“The Lower Depths” (どん底), Original Japanese Laser Disc Release Movie Poster 1993, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) ZA27

This is an original Japanese B2 poster produced in 1993 to promote the LaserDisc release of The Lower Depths (どん底, 1957), Akira Kurosawa’s masterful adaptation of Maxim Gorky’s classic stage play. A stark, compassionate portrait of society’s outcasts living in a dilapidated Edo-era tenement, the film is one of Kurosawa’s finest ensemble pieces—anchored by towering performances led by Toshirō Mifune and an exceptional Toho cast. 

Poster design

A bold, dramatic design that captures Kurosawa’s intensity in a single glance. The upper half is dominated by the sweeping calligraphic title 「どん底」, framed by the stark header 「黒沢明監督作品」 (“A film by Akira Kurosawa”) and the Toho mark—clean, authoritative, and instantly recognisable to collectors of Kurosawa material. At left, a large-profile portrait (in tense, shadowed colour) faces into a gritty scene of conflict and struggle below—perfectly echoing the film’s themes of desperation, pride, and survival. A particularly appealing detail for collectors: the gold text 「芸術祭参加作品」 (“Official entry / participant in the Arts Festival”) adds period prestige to the overall presentation. 

Condition

Condition
Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.

It is over 33 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint. Certificate of Authenticity included.