THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD (1995) MOVIE POSTER, ORIGINAL DAYBILL
Size AU Daybill Post 80's (33 x 66 cm)
The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) Movie Poster, Original Daybill, Starring Hal Scardino, Litefoot, Lindsay Crouse, Richard Jenkins, David Keith & Steve Coogan, Directed by Frank Oz is in Very Fine+...
The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) Movie Poster, Original Daybill, Starring Hal Scardino, Litefoot, Lindsay Crouse, Richard Jenkins, David Keith & Steve Coogan, Directed by Frank Oz is in Very Fine+ Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition
Condition: Minimal handling wear, very minor edgewear on right hand side. There is some marks on the back of this poster which do not show through and doesn't impact the condition of the poster. This Poster is currently stored rolled and will be carefully packed and shipped in cylinder. This original daybill poster represents an authentic piece of 1990s family cinema and is in excellent condition, making it a fantastic collectible for fans of this beloved fantasy adventure film. The minimal wear ensures this theatrical release item maintains its visual appeal and historical significance as part of the film's original Australian theatrical distribution in 1995.
Movie Synopsis
The Indian in the Cupboard is a magical family fantasy adventure that brought childhood imagination to vivid life on the big screen. Directed by renowned filmmaker Frank Oz, famous for his work with The Muppets, The Dark Crystal, and comedies like Little Shop of Horrors and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, this 1995 film adaptation of Lynne Reid Banks' beloved 1980 children's novel captures the wonder of toys coming to life through a mysterious enchanted cupboard.
The story follows Omri, played by Hal Scardino, a nine-year-old boy living in Brooklyn, New York, who receives an unusual collection of birthday presents from his family. His older brother Gillon gives him an old wooden cupboard found abandoned in an alley, his mother provides a set of antique keys, and his best friend Patrick (played by Rishi Bhat in his only film appearance) gifts him a small plastic Native American figurine. When Omri places the toy inside the cupboard and locks it with one of the mysterious keys, something extraordinary happens - the three-inch plastic figure transforms into a living, breathing 18th-century Onondaga warrior named Little Bear.
Litefoot, a Native American rapper and activist making his film debut, delivers a remarkable performance as Little Bear, bringing authenticity and cultural depth to the role. The filmmakers worked closely with Onondaga adviser Jeanne Shenandoah to ensure cultural accuracy, with every detail from Little Bear's tattoos and traditional clothing to his language reflecting genuine Onondaga customs from 1761 during the French and Indian War. Litefoot's elaborate makeup took between three and a half to four and a half hours to apply each day of filming, using permanent markers to recreate authentic period tattoos.
The supporting cast features Lindsay Crouse and Richard Jenkins as Omri's understanding parents, whilst David Keith appears as Boone, a miniature Wild West cowboy that Patrick brings to life, and Steve Coogan makes an early career appearance as Tommy Atkins, a World War I British soldier. The film explores profound themes of responsibility, friendship, and respect as Omri learns that the tiny beings he's brought to life are not mere playthings but real people with thoughts, feelings, and their own histories.
The screenplay was penned by acclaimed writer Melissa Mathison, best known for creating the Oscar-nominated script for Steven Spielberg's iconic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). Mathison brought the same emotional depth and sense of childhood wonder to this adaptation, maintaining the book's thoughtful exploration of what it means to have power over others and the importance of treating all beings with dignity. Her sensitive script transforms Banks' original story, which the author initially wrote as a bedtime tale for her son Omri, into a compelling cinematic experience.
The film's groundbreaking special effects were created by Industrial Light & Magic, George Lucas's legendary effects company, under the supervision of Eric Brevig. The visual effects seamlessly blend the miniature characters into the real world, creating believable interactions between Omri and the tiny people. Cinematographer Russell Carpenter, who would later win an Academy Award for Titanic (1997), captured the film's magical atmosphere with skilful camerawork that emphasised the scale differences between the characters. Composer Randy Edelman provided an enchanting musical score that enhanced the film's sense of adventure and emotional resonance.
Produced by the powerhouse team of Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, whose credits include Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, the film benefited from their expertise in crafting family-friendly adventures with substance. The production, made in association with Scholastic Productions, had a budget of $45 million and featured an interesting distribution arrangement with Paramount Pictures handling the US and Canadian theatrical release whilst Columbia Pictures distributed it internationally.
An interesting production detail includes director Frank Oz securing permission from George Lucas to feature a Darth Vader toy in the film - a cheeky reference given that Oz himself provided the voice for Yoda in the Star Wars films. This self-referential moment became one of the film's most memorable scenes, showcasing the playful spirit that runs throughout the production.
Although The Indian in the Cupboard earned modest box office returns of $35.7 million during its theatrical run, the film found tremendous success on home video and developed a devoted cult following. Critics praised its thoughtful approach to childhood fantasy, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a 70% approval rating and noting that the film "gussies up its classic source material in modern effects without losing sight of the timeless themes at the heart of the story." The film's 96-minute runtime received a PG rating and continues to resonate with audiences who appreciate its gentle, character-driven approach to the fantasy genre.
To find out more about The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) 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.