Vintage original 22 x 28 in. US half-sheet poster from the 1960's Italian-produced action/adventure romance, ERIK THE CONQUEROR (Italian title: Gli invasori), released in the US in 1963 by American International Pictures (AIP) and directed by Mario Bava. Two estranged brothers confront each other as rivals when war breaks out between Britain and the Vikings for control of England. The cast includes Cameron Mitchell, twins Alice & Ellen Kessler, George Ardisson, Andrea Checchi, Jean-Jacques Delbo, Franco Giacobini, and Raf Baldassarre.

Issued for the film's original US theatrical release, the design features artwork depicting a huge battle scene between the British and the Vikings outside a castle along with a full-length image of Rama, Queen of the Vestal Virgins (Alice Kessler), and two people bound together above her. Unrestored and rolled as originally issued, this example was never used and is in very fine- condition with small areas of light stains in the top border. There are no pinholes, creases, tears, writing, or other flaws and the rich color tints are fresh and vibrant without any signs of fading. This poster will be shipped rolled in a sturdy tube to prevent damage while in transit.

 

Mario Bava (31 July 1914 – 25 April 1980) was an Italian filmmaker who worked variously as a director, cinematographer, special effects artist and screenwriter, frequently referred to as the "Master of Italian Horror" and the "Master of the Macabre." His low-budget genre films, known for their distinctive visual flair and stylish technical ingenuity, feature recurring themes and imagery concerning the conflict between illusion and reality, as well as the destructive capacity of human nature. He was a pioneer of Italian genre cinema, and is regarded as one of the most influential auteurs of the horror film genre. After providing special effects work and other assistance on productions like Hercules (1958) and Caltiki – The Immortal Monster (1959), Bava made his official feature directorial debut with the horror film, Black Sunday, released in 1960. He went on to direct such films as The Girl Who Knew Too Much, Black Sabbath, The Whip and the Body (all released in 1963), Blood and Black Lace (1964), Planet of the Vampires (1965), Kill, Baby, Kill (1966), Danger: Diabolik (1968), A Bay of Blood (1971), Baron Blood (1972), Lisa and the Devil (1974), and Rabid Dogs (1974).

 

According to the British Film Institute, "Bava took a vital role in the creation of the modern horror film. If there was to be a Mount Rushmore-style monument dedicated to four directors whose work pioneered a new form of big screen chills and thrills, those giant faces etched in granite on the mountainside would be: Bava, Alfred Hitchcock, Georges Franju and Michael Powell.”