“The Bodyguard” (ボディガード), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1992, B2 Size (51 x 73cm) N166A

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1992 for the first Japanese release of The Bodyguard, the romantic thriller starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. Directed by Mick Jackson and written by Lawrence Kasdan, the film became one of the defining popular dramas of the early 1990s.

Film background
Released in 1992, The Bodyguard follows Frank Farmer, a former Secret Service agent hired to protect Rachel Marron, a hugely successful singer and actress being targeted by an increasingly dangerous stalker. The film combined romance, suspense, music-industry glamour, and thriller elements, becoming a major global success.

The film is also inseparable from Whitney Houston’s soundtrack, including her monumental recording of “I Will Always Love You.” The soundtrack became one of the most successful film soundtracks ever released, giving the poster strong crossover appeal for both film and music collectors.

Poster design
A powerful Japanese theatrical design using the film’s most iconic image: Kevin Costner carrying Whitney Houston through a rain-slicked, chaotic scene, presented in a dramatic monochrome / purple-toned treatment. The image captures the core tension of the film: protection, danger, celebrity, and forbidden intimacy.

At the top, the Japanese star billing reads ケヴィン・コスナー and ホイットニー・ヒューストン, placing both leads prominently above the image. The vertical white tagline at left reads:

「彼女から目を離さないこと。命をかけて守ること。決して恋に落ちないこと。」

This translates as:

“Never take your eyes off her. Protect her with your life. Never fall in love.”

The lower section identifies the film as ケヴィン・コスナー最新作 — “Kevin Costner’s latest film” — above the large Japanese title ボディガード. The restrained design, limited palette, and strong single-image composition give the poster an elegant, almost noir-like atmosphere.

A well-known production anecdote associated with this campaign image is that the woman carried in the photograph was reportedly not Whitney Houston herself, but her double, with her face turned away beneath Costner’s neck. This adds an interesting layer of behind-the-scenes history to one of the most recognisable romantic-thriller images of the 1990s.

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

It is over 34 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.