“Alexander Nevsky”, Original Japanese First Release Movie Poster 1958, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) L283

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1958 for the film’s first Japanese release of Alexander Nevsky (アレクサンドル・ネフスキー), Sergei Eisenstein’s towering 1938 Soviet historical epic. Distributed in Japan by Towa Film (東和) and credited as a Soviet Mosfilm production, this striking first-release Japanese poster is a powerful example of post-war art-house and repertory film promotion in Japan, presenting the film with a bold, heroic graphic design fully worthy of its monumental reputation.

Film background

Originally released in 1938, Alexander Nevsky was directed by Sergei Eisenstein and stars Nikolai Cherkasov as the 13th-century Russian prince and military leader Alexander Nevsky, who unites the Russian people against the invading Teutonic Knights.

The film is one of the great landmarks of world cinema, celebrated not only for its political force and visual grandeur, but also for the extraordinary collaboration between Eisenstein and composer Sergei Prokofiev. Their partnership produced one of the most influential marriages of image and music in film history, culminating in the legendary “Battle on the Ice” sequence, a set-piece that helped define the visual grammar of large-scale battle scenes for generations of filmmakers.

The picture was widely acclaimed upon release in the Soviet Union and later became internationally recognised as one of the essential masterpieces of 20th-century cinema. It remains especially important for its role in the development of sound montage, historical epic filmmaking, political allegory, and film music.

Poster design

This Japanese B2 uses a stark, heroic, and highly graphic composition that captures the film’s monumental scale with exceptional economy.

The main field is dominated by a high-contrast black-and-white image of Alexander Nevsky in armour, raising his arm above a large shield. The image is austere and iconic, transforming the central figure into a near-mythic symbol of resistance and leadership.

Down the left side, the Japanese title is printed vertically in bold red katakana:

「アレクサンドル・ネフスキー」
“Alexander Nevsky”

At upper right, the Japanese promotional copy reads:

「世界映画史に輝く巨匠 S・エイゼンシュテイン不滅の一大叙事詩！」

Approximately:

“An immortal grand epic by S. Eisenstein, the master who shines in world film history!”

Across the lower portion, the poster shifts into a vivid yellow battle strip showing mounted and armoured troops in combat, directly evoking the film’s famous large-scale battle imagery. This yellow band creates a superb visual contrast against the otherwise restrained monochrome and black ground of the main design.

The lower billing further highlights the film’s major collaborators, including:

「世界音楽界の巨匠 セルゲイ・プロコフィエフ作曲」
“Music by the great master of world music, Sergei Prokofiev”

and

「ソ映画界最高の名手 エドゥアルド・ティッセ撮影」
“Photographed by the Soviet film world’s great master, Eduard Tisse”

The poster also credits Nikolai Cherkasov and carries the original TOWA logo at lower right, with 東和提供 / ソビエト・モスフィルム作品 confirming Japanese distribution and Soviet studio provenance.

Overall, the design has exceptional display power: austere, modernist, and unmistakably monumental.

Critical reputation & legacy

Alexander Nevsky is widely regarded as one of the foundational achievements of sound-era cinema. Eisenstein’s synthesis of performance, montage, choreography, and music had an enormous influence on later historical and war films.

Its celebrated “Battle on the Ice” sequence became a benchmark for cinematic combat and can be felt in later epics ranging from Henry V and Spartacus to modern large-scale fantasy and war cinema. Prokofiev’s score, later adapted into the concert cantata Alexander Nevsky, remains one of the most famous bodies of music ever written for film.

The film also stands as a major example of cinema functioning simultaneously as historical spectacle, national myth, and urgent political allegory.

Condition

Very Good+. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale. The poster presents extremely well, with strong colour, bold contrast, and excellent overall display character. There is visible age-related handling and wear consistent with an authentic 1950s Japanese theatrical poster.

This poster is an original Japanese theatrical B2 from the 1958 first-release campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is approximately 68 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.