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Rasputin the Mad Monk / The Reptile

£1,825.00

Film

Rasputin the Mad Monk / The Reptile

Additional information

Year

1966

Size/Type

UK Quad / Single Sided / (30″ x 40″) / Printed in England. Stafford & Co Ltd. Nottingham and London

Country of Origin

UK / British

Condition

Very Fine minus ; originally folded (as issued)

Director

Don Sharp, John Gilling

Actor/Actress

Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Bernard Cribbins, John Richardson, Raquel Welch, Ursula Andress

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“From Hammer…THE HOUSE OF HORROR”

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The tagline says it all “The House of Horror !”…The first time this much used phrase was used on a film poster and it was to become synonymous with the Studio. “Rasputin the Mad Monk / The Reptile” was released as a double feature in March 1966 and ranks as one of the best country of origin posters ever produced by Hammer. Whereas both standalone quads were produced in single colour this double bill offering is rendered in full blooded Hammer colour complemented with stunning artwork by Tom Chantrell…it truly is one of Hammer’s and artist Tom Chantrell’s best and most memorable posters. Originally folded (as issued) this marvellous unrestored item has stood the test of time very well and displays to very good effect with beautiful deep rich dark colours and eye-popping graphics. In my opinion one of the finest examples of British movie poster artwork ever produced; a real personal favourite and a fantastic investment condition piece of highly desirable original film movie memorabilia that rarely comes to market.

Trivia #1: Roy Ashton‘s makeup for the creature included appliances created from a mold taken of real snakeskin.

Trivia #2: As a young boy, Sir Christopher Lee met the assassins of Rasputin (Prince Yusupoff and Dmitri Pavlovich). He also met Rasputin’s daughter, Maria in 1976. She told Lee that he had her father’s “expression”.

 

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Vintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria... read more +

Film Description

Rasputin the Mad Monk / The Reptile Movie Poster

“This poster promoted a double-bill that opened on 6th March 1966 and was the first time Hammer laid claim to the title…THE HOUSE OF HORROR

Rasputin the Mad Monk is the life story of Grigori Rasputin, told Hammer style. Rasputin was one of the most fascinating historical figures of the early 20th century. Christopher Lee brings the character to life as a wild-eyed filthy miscreant with an insatiable lust and otherworldly powers. Make no mistake, Lee is the whole show here. When he’s not around the movie feels like a stuffy British costume drama. But luckily for us, that’s not often. Lee hams it up gloriously. It’s one of his most memorable roles. It’s not a horror movie although there are elements that resemble one. Being that it’s from Hammer, there are also pretty women like Barbara Shelley and Suzan Farmer. The sets and costumes are nice. Don’t look to this (or any) movie for a history lesson. It’s a fun piece of entertainment that just happens to be based on real people and events. Even if you don’t normally like Hammer films or historical biopics, you should be able to enjoy this.

Made back-to-back with Plague of the Zombies, and using many of the locations, the same director, and some of the cast from that film, The Reptile isn’t quite as good as Hammer’s only zombie movie, but is still splendid fun nonetheless.
Ray Barrett plays Harry Spalding, an ex-soldier who moves to Cornwall with his wife Valerie (Jennifer Daniel), after he inherits a country cottage from his recently deceased brother.
Unfortunately, the Spaldings’ new life in the West country is far from idyllic: the locals are less than friendly (with the exception of Tom Bailey, the pub landlord, played by Hammer regular Michael Ripper); their new neighbours—Dr. Franklyn (Noel Willman), his beautiful daughter Anna (Jacqueline Pearce), and their manservant—are more than a little creepy; and some kind of extremely venomous creature is on the loose and claiming victims right, left and centre.
Don’t expect too much in the way of blood and boobs in this offering from Hammer: there is very little of both. What you do get, however, is a decent cast giving some fine performances (Michael Ripper, in particular, gets a chance to shine), some suitably atmospheric direction from John Gilling, and a memorable monster which, despite being kinda silly looking, is still pretty freaky.

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.