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.

German A1 (24" x 34"); Banned Style
Very Fine- Folded
Universal, 1954

This is an incredible rarity known as the "Banned Style," as only a small number of these posters are reported to have survived. The poster, along with a few others, was printed for presentation to the German censorship board, the FSK (Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft). However, the Bundesprufstelle in Bonn, the state censorship board, did not approve the image. Those responsible for poster approval found it too "rape-like" and salacious. Consequently, artist Bruno Rehak and the studio created a much tamer image featuring the creature menacing characters Carlson and Adams. The citation from the FSK protocol states: "The poster artwork that had been previously approved depicts a green creature holding an unconscious woman, who is clad only in a bathing suit. The sexual implications and the threat emanating from this image were the main reasons for disapproving this poster for teenagers of all age groups."

This beautiful poster has paper tape support on the verso to areas of the poster where pinholes were present and wear occurred.

Considered the last of the classic Universal monsters, the studio entered the genre once again with this film, modernizing the horror film for the post-atomic age of the 1950s and the result was an absolute masterpiece. The role of the Gill Man was portrayed by two actors: Ben Chapman was cast for the scenes depicted on land while diver and expert swimmer Ricou Browning handled the underwater scenes. The white one-piece bathing suit worn by actress Julia Adams for her unknowing synchronized swim with the Gill Man has become a classic in itself. During a scientific expedition to the Amazon, the Gill Man was discovered and proved popular enough to star in several sequels. To this day, he remains a classic monster icon.

Estimate: $6,000 - 12,000