“Dog Day Afternoon” (狼たちの午後), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1975, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) N251

This is an original Japanese poster printed in 1975 for the first theatrical release of Dog Day Afternoon (狼たちの午後), Sidney Lumet’s heist-gone-wrong masterpiece starring Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning, Chris Sarandon, and James Broderick. Distributed in Japan by Warner Bros., the film went on to win the 1976 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (Frank Pierson) and remains one of the defining works of 1970s New Hollywood cinema.

Printed for the film’s initial theatrical run, this scarce original B2（半裁）is highly sought after by collectors of Al Pacino material, New York crime cinema, and Sidney Lumet titles—a superb vintage paper piece now half a century old.

Demand is driven by Pacino’s electrifying performance, Lumet’s gritty vérité direction, and the distinctively bold Japan-only layouts that differ markedly from Western campaigns.

Poster design
A charged New York street tableau dominates the upper half: helmeted NYPD officers, a news helicopter, and surging onlookers capture the siege atmosphere that transfixed America. The bold, fiery Japanese title 「狼たちの午後」 burns across the center, above a compact English DOG DAY AFTERNOON logotype. Below, Pacino’s wary portrait anchors the composition, flanked by inset imagery of Sonny and Sal with rifles in hand. Cast and credit blocks line the base, with the Warner Bros. communications mark completing the design. The layout perfectly distills Lumet’s balance of spectacle, tension, and human drama.

Condition
Very good / Excellent. Please review the photos (front and back); they show the exact poster for sale.

Please also review the close up images!

It is 50 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.