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"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126
"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126
"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126
"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126
"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126
"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126
"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126
"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126
"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126
"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126
"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126
"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126
"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126

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"The Crucified Lovers" (Chikamatsu Monogatari), Original First Release Japanese “Chihōban” Movie Poster 1954, Ultra Rare, Kenji Mizoguchi , B2 Size (51 x 73cm) P126

Sale price $1,250.00

A striking, cinema-used Japanese poster for 溝口健二 (Kenji Mizoguchi)’s celebrated period masterpiece 近松物語 (widely known in English as The Crucified Lovers / A Story from Chikamatsu). This is a scarce “chihōban” (regional) format piece—not the standard B2/B3 sizing—making it exceptionally hard to find, especially as a true theater-used original.

The design is classic mid‑century Japanese poster art: bold vermilion title calligraphy over a warm, textured field, anchored by an intense lead portrait and elegant kimono imagery—perfectly matching Mizoguchi’s themes of love, duty, and social consequence.

Film / Poster Details

  • Title (Japanese): 近松物語

  • Common English titles: The Crucified Lovers / A Story from Chikamatsu

  • Director: 溝口健二 (Kenji Mizoguchi)

    • One of Japanese cinema’s defining auteurs, renowned for elegant long takes, choreographed camera movement, and emotionally devastating human dramas.

  • Studio: 大映 (Daiei)

  • Based on: 近松門左衛門 (Chikamatsu Monzaemon) (original work credit appears on the poster)

Format

  • Type: Original Japanese cinema poster (theater-used)

  • Variant: Chihōban / regional format (scarcer, non-standard size)

  • Size: 51 × 67 cm (approx. 20.1" × 26.4")

  • Printing: Single-sided on vintage Japanese poster paper

Condition

Overall Very Good for a cinema-used mid‑century Japanese poster—displays beautifully with strong color and presence.

Noted condition points (please read):

  • Original fold lines and typical age/handling creases from theater use

  • General edge wear consistent with age

  • Minor surface soiling / toning visible in lighter areas

  • Small wear/nicks along the upper edge (typical of display handling)

  • Reverse: visible age toning, theater/distribution writing/marks, and areas of staining/old tape remnants (reverse wear does not dominate the front display)

(Photos show the exact item; I recommend zooming in for full detail.)

Why this piece matters

  • Mizoguchi + Chikamatsu is a dream pairing for collectors: a film rooted in classical Japanese drama, brought to life by a director famous for turning social constraint into tragic poetry.

  • Chihōban posters were utilitarian by nature—made for regional cinema display, used hard, and rarely preserved—so surviving originals are far less commonly encountered than standard formats.

It is over 71 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.

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