MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (1978) Movie Poster, Daybill, Hopkins, Davis
Condition Very Fine / Near Mint (9.0)
Size AU Daybill Post-War (13" x 30")
MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (1978) Movie Poster, Daybill, Vintage Original, Starring Brad Davis & John Hurt Directed by Alan Parker, written by Oliver Stone, Billy Hayes and Robert Hoffer is in Very Fine/Near...
MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (1978) Movie Poster, Daybill, Vintage Original, Starring Brad Davis & John Hurt Directed by Alan Parker, written by Oliver Stone, Billy Hayes and Robert Hoffer is in Very Fine/Near Mint condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This original, vintage, unrestored Daybill Movie Poster with vibrant colours and a clean presentation is in Very Fine/Near Mint Condition, has been rolled and shows no signs of wear its in excellent condition for a vintage poster. This authentic Australian Daybill cinema poster was produced for theatrical promotion of the film’s original release and features striking artwork capturing the tense and emotional themes of the movie. Australian Daybill posters are highly sought after by collectors due to their distinctive size and limited distribution to cinemas across the country. With its vibrant colour presentation and strong visual impact, this poster represents an excellent example of 1970s original movie memorabilia and would make a standout addition to any collection of classic film posters.
Movie Synopsis
Midnight Express (1978) is a powerful and unforgettable prison drama directed by acclaimed British filmmaker Alan Parker and based on the autobiographical book by Billy Hayes. The screenplay was written by Oliver Stone, who later became one of Hollywood’s most influential directors, and the film went on to become one of the most talked-about and controversial films of the late 1970s.
The story follows American college student Billy Hayes, played by Brad Davis, who is arrested in Turkey in 1970 after attempting to smuggle hashish out of the country. What initially appears to be a short legal ordeal quickly spirals into a nightmare when Billy is sentenced to several years inside a harsh Turkish prison. As the story unfolds, the film explores Billy’s desperate attempts to maintain his sanity and hope while enduring brutal conditions, corruption, and violence inside the prison system.
As the years pass, Billy forms uneasy friendships with fellow inmates, including the compassionate and resilient Max, played by Academy Award winner John Hurt, whose performance earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Together they struggle to survive the psychological toll of imprisonment while holding onto the dream of freedom—symbolised by the “Midnight Express,” prison slang for an escape.
One of the most striking elements of the film is its intense atmosphere. Director Alan Parker masterfully builds tension through powerful performances, stark cinematography, and the unforgettable electronic score by Giorgio Moroder, which also won an Academy Award for Best Original Score. The music became iconic and helped define the emotional tone of the film.
Midnight Express received widespread critical acclaim upon release and won two Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay for Oliver Stone. The film was also nominated for several other Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Its gritty realism, emotional intensity, and controversial depiction of prison life sparked international debate and cemented its reputation as one of the most powerful dramas of the decade.
Today, Midnight Express (1978) remains a landmark film of the New Hollywood era, remembered for its raw storytelling, unforgettable performances, and gripping portrayal of survival against overwhelming odds. Original theatrical posters from the film’s release are highly collectible pieces of cinema history and are prized by collectors of classic 1970s film memorabilia.
To find out more about Midnight Express (1978) 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.