“The Legend of Lylah Clare” (女の香り), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1968, B2 Size (51 x 73cm) ZA1164
This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1968 for the first Japanese release of The Legend of Lylah Clare (女の香り), the American satirical drama directed by Robert Aldrich. The film stars Kim Novak in a dual role, alongside Peter Finch and Ernest Borgnine. It opened in Japan on 14 September 1968.
Film background
Released in 1968, The Legend of Lylah Clare is one of Robert Aldrich’s most unusual and psychologically charged Hollywood films. Set within the artificial glamour of the film industry, it follows an actress who is cast to play a deceased screen legend, only to become increasingly entangled in the myth and destruction surrounding that star. Combining melodrama, satire, Gothic excess, and a sharp critique of Hollywood mythology, the film has become an admired late-1960s cult title.
Poster design
A striking and highly atmospheric Japanese design, dominated in the upper half by a large, warm-toned close-up of Kim Novak, shown in an intense, restless pose with her hand raised near her face. This oversized image gives the poster a sense of emotional instability and star-driven fascination, perfectly suited to the film’s themes of identity, obsession, and performance.
A decorative blue-and-white ornamental border divides the large upper image from the lower section. At centre stands a full-length image of Novak in a glamorous white evening gown, holding a single dark rose, while a small inset still at right shows a more intimate outdoor embrace. The Japanese title 女の香り is rendered boldly across the lower left in an expressive teal calligraphic style, with the English title “The LEGEND of LYLAH CLARE” printed above in red.
The dramatic copy at left reads in effect: “Hollywood, the city of glory—swept away and consumed by swirling ambition and desire, another woman drifts there today! A unique and ambitious work in which master director Aldrich depicts a woman for the first time!” This text captures the heightened, feverish tone of the film and the Japanese campaign’s emphasis on glamour, danger, and psychological collapse.
Rarity and significance
Original Japanese posters for late-1960s Hollywood psychological dramas are increasingly difficult to find, especially examples with such strong standalone graphic design. This poster is particularly appealing for its bold colour contrast, elegant period typography, and its superb presentation of Kim Novak as both Hollywood icon and haunted central figure. For collectors of Robert Aldrich, Kim Novak, and darker studio-era Hollywood material, it is an especially attractive piece.
Condition
Very Good. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.
It is over 58 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
