1980s to Now

Although Western films were shown during the Soviet era in the Communist Bloc, American publicity materials were banned, allowing the state-commissioned artists to operate with total creative freedom from the demands of the big Hollywood studios, offering quirky interpretations which often had little reference to the film. Renowned Polish artist Jakub Erol, who had previously designed the Polish posters for Lucasfilm's Star Wars: A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, conceived this marvellously macabre design for the first Polish release of Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1983. The snake-like whip coiling through the crevices of a sinister skull make this one of the creepiest and most collectable posters created for the beloved classic.

Conceived by producer George Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg in their first collaboration, the spectacular 1981 action-adventure blockbuster Raiders of the Lost Ark starred Harrison Ford as globe-trotting action-hero archeologist Indiana Jones in a quest for the biblical Ark of the Covenant. Created by Lucas as a tribute to the cliff-hanger western and adventure serials of the 1930s and 1940s, Raiders was a massive box office success, becoming the highest grossing film of 1981 and remaining one of the highest grossing films or all time when adjusted for inflation. Almost universally acclaimed by critics, with The New York Times calling it "one of the most deliriously funny, ingenious and stylish American adventure movies ever made," the movie was nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture, winning four for Best Art Direction, Film Editing, Sound, and Visual Effects plus a Special Achievement Award for Sound Effects Editing. Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time (Empire magazine ranks it second only to The Godfather), the film spawned a franchise including a prequel, two sequels (with another to follow in 2023), a television series and numerous video games.

Condition

Excellent (A-)

Unfolded, not backed. Minor creases to corners and edges and the occasional light handling crease through image. Image and colours excellent.