FIRE BIRDS (1990) Movie Poster Daybill, Nicolas Cage, Tommy Lee Jones
Condition Near Mint / Mint (9.8)
Size AU Daybill Post 80's (33 x 66 cm)
FIRE BIRDS (1990) Movie Poster Daybill, Starring Nicolas Cage, Tommy Lee Jones & Sean Young, Directed by David Green is in Near Mint Condition. Movie Poster and Condition. Condition: This...
FIRE BIRDS (1990) Movie Poster Daybill, Starring Nicolas Cage, Tommy Lee Jones & Sean Young, Directed by David Green is in Near Mint Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This original, unrestored Single Sided Daybill Movie Poster presents in Near Mint condition, as it appears unused. This highly collectible Australian Daybill movie poster for Fire Birds (1990) is an authentic cinema-issued item from the film’s original theatrical release. Australian Daybill posters are well known among collectors for their distinctive size and design style, making them a standout format in any movie memorabilia collection. The artwork for the poster captures the high-energy tone of the film, highlighting the dramatic military helicopter combat theme and the star power of Nicolas Cage. While the specific poster artist for this design is not widely credited, the imagery reflects the bold action-film marketing style popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Overall, this poster displays beautifully and would make an excellent addition for collectors of aviation films, Nicolas Cage memorabilia, or vintage action movie posters.
Movie Synopsis
Fire Birds (1990) is a high-octane military action film centred around elite helicopter pilots training to combat powerful drug cartels in South America. Directed by David Green, the film blends fast-paced aerial combat with character-driven drama, delivering an exciting look at the intense preparation required to fly some of the most advanced military aircraft ever built.
The story follows Jake Preston, played by Nicolas Cage, a talented but somewhat undisciplined U.S. Army helicopter pilot who is recruited for an elite training program designed to prepare pilots to fly the cutting-edge AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. The mission of the program is clear: develop pilots capable of taking on heavily armed drug cartels that are using advanced helicopters to protect their operations. Preston’s natural flying ability makes him a strong candidate, but his reckless attitude and lack of discipline threaten his chances of success.
Training the pilots is the hardened and experienced instructor Brad Little, portrayed by Tommy Lee Jones. Little is a battle-tested aviator who understands the deadly stakes involved in aerial combat. He pushes Preston and the other trainees to their limits, demanding absolute focus and precision. Through intense drills and simulated combat scenarios, Preston must learn not only how to control the powerful Apache helicopter but also how to work effectively as part of a coordinated combat team.
Adding another layer to the story is Billie Lee Guthrie, played by Sean Young, a skilled and confident pilot who becomes both a rival and an ally to Preston. Their competitive dynamic adds tension and personality to the training environment, while also highlighting the evolving role of women in military aviation during that era.
The film builds toward a dangerous real-world mission when the trainees are deployed against a ruthless cartel pilot known as the “Scorpion,” a mysterious adversary who operates an advanced attack helicopter. The final act features spectacular aerial combat sequences, showcasing the manoeuvrability and firepower of the Apache helicopter in dramatic fashion. These scenes remain one of the film’s biggest highlights, offering audiences a thrilling cinematic display of military aviation.
One of the most interesting aspects of Fire Birds is its cooperation with the United States Army during production. The filmmakers were granted access to real military hardware, including the Apache helicopter, which allowed the movie to feature authentic aircraft and flight procedures rarely seen in action films of the time. This commitment to realism gives the movie a distinctive edge compared with many other action films from the period.
Combining military action, aviation thrills, and star performances, Fire Birds has become a memorable entry in the catalogue of Nicolas Cage’s early career films. For fans of helicopter combat movies, military aviation, and classic 1990s action cinema, it remains an entertaining and visually impressive film.
To find out more about Fire Birds (1990) 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.