TROG (1970) Movie Poster, Australian One Sheet, HORROR, Joan Crawford
Size AU One Sheet (27" x 40")
Trog (1970) Australian One Sheet, Horror, Movie Poster, Starring Joan Crawford, Michael Gough, Bernard Kay, and Directed by Freddie Francis is in Fine Condition. Movie Poster and Condition Condition: This...
Trog (1970) Australian One Sheet, Horror, Movie Poster, Starring Joan Crawford, Michael Gough, Bernard Kay, and Directed by Freddie Francis is in Fine Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition
Condition: This Australian One Sheet Movie Poster is in Fine condition, there are pinholes in four corners, faint ripples (likely due to moisture at some point), two corner dog ear folds flattened out, slight edge wear and minor fold split at left edge (1st and 3rd fold), top cross fold separation (1mm), title and date in pen on back. Its used but colours are still bright and would linen back well to eliminate most of these condition issues. This Australian One Sheet represents a significant piece of British horror cinema history, being the final theatrical film appearance of legendary Hollywood actress Joan Crawford. The poster's vibrant artwork captures the sensational nature of this cult classic creature feature from 1970.
Movie Synopsis
Trog is a British science fiction horror film released in 1970 that marked the final screen appearance of Hollywood icon Joan Crawford. Directed by Freddie Francis, a celebrated cinematographer and director known for his work on numerous Hammer horror productions, the film blends elements of science fiction, horror, and social commentary into an unforgettable creature feature experience.
The screenplay was written by Aben Kandel, based on an original story by Peter Bryan and John Gilling, both veterans of Hammer Films who had previously collaborated on classics like The Plague of the Zombies (1966). The film was produced by Herman Cohen and distributed by Warner Bros, opening as a double feature with Christopher Lee's "Taste the Blood of Dracula" in September 1970, where it became the number one top-grossing film in the United States during its first week of release.
Set in contemporary Britain, the story follows Dr Emily Brockton (Crawford), a renowned anthropologist who discovers that a living troglodyte – a primitive Ice Age caveman representing the missing link between apes and humans – has been found alive in the caves of the English countryside. When local explorers stumble upon the creature and panic ensues, Dr Brockton courageously steps forward with her tranquiliser gun, subdues the frightened creature, and brings him to her Brockton Research Centre for scientific study.
What follows is a fascinating examination of science versus fear, as Dr Brockton attempts to communicate with and domesticate the creature she affectionately names Trog. Through medical experimentation, surgery, and patient teaching, she manages to establish a bond with the primitive being, introducing him to toys, music, and eventually human speech. The film explores themes of evolutionary science, compassion, and the fear of the unknown, as Crawford's character fights to protect her subject from a hostile community that views him as nothing more than a dangerous monster.
The cast includes Michael Gough as Sam Murdock, a land developer who becomes the film's primary antagonist, opposing the presence of the creature in the town. Gough, who had previously starred alongside Crawford in the 1967 Cohen production "Berserk!", delivers a memorable performance as the film's voice of reactionary fear. Bernard Kay plays Inspector Greenham, the local police inspector caught between scientific progress and public safety, whilst Kim Braden portrays Anne Brockton, Dr Brockton's daughter and assistant at the research centre.
The titular creature Trog was portrayed by Joe Cornelius, a professional wrestler who performed in the ring for 20 years as "The Dazzler". Cornelius was chosen for his impressive physique and athletic abilities, which were essential for bringing the primitive character to life. In a 2015 interview with cult film director John Waters, conducted for the British Film Institute, Cornelius defended Crawford's professionalism on set, describing her as consistently punctual, generous with the crew, and "lovely" to work with, contrary to some negative reports about her final film.
Filming took place from June 30 (also cited as July 7) through September 8, 1969, at the historic Bray Studios in Berkshire, England, and on location in the picturesque village of Cookham and the surrounding English moors. The production also utilised Oakley Court, a Victorian Gothic mansion that would later become famous as the setting for "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975). Post-production, which included ten weeks of special effects work, was completed in February 1970.
One of the film's most memorable sequences features a flashback showing Trog's memories of prehistoric dinosaurs, achieved through stop-motion animation footage originally created by special effects legends Willis O'Brien and Ray Harryhausen for the 1956 Warner Bros nature documentary "The Animal World". The film's score was composed by John Scott, who would later provide the music for "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes" (1984).
Upon its release, Trog received mixed reviews from critics, with many finding fault with its low-budget production values and creature costume. However, the film has since achieved cult classic status among horror and science fiction enthusiasts who appreciate its campy charm, earnest performances, and place in cinema history as Crawford's swan song. The film's notorious reputation as "'so bad it's good'" has only enhanced its appeal over the decades, with the British Film Institute describing it in 2015 as "one of the most ludicrous, touching, mind-boggling star vehicles ever".
For Joan Crawford, who earned $70,000 for her role, Trog represented the conclusion of an extraordinary five-decade career that had begun in the silent film era and included an Academy Award for "Mildred Pierce" (1945). Though she reportedly felt embarrassed by the film, it remains a fascinating document of a Hollywood legend's final performance, and modern audiences continue to discover and enjoy this unique piece of British horror cinema.
The film's exploration of humanity's relationship with its evolutionary past, combined with Crawford's dignified performance and the film's distinctive blend of science fiction and horror elements, ensures that Trog remains a memorable entry in the annals of 1970s cult cinema. Whether viewed as campy entertainment or as a sincere attempt at a creature feature, Trog continues to captivate audiences more than five decades after its initial release.
To find out more about Trog (1970) 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.