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Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars:-The-Empire-Strikes-Back

£495.00

“The Star Wars saga continues”…

Absolutely beautiful, original 1980 UK Quad film poster for the George Lucas sci fi classic sequel “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back”. This final release style features Tom Jung’s superb painted artwork with the alternative white and black title lettering and logo. An incredible image of Darth Vader (so pivotal in this instalment of the franchise) looming large over our heroes. Being originally rolled (as issued) this stunning unrestored poster displays and presents to excellent effect with deep rich unfaded colours. The finest example of this sought after title I have had the pleasure to offer for sale; exceptional investment grade condition and a fine addition for any collector of original movie posters or Star Wars memorabilia.

Year

1980

Size/Type

UK Quad (30" x 40") / Printed in England by W.E.Berry Ltd. Bradford, UK Quad / Single Sided / (30" x 40")

Country of Origin

UK / British

Condition

Near Mint minus -Very Fine plus; originally rolled (as issued)

Director

Irvin Kershner

Actor/Actress

Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, Carrie Fisher, Frank Oz, Harrison Ford, Keith Prowse, Kenny Baker, Mark Hamill, Peter Mayhew

In stock

Film Description

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Movie Poster

“A Jedi’s strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan’s apprentice”

Three years after “Star Wars“, creator George Lucas released the second part of his trilogy. Giving scripting credits to Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan , as well as directing to Irvin Kershner, Lucas made his smartest ever decision and as a result was able to release the finest film of the trilogy by a mile. Considerably darker and more mature than it’s predecessor, “The Empire Strikes Back“ is a masterpiece of modern film. It is an intense, powerful, entertaining film with the ultimate cinema twist and with a script worthy of it’s potential.

After the events of the first film, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) are now members of the rebel alliance. Hidden on a frozen planet, the rebels hide from the domineering glow of the Empire. All is not well however as the evil Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones) is on his way to find them.

Easily the best of the trilogy, “The Empire Strikes Back“ has so much going for it. A wonderful plot, an equally good script with some brilliant lines (even actor Harrison Ford joining in with a line or two of his own) and special effects to match, this film is a glowing example of why people love the trilogy so much.

Since George Lucas passed on the major responsibilities for this film, we are given a more professional, well made film for our attention and Lucas’s vision is better off for it. With it’s recent remastering, it is also the only film in the trilogy to not be damaged by Lucas’ tampering. Extra images are added, graphics are honed, but nothing major is changed. As a result the film appears to us to be no different from it’s original self.

Darker and more mature as well, this sequel is better than the original “Star Wars“ because it isn’t so black and white. Presenting the evil Darth Vader as a more balanced individual, we don’t quite have the confused Vader of the final chapter, but we are beginning to get signs that he isn’t quite as we expected.

This second part also gives us the finest performance ever by one of the universes most important characters. Still a rubber puppet with bendy ears, Jedi Master Yoda is introduced in this film as a creature of wit and intelligence. Voiced by Frank Oz, Yoda is brilliant because of his lines. Legendarily possessing of an obsession for splitting sentences up and rehashing them together, Yoda very often speaks normally throughout this film. Occasionally demonstrating his penchant for bad English, he does make a few minor errors, but ultimately it is up to the later scripts of George Lucas to corrupt Yoda’s style and turn this wonderful character into an annoying figure of fun.

There’s no real way to fault “The Empire Strikes Back“. The finest part of the original trilogy, this film is amazing because it is professionally done. Nobody would ever deny that George Lucas did something wonderful when he thought up “Star Wars”, but unfortunately for a lot of the films, Lucas always insisted on too much control. A dire writer of scripts, Lucas can destroy his films by making them infuriating to watch. In this part though, Lucas didn’t get involved and as a result, “The Empire Strikes Back” is a masterpiece in it’s own right.

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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.