{"product_id":"west-side-story-ウエスト-サイド物語-original-japanese-first-release-movie-poster-1961-ultra-rare-b0-billboard-b1-2-sheet-format-approx-155-103-cm-vertical-tate-format","title":"“West Side Story” (ウエスト・サイド物語), Original Japanese First-Release Movie Poster 1961, Ultra Rare, B0 Billboard \/ B1 × 2-Sheet Format (approx. 155 × 103 cm) (Vertical\/Tate Format)","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"177\" data-end=\"609\"\u003eA spectacular \u003cstrong data-start=\"191\" data-end=\"249\"\u003efirst-release Japanese B0 billboard \/ two-sheet poster\u003c\/strong\u003e for Robert Wise \u0026amp; Jerome Robbins’ \u003cem data-start=\"284\" data-end=\"301\"\u003eWest Side Story\u003c\/em\u003e—and an exceptionally scarce Japan-market display piece created for the film’s original Japanese theatrical campaign. This is the monumental \u003cstrong data-start=\"442\" data-end=\"459\"\u003eB1 × 2 format\u003c\/strong\u003e, formed from two original B1 sheets designed to be displayed together as a wall-dominant B0-style billboard measuring approximately \u003cstrong data-start=\"592\" data-end=\"608\"\u003e155 × 103 cm\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"611\" data-end=\"1152\"\u003eRather than simply echoing the familiar U.S. and international campaign designs, this poster delivers pure Japanese graphic impact. The massive dimensional pink Japanese title typography—\u003cstrong data-start=\"798\" data-end=\"812\"\u003eウエスト・サイド物語\u003c\/strong\u003e—spans the upper field like architectural signage, set against a warm New York streetscape. Below, the composition bursts into movement: the central romantic couple rushes forward, surrounding dancers and street figures activate the scene, and the blue \u003cem data-start=\"1065\" data-end=\"1082\"\u003eWEST SIDE STORY\u003c\/em\u003e logo at right anchors the design with unmistakable title recognition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1154\" data-end=\"1692\"\u003eFor collectors, this is a \u003cstrong data-start=\"1180\" data-end=\"1225\"\u003ecrown-jewel West Side Story display piece\u003c\/strong\u003e: large-format, first-release, Japan-market, and dramatically more difficult to encounter than standard single-sheet formats. The poster combines romance, action, music, and urban tension in a uniquely Japanese layout, with bold promotional copy across the top and dramatic street-action text integrated into the artwork. The Japanese \u003cstrong data-start=\"1560\" data-end=\"1578\"\u003e総天然色 \/ シネマスコープ\u003c\/strong\u003e callout adds further period character and confirms the prestige theatrical presentation promoted for the release.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1694\" data-end=\"2216\"\u003eMost importantly, this example is the \u003cstrong data-start=\"1732\" data-end=\"1786\"\u003eultra-rare B0 billboard \/ B1 × 2 two-sheet version\u003c\/strong\u003e—a substantially larger and more imposing format than the standard B1. Surviving examples of Japanese first-release billboard posters from this period are scarce, and complete two-sheet examples in this level of presentation are especially desirable. Sourced by Japan Poster Shop from a private collection in Japan, this is an extremely rare poster—particularly in this \u003cstrong data-start=\"2156\" data-end=\"2182\"\u003elarge two-sheet format\u003c\/strong\u003e and in such impressive condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2218\" data-end=\"2252\"\u003eDate \u0026amp; Japanese Theatrical Release\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2254\" data-end=\"2316\"\u003e\u003cem data-start=\"2254\" data-end=\"2271\"\u003eWest Side Story\u003c\/em\u003e was released in 1961 through United Artists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2318\" data-end=\"2547\"\u003eThis poster is an ultra-rare survivor from the film’s \u003cstrong data-start=\"2372\" data-end=\"2409\"\u003efirst Japanese theatrical release\u003c\/strong\u003e, which opened in Japan on \u003cstrong data-start=\"2436\" data-end=\"2457\"\u003eDecember 23, 1961\u003c\/strong\u003e—a major holiday-season engagement for one of the most important musical films of the era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2549\" data-end=\"2587\"\u003eThe Film \u0026amp; Its Place in Cinema History\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2589\" data-end=\"2850\"\u003eDirected by \u003cstrong data-start=\"2601\" data-end=\"2635\"\u003eRobert Wise and Jerome Robbins\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cem data-start=\"2637\" data-end=\"2654\"\u003eWest Side Story\u003c\/em\u003e is the landmark screen adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical, itself inspired by Shakespeare’s \u003cem data-start=\"2752\" data-end=\"2770\"\u003eRomeo and Juliet\u003c\/em\u003e and reimagined amid the streets, rooftops, and rival neighborhoods of New York.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2852\" data-end=\"3296\"\u003eCelebrated for its choreography, music, photography, and emotional scale, the film became one of the defining screen musicals of the twentieth century. With music by \u003cstrong data-start=\"3018\" data-end=\"3039\"\u003eLeonard Bernstein\u003c\/strong\u003e, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreography associated with Jerome Robbins, \u003cem data-start=\"3118\" data-end=\"3135\"\u003eWest Side Story\u003c\/em\u003e remains a cornerstone title for both cinema and musical-theatre collectors. The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 10, including \u003cstrong data-start=\"3279\" data-end=\"3295\"\u003eBest Picture\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3298\" data-end=\"3310\"\u003eDesign Notes\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3312\" data-end=\"3471\"\u003e• \u003cstrong data-start=\"3314\" data-end=\"3345\"\u003eMonumental two-sheet scale:\u003c\/strong\u003e the B1 × 2 format gives the artwork a true billboard presence, with the completed image measuring approximately 155 × 103 cm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3473\" data-end=\"3662\"\u003e• \u003cstrong data-start=\"3475\" data-end=\"3510\"\u003eJapanese title as architecture:\u003c\/strong\u003e the giant pink dimensional ウエスト・サイド物語 lettering dominates the upper composition, functioning almost like a sculptural sign across the New York skyline.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3664\" data-end=\"3816\"\u003e• \u003cstrong data-start=\"3666\" data-end=\"3688\"\u003eRomance in motion:\u003c\/strong\u003e the central couple is presented in full forward movement, creating an immediate sense of dance, pursuit, and emotional urgency.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3818\" data-end=\"4023\"\u003e• \u003cstrong data-start=\"3820\" data-end=\"3851\"\u003eStreet-ballet storytelling:\u003c\/strong\u003e background figures, dancers, and confrontation imagery capture the film’s defining blend of choreography and danger—movement as both musical expression and urban conflict.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4025\" data-end=\"4248\"\u003e• \u003cstrong data-start=\"4027\" data-end=\"4072\"\u003eDistinctive Japanese campaign typography:\u003c\/strong\u003e the poster’s bold Japanese copy emphasizes action, love, rhythm, and street-level drama, positioning the film as both a prestige musical and a modern urban entertainment epic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4250\" data-end=\"4424\"\u003e• \u003cstrong data-start=\"4252\" data-end=\"4284\"\u003ePeriod presentation callout:\u003c\/strong\u003e the integrated \u003cstrong data-start=\"4300\" data-end=\"4318\"\u003e総天然色 \/ シネマスコープ\u003c\/strong\u003e text adds important Japanese theatrical-release character and enhances the poster’s graphic authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4426\" data-end=\"4490\"\u003eUnited Artists, the Japanese First-Run Campaign, and Key Credits\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4492\" data-end=\"4989\"\u003eThis poster carries strong first-release fingerprints collectors look for: the \u003cstrong data-start=\"4571\" data-end=\"4589\"\u003eUNITED ARTISTS\u003c\/strong\u003e mark at the lower right, the Japanese distributor imprint, and prominent Japanese credit text highlighting the film’s creative pedigree. The blue credit block identifies \u003cstrong data-start=\"4760\" data-end=\"4775\"\u003eRobert Wise\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong data-start=\"4780\" data-end=\"4798\"\u003eJerome Robbins\u003c\/strong\u003e, while the lower text references \u003cstrong data-start=\"4832\" data-end=\"4853\"\u003eLeonard Bernstein\u003c\/strong\u003e and Robbins’ choreography. Cast names appear in bold red Japanese text, reinforcing the poster’s original theatrical marketing purpose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4991\" data-end=\"5417\"\u003eThe top-line Japanese copy promotes the film’s fusion of \u003cstrong data-start=\"5048\" data-end=\"5079\"\u003eaction, romance, and rhythm\u003c\/strong\u003e, while the central copy leans into the danger and energy of the city streets—patrol cars, fists, guns, and a hidden love in the shadows of the downtown underworld. It is a vivid example of how Japanese distributors reframed major Hollywood prestige films for local audiences with heightened graphic drama and strong promotional language.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"5419\" data-end=\"5435\"\u003eCondition Report\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"5437\" data-end=\"5508\"\u003eOverall condition: \u003cstrong data-start=\"5456\" data-end=\"5507\"\u003eExcellent to Near Mint presentation, unrestored\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"5510\" data-end=\"5900\"\u003eThis is a complete original \u003cstrong data-start=\"5538\" data-end=\"5580\"\u003eB0 billboard \/ B1 × 2 two-sheet poster\u003c\/strong\u003e, designed to be displayed as a single large-format image. The poster presents beautifully, with strong color, excellent graphic impact, and a clean overall appearance for a large Japanese paper poster from 1961. The front displays with remarkable freshness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"5902\" data-end=\"6363\"\u003eThe two sheets show only very light handling consistent with age and format, with minor edge\/corner wear and gentle surface evidence typical of large vintage Japanese paper stock. The reverse shows expected light age tone and faint image transfer\/ghosting, which is normal for this type of poster and does not detract from the superb front presentation. The poster remains an exceptionally impressive example of a scarce first-release Japanese billboard format.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"6365\" data-end=\"6511\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eWe have provided multiple detailed photos—please review them closely, as they show the exact poster for sale. This poster is over six decades old.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Japan Poster Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56838073418106,"sku":null,"price":3500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0424\/8859\/4591\/files\/classic-living-room-with-a-large-comfy-sofa.jpg?v=1777154788","url":"https:\/\/japanposter.co.uk\/products\/west-side-story-%e3%82%a6%e3%82%a8%e3%82%b9%e3%83%88-%e3%82%b5%e3%82%a4%e3%83%89%e7%89%a9%e8%aa%9e-original-japanese-first-release-movie-poster-1961-ultra-rare-b0-billboard-b1-2-sheet-format-approx-155-103-cm-vertical-tate-format","provider":"Japan Poster Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}