ST ELMO'S FIRE (1985) Movie Poster, Original Vintage Daybill
Size AU Daybill Post-War (13" x 30")
ST. ELMO'S FIRE (1985) Original Vintage Daybill Movie Poster, Starring Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Andrew McCarthy, Directed by Joel Schumacher is in Very Fine+ Condition. Movie...
ST. ELMO'S FIRE (1985) Original Vintage Daybill Movie Poster, Starring Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Andrew McCarthy, Directed by Joel Schumacher is in Very Fine+ Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This Original Daybill, Movie Poster is presented in Very Fine+ condition, 2 Daybill folds as issued, a little handling wear, and a stain from the back that shows through but only in the border on the left hand bottom side otherwise this poster presents in excellent condition with a colourful clean presentation.
This original vintage Australian daybill movie poster promotes St. Elmo's Fire (1985), the iconic coming-of-age drama that helped define the spirit and style of 1980s Hollywood. Featuring a memorable ensemble cast and the emotional struggles of young adulthood, this original theatrical poster is an appealing collectible for fans of classic drama films, the Brat Pack and 1980s movie memorabilia. Its colourful presentation and authentic period character make it a distinctive addition to a collection of vintage Australian movie posters.
Movie Synopsis
St. Elmo's Fire (1985) is an American coming-of-age drama directed by Joel Schumacher and written by Schumacher and Carl Kurlander. The film follows a close-knit group of friends who have recently graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., as they navigate the uncertain transition from student life to adulthood. Their shared history gives them a strong sense of identity, but careers, relationships, personal ambitions and unexpected setbacks begin to test their friendships.
The ensemble cast features Rob Lowe as Billy Hicks, a talented but irresponsible saxophone player struggling to balance his musical ambitions with his responsibilities as a husband and father. Emilio Estevez plays Kirby Keger, an aspiring lawyer whose romantic idealism leads him to pursue an older medical student he once admired. Andrew McCarthy portrays Kevin Dolenz, a thoughtful writer who struggles to express his feelings and find direction in his personal life. Their different personalities reveal the challenges of growing up when youthful expectations collide with reality.
Demi Moore stars as Jules Van Patten, an impulsive and troubled young woman who attempts to maintain an extravagant lifestyle while dealing with emotional difficulties. Ally Sheedy plays Leslie Hunter, an ambitious architect who is in a long-term relationship with Alec Newbury, portrayed by Judd Nelson. Leslie expects their relationship to progress towards marriage, but Alec's career ambitions and personal choices create uncertainty about their future together.
Completing the central group is Wendy Beamish, played by Mare Winningham, a caring and intelligent woman who works with disadvantaged children. Wendy comes from a wealthy family but struggles to establish her independence and define her identity beyond the expectations placed upon her. Her romantic interest in Billy creates another complicated relationship within the friendship circle, highlighting the emotional consequences of dishonesty and unfulfilled promises.
Much of the film's drama unfolds around the friends' regular gatherings at St. Elmo's Bar, a Georgetown establishment that serves as their informal headquarters. Here they celebrate achievements, argue about relationships, share disappointments and attempt to make sense of their changing lives. The bar becomes a symbol of the familiar university world they are reluctant to leave behind, even as adulthood demands greater responsibility and independence.
As the story progresses, each character confronts a different version of the same dilemma: how to become an adult without losing the identity and friendships that once provided security. Alec faces difficult choices involving loyalty and ambition, while Leslie questions whether love is enough to sustain a relationship when trust begins to break down. Kirby's romantic pursuit forces him to distinguish genuine affection from an idealised fantasy, and Kevin must confront his own reluctance to be honest about his feelings.
Meanwhile, Jules' increasingly reckless behaviour reveals the vulnerability hidden beneath her confident exterior. Her financial difficulties and emotional instability demonstrate that independence can be more complicated than simply appearing successful. Wendy's patience and compassion are tested as she tries to support her friends while pursuing a life of her own. Together, these storylines explore friendship, love, jealousy, responsibility and the fear of growing apart.
Director Joel Schumacher gives the film a distinctly mid-1980s atmosphere, combining fashionable costumes, expressive performances and a memorable soundtrack with the emotional uncertainty of young adulthood. The screenplay draws on the experiences of recent graduates who find that leaving university does not automatically provide answers about careers, relationships or personal fulfilment. Instead, the characters must learn through mistakes, difficult conversations and the consequences of their own decisions.
The film became closely associated with the Brat Pack, the informal label given to a group of young actors who appeared in several influential teen and coming-of-age films during the 1980s. Its cast, including Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez, Andrew McCarthy and Judd Nelson, helped establish the film as a defining example of the era's ensemble dramas. The soundtrack, particularly its use of contemporary pop music, also contributed to its enduring nostalgic appeal.
St. Elmo's Fire remains a recognisable portrait of friendship and uncertainty during the transition into adulthood. For collectors, this original 1985 movie poster represents an important piece of 1980s film culture, making it an attractive addition to collections of Brat Pack memorabilia, classic Hollywood drama posters and vintage Australian daybills.
To find out more about St. Elmo's Fire (1985) 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.