ARMY OF DARKNESS (1992) MOVIE POSTER, AUSTRALIAN ONE SHEET, HORROR
Size AU One Sheet (27" x 40")
Army of Darkness (1992) Australian One Sheet Movie Poster, Starring Bruce Campbell and Embeth Davidtz, Directed by Sam Raimi is in Very Fine Condition. Movie Poster and Condition Condition: This...
Army of Darkness (1992) Australian One Sheet Movie Poster, Starring Bruce Campbell and Embeth Davidtz, Directed by Sam Raimi is in Very Fine Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition
Condition: This Australian One Sheet Movie Poster presents in Very Fine condition, with edgewear along the left hand side and on the right hand top side, plus has some handling wear from the poster being rolled. This Poster is currently stored rolled and will be carefully packed and shipped in cylinder. The Australian One Sheet format measures approximately 27 x 40 inches (68.5 x 101.5 cm) and represents a significant piece of horror cinema memorabilia from the early 1990s. This original theatrical poster was displayed in Australian cinemas during the film's 1992-1993 release and showcases the iconic imagery that made Army of Darkness a cult classic. The poster's artwork captures the film's unique blend of medieval horror and dark comedy, featuring the legendary character Ash Williams in all his chainsaw-wielding glory. As a piece of collectible movie poster art, this Australian release represents an important international variant of the film's promotional materials.
Movie Synopsis
Army of Darkness (1992) is the wildly inventive third instalment in director Sam Raimi's celebrated Evil Dead trilogy, following the cult horror classics The Evil Dead (1981) and Evil Dead II (1987). This dark fantasy comedy horror film was co-written by Sam Raimi and his brother Ivan Raimi, produced by Robert Tapert and Dino De Laurentiis, and released by Universal Pictures. The film brilliantly transforms the series from pure horror into an effects-laden medieval adventure that combines slapstick comedy with supernatural terror.
The story picks up immediately after the events of Evil Dead II, as discount store employee Ash Williams (played with remarkable charisma by Bruce Campbell) finds himself accidentally transported through time to 1300 AD England. Armed with his trademark chainsaw (attached to his severed left forearm), his trusty 12-gauge double-barreled shotgun (which he calls his "boomstick"), and his beat-up Oldsmobile, Ash crash-lands in the Middle Ages during a time of great conflict. He is immediately captured by Lord Arthur (Marcus Gilbert) and his medieval knights, who suspect him of being a spy for their rival, Duke Henry the Red (Richard Grove). Ash is thrown into a pit where he battles and defeats a Deadite, proving his worth to the suspicious medieval inhabitants.
After his spectacular victory in the pit, Ash is hailed as a hero and prophesied saviour by Arthur's Wiseman (Ian Abercrombie). He is told that to return to his own time, he must journey to a haunted graveyard and retrieve the mystical Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (the Book of the Dead), the same cursed tome that caused all his troubles in the previous films. Along the way, Ash romances the beautiful Sheila (Embeth Davidtz), a medieval maiden who becomes both his love interest and later, when possessed, one of his adversaries.
During his quest to retrieve the Necronomicon, Ash encounters some of the film's most memorable sequences. He battles miniature versions of himself in a windmill, confronts his own evil doppelganger (known as "Bad Ash" or "Evil Ash"), and faces the terrifying consequences of his own arrogance. When Ash attempts to speak the magic words required to safely take the book – "Klaatu Barada Nikto" (a reference to the classic 1951 science fiction film The Day the Earth Stood Still) – he fumbles the final word and tries to mumble his way through it. This critical mistake awakens the Army of Darkness, legions of skeletal warriors and Deadites led by Evil Ash, who march on Lord Arthur's castle.
The film's climactic battle sequence showcases Raimi's love of classic cinema, particularly the stop-motion animation work of legendary effects artist Ray Harryhausen, whose films The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts heavily influenced Army of Darkness. Using his 20th-century knowledge, Ash helps the medieval army prepare for battle, creating primitive explosives, building defensive fortifications, and even constructing a mechanical steam-powered "Deathcoaster." The resulting battle combines practical effects, stop-motion animation, and miniatures to create a spectacular display of medieval warfare meets modern ingenuity.
The film's production was ambitious for its $11-12 million budget. Principal photography took place in 1991 at various California locations, including Bronson Canyon and Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, with interior shots filmed on an Introvision soundstage in Hollywood. The makeup and special effects were handled by multiple companies: Tony Gardner and Alterian, Inc. created the makeup effects for Ash and Sheila, while Kurtzman, Nicotero & Berger EFX Group (KNB) handled the remaining creatures. Visual effects supervisor William Mesa incorporated Raimi's vision of blending classic Hollywood spectacle with modern effects techniques.
Sam Raimi drew inspiration from numerous literary and cinematic sources beyond Harryhausen's work, including Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, The Three Stooges, and Conan the Barbarian. This eclectic blend of influences results in a film that shifts seamlessly between horror, comedy, action, and fantasy, creating a unique cinematic experience that defies easy categorisation.
Bruce Campbell delivers an iconic performance as Ash Williams, transforming the character from a terrified victim in the first film to a wisecracking, cocky, reluctant hero in Army of Darkness. His physical comedy, memorable one-liners (including "Shop smart, shop S-Mart!" and "Gimme some sugar, baby"), and ability to convey both confidence and vulnerability made Ash one of horror cinema's most beloved protagonists. The supporting cast, including Embeth Davidtz in her film debut, Marcus Gilbert, and Ian Abercrombie, provide solid performances that ground the fantastical elements in believable medieval characters.
The film premiered at the Sitges Film Festival on 9 October 1992 and received its US theatrical release on 19 February 1993. While it grossed $21.5 million against its $11 million budget, making it only a modest theatrical success, Army of Darkness found its true audience on home video and has since become a massive cult phenomenon. The film received generally positive reviews praising Raimi's inventive direction, the film's visual style, the impressive practical effects, and Campbell's charismatic performance. The film was dedicated to Irvin Shapiro, the sales agent for The Evil Dead and executive producer of Evil Dead II, who died in 1989 before the film's production.
Multiple versions of the film exist, including the US theatrical cut (81 minutes), the international theatrical cut (85 minutes), and the Director's Cut (96 minutes), each featuring different endings and additional scenes. The film's enduring popularity has led to numerous comic book series, video games, and even influenced the television series Ash vs Evil Dead (2015-2018), which saw Bruce Campbell reprise his iconic role. Today, Army of Darkness stands as a beloved entry in the horror-comedy genre, celebrated for its inventive practical effects, quotable dialogue, energetic direction, and Campbell's unforgettable performance as the wise-cracking hero with the chainsaw arm.
To find out more about Army of Darkness (1992) click here to go to IMDB.com.
Special Notes
Images may have a small 'MPA' digital watermark and this does not appear on the poster. Posters are being held by magnets in the corners to take photographs, so you may see some magnet and shadows from the magnets in these areas. The magnets are not included in the sale of the item.
Postage, Insurance & Your Country Taxes
Postage costs are quoted for this item, include insurance up to AUD$100, but if you reside outside of Australia, the price does not include any import taxes/fees that you may be required to pay when the item reaches your borders. Please check with your local authorities for any additional taxes or fees. If you would like full insurance coverage for your purchase, please message me and I would be happy to quote the additional cost (estimate is AUD$2.50 p/AUD$100 or 2.5% of the item value, up to a maximum item value of AUD$5,000).
FAQ
At Movie Posters Australia, the love and conservation of movie posters comes first, and we like to share this passion. Our commitment to quality means we will provide high quality memorabilia to our customers. Posters are carefully chosen and authenticated to ensure originality and value. We want our customers to trust MPA, so we always try to be as open and transparent as we can, provide detailed condition information and images, to ensure customers are comfortable and confident in their purchase.
While the industry does have a few condition rating standards, there is no movie poster condition rating system that has become the accepted standard world wide. This unfortunately makes condition terms vary from movie poster dealer to movie poster dealer. Terms like Mint, Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, seem to be universal to most condition rating standards, but most standards still lack definition about what and how many flaws/defects/damage defines a specific condition level. For more information on how Movie Posters Australia grades the condition of its movie posters, daybills, lobby cards and other ephemera please see out Movie Poster Condition and Grading page.
In the early days of cinema, posters were primarily hand-drawn and printed in various sizes, often tailored to fit the available space in theaters or promotional areas. In the United States, the "One Sheet" size (some times called '1 Sheet' or '1SH' approximately 27" x 41", became the standard during the 1930s. This size was manageable for theater display and suited the needs of a growing film industry.
Different countries developed their own poster sizes and styles, which also changed sometimes over the decades, and were influenced by local preferences and practical considerations, like available paper sheet sizes and how many posters could be printed on one sheet.
In Australia, the most popular size, the Daybill, has evolved over the decades. Australian Daybills sizes in chronological order are:
- Long Daybills (15" x 40"), from 1920's to pre-WW2 or pre-1941, were printed two to a sheet, longer than current Daybill versions. There were size variances in width from 14.5" to 15" and in height from 39.5" to 40".
- War Time Daybill (10" x 30"), during WW2, for a short time to conserve paper during a war time shortage, four Daybills were printed on one sheet. Information from Press Sheets also referred to these War-Time sizes as "New Size Daybills".
- Post-War Daybill (13" x 30"), this 13" x 30" Post-War size carried through until the 1980's, but also varied in size from 13"-14" x 29.75"-30.25".
- Post-80's Daybill (33cm x 66cm, or 13" x 26"), over a few years in the late 80's, the size changed again to a metric 33cm x 66cm, although these have also varied from 32-33cm x 64.5-66cm. New sizes from the late 80's were created, sometimes called a Mini Daybill or Mini Poster, in 9" x 12", 11" x 17" and 13" x 20".
In the UK, the somewhat unique 'Quad' poster, measuring 30" x 40", became popular, offering a larger landscape format that allowed for more elaborate designs.
In Japan, movie poster sizes were smaller, such as the "B2" (20" x 28"), which suited the more compact living environment of larger cities, smaller advertising spaces, and unique aesthetic sensibilities.
The 1970s and 1980s, witnessed the rise of the "six-sheet" (81" x 81") format, reflecting a trend towards larger and more visually impactful advertising.
Overall, the variation in movie poster sizes across different countries and decades highlights the interplay between technological printing advancements, paper resource availability, paper sheet size changes, cultural preferences, and the evolving nature of movie marketing.
At Movie Posters Australia we tag each poster we sell with a 'size' and 'condition' description at the very top of the page for our customers to easily see. There may however be some slight variations to sizes by up one inch due to variations in production and guillotine methods by printers over the decades.