The following terms and definitions are used when describing movie posters.

ORIGINAL MOVIE POSTER (U.S.)
A poster that was issued for a movie by the National Screen Service (NSS), or by a movie studio, or by another company authorized by the studio FOR DISPLAY IN AN ACTUAL MOVIE THEATER at the time of the films original release. Posters that were made to be sold to the public in stores or on line are reproductions/reprints and are NOT original movie posters, even if they were printed around the time of the films release.

Older posters prior to the mid 1980's were usually (not always) issued folded while newer posters are always issued rolled. Vintage original movie posters were normally printed in very limited quantities, thus they are usually pretty rare. All of them were not meant to be saved. After their initial use they were supposed to be returned to the studio or destroyed.

Usually, the older the poster, the rarer it is. Original movie posters usually contain an NSS information tag/paragraph and number. However, this is not always true. There are plenty of original movie posters that do not contain NSS info.. And, to complicate matters, just because a poster has an NSS tagline, NSS number, and a GAU (printer's union) logo, does not necessarily mean it is an original movie poster. There are many fakes and reprints that have this printed on them to make them appear more authentic.

Common standard sizes include: One Sheet 27"x41" or 27"x40", Insert 14"x36", Half Sheet 22"x28", Three Sheet 41"x81", Lobby Card 11"x14", Window Card 14"x22". Measurements on these can vary slightly, but usually by no more than a half inch or so.

Common Reproduction sizes (not original movie posters) are: 24"x36", 20"x30", 11"x17" and anything slightly less than a standard size one sheet approx. 26"x39".

The above information applies to U.S. posters. Non U.S. movie posters have different specs/sizes.

ORIGINAL MOVIE POSTER (NON U.S.)
Each country has their own specifications and standard sizes. The following can generally be said about most foreign movie posters: A poster that was issued for a movie by a movie studio, or by another company authorized by the studio for display in an actual movie theatre at the time of the films original release. Older posters prior to the mid 1980's were usually (not always) issued folded while newer posters are issued rolled and/or folded. Original foreign movie posters are printed in limited quantities, thus they are usually pretty rare. Usually, the older the poster, the rarer it is.

ADVANCE
Issued well in advance (usually many months) of a film's release. Usually a one sheet. Very often similar to the regular issue but with an added line of text like "Coming This Christmas".

TEASER
Issued before a film is released. Usually a one sheet. Designed to pique interest "teasing" by showing very little. Very often contains plain text or a single picture without text. Usually rarer than the regular issues.

INTERNATIONAL STYLE
A poster made in the U.S. for international use. Often featuring different artwork. Sometimes the artwork/photos are more risque' and sometimes they feature an alternate title. Usually lacks a RATING (G, PG, or R) because foreign countries do not use the U.S. movie ratings system.

STYLE A,B,C,D
Studios often issued many different styles of one sheets for the same movie. They still do. To differentiate them they were often marked as "Style A" or "Style B" etc.

NSS (National Screen Service)
From 1939 until the mid-1980’s the NSS distributed almost 90% of all American movie posters. They produced, printed, distributed and stocked all of the materials for most of the major movie studios. NSS was bought out by Technicolor, Inc. in 2000. Movie studios mostly now print and distribute their own advertising materials.

NSS NUMBER

The National Screen Service established a dating and coding system for movie posters. The NSS NUMBER appears on almost all material that was distributed through them. On one sheets it usually appears somewhere in the bottom right side margin. They also sometimes stamped the back of a poster with the title and NSS number. If a poster is from the NSS era and does not have an NSS number, it may be a reproduction. Many people mistakenly think movie posters are "numbered/limited editions". We see this all the time! If the NSS # is 54/337, the poster is NOT the 54th out of 337 printed! Hundreds or thousands of each poster were printed, all with the SAME NSS number. The above examples show posters for "Rear Window" and Back to the Future". Rear Window was the 337th title that NSS printed posters for in 1954, and Back to the Future was the 64th title they printed posters for in 1985.

NSS STAMP

NSS stamped the back of most posters from the 1940's through the mid 1970's.

NSS TAG
National Screen Service also included a tag across the bottom of the poster:

Property of National Screen Service Corporation -Licensed for use only in connection with the exhibition of this picture at the theatre licensing this material. Licensee agrees not to trade, sell or give it away, or permit others to use it, nor shall licensee be entitled to any credit upon return of this material. This material either must be returned or destroyed immediately after use.

NSS SECOND PRINTING or RE-STRIKE
A poster that was printed by NSS for poster dealers (or for other purposes) after a movies original release (sometimes many years after). May differ slightly or be exactly the same as the first NSS printing. NOT AN ORIGINAL MOVIE POSTER!! Usually you can tell it is not, but sometimes it is next to impossible to tell. There were many re-strikes for popular 70s and 80's movies like Star Wars, Jaws, Blade Runner, Raiders of the Lost Ark, etc.. Because of all the re-strikes for these popular titles, finding an original for these can be quite a challenge.

STUDIO ISSUE
A poster, usually an ADVANCE, that a movie studio issued or had printed directly (usually without NSS). May differ slightly or be exactly the same (except for NSS tag and number at the bottom) as the first NSS printing. Still considered original and in many cases rarer than the NSS issued poster.

GAU LOGO 

The GAU printers union logo appears on most original U.S. theatrical posters from the 1960's through the 1980's. It is very small and usually found on the lower white border in the center. If a poster is from the NSS era and does not have a GAU logo, it may be a reproduction.

RE-ISSUE or RE-RELEASE
When a movie is re-released years after its original first showing, a new poster is usually printed for the theatres. These are considered real and original, however they generally are less desirable than the regular first year of issue poster. These can still be very valuable and quite collectible. Not the same as a "REPRINT".

REPRINT or FAKE (Bootleg)
Not issued by the studio for theatrical display. Not original, not valuable, not collectible! They are however found everywhere. Most are similar in size to one sheets or inserts. Some reprints are authorized by the studio, these usually differ though significantly from the real studio issues and are easy to spot. There are however unscrupulous printers, mostly overseas, that try and copy the real studio issued posters EXACTLY. THESE ARE FAKES! They now even print double sided in an attempt to fool the collecting novice. Usually easy to spot due to subtle differences in size and printing quality, although examples exist that are meant to deceive, including popular titles such as Jaws, all the Star Wars movies, Raiders of the lost Ark, Raging Bull, Apocalypse Now, Taxi Driver, Blade Runner, Scarface and others. Even some of the newer popular titles like “Spiderman” and “The Matrix” have fakes and reprints. BEWARE! Remember, not all "reprints" are "fakes". Some reprints are authorized. Unauthorized reprints that are meant to deceive collectors by copying originals almost exactly ARE FAKES (Bootlegs).

REPRODUCTION
Not issued by a movie studio for theatrical display. Not original, not valuable, not collectible! Reproductions exist for almost all popular titles, but these are usually marked by the company that made them, differ slightly in size from originals, and are easy to spot. For example: years ago, Portal Publications was a company that reproduced MANY popular older posters. These were licensed, but since some of these are actually 30 to 50 years old some people mistake them for original movie posters. Many titles over the last 30 years have also been reproduced, legally and illegally. Again, these are usually easy to spot by an informed collector. Some valuable posters however have been reproduced with the intent to deceive. Beware!

RESTORATION
The process by which a poster is restored as close as possible to its original appearance. Specially trained artisans use a variety of methods to remove or disguise stains, fix holes and tears, replace missing paper, clean, enhance color, perform image recreation, and touch up fold lines. Nowadays since many techniques used have approached perfection, it is almost impossible to tell when a poster has been restored. If a poster has had any restoration we try to describe it as best as possible. Restoration can actually increase a posters value. Most of our posters that have had restoration have only had very minimal work done (touching up fold lines).

LINEN BACKING
Linen backing can dramatically improve the overall appearance of a poster and it can substantially increase its value. It is an archival poster conservation method where the poster is de-acidified and mounted with wheat paste onto acid free paper and adhered to canvas. This process provides stability to the piece and prevents possible deterioration. It smoothes and flattens out waves and wrinkles and makes creases and folds much less noticeable (sometimes invisible). If needed, restoration can then be done. Once linen backed, a poster is easier to handle, is ready for framing, or it may be rolled for shipping. If not framing a linen backed poster, we recommend storing it flat and not rolled. Should a linen backed poster sustain physical damage in the future, poster removal is possible. This cannot be said for most other mounting methods. Linen backing is not absolutely necessary for most posters, but for a valuable one it is a good idea because it helps to preserve it. We have our posters linen backed by world renowned paper conservation professionals. They do work for all the major movie studios and museums.

PAPER BACKING
A poster conservation method. When a poster has been "paperbacked" it has been professionally mounted onto a piece of high quality Japanese rice paper, and then onto a piece of acid-free backing board. During this process, almost all of the posters defects have been corrected (or greatly minimized), and if the backing was done by a talented professional, the poster looks great. THIS IS A PROCESS SIMILAR TO "LINEN BACKING", but it is usually reserved for CARD STOCK posters (inserts, half-sheets, lobby cards, and window cards) where the poster remains in a form similar to how it was when it was unbacked (this is personal choice and not a matter of right or wrong).

STARCH BACKING
A poster conservation method. When a poster has been starch backed it has been flattened, cleaned and de-acidified. Minor touch up is optional as the fold lines will usually still be noticeable. It is NOT mounted to anything once completed. Recommended only for posters that are in NM condition before the process and those of a strong stock paper with fold lines that are NOT weak.

GEL SIZING
A proprietary poster conservation method (patent pending). When a poster has gone through the Gel Sizing process, it has been flattened, cleaned and de-acidified. The paper is impregnated with a purified form of sea gelatin which greatly strengthens the paper and physically eliminates fold lines. It is NOT mounted to anything once completed, and the finished poster will remain dimensionally stable even after exposure to changes in atmospheric conditions.  A brand new type of conservation pioneered in 2005 by John Davis.

PRINTER'S PROOF
Before a poster was printed in large quantities, the printer would print a limited number of test posters. Commonly, they would leave the color chart on the left edge of the poster, which added an extra inch to the width of the poster. Sometimes they were printed in a single color or a combination of just a few colors. These would then be shown to people in a position to "OK" them. Once they were approved, the final posters would be printed and the proofs normally were destroyed. A printer's proof is far more rare than a regular one sheet poster, and there is no fear of purchasing a reproduction.

DOUBLE-SIDED (D/S)
In the early 1990's some studios started issuing movie posters that were printed on both sides. This process makes the poster stand out more in a theatre light box display. Today, most posters are printed with single sided and double sided versions. It is believed by some experts, although it is debatable, that recent STUDIO PRINTED posters that are double sided are "original" while single sided ones are not.

TRI-FOLD
Term used when referring to a one sheet. Most one sheets that were folded were done with three horizontal creases and one vertical. A tri-fold was never folded vertically. Very rare and very desirable.

FILM NOIR
Literally 'black film or cinema' was coined by French film critics who noticed the trend of how dark and black the looks and themes were of many American crime and detective films released in France following the war. It is a style of American films that first evolved in the 1940s, became prominent in the post-war era, and lasted in a classic period until about 1960. Film noir films show the dark and inhumane side of human nature with cynicism and doomed love, and they emphasize the brutal, unhealthy, seamy, shadowy, dark and sadistic sides of the human experience. An oppressive atmosphere of menace, pessimism, anxiety, suspicion that anything can go wrong, dingy realism, futility, fatalism, defeat and entrapment are stylized characteristics of film noir. Examples include This Gun For Hire and Chinatown.

CRIME
Movie posters, generally from the 40's and '50s, that feature images or themes of "Crime". Highly collectible.

BAD GIRL
Movie posters, generally from the '50s, that feature images or themes of "Bad Girls". Highly collectible.

SEXPLOITATION
Movie posters, generally from the '60s and '70's, that feature images or themes of a sexually explicit nature and exploit women. Adults Only. Highly collectible.

BLAXPLOITATION
Movie posters, generally from the '70s, that feature images or themes of African American life. Famous examples include: Shaft, SuperFly, Blacula, Cleopatra Jones, Foxy Brown. Highly collectible.

ICONIC IMAGE
An image, usually from pop culture, that is instantly recognizable by the general public. Examples include:
The shark protruding from the water from Jaws.
John Travolta in his famous stance pointing skyward from Saturday Night Fever.
The black and white standing portrait of Al Pacino from Scarface.
The famous artwork of Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh from Gone with the Wind.

LENTICULAR
Usually used on special edition one sheets. Very expensive to produce and thus very rare. It is a specialized printing process which is similar to but differs from a hologram. They look great in almost any kind of light. As you turn the poster an illusion of motion is created. The most famous and most collectible lenticular is probably for the film The Lost World: Jurassic Park.

MYLAR
Usually used on special limited edition one sheets. Printed on a sheet of mylar plastic. The plastic is then coated with either silver or gold paint and then the artwork is painted over the silver or gold paint, leaving holes to allow the silver or gold base paint to show through. Mylar posters are extremely colorful and attractive. Since this is an expensive process, these posters are printed in limited numbers. The most famous one is probably the Star Wars advance mylar, while a recent popular one was issued for the film Charlie's Angels.

ROLLED vs. FOLDED
Most U.S. and foreign paper movie posters (i.e. ONE SHEETS) prior to the mid 1980's were shipped to theatres folded (approx. folded size = 10 1/4 x 13 1/2). Cardboard stock posters (i.e. INSERTS) were issued both rolled and folded. Rarely were paper posters issued rolled making rolled ones from that era and before highly desirable. Today all U.S. posters are issued rolled while foreign posters are still mostly issued folded.

For example:
An original NM C9 ROLLED JAWS one sheet (if you can find one) can easily fetch $700.00 to $1,000.00.
A Tri-Fold NM C9 one is usually priced around $400 to $600.00.
A regular folded NM C9 usually goes for $250.00 to $400.00.

STONE LITHOGRAPHY
Characterized by their beautiful, rich, deep colors, hand printed Stone Litho film posters are treasured by movie poster aficionados. Most advertisement posters from the 1870s through the 1950s were printed by this method. The print run could have been from one hundred to a few thousand. Artists spent days drawing on special lithographic stones and printing on their lithograph press. Each color was drawn on a stone with crayons. The drawing was then fixed to the stone with acid. Ink was applied and then a sheet of paper was pressed on the stone. This was done repeatedly for each different color. This is a "lost art" and is rarely (almost never) used today. Recently, a company using this process recreated the top 100 film posters of all time in limited editions.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Refers to a poster that comes from the country where the film was made. These posters often command a premium over other posters from the movie. For example, the British Quad for Dr. No is generally more expensive than the U.S. one sheet for this title.

VIDEO POSTER
Usually very similar or sometimes virtually indistinguishable from Original theater issued one sheets. These posters were for video stores to advertise the movie being released on video tape, laser disc, or DVD.

WILDING POSTER
Made to be pasted up in cities on construction sites etc. Sizes vary and they may have artwork the same or completely different than the one sheet. Can be very collectible and sometimes extremely rare.

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This guide created by David A. Lieberman, CineMasterpieces.

Please see our other guides about movie posters.