"Picnic", Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1956, Very Rare, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) N247
This poster comes from a carefully kept private Japanese collection of 1950s–60s American cinema (including Rear Window 1954, Roman Holiday, BB, Hammer and Disney). The archive was stored in the dark for decades, so most pieces—this one included—survive in unusually fresh condition.
This is an original Japanese poster printed in 1956 by Columbia（コロムビア映画会社）for the first Japanese release of Picnic（「ピクニック」）, Joshua Logan’s screen adaptation of William Inge’s Pulitzer Prize–winning play, starring William Holden, Kim Novak, Rosalind Russell, Susan Strasberg, and Betty Field. Issued for the film’s CinemaScope engagement and full-color presentation.
Printed for the film’s initial theatrical run, this scarce original B2（半裁）is sought after by collectors of 1950s Hollywood romance and Kim Novak material—a superb mid-century paper piece now nearing seventy years old.
Why this example is extraordinary (rarity & market)
Japanese B2s for Picnic appear far less frequently than U.S. one-sheets, and high-grade examples are especially elusive. Demand is driven by the film’s iconic status (and the enduring “Moonglow/Theme from Picnic” association) and by the bold Japan-only typography.
Poster design
A dynamic small-town tableau: William Holden’s drifter Hal strides bare-chested across the foreground, jacket slung behind him, while Kim Novak’s Madge reaches up from the pier; the Labor Day crowd surges in the background. The massive scarlet Japanese title 「ピクニック」 spans the sky, with a black-and-white CINEMASCOPE slug beneath. “Picnic” appears in blue Latin letters at lower left, distributor credit コロムビア映画会社提供 anchors the base, and the classic Columbia torch lady emblem sits at lower right. The layout perfectly captures the film’s combustible mix of desire and small-town spectacle.
Condition
Excellent. Colors remain strong and saturated; paper retains great integrity. Please review the photos (front and back); they show the exact poster for sale.
Please also review the close up images!
It is over 69 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
