Film
The Love Bug
1969 (1979 RR)
UK Quad / (30″ x 40″) / Single Sided / Printed in England by W.E.Berry Ltd. Bradford
UK / British
Very Fine minus ; originally folded (as issued)
Robert Stevenson
Buddy Hackett, David Tomlinson, Dean Jones, Michelle Lee
“It’s a Love-in for Herbie…the incredible little car who shifts for himself !”
Who would have thought that a story about a possessed magic car with a mind of its own would be one of Disney’s most popular film franchises, but when released in 1969 the story of little Herbie the VW beetle captured hearts and the box office…“The Love Bug” although originally released in 1969 it is the artwork from the Walt Disney posters produced during the 1970’s decade that were probably the best looking from any period. Offered here is an original UK quad movie poster from the 1979 British re-release with some stunning art by the very talented Brian Bysouth. A fantastic looking, visual feast of a poster with beautiful design and artwork, bright bold colours and stunning animated action imagery featuring the titular “Love Bug” and its cast of characters; a fantastic FUN poster. Originally folded (as issued) this unrestored film poster presents very well and is a fine example of rare and collectable original movie and auto memorabilia for a much loved and very popular Disney offering.
Click on the Brian Bysouth link for a great article on his work – Brian Bysouth’s UK versions of Disney Posters as an affordable variant for US collectors.
…more detail
Vintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria... read more +
The Love Bug Movie Poster
“Herbie Will Honk His Way Into Your Heart”
What if things really do have an inner life? What if the machines we take for granted as being under our control have an essence, a life force, a soul that needs only to be cultivated to be brought out into the open?
Mystic-minded hippie-type Tennessee Steinmetz (Buddy Hackett) argues that this is the case when his roommate, down-on-his-luck race driver Jim Douglas (Dean Jones) acquires a Volkswagen Beetle that frequently refuses to comply with its driver’s demands. Tennessee claims that the car is alive, and names it Herbie. Jim doesn’t believe this for a second, but that doesn’t stop him from using the car’s unusual speed to bring success to his previously undistinguished racing career. Meanwhile, Peter Thorndyke (David Tomlinson), the snobbish and hot-tempered owner of the dealership where Douglas bought the car, is having fits over Douglas’ inexplicable winning streak. A race driver himself, Thorndyke becomes Jim’s (and Herbie’s) primary rival, resorting to increasingly sneaky tactics to prevail on the racetrack. Jim believes his own driving skill deserves the credit for his newfound success, but finally comes to believe the truth about Herbie in time for the final climactic race.
By far the funniest and best of Walt Disney‘s Herbie series, The Love Bug is silly fun that’s still smartly written enough to be fun for all ages. The special effects are somewhat dated and primitive, but they suffice. It’s not easy to make a car show emotion, but here it’s done with surprising effectiveness. It also doesn’t hurt that as a car, the VW Bug has a lot of personality to start with. The human actors do well too; Dean Jones makes for a likeable hero, and Michelle Lee the love interest. However, the real comic gold comes from Buddy Hackett as the offbeat Tennessee, who in Jim’s words is `just in off a flying saucer,’ and David Tomlinson as British rival Thorndyke, whose angry outbursts are deliciously over-the-top without crossing the fine line into obnoxious overacting.
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
Registered Company No: 07664517
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.
