{"product_id":"high-and-low-天国と地獄-original-japanese-re-release-movie-poster-1968-rare-early-reissue-akira-kurosawa-b2-size-c-51-73-cm-o538","title":"“High and Low” (天国と地獄), Original Japanese Re-Release Movie Poster 1968, Rare Early Reissue, Akira Kurosawa, B2 Size (c. 51 × 73 cm) O538","description":"\u003cp data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoriginal Japanese B2 theatrical poster produced for the rare early 1968 re-release of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHigh and Low\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, directed by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAkira Kurosawa\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, starring \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToshirō Mifune\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and distributed by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToho\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIssued just \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003efive years after the film’s original 1963 release\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, this striking design combines a tightly arranged photographic montage with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebrilliant yellow Japanese title lettering against deep black\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Mifune’s intense expression and the prominently featured telephone immediately establish the atmosphere of Kurosawa’s celebrated kidnapping thriller.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFilm background\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFirst released in Japan on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1 March 1963\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHigh and Low\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e adapts \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEd McBain’s novel \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing’s Ransom\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e into a compelling examination of wealth, responsibility and social division.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMifune plays \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKingo Gondo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, a shoe-company executive whose plans to secure control of his business are interrupted by a ransom demand. When he discovers that the abducted child is his chauffeur’s son, he faces a devastating choice between protecting his fortune and saving another family’s child.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe cast includes \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTatsuya Nakadai, Kyōko Kagawa and Tsutomu Yamazaki\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Moving from Gondo’s spacious hillside home into the streets of Yokohama, the film develops from an intimate moral crisis into an intricate police investigation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePoster design\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMifune dominates the upper composition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, gripping a green telephone receiver beneath a furrowed brow. Portraits of Kagawa, Nakadai and Yamazaki surround him, with the city stretching into the background.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA broad black panel divides the sheet. Across it, the Japanese title appears in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003elarge, expressive yellow brush lettering\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e「天国と地獄」\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Heaven and Hell.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKurosawa’s director credit stands immediately above in red. Below the cast and production credits, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ephotographic scenes from the film’s urban underworld\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e provide a stark contrast to the affluent setting suggested above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe printed announcement \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e「ニュー・プリント」—“New Print”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e identifies the poster’s revival context. Musical notation along the upper and lower borders adds an unusual decorative detail.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCultural significance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eearly Japanese re-release poster\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e represents one of Kurosawa’s defining contemporary dramas and a major collaboration with Mifune. Its juxtaposition of imposing portraits and crowded street imagery echoes the film’s movement between privileged domestic space and the city below.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor collectors, it offers \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1960s Japanese publicity for a landmark of world cinema\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, with a particularly commanding title treatment.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVery Good.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e The poster shows \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003esurface creasing and rubbing, edge wear and small tears\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003epaper loss at the bottom-right corner\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The reverse displays age-related toning, scattered spotting and marks, together with tape reinforcement near the affected corner.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDespite these signs of use, the principal imagery and vivid yellow title retain strong visual impact. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOnce framed, the poster will display excellently. We have taken its condition into account when pricing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlease review the photographs carefully—they show the exact poster for sale, including the corner damage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoriginal Japanese theatrical re-release poster from 1968\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, for the film first released in 1963.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003enot a reproduction or a modern reprint\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is approximately \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e58 years old\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCertificate of Authenticity included.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Japan Poster Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57562058719610,"sku":null,"price":168.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0424\/8859\/4591\/files\/Wallshelfwithornamentscopy2026-11-14-09-41.jpg?v=1794616875","url":"https:\/\/japanposter.co.uk\/products\/high-and-low-%e5%a4%a9%e5%9b%bd%e3%81%a8%e5%9c%b0%e7%8d%84-original-japanese-re-release-movie-poster-1968-rare-early-reissue-akira-kurosawa-b2-size-c-51-73-cm-o538","provider":"Japan Poster Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}