“Dial M for Murder” (ダイヤルMを廻せ！), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release B2 Poster, 1954 Hitchcock 3‑D Suspense Classic — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm) ZA612

This is an original Japanese theatrical poster printed in 1954 for the first domestic release of Alfred Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder (『ダイヤルMを廻せ！』), the master’s ingenious adaptation of Frederick Knott’s hit stage play, starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings and John Williams. Shot in stereoscopic 3‑D for Warner Bros. at the height of Hollywood’s first 3‑D boom, the film opened in the US on 29 May 1954 and reached Japanese cinemas on 27 October 1954, distributed by Warner Bros. Japan.  Combining drawing‑room mystery, meticulously engineered suspense and one of Kelly’s defining performances, it remains a benchmark of Hitchcockian precision and is now widely acknowledged as a sophisticated, unnerving thriller.

Printed for that initial 1954 run and using Bill Gold’s celebrated key art, this scarce B2 (半裁) poster (approx. 51 × 73 cm / 20 × 28 in) is a superb example of mid‑century Japanese design reframing a now‑iconic western image. 

Why this example is extraordinary (rarity & market)

Japanese paper for Dial M for Murder is strongly sought after but rarely seen. Hitchcock titles such as Psycho, Vertigo, The Birds, Rope and Dial M for Murder are among the key vintage posters are actively searched for and first releases are ultra rare and command premium prices. Dial M is “one of the most popular” Hitchcock works in the poster and memorabilia market. 

Against this backdrop, an unbacked first‑release B2 surviving in such attractive condition as the present sheet is a genuine prize for Hitchcock and design collectors alike.

Poster design

The poster showcases one of the most admired images in Hitchcock advertising: Bill Gold’s audacious composition of Grace Kelly’s Margot sprawled across the sofa as the gloved assailant bends over her, while her arm stretches desperately for the black telephone — a design regularly cited among Gold’s greatest posters and singled out in surveys of Hitchcock’s best film art.

In this Japanese rendition, the upper half preserves the deep red background and chiaroscuro lighting of the original one‑sheet, with the small English line “ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S ‘dial M for Murder’” floating above the scene. The lower half is re‑imagined entirely for the domestic market: a dramatic white field carries the bold Japanese title 「ダイヤルMを廻せ！」, the scarlet block “M” anchoring the layout like a murder‑weapon sigil. Stylish black brush‑script characters tumble diagonally around it, punctuated by an exclamation mark that visually echoes the urgency of the phone call.

Running vertically at right is a suspended handset and cord, isolating the telephone motif as a graphic element and leading the viewer’s eye from the top tableau down into the Japanese credits. This elegant device also emphasises the story’s core concept — that murder can be triggered remotely, at the moment the phone rings — a point praised by Japanese poster commentators who note how the artwork daringly uses the attempted‑murder scene itself, yet operates as a clever visual misdirection rather than a simple spoiler. 

Japanese copy lines in teal across the mid‑section hail Hitchcock as a “giant of thrillers” and tout the film as a new expression of the art of murder, questioning whether a “perfect crime” can really succeed — language that mirrors contemporary Japanese campaign materials. The Warner Bros. shield appears crisply at lower right, with the Japanese distributor credit strip in rich dark red along the base, completing a composition that is both faithful to Gold’s concept and distinctly Japanese in typographic flair.

Film significance & context

Dial M for Murder occupies a fascinating place in Hitchcock’s career. Adapted from Frederick Knott’s play, the film is renowned for its almost theatrical unity of time and place — the action unfolds largely within one London flat — and for the director’s use of constrained camera moves and deep focus to build unbearable tension from minute shifts in blocking and perspective. 

Crucially, it was shot using Warner Bros.’ proprietary All‑Media 3‑D camera rig, making it one of the few Hitchcock films conceived for stereoscopic presentation. Contemporary reports note that the demanding dual‑strip system and balky equipment frustrated Hitchcock, yet the experiment produced some of the most subtly effective 3‑D staging of the era. Although the film quickly reverted to “flat” 2‑D exhibition when audiences tired of 3‑D glasses, it has since been revived in its original format and released on 3‑D Blu‑ray, where critics praise its precision and the unforgettable image of Grace Kelly fighting for her life in three dimensions.

Critically, it remains highly regarded: Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic scores cited in the Japanese film entry describe it as a refined, chilling thriller with a memorable Kelly performance, even if not always ranked among Hitchcock’s absolute top tier. Japanese commentators and collectors’ sites likewise list Dial M alongside Psycho as one of Hitchcock’s most popular suspense works and a key title for high‑end poster collecting. 

This poster therefore represents not only a superb piece of Bill‑Gold graphic design, but also a tangible artifact from Hitchcock’s lone foray into 3‑D filmmaking and from Grace Kelly’s breakthrough year (which also saw Rear Window and The Country Girl). 

Condition

Very Good+ on paper, unbacked, with attractive presentation and typical signs of careful display and age.

Overall, this is a particularly handsome, honest example of one of the most iconic Hitchcock posters and among the most coveted Japanese Hitchcock designs — an exceptional display piece that survives in far better condition than is usually encountered for a 1954 first‑release B2.

It is over 70 years old.
It is not a reproduction or later reprint, but an original 1954 Japanese first‑release B2 theatrical poster.
Certificate of Authenticity included.