“The Blues Brothers” (ブルース・ブラザース), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1981, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) S299
This is an original Japanese B2 poster produced for the first Japanese theatrical release of The Blues Brothers (ブルース・ブラザース), directed by John Landis and distributed in Japan by CIC. Originally released in America in 1980, the film stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as Jake and Elwood Blues and reached Japanese cinemas in 1981.
Film background
The Blues Brothers combines musical comedy, spectacular car chases, and a celebration of blues, soul, and rhythm and blues. The story follows Jake and Elwood as they reunite their band to raise money for the orphanage where they grew up, leaving an extraordinary trail of chaos across Chicago.
Featuring performances by James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Cab Calloway, the film brings together an exceptional musical cast. Its combination of deadpan humour, exuberant musical numbers, and elaborate automotive destruction helped make Jake and Elwood’s black suits, hats, and sunglasses enduring symbols of the film.
Poster design
This Japanese design transforms the brothers’ unmistakable appearance into a bold graphic composition. Oversized black hats and sunglasses dominate the upper half, with the pale background suggesting their faces through negative space. The approach makes the characters immediately recognisable using only a few essential shapes.
Across the top, the Japanese title ブルース・ブラザース appears in enormous yellow lettering against a deep blue background, with the English title underneath in purple. Fine parallel lines frame the composition, giving the sheet a distinctive graphic border.
Below, the brothers’ dancing figures appear above a spectacular heap of crashed Chicago police cars, combining the film’s musical energy with its extravagant action. Red Japanese promotional copy and green cast credits add further colour to the design.
The contrast between the simplified hat-and-sunglasses imagery and the photographic chaos below makes this a particularly memorable Japanese interpretation of the film.
About B2 posters
Japanese B2 posters, measuring approximately 51 × 73 cm, are a standard theatrical advertising format used for cinema display. This size gives the bold typography, graphic imagery, and photographic detail a strong visual presence.
Rarity and significance
Original Japanese release material for The Blues Brothers brings together the appeal of a much-loved musical comedy and distinctive Japanese poster design. This example is an attractive piece for collectors of John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, John Landis, music cinema, and classic American comedy.
Its combination of oversized graphic motifs, bright colour, and action photography gives it a character closely tied to the film’s exuberant personality.
Condition
Very Good+. Visible horizontal and vertical fold lines. Please review the photos, including both front and back—they show the exact poster for sale.
It is over 45 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
