WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH (1970) Movie Poster, Original Daybill
Size AU Daybill Post-War (13" x 30")
WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH (1970) Movie Poster, Original Daybill, Starring Victoria Vetri, Robin Hawdon, Patrick Allen and Directed by Val Guest and is presented in Very Fine+ Condition. Movie...
WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH (1970) Movie Poster, Original Daybill, Starring Victoria Vetri, Robin Hawdon, Patrick Allen and Directed by Val Guest and is presented in Very Fine+ Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This poster is presented in Very Fine condition with 2 Daybill folds as issued, neat staple holes in each corner, very minor edgewear on the right and left side near the 1st fold otherwise in excellent condition with vibrant colours and a clean presentation. This highly collectible Australian Original Daybill features stunning artwork by renowned poster artist Tom Chantrell, whose dynamic and colourful illustrations became synonymous with classic cinema advertising throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The artwork perfectly captures the epic prehistoric adventure, dramatic landscapes and spectacular dinosaur encounters that made this film a memorable entry in the fantasy adventure genre. With its strong colours, attractive presentation and desirable Australian Daybill format, this original movie poster represents an excellent addition to any movie poster collection, dinosaur memorabilia display or vintage science-fiction and fantasy archive.
Movie Synopsis
Released in 1970, When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth is a visually spectacular prehistoric fantasy adventure produced by Hammer Films and directed by Val Guest. Set in a mythical prehistoric world where primitive tribes worship celestial bodies and struggle for survival against the forces of nature, the film follows the story of Sanna, portrayed by Victoria Vetri, a young woman chosen as a sacrificial offering to appease her tribe's gods. Escaping her intended fate, Sanna embarks on an extraordinary journey through a dangerous landscape populated by giant dinosaurs, hostile tribes and unpredictable natural disasters.
As she travels across this harsh prehistoric world, Sanna encounters Tara, played by Robin Hawdon, and together they navigate a series of challenges while forming a bond that transcends tribal boundaries. Their adventure unfolds against a backdrop of towering volcanoes, rugged coastlines and dense wilderness inhabited by creatures that captured the imagination of cinema audiences around the world.
The film is particularly celebrated for its groundbreaking special effects created by legendary visual effects artist Jim Danforth. His remarkable stop-motion animation work brought a variety of prehistoric creatures to life with a level of realism that was highly impressive for the era. The dinosaur sequences remain among the most memorable aspects of the production and helped establish the film as a cult favourite among fans of classic fantasy cinema.
One of the most interesting aspects of the movie is its minimal use of conventional dialogue. Much of the film's communication is presented through a specially created primitive language, enhancing the authenticity of the prehistoric setting and helping immerse viewers in the ancient world depicted on screen. The screenplay was written by celebrated science fiction author J.G. Ballard together with Val Guest, combining imaginative storytelling with ambitious world-building.
Hammer Films was primarily known for its gothic horror productions, making When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970) a fascinating departure from the studio's traditional output. The production featured extensive location filming in the Canary Islands, whose dramatic volcanic landscapes provided a convincing backdrop for the prehistoric setting. The film's ambitious scale, colourful cinematography and memorable creature effects continue to attract collectors and enthusiasts more than five decades after its original release.
Today, the movie is regarded as a classic example of vintage dinosaur cinema and remains highly sought after by fans of Hammer Films, fantasy adventures, stop-motion animation and prehistoric epics. Original cinema posters from the film, particularly Australian Daybills featuring striking artwork, are increasingly desirable among collectors of vintage movie memorabilia.
To find out more about When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (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.