“Silkwood” / 「シルクウッド」, Original Japanese Movie Poster 1984, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) ZA944

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed for the 1984 Japanese release of Silkwood / 「シルクウッド」, the acclaimed biographical drama directed by Mike Nichols and starring Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell, and Cher.

Based on the life of Karen Silkwood, the film is one of the major American social-issue dramas of the 1980s: serious, politically charged, and anchored by powerful performances. This Japanese poster is especially striking for its bold graphic treatment, combining photographic realism, newspaper imagery, and sharp red slashes across the background.

Film background
Originally released in 1983, Silkwood follows Karen Silkwood, a worker at a plutonium processing plant who becomes increasingly alarmed by unsafe working conditions and corporate negligence. As she begins gathering evidence and speaking out, the story moves toward the unresolved circumstances surrounding her death in a car crash while reportedly en route to deliver documents to a journalist.

Directed by Mike Nichols, with a screenplay by Nora Ephron and Alice Arlen, the film received major critical recognition. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Actress for Meryl Streep, and Best Supporting Actress for Cher. Cher also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.

Poster design
The Japanese design is severe, modern, and highly effective. The central image shows Meryl Streep as Karen Silkwood in a white protective plant uniform, holding a radiation respirator mask under her arm. Her upward expression gives the poster a strong sense of unease, investigation, and moral urgency.

Behind her is a dark collage of English-language newspaper text relating to the Silkwood case, cut through by sharp red lightning-like slashes. This gives the design the feeling of a dossier, a warning, and a cover-up being torn open.

The vertical Japanese copy on the right reads:

「その事件は、シルクウッド・シンドロームと呼ばれ、忘れられる事がない。」
“That incident was called the Silkwood Syndrome, and it will never be forgotten.”

The title 「シルクウッド」 stretches across the top in large blue and red katakana, giving the poster immediate graphic force. The lower right contains the principal billing and credits, including Mike Nichols, Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell, and Cher.

Release note
This poster was printed for the film’s original Japanese theatrical release campaign.

It is an original period Japanese cinema poster, not a later reproduction or commercial reprint.

Condition
Excellent condition. A very attractive example, with strong colour, clean central imagery, bold title typography, and excellent overall display impact.

There are light signs of age and handling consistent with an original theatrical poster of this period, but overall it presents very well.

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

This is an original 1984 Japanese theatrical poster.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is now over 40 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.