THE VALLEY OF GWANGI (1969) Movie Poster Daybill, Original Vintage
Size AU Daybill Post-War (13" x 30")
THE VALLEY OF GWANGI (1969) Movie Poster Daybill, Original Vintage starring James Franciscus, Gila Golan, Richard Carlson, directed by Jim O’Connolly is in Very Fine Condition. Movie Poster and Condition....
THE VALLEY OF GWANGI (1969) Movie Poster Daybill, Original Vintage starring James Franciscus, Gila Golan, Richard Carlson, directed by Jim O’Connolly is in Very Fine Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This original, vintage, unrestored Daybill Movie Poster presents as Very Fine condition, with 2 Daybill folds as issued, foldwear on the left hand side on the 1st fold, staple holes in each corner and some minor handling wear but otherwise in excellent condition with vibrant colours. This highly collectible Australian Daybill is a superb example of classic fantasy adventure film memorabilia, featuring bold, eye-catching artwork that captures the excitement of the film’s prehistoric spectacle. Although the poster artist is uncredited, the design reflects the dramatic and imaginative style associated with late 1960s adventure cinema, making it a standout display piece for collectors and fans alike.
Movie Synopsis
The Valley of Gwangi (1969) is a thrilling blend of Western and fantasy adventure, bringing together cowboys and dinosaurs in a uniquely imaginative cinematic experience. Directed by Jim O’Connolly and featuring legendary visual effects by Ray Harryhausen, the film is widely celebrated for its groundbreaking stop-motion animation and enduring cult appeal.
The story follows Tuck Kirby, played by James Franciscus, an American cowboy who becomes entangled in a dangerous discovery while travelling through Mexico. Alongside him is T.J., portrayed by Gila Golan, a strong-willed circus performer struggling to keep her show afloat. When a mysterious miniature horse leads them to a hidden valley, they stumble upon an astonishing secret: a lost world inhabited by living dinosaurs.
Among these prehistoric creatures is Gwangi, a ferocious Allosaurus that quickly becomes the centrepiece of the story. Recognising the potential for fame and fortune, the group captures Gwangi and brings it back to civilisation to be exhibited as a circus attraction. However, their ambition soon turns to chaos when the creature escapes, unleashing destruction and terror.
The film builds to an unforgettable climax as Gwangi rampages through a Spanish cathedral, blending spectacle, suspense, and tragedy. Throughout the narrative, themes of greed, exploitation, and mankind’s attempt to control nature are explored, giving the film a deeper resonance beyond its adventurous premise.
One of the most fascinating aspects of The Valley of Gwangi is its connection to Ray Harryhausen, whose pioneering work in stop-motion animation set new standards for visual effects. The project was originally conceived decades earlier by Willis O’Brien, the animator behind King Kong (1933), making the film a spiritual successor to that classic. Harryhausen’s meticulous craftsmanship brought Gwangi and the other creatures to life with remarkable realism for the time.
Today, the film is regarded as a cult classic, beloved by fans of classic cinema, fantasy films, and special effects history. This original Daybill poster represents a rare opportunity to own a piece of that legacy, celebrating a film that continues to inspire audiences and filmmakers alike.
To find out more about The Valley of Gwangi (1969) 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.