“Back to the Future” (バック・トゥ・ザ・フューチャー), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1985, Ultra Rare Horizontal B2 Size (73 × 51 cm) Q169
This is an original Japanese horizontal B2 poster printed in 1985 for the first theatrical release of Back to the Future (バック・トゥ・ザ・フューチャー), Robert Zemeckis’s landmark time-travel adventure and one of the defining films of the 1980s. Original Japanese posters for the film are highly collectible, and this is an especially desirable rare horizontal variant featuring an iconic still from the unforgettable “Enchantment Under the Sea” sequence rather than the more commonly seen standard key art.
Film background
Released in 1985, Back to the Future was directed by Robert Zemeckis and stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson, and Claudia Wells. Produced by Steven Spielberg, the film follows teenager Marty McFly, who is accidentally sent from 1985 back to 1955 in the DeLorean time machine invented by the eccentric Doc Brown. There, he must make sure his parents fall in love while finding a way back to his own time.
The film became an immediate international success and remains one of the most beloved science-fiction adventures ever made, celebrated for its ingenious screenplay, brilliant pacing, and enduring popular appeal. It launched a major franchise, but the original film stands alone as a near-perfect fusion of comedy, fantasy, romance, and suspense.
Poster design
This is a superb and highly unusual Japanese release design. Rather than using the standard DeLorean-based campaign imagery, this variant presents a full-bleed photographic still from the climactic 1955 high-school dance sequence.
At the centre, Marty McFly is captured mid-performance, leaning into his guitar during the electrifying “Johnny B. Goode” scene. Around him are Marvin Berry and the Starlighters, with the upright bass player at left, the pianist seated further left, the drummer behind, and Marvin Berry himself at right holding his saxophone. The sparkling tinsel backdrop and the large “ENCHANTMENT UNDER THE SEA” banner immediately identify one of the most memorable moments in the film.
The lower-left corner carries the bold red Japanese title logo バック・トゥ・ザ・フューチャー, with the English “BACK TO THE FUTURE” embedded inside the arrow motif. Above it appears the credit スティーブン・スピルバーグ製作 (“A Steven Spielberg Production”). On the far left edge is a sharp vertical red marker printed with 1955, anchoring the image to the period in which this scene takes place. For collectors, this is exactly what makes the poster so attractive: it is a scarcer Japanese horizontal B2 with a completely different visual identity from the standard theatrical release design.
Condition
Very Good / Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.
It is over 40 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
