CONFRONTATION

Original British 30 inch x 40 inch Quad Poster for the 1968 Miklós Jancsó Hungarian Drama THE CONFRONTATION (SPARKLING WINDS)(FENYES SZELEK) starring Lajos Balázsovits, Andrea Drahota, András Bálint, Kati Kovâcs, Andás Kozák and Benedek Tóth PLUS the 1964 Bruno Jori Documentary BAGNOLO – DORF ZWISCHEN SCHWARZ UND ROT

Paralleling the dramatic student protests and riots that were exploding across the world in the 1960s at the time the film was made, The Confrontation is a story of protest and rebellion in 1947 Hungary when the Communist Party have just taken power. Jancsó’s first colour film is another virtuoso display by a director at the peak of his powers, and eloquently explores the complex issues and inherent problems of revolutionary democracy.

The poster art is by Peter Strausfeld. Strausfeld was interned in the Isle of Man at the Onchan Internment Camp during the War where he met the Austrian producer George Hoellering. In 1947 Hoellering opened the Academy Cinema on Oxford Street and invited Strausfeld to produce some posters for the cinema which he did in wood and lino-cuts till his death in 1980.

The Academy Cinema, built in 1913, was saved from conversion to a shopping arcade in 1928 by Elsie Cohen of the original Film Society, who proceeded to run it as an arthouse which is how it was ran till it’s closure in 1986.

The posters became a London landmark, in fact very few were used outside of London, resulting in very small print runs of 3-500.

Printed by Ward & Foxlow Ltd., 19 Harcourt Street, London W1H 2AX

The poster is in fine unfolded (rolled) condition.