STAR WARS SAGA, Kilian printed American One Sheet Poster Checklist (1985) signed Drew Struzan
Size US One Sheet Post '85 (27" x 40")
STAR WARS SAGA, Kilian printed American One Sheet Poster Checklist (1985) featuring artwork by Drew Struzan, celebrating the original trilogy created by George Lucas, and the posters created, is in Very...
STAR WARS SAGA, Kilian printed American One Sheet Poster Checklist (1985) featuring artwork by Drew Struzan, celebrating the original trilogy created by George Lucas, and the posters created, is in Very Fine condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
This original, unrestored Star Wars American One Sheet Poster Checklist printed by Kilian in 1985 and showing all Star Wars posters released for the first three movies. Poster presents in Very Fine condition. Poster has a 20mm tear on the top edge. General edge bumping and wear (see images). Autographed bottom right corner in black felt tip pen showing “Drew Struzan ‘88”. This poster came as part of a Melbourne collection. Drew Struzan held an illustration workshop at the School of Visual Art, Sydney, 20-24 June 1988 and is believed to be signed during this period. The signature does not come with a certificate of authenticity. It is currently stored rolled and will be carefully packed and shipped in a cylinder.
As a highly collectible Star Wars piece of memorabilia, this striking “Star Wars Saga” checklist poster is made even more desirable by the authentic signature of legendary movie poster artist Drew Struzan. Known for his iconic painted artwork across the Star Wars franchise, Struzan’s signature significantly enhances the appeal and long-term value.
More Information about the poster: This poster was signed by Drew Struzan, who was in Australia for a 4 day workshop at the School of Visual Arts in Sydney, Australia, on June 20-24 1983.
Movie Synopsis
Released in 1985 as a celebration of the original trilogy, the Star Wars Saga poster checklist served as both a promotional item and a collector’s guide for fans of the groundbreaking space opera created by George Lucas. By this time, Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983) had firmly established themselves as cultural phenomena, redefining blockbuster cinema and inspiring a generation of filmmakers and fans worldwide.
The checklist format highlighted key imagery and characters from across the trilogy, featuring beloved heroes such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo, alongside iconic villains including Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine. The artwork style closely reflects the dramatic, painterly approach that became synonymous with Drew Struzan’s work during the 1980s. His compositions are renowned for their dynamic lighting, detailed character likenesses, and layered montage arrangements that capture the epic scope of the saga.
The original trilogy itself charts the journey of farm boy Luke Skywalker as he discovers his destiny as a Jedi Knight, joins the Rebel Alliance, and ultimately confronts the dark legacy of his father, Darth Vader. Across three films, audiences witnessed the destruction of the Death Star, the shocking revelation of Vader’s identity, and the climactic redemption that concluded the galactic conflict. With revolutionary visual effects by Industrial Light & Magic, John Williams’ unforgettable musical score, and timeless themes of hope, redemption, and resistance, the trilogy reshaped modern filmmaking.
By 1985, Star Wars had evolved from a successful film series into a global merchandising powerhouse. Posters, toys, novels, and collectibles became integral parts of fan culture, and checklist posters like this were highly prized for documenting the expanding universe. As an officially produced American One Sheet, this piece represents a fascinating snapshot of the franchise at its peak during the mid-1980s.
The added detail of Drew Struzan’s 1988 autograph makes this poster particularly special. Struzan’s work on Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Back to the Future cemented his status as one of the most celebrated poster artists of all time. Signed examples of his work are increasingly scarce, especially on vintage promotional material connected directly to the original trilogy era.
This authentic Kilian printed 1985 Star Wars Saga American One Sheet Poster Checklist is more than a checklist – it is a piece of cinematic history that captures the enduring legacy of one of the most influential franchises ever created and the poster artwork created for them. For collectors of original Star Wars posters, signed memorabilia, or classic 1980s film art by Drew Struzan, this is a standout addition for any serious collection.
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.