THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) Movie Poster, US Half Sheet
Size US Half Sheet (22" x 28")
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) Movie Poster, US Half Sheet starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford & Carrie Fisher, directed by Irvin Kershner is in Very Fine condition. Movie Poster and...
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) Movie Poster, US Half Sheet starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford & Carrie Fisher, directed by Irvin Kershner is in Very Fine condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This original, unrestored US Half Sheet Movie Poster presents in Very Fine condition, this rolled US Half Sheet has minor edge, corner and handling wear, The back presents a stain (no show through unless held to light) and light browning with age. Front presents very well. This poster is currently stored flat but will be carefully packed and shipped in a cylinder. A highly desirable original 1980 US Half Sheet, this authentic theatrical release is a genuine piece of Star Wars cinematic history. The dynamic artwork, created for the American market, captures the dramatic tone of the film’s darker chapter and remains one of the most recognisable images in science fiction cinema. US Half Sheets from this era were printed in limited numbers compared to One Sheets, making them particularly sought after by serious collectors of vintage Star Wars movie posters.
Movie Synopsis
Released in 1980, The Empire Strikes Back is widely regarded as one of the greatest sequels ever made and a defining chapter in the original Star Wars trilogy. Directed by Irvin Kershner and produced by George Lucas, the film continues the epic saga that began with Star Wars (1977), expanding both the emotional depth and narrative complexity of the galaxy far, far away.
The story opens on the icy planet of Hoth, where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and the Rebel Alliance are pursued by the relentless Galactic Empire. After a devastating Imperial assault led by Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones, portrayed by David Prowse), the heroes scatter across the galaxy. Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3PO flee in the Millennium Falcon, while Luke journeys to the swamp planet of Dagobah to seek training from Jedi Master Yoda.
Under Yoda’s guidance, Luke begins to understand the true nature of the Force, confronting his fears and learning that becoming a Jedi requires both discipline and inner strength. Meanwhile, Vader relentlessly hunts the Rebels, setting a trap in Cloud City governed by Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). The film builds to one of cinema’s most iconic moments — the shocking revelation of Darth Vader’s true identity — a twist that forever changed blockbuster storytelling and remains one of the most quoted lines in film history.
Praised for its mature themes, emotional weight, and groundbreaking visual effects by Industrial Light & Magic, the film elevated the standards of science fiction filmmaking. Composer John Williams’ soaring score, particularly “The Imperial March,” became synonymous with the saga’s darker tone. Despite initial mixed reactions to its sombre ending, the film has since achieved legendary status and is often cited as the strongest entry in the original trilogy.
This authentic 1980 US Half Sheet movie poster represents a pivotal moment in blockbuster cinema. Its dramatic composition and rich colour palette reflect the film’s heightened stakes and emotional intensity. For collectors of original Star Wars posters, this piece is not just memorabilia — it is a timeless artefact from one of the most influential films ever made, continuing to captivate generations of fans around the world.
To find out more about The Empire Strikes Back (1980) 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.