“Patton”, Original Japanese First Release STB Movie Poster 1970, STB Size (51 × 146 cm) K358

This is an original Japanese STB / Tatekan poster produced for the film’s first Japanese theatrical release in 1970. Patton was released in Japan under the expanded title Patton Dai-Sensha Gundan (パットン大戦車軍団), approximately meaning “Patton’s Great Tank Corps.” Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and starring George C. Scott and Karl Malden, the film remains one of the most acclaimed and visually imposing war epics of its era.

Released in Japan by 20th Century-Fox on 27 June 1970, this exceptionally scarce two-panel poster is a spectacular surviving example of Japanese large-format roadshow advertising.

Film background

Patton traces General George S. Patton’s military campaigns across North Africa, Sicily, France, and Germany during the Second World War. The film portrays him as both a brilliant battlefield strategist and a volatile, controversial figure whose force of personality frequently brought him into conflict with his superiors.

George C. Scott’s commanding central performance is balanced by Karl Malden’s restrained portrayal of General Omar Bradley. The screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North drew upon Ladislas Farago’s biography Patton: Ordeal and Triumph and Bradley’s memoir A Soldier’s Story.

The production was photographed by Fred J. Koenekamp in 65mm Dimension 150, a rare ultra-wide process created for premium 70mm roadshow presentation. The poster makes this technological prestige a central selling point through its prominent:

“PHOTOGRAPHED IN DIMENSION 150 — THE NEW DIMENSION IN MOTION PICTURES”

branding.

Patton received ten Academy Award nominations and won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Art Direction. George C. Scott famously declined the Best Actor award.

Poster design

This spectacular Japanese STB uses the format’s extreme vertical proportions to transform the machinery and personalities of war into a towering cinematic spectacle.

The upper panel is dominated by a massive tank advancing almost directly towards the viewer, its cannon projecting outward to create a powerful three-dimensional effect. Soldiers charge through smoke and debris around the vehicle, while portraits of George C. Scott’s helmeted Patton and Karl Malden’s Omar Bradley anchor the foreground.

Across the upper margin appears the large red headline:

「空前の威容を誇る超大型映画！」

Approximately:

“A super-scale motion picture of unprecedented grandeur!”

The smaller campaign copy beneath reads:

「第二次大戦を勝利に導いた猛将パットン！その鉄の意志とあくなき闘魂を描く堂々3時間の凄烈な激戦史！」

Approximately:

“The fierce General Patton, who helped lead the Second World War to victory! A magnificent three-hour chronicle of intense battle, portraying his iron will and inexhaustible fighting spirit!”

At upper right, the vivid pink and turquoise Dimension 150 typography contrasts sharply with the dusty battlefield palette. The accompanying 「デラックスカラー」 inscription identifies the film’s DeLuxe colour presentation.

The lower panel is dominated by the enormous red-orange title:

「パットン大戦車軍団」

Its deep black and grey shadows give the typography the appearance of monumental steel armour. Beneath it, the names George C. Scott and Karl Malden appear in bold turquoise lettering.

The bottom section returns to battlefield action: military aircraft cross a smoke-filled sky, soldiers move through burning wreckage, and a tank crashes dramatically through water and debris. The lower-left corner retains the period Eirin registration number 45143, together with the original 20th Century-Fox studio marking.

About STB / Tatekan posters

STBs, or Tatekan posters, are among the most distinctive and desirable Japanese theatrical formats. A complete example consists of two separately printed B2-sized panels, each measuring approximately 51.5 × 72.8 cm, which combine to form a poster measuring approximately 51.5 × 145.6 cm overall.

The two sheets were designed to be aligned vertically for display in standing signboards, cinema entrances, pillars, and other narrow, high-visibility locations.

Because both correctly matched original panels must survive together, complete vintage STBs are significantly rarer than conventional Japanese B2 posters. Their dramatic proportions and large-scale imagery give them exceptional display presence.

Condition

Excellent. The two original panels form a complete, correctly matched set. The monumental title typography, battlefield imagery, portraits, and Dimension 150 branding retain excellent visual impact. Please review the photographs—they show the exact poster for sale.

This poster is an original Japanese theatrical STB from the 1970 first-release campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a modern reprint.

It is approximately 56 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.