This is an original Japanese poster printed in 1954 for the first release of A Star is Born starring Julia Garland. This poster is ultra rare and in a mint unused condition. It has never been folded and has no pinholes. Please refer to the imagery as this is the exact poster that is for sale.
This almost 5′ tall STB poster features breathtaking artwork prominently featuring the stunning Julia Garland. The tatekan STB format had much lower print numbers compared to regular Japanese B2s. They are very rare, especially for more popular film titles, and are highly sought after by collectors today.
At first glance, the image on this poster for the Japanese release of the 1954 musical is the same as the American paper. But if you look closely, you'll see that Garland is in a different costume, striking a slightly different pose. The detail of the image is markedly sharp and vibrant.
A Star Is Born is a 1954 American musical film written by Moss Hart, starring Judy Garland and James Mason, and directed by George Cukor. Hart's screenplay is an adaptation of the original 1937 film, which was based on the original screenplay by Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell, and from the same story by William A. Wellman and Carson, with uncredited input from six additional writers—David O. Selznick, Ben Hecht, Ring Lardner Jr., John Lee Mahin, Budd Schulberg and Adela Rogers St. Johns.
Garland had not made a film since she had negotiated release from her MGM contract soon after filming began on Royal Wedding in 1950, and the film was promoted heavily as her comeback. For her performance in A Star Is Born, Garland was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. NBC, which was televising the ceremony, sent a film crew to the hospital room where she was recuperating after giving birth to her son Joey in order to carry her acceptance speech live if she won, but the award went to Grace Kelly for The Country Girl.
It is the second of four official adaptations of A Star Is Born, with the first in 1937 starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, the third in 1976 starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson and the fourth in 2018 starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.
In 2000, the 1954 film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." The film ranked #43 on the American Film Institute's 100 Years...100 Passions list in 2002 and #7 on its list of greatest musicals in 2006. The song "The Man That Got Away" was ranked #11 on AFI's list of 100 top songs in films.
The artwork is phenomenal and the colors extremely bright.
It is 66 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
STB 20x57" (51x145cm)