“Blacula” / 「吸血鬼ブラキュラ」, Original Japanese Movie Poster 1973, Cinema-Used B2 Format, Trimmed to 51.5 × 71.5 cm J277

This is an original Japanese theatrical poster printed for the first Japanese release of Blacula / 「吸血鬼ブラキュラ」, William Crain’s landmark horror film starring William Marshall and Vonetta McGee.

This particular poster was displayed in a Japanese cinema and later cut down slightly when removed. It now measures approximately 51.5 × 71.5 cm, compared with the standard Japanese B2 measurement of 51.5 × 72.8 cm. Its used condition and reduced height have been fully taken into account in the price.

Film background

In 1780, African prince Mamuwalde travels to Transylvania with his wife Luva, hoping to persuade Count Dracula to support his campaign against the slave trade.

Dracula responds with contempt, imprisoning Luva and transforming Mamuwalde into a vampire. He condemns the prince to remain sealed inside a coffin under the mocking name “Blacula.”

Nearly two centuries later, the coffin is transported to Los Angeles and accidentally opened. Mamuwalde awakens in 1970s America, where he encounters Tina Williams, a woman who closely resembles his long-lost wife.

As he attempts to recover the love stolen from him, Mamuwalde leaves a succession of victims across the city and attracts the attention of pathologist Dr. Gordon Thomas and the Los Angeles police.

The film was directed by William Crain, with music composed by Gene Page.

The principal cast includes:

William Marshall as Prince Mamuwalde / Blacula
Vonetta McGee as Tina Williams / Luva
Denise Nicholas as Michelle Williams
Thalmus Rasulala as Dr. Gordon Thomas
Gordon Pinsent as Lieutenant Jack Peters
Charles Macaulay as Count Dracula

William Marshall gave Mamuwalde unusual dignity and emotional weight, presenting him as a tragic and intelligent figure rather than a conventional monster.

Blacula became one of the defining films of early-1970s Black horror and blaxploitation cinema. Its success led to the sequel Scream Blacula Scream and helped establish a wider audience for Black-led genre films.

Poster design

This powerful Japanese design combines photographic imagery with sensational hand-drawn horror graphics.

An enormous portrait of William Marshall as Blacula dominates the upper half. His head is tilted backwards, exposing prominent white fangs, while a wooden stake appears to pierce his chest amid an eruption of stylised red blood.

At lower left, Blacula attacks a terrified woman, his face emerging from the darkness as she recoils in a white dress.

At lower right, a group of female figures in purple cloaks appears alongside another dramatically lit portrait, expanding the composition into a dense montage of vampirism, ritual, and supernatural threat.

The jagged red English headline reads:

“BLOODSUCKER!”

The main Japanese copy reads:

「吸血鬼史上初の恐るべき
ブラック・ドラキュラ
戦慄の登場！」

Translated:

“The terrifying first Black Dracula in vampire history makes his chilling appearance!”

The accompanying text continues:

「ショック！血も凍る怪奇の世界！
美女の生暖かい血を求め
地獄からよみがえった悪魔の使いは
野獣の血をもつブラック・ドラキュラ！」

Translated:

“Shock! A blood-freezing world of horror! Seeking the warm blood of beautiful women, an emissary of the devil rises from hell—the savage Black Dracula!”

The Japanese title:

「吸血鬼ブラキュラ」

appears across the lower section in enormous distressed red lettering with a heavy black outline.

The result is an exceptionally vivid example of 1970s Japanese horror advertising, combining exploitation-style promotional copy, dramatic collage imagery, and one of the most important characters in Black horror cinema.

Condition

Good condition. This is a genuine cinema-used example with substantial signs of theatrical display, removal, and subsequent storage.

The poster was cut down slightly when removed from the cinema and now measures approximately:

51.5 × 71.5 cm / 20.3 × 28.1 inches

Condition points include general creasing, surface wear, tape residue, edge tears, and areas of paper loss, particularly around the lower corners and edges. The reverse shows old tape marks, and further evidence of its original display history.

The poster remains complete across the principal artwork and title area. Once professionally framed, it should display very well, with the dramatic imagery remaining the clear visual focus.

The condition and slightly reduced dimensions have been fully reflected in the price.

Reference: J277.

Please review all photographs carefully, including the detailed edge images and reverse, as they show the exact poster and its condition.

This is an original Japanese theatrical poster from the film’s first 1973 Japanese release campaign, not a reproduction or reprint.

It is now over 50 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.