{"product_id":"high-and-low-天国と地獄-original-japanese-re-release-speed-movie-poster-1968-rare-format-c-26-73-cm-n102a","title":"“High and Low” (天国と地獄), Original Japanese Re-Release Speed Movie Poster 1968, Rare Format (c. 26 × 73 cm) N102A","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoriginal Japanese speed poster printed for the 1968 theatrical re-release \/ “New Print” campaign\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHigh and Low\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (天国と地獄), Akira Kurosawa’s landmark crime thriller. Originally released in 1963 and based on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEd McBain’s\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e novel \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing’s Ransom\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the film stars \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToshirō Mifune\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTatsuya Nakadai\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKyōko Kagawa\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTatsuya Mihashi\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTsutomu Yamazaki\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an exceptionally rare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eslim vertical speed-poster format\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, measuring approximately \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e26 × 73 cm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and is especially desirable because it uses a stark, typography-led design rather than conventional photographic stills or illustrated character imagery.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFilm background\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHigh and Low\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is one of Kurosawa’s greatest modern dramas: a tightly constructed kidnapping thriller that begins as a moral crisis inside an executive’s hilltop home before descending into the heat, poverty, and desperation of Yokohama’s lower city. Mifune plays \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKingo Gondo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, a wealthy shoe-company executive forced into an impossible decision when a kidnapping plot mistakenly targets his chauffeur’s son instead of his own.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe film is celebrated for its extraordinary structure, shifting from chamber drama to police procedural to urban noir. Its Japanese title \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e天国と地獄\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — literally \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Heaven and Hell”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — perfectly captures the film’s social contrast between wealth and poverty, privilege and desperation, moral idealism and criminal violence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePoster design\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis speed poster is a superb example of late-1960s Japanese re-release design. The composition relies almost entirely on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eforceful typography\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: a deep black background is cut by enormous yellow brush-calligraphy spelling the title \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e天国と地獄\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, running vertically down the centre with tremendous graphic impact. The raw brushwork gives the poster a sense of urgency, violence, and psychological pressure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTo the right, bold red vertical text reads \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e黒沢明監督作品\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“A film directed by Akira Kurosawa.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e This director-focused presentation reflects Kurosawa’s prestige by the late 1960s, when his earlier works were being reintroduced to audiences through official revival screenings and “new print” campaigns.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe left side lists the major cast in clean white vertical type, including \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToshirō Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Kyōko Kagawa, Tsutomu Yamazaki,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTatsuya Mihashi\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Near the centre-left, the small bracketed text \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e〈ニュー・プリント〉\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e identifies this as a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNew Print\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e theatrical re-release poster. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToho\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e roundel appears at upper left, with the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEirin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e approval mark at lower left and Toho distribution credits printed at lower right.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe overall effect is austere and commanding: a poster that communicates Kurosawa’s authority and the film’s moral extremity through graphic discipline alone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAbout the format\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJapanese \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003espeed posters\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e were narrow theatrical advertisements designed for quick, high-visibility display in cinema approaches, theatre-front speed frames, station areas, narrow walls, and other compact promotional spaces. Their slim format allowed them to be read instantly from a distance, often in crowded urban environments.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBecause they were short-term public display items, speed posters were frequently folded, pinned, taped, pasted, handled, or discarded. Surviving examples for major Kurosawa titles are therefore considerably scarcer than standard B2 posters, especially in strong displayable condition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExcellent vintage condition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlease review the photos; they show the exact poster for sale.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoriginal Japanese theatrical speed poster from the 1968 “New Print” re-release campaign\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003enot a reproduction or a reprint\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eover 58 years old!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\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":56953459179898,"sku":null,"price":200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0424\/8859\/4591\/files\/wall-shelf-with-ornaments-2026-06-06T164152.200.jpg?v=1780731731","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-speed-movie-poster-1968-rare-format-c-26-73-cm-n102a","provider":"Japan Poster Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}