DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1966) Movie Poster, Vintage Daybill
Size AU Daybill Post-War (13" x 30")
DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1966) Movie Poster, Vintage Daybill, Starring Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, Andrew Keir, Francis Matthews and Directed by Terence Fisher is in Very Fine- Condition. Movie Poster...
DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1966) Movie Poster, Vintage Daybill, Starring Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, Andrew Keir, Francis Matthews and Directed by Terence Fisher is in Very Fine- Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This poster is presented in Very Fine- condition with 2 Daybill folds as issued, several staple holes in each corner, there's some small paper losses on the right hand side, 2 extra folds above and below the 2nd fold which both have been flattened out and a small stain at the bottom of the poster (above the orange line). Despite these minor imperfections, this highly collectible original Australian Daybill movie poster remains an attractive display piece from one of the most celebrated horror films of the 1960s. The vivid artwork and classic Hammer Horror styling make this poster a standout item for collectors of vintage horror memorabilia, Dracula films, and Christopher Lee cinema history.
Movie Synopsis
Dracula Prince of Darkness (1966) is one of the most iconic entries in the legendary Hammer Horror series and marked the triumphant return of Christopher Lee as Count Dracula. Directed by acclaimed Hammer filmmaker Terence Fisher and written by Jimmy Sangster, the film helped cement Hammer Films' reputation as the leading producer of Gothic horror during the 1950s and 1960s.
The story follows four English travellers journeying through Eastern Europe who ignore local warnings and seek shelter for the night in a mysterious castle. The travellers include Charles and Diana Kent, played by Francis Matthews and Barbara Shelley, along with Alan and Helen, portrayed by Charles Tingwell and Suzan Farmer. Upon arriving at the seemingly abandoned castle, they are welcomed by a strange servant named Klove, played memorably by Philip Latham. What initially appears to be a stroke of good fortune soon becomes a terrifying nightmare.
Unknown to the guests, the castle once belonged to the infamous Count Dracula. Through a sinister ritual involving blood sacrifice, Klove succeeds in resurrecting his master, unleashing a new reign of terror upon the unsuspecting visitors. As Dracula begins hunting his victims one by one, the survivors find themselves trapped in an escalating battle against supernatural evil.
One of the film's most memorable aspects is the atmospheric performance by Christopher Lee. Interestingly, Lee does not speak a single line of dialogue throughout the entire movie, relying instead on his imposing physical presence and expressive performance to create one of cinema's most frightening vampire portrayals. His silent menace only enhances the character's terrifying nature and remains one of the film's defining features.
Barbara Shelley, often referred to as Hammer's "Queen of Horror", delivers one of her finest performances, particularly as her character undergoes a chilling transformation under Dracula's influence. Her role adds emotional depth and suspense to the film, helping elevate it beyond a conventional monster movie.
Produced by the renowned Hammer Film Productions, the movie features lavish Gothic sets, dramatic cinematography, eerie castles, candlelit corridors and haunting landscapes that became trademarks of the studio's horror output. The film's rich colour photography and atmospheric score contribute significantly to its enduring appeal among horror fans and collectors.
Today, Dracula Prince of Darkness is widely regarded as one of the finest Dracula films ever made and remains a cornerstone of classic British horror cinema. Its influence can be seen throughout modern vampire films and television productions, while Christopher Lee's portrayal continues to be considered one of the definitive interpretations of Bram Stoker's legendary vampire. This original vintage Daybill poster represents a wonderful opportunity to own a genuine piece of Hammer Horror history from the golden age of Gothic filmmaking.
To find out more about Dracula Prince of Darkness (1966) 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.