“Ravenous” (ラビナス), Original First Release Japanese Movie Poster 1999, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) ZA686

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1999 for the first Japanese release of Ravenous (ラビナス), the cult horror-western directed by Antonia Bird and starring Guy Pearce, Robert Carlyle, Jeremy Davies, Jeffrey Jones, and David Arquette.

Now widely regarded as one of the most distinctive horror films of the late 1990s, Ravenous has built a formidable cult reputation for its unsettling blend of frontier survival story, black comedy, psychological horror, and cannibal folklore. Although it underperformed commercially on its original release, its reputation has grown steadily over time, and it is now admired for its originality, tonal daring, and deeply unusual atmosphere. The Japanese poster captures that macabre identity beautifully, presenting the film in a stark and memorable visual form.

Film background
Released in 1999, Ravenous is set during the Mexican-American War era and follows Captain John Boyd (Guy Pearce), a disgraced U.S. Army officer reassigned to a remote military outpost in the Sierra Nevada. There he encounters a mysterious survivor, played by Robert Carlyle, whose terrible account of starvation and cannibalism leads the story into increasingly disturbing territory.

What begins as a bleak frontier drama develops into a strange and deeply unsettling tale of hunger, violence, supernatural suggestion, and moral collapse, drawing on the legend of the Wendigo, in which the consumption of human flesh brings monstrous power and an insatiable appetite. In the years since its release, the film has become especially celebrated for its pitch-black humour, violent intensity, and its extraordinary score by Michael Nyman and Damon Albarn, one of the most unusual soundtracks in modern horror cinema.

Poster design
The Japanese poster has an eerily restrained and highly atmospheric design. Dominating the composition is a bleak, smoky background rendered in muted grey-green tones, creating an immediate sense of dread. Emerging from a foreground heap of human skulls and skeletal remains are three pale, disembodied heads—those of Robert Carlyle, Guy Pearce, and David Arquette—their expressions suspended between shock, menace, and exhaustion.

At the top, the cast names appear in red against the dark sky, while the main Japanese title 「ラビナス」 is rendered in a jagged, blood-red type that sits prominently across the upper third of the sheet. Beneath it appears the chilling tagline: 「血もしたたる恐怖の味。」, which translates roughly as “The taste of blood-dripping terror.” At the bottom, the English title RAVENOUS appears in bold red lettering above the credits block, completing a design that is both stark and highly effective. The overall effect is morbid, surreal, and unmistakably cult in tone.

Condition
Excellent condition. A highly attractive example, with strong colour, clean presentation, and excellent overall display presence.

Please review the photograph carefully, as it shows the exact poster for sale.

This is an original Japanese theatrical poster.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is now over 25 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.