"Rear Window", Original First Release Japanese Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, STB Size (51x145cm)
"Rear Window", Original First Release Japanese Movie Poster 1954, STB Size (51 × 145 cm)
Japanese title: 「裏窓」(Uramado — “Rear Window”)
Size: STB / approx. 20 × 58 in (51 × 147 cm)
Country / Studio: Japan / Paramount Pictures
First Japanese release: 29 January 1955.
Why this is a holy grail
Printed for the film’s original Japanese theatrical release, this first-release STB / tatekan is in a completely different category of rarity from the standard formats associated with Rear Window. U.S. one sheets are celebrated, blue-chip Hitchcock paper and they do appear publicly with some regularity: Heritage’s archive alone records multiple one-sheet sales across many years, including examples sold in 2024 and 2025. The first-release Japanese STB is another matter entirely — the sort of poster that can remain absent from the market for years at a time. In practical collecting terms, this is a once-in-a-decade find.
Design highlights
This is one of the most intelligent and visually satisfying Japanese Hitchcock designs. The towering format turns the apartment block itself into the poster: a vertical brick façade rising almost five feet, punctuated by open windows, balconies, pale green fire escapes, and carefully staged glimpses of the neighbours. The immense red 「裏窓」 title at upper left, the bold yellow vertical copy at right, and the applied red ビスタビジョン panel give the composition extraordinary graphic energy. Below, James Stewart with telephoto lens and Grace Kelly in lavender anchor the design, while the windows above create the film’s entire grammar of looking, spying, and piecing together lives at a distance. It is a rare case where the format does not merely suit the film — it deepens it.
Cultural impact
BFI describes Rear Window as one of Hitchcock’s most famous and best-loved films. AFI ranked it No. 42 on its original 100 Years…100 Movies list and No. 3 among the greatest mystery films in its 10 Top 10, while the Library of Congress added it to the National Film Registry in 1997. That stature is a large part of why first-release paper for the title has always been so sought after.
Condition
Excellent, and genuinely astonishing for a 1950s STB. This exact example presents beautifully, with rich colour, strong saturation, and exceptional freshness to the brick façade, titles, and portrait imagery. The top and bottom sections have been pasted together, which is entirely normal for surviving STBs and wholly in keeping with how the format was originally displayed. There are tiny pinholes to each corner, plus one small hole in the brickwork near the portraits / billing of the two stars; it is minor and barely noticeable unless inspected closely. The red katakana ビスタビジョン panel is an applied element and remains in place, adding period character and authenticity. Aside from that, only light, honest age wear is visible: very minor handling and storage impressions, a faint horizontal line where the sections meet, and slight edge and corner softness consistent with age. The reverse shows normal age toning and show-through. Overall, this is a phenomenal, museum-grade survivor of a format that almost never survived in this state. Please review the photos carefully, as they show the exact poster for sale.
Authentication
Guaranteed original; first-release Japanese STB / tatekan.
About STB (Tatekan) posters
Japanese STB / tatekan posters were tall standing-board advertisements, printed in two pieces to be pasted together vertically for cinema display, typically measuring around 20 × 58 inches. Because they were made for prominent theatrical use rather than long-term preservation, survival rates are dramatically lower than for standard posters. That is precisely why a Rear Window U.S. one sheet can be found at auction with some regularity, while a first-release Japanese STB stands as a far rarer and more important object.
A fantastic museum-grade piece of cinematic history.
*Please note the price is fixed for this item. It is not included in any of our periodic sales (e.g. Black Friday)!*
