Un Homme et Une Femme

Artist: Other
Format: Japan Other (20"x 38")
Condition: Excellent
Year: 1966

Description

The original French poster for the 1966 Claude Lelouch film “Un Homme et une Femme” (English title: “A Man and a Woman”) already belongs in this collection. Displayed here is the Japanese poster for the film’s original release which contrasts heavily with its French equivalent. Whereas the French design plays upon the stylistic sophistication associated with French New Wave cinema, the Japanese poster exhibits a more reflective and meditative style.

The poster shares generally the same imagery as other Japanese posters for the film which is clearly positioned as both a romance and racing picture. The passionate imagery of the lovers and the 1965 Ford GT 40 take centre stage in the design whose colour scheme, dominated by white with notable splashes of red, implies a contemplative, serene and slow-burning drama/romance.

Other Japanese posters of the time for films of a roughly similar mould share many similar aesthetics. The poster for Ingmar Bergman’s praised “Persona” (image courtesy of emovieposter.com), released in 1966, contains a comparable colour scheme of white with eye-catching uses of red, and layout with the leads embracing at the top whilst more scenic imagery dominates the bottom portion. Both the Japanese posters for  "Persona" and "Un Homme...", show that Japanese designers were capable of sensitive interpretation of western art-house films.

 

This poster has been linen-backed.