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Superman

£175.00

Film

Superman

Additional information

Year

1978

Size/Type

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

Country of Origin

UK / British

Condition

Very Fine Plus / Originally Folded (as issued)

Director

Richard Donner

Actor/Actress

Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Glenn Ford, Jackie Cooper, Margot Kidder, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Trevor Howard, Valerie Perrine

SOLD - this item is sold. Please browse our currently available stock

“The movie that makes a legend come to life”

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Beautiful “You’ll Believe a Man Can Fly!” imagery on this original advance teaser 1978 UK quad movie poster for Richard Donner’s ground breaking and much loved 1978 super hero actioner “Superman”…Cleverly designed and really quite stunning, Bob Peak has created a truly classic movie poster image. The huge and iconic Superman “S” dominates against a cloudy skyline with the streak of red (Superman’s cape) the representation of a speeding Superman. Presented in excellent unrestored folded (as issued) condition this superb rare example presents and displays very well, with the deep rich blues and reds. Undoubtably one of the best superhero posters ever produced and a fine piece of very collectable and desirable movie memorabilia from a truly inspirational and influential film.

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Film Description

Superman Movie Poster

“Live as one of them, Kal-El, to discover where your strength and your power are needed. But always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you… my only son”

Superman…He stood for “truth, justice, and the American way.” Ahh, to just think that this is the movie that started it all, ladies and gentlemen. Carefully adapted from the popular DC Comics character created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, Richard Donner‘s 1978 epic has stood the test of time to become the supreme superhero film. Alongside Tim Burton (“Batman“) and Sam Raimi (“Spider-Man“), Donner earned his place in cinematic history by becoming the first director to make a perfect superhero film. Superman is the most recognizable comic book superhero in history, and when Clark Kent (the late, great Christopher Reeve) rips open his shirt to reveal that symbolic “S” an hour and 11 minutes into the film, you know that it’s one of the greatest cinematic moments. This epic defined the superhero film, and in many years since its release, every subsequent comic book superhero movie is forever indebted to “Superman.” The plot (and what a plot) runs complete throughout its epic 154 minutes and believe me, there’s not a single wasted moment in the film’s entire running length. Of course, Clark Kent is sent from his dying home world of Krypton by his father Jor-El (the late Marlon Brando), grows up and works at the Daily Planet, falls in love with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), and must foil the diabolical plans of Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). Put simply, there will never be another movie like “Superman,” and who can forget those *cosmic* credits, the aforementioned “S” scene, the Superman and Lois date over New York City and later above the clouds, and that one, definitive climax when Superman lets out a painful cry that reveals that one glint of humanity that he’s earned from his time on earth. Reeve will forever be linked to the role that really made people believe he was a super man, even when he wasn’t wearing the blues, reds, and yellows, and was instead confined to the prison that’s called a wheelchair. But we know that he’s up there, flying high with the Almighty and proving to us all that he is who we believed he was. I love “Superman” and even today, I’m still touched by its magic, and deeply saddened by the real-life tragedies that have followed it.

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.