This lot will be auctioned on Friday, March 7th. The auction will begin at 9:30am PST and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close as part of the Day 2 Online auction on Saturday, March 8th.

One Sheet (27" x 42"); R-Rated Release
Very Fine- on Linen; Artwork by David Pelham
Warner Bros., 1971

The original poster with the Philip Castle artwork was used for the original X-rated release in all the major markets, beginning with the 4-city premiere engagements in NY, LA, San Francisco and Toronto in December, 1971. The film in its X-rated version continued playing for the next six months as it was released in all key North American cities, almost always establishing house records. When Clockwork Orange was marginally altered to achieve an R-rating, Kubrick wanted to call attention to the rating with another image, as the Castle artwork had already become iconic and the film would now be available for viewing by a wider audience. He liked this design by David Pelham of the Canadian paperback edition of the Anthony Burgess novel and had it adapted as the new poster for an R-announcement release. It was used for a short time before the original Castle image was reinstituted. This poster had a limited press run and as it was directly tied to the American rating, it was only seen in North America, whereas the Castle design was used throughout the world. It is therefore the rarest of official Clockwork Orange posters.

This example, which was rolled and never folded, displayed light wrinkling and light edge wear before starch flattening and linen-backing, plus spot retouching to the tiny wrinkled areas. It is a stunning prize for fans of Kubrick's genius.

Set in a nightmarish, crime-ridden future Britain, Stanley Kubrick's vivid and disturbing take on Anthony Burgess' 1961 novel proved instantly controversial on its release, thanks to its graphic content. But with its pop-art style and cutting-edge electronic score, there's far more to "A Clockwork Orange" than its ultraviolence.

Estimate: $15,000 - 30,000