“A Shot in the Dark” (暗闇でドッキリ), Original Japanese Movie Poster 1965, Peter Sellers / Elke Sommer, B2 Size (c. 51 × 73 cm) — T61
This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster for the 1965 first Japanese release of A Shot in the Dark, released in Japan as 暗闇でドッキリ. Distributed by United Artists, this playful design combines glamorous photography, cartoon figures and colourful typography to advertise Blake Edwards’ celebrated comedy mystery.
Directed by Blake Edwards, the 1964 film stars Peter Sellers and Elke Sommer, supported by George Sanders and Herbert Lom, with music by Henry Mancini. Sellers returns as Inspector Jacques Clouseau, investigating a murder in a wealthy Parisian household. Convinced that the beautiful maid Maria Gambrelli is innocent, he pursues the case with misplaced confidence as further deaths and misunderstandings accumulate. The film places Clouseau at the centre of the action, developing the comic partnership between Sellers and Edwards that became central to the Pink Panther series.
The upper-left photograph shows Sellers and Sommer sheltering behind an acoustic guitar, capturing the film’s farcical humour. Across the pale upper section, the oversized pink Japanese title combines traditional characters with elongated, angular katakana. A thin black arrow runs beneath the lettering before turning downward toward the promotional text.
The lower section is enclosed within a rounded blue-and-orange border against a deep black background. A large portrait of Elke Sommer dominates this panel, accompanied by a smaller photograph of Sellers holding her upside down. White cartoon figures introduce a further visual joke: a woman fires a pistol, with a dashed blue line tracing the shot toward a fallen figure beneath the colourful English title.
Blue cast and production credits fill the upper centre, including Blake Edwards and Henry Mancini, while DeLuxe Color and Panavision are advertised above the title. The United Artists logo appears at the bottom right.
The promotional copy promises:
「お色気ムード一杯に史上最大のドッキリ作戦！」
“Brimming with sex appeal—the greatest surprise operation ever!”
The combination of photographic glamour and mischievous graphic humour makes this an appealing example for collectors of Peter Sellers, Elke Sommer, Blake Edwards and the Inspector Clouseau films.
Condition: Very Good+, especially given its age.
Please review all photographs, including the front, reverse and close-ups, as they show the exact poster for sale.
Japanese B2 format: approximately 51 × 73 cm.
Stock code: T61.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
About Japanese B2 posters
Japanese B2 posters typically measure approximately 51 × 73 cm and were produced for theatrical display. Their distinctive combinations of photography, illustration, typography and locally written promotional copy offer a fascinating record of how films were presented to Japanese audiences.
