BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA (1971) Movie Poster, Australian One Sheet
Size AU One Sheet (27" x 40")
BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA (1971) Vintage Original, Movie Poster, Australian One Sheet, Directed by Paolo Cavara, Starring Giancarlo Giannini, Claudine Auger, Barbara Bouchet is presented in Very Fine+ Condition. ...
BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA (1971) Vintage Original, Movie Poster, Australian One Sheet, Directed by Paolo Cavara, Starring Giancarlo Giannini, Claudine Auger, Barbara Bouchet is presented in Very Fine+ Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This original, unrestored Australian One Sheet Movie Poster presents as Very Fine+ condition, with a small edge chip bottom right corner, some small additional creases around cross fold. This highly collectible 1970s giallo film poster remains in impressive shape for its age, retaining strong colour vibrancy and sharp imagery. Printed for the Australian market, this poster reflects the striking visual style typical of European thrillers of the era. While the poster artist is uncredited, the design captures the haunting and sensual tone of the film, combining bold typography with evocative artwork that will appeal to collectors of classic horror and Italian cinema memorabilia.
Movie Synopsis
Black Belly of the Tarantula (1971) is a mesmerising entry into the world of Italian giallo cinema, directed by Paolo Cavara and featuring an impressive ensemble cast including Giancarlo Giannini, Claudine Auger, and Barbara Bouchet. The film blends psychological tension, mystery, and stylised violence, hallmarks of the genre that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The story follows Inspector Tellini (Giancarlo Giannini), a weary and introspective detective assigned to investigate a string of brutal murders targeting young women. Each victim is found paralysed but conscious, stabbed with a needle-like weapon in a chilling method reminiscent of how a tarantula immobilises its prey. As Tellini delves deeper into the case, he becomes entangled in a web of secrets, sexual intrigue, and hidden relationships that blur the lines between victim and suspect.
Claudine Auger delivers a compelling performance as Anna Tellini, the inspector’s wife, whose own vulnerabilities and desires add emotional depth to the narrative. Meanwhile, Barbara Bouchet appears in one of the film’s most memorable sequences, contributing to its reputation for combining eroticism and suspense in a uniquely European style. The film also features a notable supporting role by Stefania Sandrelli, adding further star power to the production.
One of the film’s standout elements is its haunting score composed by the legendary Ennio Morricone, whose music heightens the tension and atmosphere throughout. The cinematography and visual composition emphasise shadows, reflections, and voyeuristic perspectives, reinforcing the film’s themes of obsession and control.
An interesting production detail is the film’s collaboration between multiple European countries, which helped broaden its appeal and distribution. Its distinctive murder method and psychological undertones set it apart from other giallo films, making it a favourite among genre enthusiasts and collectors alike. Today, Black Belly of the Tarantula is regarded as a cult classic, celebrated for its stylish direction, complex characters, and unsettling narrative.
This original Australian One Sheet poster is a fantastic piece of cinema history, perfect for fans of vintage horror posters, Italian thrillers, and collectors seeking rare international artwork from the golden age of genre filmmaking.
To find out more about Black Belly of the Tarantula (1971) 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.