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Mad Max

£4,395.00

Film

Mad Max

Additional information

Year

1979

Size/Type

26.75″ x 40.25″ (68 x 102 cm), Orange Style, Australian One-Sheet / Single Sided

Country of Origin

Australia

Condition

Very Fine-Very Fine Plus / Originally Folded (as issued)

Director

George Miller

Actor/Actress

Geoff Parry, Hugh Keays-Byrne,, Joanne Samuel, Mel Gibson, Michael Preston, Steve Bisley

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“They say people don’t believe in heroes anymore. Well damn them ! You and me, MAX, we’re gonna give them back their heroes !”

It is true to say that the worldwide advertising poster campaign for George Miller’s 1979 cinematic ‘game changer’ “Mad Max” is special and presented here this original country of origin Australian release one-sheet film poster is no exception. Mel Gibson as ‘Max’ takes centre stage as black and white imagery is offset against a burnt orange background. It is a fantastic looking striking poster with a country unique design perfectly suited to the portrait format of the one-sheet. This orange version is considered the ‘Holy Grail’ of Mad Max film posters. When the movie was first released, they did not know it would be a big hit, and one-sheets with a predominantly purple background were printed and used. But more cinemas wanted to show the movie than there were posters, so an additional print run of one-sheets with a predominantly orange background were printed, but that print run is believed to have been limited to 75 to 100 one-sheets and each one is slightly different from the other. The orange varies in color from one poster to the next and how much of the poster has orange on it varies as well. Some informed collectors say that this orange poster was printed by the M.A.P.S. employees in the middle of the night, and there are others who think that the orange poster predates the purple one. After the movie continued to be hugely successful, a new one-sheet with a predominantly blue background was created (also available), and all three color versions are extremely desired by collectors, but this ‘orange’ style is the most desired of the country of origin one-sheets, which due to the limited number printed, rarely comes up for sale. This example presents to an a very high standard with the minimal of handling wear. Originally folded (as issued) this standout piece has deep, vibrant orange colour and stunning memorable imagery. An extremely collectable and rare film poster from one of the most genre defining Film’s ever made.

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Trivia: Mel Gibson didn’t go to the audition for this film to read for a part, he actually went along with his sister, who was auditioning. But because he had been in a bar fight the night before, and his head looked like “a black and blue pumpkin” (his words), he was told he could come back and audition in three week’s time because, “we need freaks!” He did return in three weeks’ time, wasn’t recognized (because his injuries had healed well), and was asked to read for a part.

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Film Description

Mad Max Movie Poster

“Taking place in a dystopian Australia in the near future, Mad Max tells the story of a highway patrolman cruising the squalid back roads that have become the breeding ground of criminals foraging for gasoline and scraps. When his wife and child meet a grisly end at the hands of a motorcycle gang, Max sets out across the barren wastelands in search of revenge.”

In spite of the fact that the 1981 film The Road Warrior—the second influential cinematic work of writer/director George Miller‘s Dystopian vision of the near future trilogy—leads to receive the anti-hero Max, released two years earlier, Mad Max is where it all started… For it was here that Miller first brought to the screen his hellish vision, where civil society is under siege by crime and disorder, with the strength and charisma of a new young, tough, good looking actor by the name of Mel Gibson.

Gibson was just 23 years old when he took the role of Max Rockatansky—a young hotshot cop so emotionally wounded—and was such an unknown star that when the film was hitting the screens in the States, the preview trailers didn’t even mentioned him but instead focused on the movie’s coolest and most original car action ever filmed… In retrospect, of course, Gibson’s portrayal of a relentless vigilante is an essential element of the picture…

In the Australian outback, Rockatansky is a motorcycle cop trying to keep order in a quickly disintegrating society… Vicious lawless bikers and road-raging psychopaths race up and down the forbidden territories, raping and pillaging the peaceful towns, and one such bunch ends up at the door of Max’s wife (Joanne Samuel), and their 2-year old son… When they are both lying dead in middle of the road, Max is all driven over the edge, and so starts a high-speed pursuit involving wild rides, chilling fights, and memorable fast-motion suspenseful scenes rarely equaled in cinema.

 

 

 

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.