“The Damned” / 「地獄に堕ちた勇者ども」, Original Japanese Movie Poster 1970, STB Tatekan Size (51 × 145 cm) T128

This is an original Japanese STB / tatekan theatrical poster issued for the 1970 Japanese release of The Damned / 「地獄に堕ちた勇者ども」, directed by Luchino Visconti and starring Dirk Bogarde, Ingrid Thulin, Helmut Berger, and Helmut Griem.

Originally produced in 1969, the film opened in Japanese cinemas on 11 April 1970, distributed by Warner Bros.

The tall composition combines imposing political imagery, scenes of violence and decadence, and enormous orange-red Japanese lettering. Its extended format gives the design considerable visual impact.

Film background

Known in Italian as La caduta degli dei, The Damned examines the relationship between private ambition, industrial wealth, and the rise of Nazism.

The story begins in Germany in 1933, following the wealthy von Essenbeck family, whose steelworks make them strategically important to the emerging regime.

Following the murder of the family patriarch, control of the business becomes the subject of a bitter struggle. Sophie, played by Ingrid Thulin, and her lover Friedrich, played by Dirk Bogarde, attempt to secure their position through manipulation and political collaboration.

Sophie’s son Martin, played by Helmut Berger, becomes increasingly central to the family’s downfall. Meanwhile, the SS officer Aschenbach, played by Helmut Griem, exploits their rivalries to advance the regime’s interests.

Visconti presents the destruction of the family as part of a wider collapse of moral and political order. Lavish interiors, theatrical performances, and episodes of brutality give the film its unsettling atmosphere.

The principal cast includes:

Dirk Bogarde
Ingrid Thulin
Helmut Berger
Helmut Griem
Charlotte Rampling
Umberto Orsini
Renaud Verley
Florinda Bolkan

The screenplay was written by Nicola Badalucco, Enrico Medioli, and Luchino Visconti, with music by Maurice Jarre and cinematography by Armando Nannuzzi and Pasqualino De Santis.

The film begins Visconti’s frequently described “German trilogy”, followed by Death in Venice and Ludwig.

Poster design

The Japanese design uses the height of the tatekan format to arrange its imagery in three distinct stages: political domination above, the title through the centre, and scenes of decadence below.

A huge Nazi flag occupies the upper section. Its black symbol, pale circular field, and red fabric establish the historical setting with stark visual force.

Beneath it, an explosion tears through a street scene, surrounded by armed uniformed figures. The bright burst of orange and yellow contrasts sharply with the dark foreground, connecting the flag above with the violence depicted below.

The central black field is dominated by the enormous Japanese title:

「地獄に堕ちた勇者ども」

Its orange-red characters run vertically in two columns, giving the lengthy title both prominence and a strong rhythm across the composition.

White cast credits occupy the right side, while yellow and white promotional text runs down the left.

One prominent line reads:

「巨匠ビスコンティが激情で描いた壮大な血の交響楽！」

Translated:

“A grand symphony of blood, depicted with passionate intensity by master filmmaker Visconti!”

The lower section introduces a crowded interior scene with reclining figures and Nazi insignia. Beside it stands Helmut Berger as Martin, wearing a top hat, dark stage costume, stockings, and a pale feather boa.

This image refers to Martin’s Marlene Dietrich-inspired cabaret performance, one of the film’s most recognisable sequences.

The English title “THE DAMNED” and Warner Bros. distribution credit appear along the bottom margin.

Issued in two printed sections, the STB / tatekan format forms an approximately 51 × 145 cm vertical display. Here, that height allows the flag, title, and character imagery to retain their individual scale within a continuous composition.

Condition

Very Good+ condition, particularly considering its age and large two-sheet format.

The photographs show horizontal folds, handling creases, clusters of small pinholes and punctures in the upper section, small edge tears, and localised paper loss and surface wear. The reverse shows age toning and minor marks.

The poster retains strong colour and striking overall presentation. Once framed, it will display very well.

Reference: T128.

Please review all photographs, including the detailed close-ups and reverse, as they show the exact poster for sale.

This is an original Japanese theatrical poster from the film’s 1970 Japanese release campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is now over 55 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.