“Midnight Cowboy” (真夜中のカーボーイ), Original Japanese First-Release Movie Poster 1969, Very Rare, STB Tatekan Size (approx. 51 × 146 cm) ZA1233

This is an original Japanese STB tatekan poster produced for the 1969 first Japanese theatrical release of John Schlesinger’s Midnight Cowboy. Printed in two sections to create an imposing vertical display, this striking format gives Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight an exceptional presence. A memorable piece of original advertising for one of the defining films of American New Hollywood.

Film background
Voight plays Joe Buck, a naïve Texan who arrives in New York expecting to make his fortune, only to find poverty, exploitation and an unexpected friendship with Hoffman’s streetwise Ratso Rizzo. Their uneasy partnership becomes the emotional centre of a film about loneliness, survival and the distance between American dreams and everyday reality.

Midnight Cowboy won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 1970 Academy Awards, with acting nominations for both leads and Sylvia Miles. John Barry’s music and Harry Nilsson’s performance of “Everybody’s Talkin’” give the film its unmistakably melancholy atmosphere.

Poster design
The tall composition is dominated by the two protagonists standing in a weathered New York doorway. Joe’s black cowboy hat and tan fringed outfit contrast with Ratso’s dark clothing and cigarette, while peeling paint, stonework and the staircase behind them establish the setting’s worn urban character.

A yellow Japanese tagline runs vertically beside Hoffman, describing the loneliness concealed beneath New York’s glamorous exterior. Red English star billing leads into the black “MIDNIGHT COWBOY” title and oversized red 「真夜中のカーボーイ」 lettering.

Below, a smaller image of the pair on a stairway fades into the pale background, accompanied by Japanese credits and the United Artists logo. The elongated arrangement beautifully balances the commanding main portrait with this more intimate second scene.

Condition
Excellent overall. Displayed at the time, with a small area of paper loss at the edge and minor signs of handling and use. The poster remains very clean overall, with strong colour and an impressive presentation. The close-up photograph shows the affected area.

Once framed, this poster will display very well.

Please review the photographs—they show the exact poster for sale.

It is over 57 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.