“At This Late Date, the Charleston” (近頃なぜかチャールストン), Original Japanese Movie Poster 1981, ATG, Artwork by Shōji Yamafuji, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) — U44

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1981 for At This Late Date, the Charleston, directed by Kihachi Okamoto and released through the Art Theatre Guild (ATG). Featuring wonderfully expressive artwork by Shōji Yamafuji (山藤章二), it is an appealing combination of Japanese film advertising, caricature and political satire.

Written by Okamoto and Gō Rijū, the film brings a troubled young man into contact with an eccentric group of older men whose activities include maintaining their own imaginary government. Its absurd humour provides a vehicle for exploring generational differences, nationalism and the contradictions of contemporary Japanese society.

Gō Rijū, Yuki Furutachi and Ichirō Zaitsu lead an ensemble that also includes Shin Kishida, Kunie Tanaka and Eitarō Ozawa. The film’s mixture of youthful rebellion and elderly eccentricity gives the poster its central visual joke: an improbable cabinet assembled for an apparently formal group portrait.

Yamafuji’s illustration fills the lower and right-hand portions of the sheet with exaggerated, instantly characterful faces. The figures cluster on a staircase beneath a tall doorway, wearing dark formal coats and striped trousers. Their oversized heads, varied expressions and small identifying labels turn the conventions of an official government photograph into affectionate visual comedy.

The restrained olive-green, cream and black palette is interrupted by the large pink Japanese title, whose irregular lettering tumbles down the upper half. A cream vertical panel prominently identifies Okamoto as director, while the cast and production credits run down the left beside the familiar ATG emblem.

The artist’s printed signature, “Yamafuji ’81,” appears near the lower-left corner. Yamafuji’s gift for caricature gives each member of the ensemble a distinct personality, making this a particularly engaging poster to examine closely. The illustration captures the film’s satirical spirit without relying on conventional photographic scenes.

A distinctive piece for collectors of Kihachi Okamoto, ATG cinema, Shōji Yamafuji and illustrated Japanese film posters.

Condition: Excellent.

Please review all photographs, including the detail image and reverse, as they show the exact poster for sale.

Japanese B2 size: approximately 51 × 73 cm.
Stock code: U44.

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.