparent reason, incapable equally of thought or of any human feeling, solving all problems with a blast from a revolver so heavy that it takes two hands to aim it… In fact, the reason why Clint Eastwood behaves so ruthlessly in “Dirty Harry” is carefully plotted at one point in the film: his wife was killed by a hit-and-run driver escaping from the scene of a crime, so he hates all baddies.
“Dirty Harry” supplanted suspense by action, tension by brutality, character by a bigger and better bullet.
Eastwood is a plain-clothes policeman who puts his faith in his Colt Magnum.44 and his ability to use it… He is ready to shoot down a criminal as arrest him… Eastwood brought the rude justice of the lawless West to the regular laws of the modern city… Perhaps his behavior would have been less controversial if he had merely been a renegade cop who broke the rules when roused by anger, but in the cool neon light of his superior’s office, he is evidently unrepentant about his behavior…
Eastwood had played “Dirty Harry” five times in the sequels ‘Magnum Force‘, ‘The Enforcer’, ‘Sudden Impact‘ and ‘The Dead Pool.’ Callahan is always in a situation where he has to be his own judge and jury… Harry always gets somebody who’s very lethal… In the case of “Dirty Harry”, it was a psychopathic killer… Callahan wants to get him off the streets so that nobody else becomes a victim… He is a man on the side of the public… He feels that the law is wrong and he should fight that or try to solve it… Harry is not a man who stands for violence… He is a man who can’t understand society tolerating violence…
Eastwood is reassuringly indestructible and in real situations he adopts the fantasy mastery of a traditional Western loner… He may be beaten up, but never beaten by the criminals or by authority.
Trade Address:
Vintage Movie Posters (UK) Limited
The Malthouse
The Broadway
Old Amersham
HP7 0HL
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Registered Office Address: Vintage Movie Posters (UK) Limited, Aston House, Cornwall Avenue, London N3 1LF GB
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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.
