FEMALE TROUBLE (1974) Daybill Poster, John Waters, Divine, VERY RARE
Size AU Daybill Post-War (13" x 30")
FEMALE TROUBLE (1974) Daybill Poster, John Waters, Divine, Mink Stole, Directed by John Waters Movie Poster and Condition Condition: Very Fine. The Daybill Poster is in Very Fine condition and...
FEMALE TROUBLE (1974) Daybill Poster, John Waters, Divine, Mink Stole, Directed by John Waters
Movie Poster and Condition
Condition: Very Fine. The Daybill Poster is in Very Fine condition and shows only light fold wear, some additional creases and light edge wear (see images). This rare Australian Daybill captures the outrageous aesthetic of John Waters’ cult classic, making it a coveted piece for collectors of 1970s movie memorabilia.
Movie Synopsis
Female Trouble (1974) is a daring, irreverent comedy-crime film written and directed by John Waters, the king of cult cinema. Starring Divine as Dawn Davenport, a rebellious teen turned criminal superstar, the film is a wild ride through Baltimore’s underbelly, blending dark humour with social satire. After running away from home, Dawn spirals into a life of crime, fame, and infamy, egged on by her toxic patrons, Donald and Donna Dasher (David Lochary and Mary Vivian Pearce). Mink Stole shines as Dawn’s delinquent friend Taffy, while Edith Massey steals scenes as the eccentric Aunt Ida.
Waters’ provocative narrative skewers beauty, celebrity, and morality, cementing his reputation for pushing boundaries. The ensemble, including Michael Potter and Cookie Mueller, delivers campy, unforgettable performances. Shot on a shoestring budget of $25,000 in Baltimore, the film’s raw, DIY aesthetic—using 16mm film—adds to its gritty charm. A fun fact: Divine performed many of her own stunts, including a daring trampoline scene, showcasing her fearless commitment. The soundtrack, featuring 1950s pop and Waters’ curated needle-drops, amplifies the film’s anarchic vibe.
Produced by Dreamland Studios, Female Trouble premiered at the Baltimore Film Festival and gained a cult following for its shocking yet hilarious take on societal norms. Its influence on underground cinema and drag culture is profound, with Divine’s larger-than-life persona inspiring generations. This Very Fine Australian Daybill is a rare gem for fans of John Waters memorabilia or cult movie posters, its bold design reflecting the film’s outrageous spirit.
To find out more about Female Trouble (1974) 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.