"The Birds", Original Japanese First Release Movie Poster 1963, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) M146A

This is an original Japanese B2 poster printed in 1963 for the first Japanese theatrical release of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. Based on the story by Daphne du Maurier and released by Universal, the film stars Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, and Suzanne Pleshette. It remains one of Hitchcock’s most unsettling achievements: a work that fuses psychological suspense, natural horror, and apocalyptic dread with extraordinary economy and control.

Film background
Released in 1963, The Birds occupies a singular place within Hitchcock’s body of work. Rather than relying on a conventional monster or human villain, the film turns ordinary nature itself into an inexplicable force of terror. Set in the seemingly tranquil coastal community of Bodega Bay, the story follows Melanie Daniels as a series of increasingly violent bird attacks erupts without warning or explanation. The refusal to provide a neat rational explanation is central to the film’s enduring power. Hitchcock transforms everyday space into a theatre of anxiety, and in doing so created one of the most influential and disturbing horror-thrillers of the post-war era.

Poster design
This rare Japanese first-release B2 features a design unique to Japan, and it is among the most visually striking posters produced for the film anywhere in the world. The composition is built around a stark, minimalist field, punctuated by a vivid red square containing the kanji 「鳥」 (“bird”), from which the title radiates vertically in bold Japanese lettering. A flock of attacking birds cuts diagonally across the upper right, while a dramatic illustrated image of a screaming woman in green dominates the lower left, capturing the panic and violence of the film’s central premise. At the bottom stands a small full-length figure of Alfred Hitchcock himself, a witty but ominous inclusion that reinforces the auteur identity of the picture. The design is exceptionally elegant, balancing modernist restraint with sudden graphic shock, and is very hard to find.

Condition
Very Good to Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.
There is a tear that has been repaired with tape on the verso (not by us). Nonetheless, it remains a highly attractive and scarce survivor, and it will display very well once framed. We have taken the condition into account when pricing.

This poster is an original Japanese theatrical B2 from the 1963 first-release campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is over 63 years old!

Certificate of Authenticity included.