“West Side Story” (ウエスト・サイド物語), Original Japanese Re-Release STB / Tatekan Top Sheet 1969, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) Q80
This is an original Japanese B2 top sheet from the scarce two-piece STB / tatekan poster issued for the 1969 Japanese re-release of West Side Story, the landmark 1961 musical directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, and George Chakiris.
Although originally designed as the upper half of a tall, narrow two-sheet display poster, this piece works beautifully as a standalone B2-format poster in its own right.
Film background
Few musicals have had the lasting cultural impact of West Side Story. Released in 1961 and adapted from the Broadway stage sensation, the film reimagines the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet in modern New York, setting the story amid rivalry, youth culture, and urban tension. With music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and unforgettable choreography, it remains one of the most celebrated musicals ever filmed.
The picture was a major international success and became a defining title of postwar American cinema. Its combination of romance, spectacle, and social tension helped it travel strongly overseas, and in Japan it enjoyed significant reissue life—hence the importance of posters from later theatrical revival campaigns such as this one.
Poster design
This 1969 Japanese re-release design is especially attractive. The composition centres on the film’s most iconic romantic image: Tony looking upward toward Maria on the fire escape, superimposed over a dramatic New York skyline. Along the bottom runs a lively band of dancing figures, bringing energy and rhythm to the sheet and reinforcing the film’s identity as one of the great movie musicals.
One of the most appealing features of this re-release version is the tall block of green Japanese copy at upper right, paired with the bold orange title logo at upper left. The result is a highly graphic, very Japanese reinterpretation of a famous Hollywood property—exactly the kind of crossover visual culture that collectors prize.
Because this is the top half of the original STB / tatekan, it captures the most important imagery from the complete design. In practical terms, it displays perfectly as an independent poster, while still retaining the character and rarity of the original cinema-door format.
About STB / Tatekan posters
Japanese STB / tatekan posters were produced for tall, narrow display areas in cinema lobbies and entranceways. They were usually printed in two separate sheets, top and bottom, to form one vertical poster when mounted together. Compared with standard B2 posters, they were generally printed in smaller quantities and were much more vulnerable to loss or damage after use.
As a result, surviving STB material—even as single surviving sheets—is often significantly scarcer than standard-format theatrical paper. That is especially true for internationally beloved classics such as West Side Story.
Condition
Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.
This poster presents very well overall, with strong colour, clean imagery, and excellent wall presence.
It is over 57 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
