Pulp Fiction regular...

[Harry Caul]

For all you pixel peepers out there... try to spot the difference.  Yes, the colors are slightly off, but I can't find any reliable way to do it using a small auction photo.  Buyer beware.

Suspected Bootleg -- http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/9661/suspectedbootleg.jpg
Confirmed Original -- http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/2405/confirmedoriginal.jpg

By the way, the confirmed original matches Rich's stock from the Miramax warehouse and a copy from someone who worked on the film.  The suspected bootleg was tough to spot.  MPGrading ran a fiber analysis on it but it came back as inconclusive... partly because modern posters don't have easy 'tells' yet to differentiate year to year.  However, after Todd did some more testing on other poster, he found out the paper stock on this poster matched the paper stock used for full size (27x41) Blade Runner and The Thing posters.  He knows those are bootlegs because the paper stock doesn't have alkaline in it and pulp manufacturers didn't eliminate that for posters until the mid-80s.  So he could tell the BR and Thing posters were bootlegs, but he had to match the PF to those to determine they were printed maliciously.  The pulp on all three of these posters seems to come from Japan, which presumably is where the bootlegs are being printed. 

[Bruce]

In person, the color of the title is quite different and easy to see. Get accurate images and no one will have any doubts and no one will get fooled.

Unless YOUR suspected bootleg is not the one we have been consigned.

Bruce

[Harry Caul]

In person, the color of the title is quite different and easy to see. Get accurate images and no one will have any doubts and no one will get fooled.

Unless YOUR suspected bootleg is not the one we have been consigned.

Bruce

Is the one you've been consigned the same size as the original?  The one I have pictured here mr he's almost perfectly. But you are right, in person the color differences are more apparent. And the paper feels a bit different as wel.

However, the print quality is really good and I can't find any easy 'tells' like a hairy belt or anything. This would be a tough one to authenticate from an auction photo... even close up shots.

[Bruce]

I agree that it looks right every other way. But are you saying that in person you can clearly see the difference, but not with your camera? How odd!

This might be the one case where I agree that color boosting is useful. Why not try to adjust the color so the online image looks like the color you see in person.

Bruce

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

The suspected bootleg is ridiculously good but - as you say - the colors are noticeably different.  The skin tone is yellow on the original and redder on the suspected bootleg.

One instant way to spot it is to look at the lower left.  Some of the blue "spots" (or faux paper loss) on the original are white on the suspected bootleg. (See the last pic below.)

By the way, it looks like your bootleg has some small physical scratches on the black t-shirt and face that would not show up on other bootlegs, so I've fixed them on the below photos to ensure a better comparison.

[Bruce]

On the bootleg, you are struck (in person) that the title looks "orange yellow" while the real one is "yellow".

Of course, that could just be my own lying eyes*!

Bruce

* Someone was arguing with me over something where there was photographic evidence that what they said wasn't true, and they basically were saying "Who are you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?". Now I know that line because I remember a cartoon from maybe the 1960s where a wife walks in on her husband in bed with a sexy girl and he is saying the above (maybe Playboy or the New Yorker).

Or do I just think I remember it and it is an urban legend? I can find many references to it on the Internet, but not the cartoon itself! Can anyone find the original of this cartoon, or tell me more about it being real or not? Now to complicate matters this was kind of first said in the Marx Bros movie, Duck Soup. Chico, who is dressed as Groucho, says to Margaret Dumont, ""Who you gonna believe, me or your own eyes?". This was later mis-attributed to Groucho, and (likely because of the cartoon) the wording was changed) to "Who are you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?". Thanks to Marx master Steve Stoliar for clearing that up.

MEL, YOU SEEM TO BE A MASTER OF SEARCHING THE INTERNET. Can you find this cartoon, if it exists?

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

On the bootleg, you are struck (in person) that the title looks "orange yellow" while the real one is "yellow".
MEL, YOU SEEM TO BE A MASTER OF SEARCHING THE INTERNET. Can you find this cartoon, if it exists?

I believe it's the reverse - the original is orange yellow, the reprint is yellow.

Not the classic cartoon, but something similar. (Nudity warning....)

[Bruce]

I will have to try to locate my images to see which way the colors are, but I know the difference is striking!

On the line I asked about, read what I wrote. Groucho did not say it, and I explain how that happened. But find me that cartoon (please!).

Bruce

[jayn_j]

* Someone was arguing with me over something where there was photographic evidence that what they said wasn't true, and they basically were saying "Who are you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?". Now I know that line because I remember a cartoon from maybe the 1960s where a wife walks in on her husband in bed with a sexy girl and he is saying the above (maybe Playboy or the New Yorker).

Or do I just think I remember it and it is an urban legend? I can find many references to it on the Internet, but not the cartoon itself! Can anyone find the original of this cartoon, or tell me more about it being real or not? Now to complicate matters this was kind of first said in the Marx Bros movie, Duck Soup. Chico, who is dressed as Groucho, says to Margaret Dumont, ""Who you gonna believe, me or your own eyes?". This was later mis-attributed to Groucho, and (likely because of the cartoon) the wording was changed) to "Who are you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?". Thanks to Marx master Steve Stoliar for clearing that up.

Well there was a classic scene in the movie "A Guide for the Married Man" where the wife walks in on her husband and girlfriend.  She keeps saying "How could you?" while the husband answers "How could I what?"  Meanwhile the husband and girl are calmly getting dressed and making the bed.  After the girl leaves the wife tries once more with "..with that girl" and the husband answers "What girl?"  Wife looks confused and says "What do you want for dinner?"

[Harry Caul]

I agree that it looks right every other way. But are you saying that in person you can clearly see the difference, but not with your camera? How odd!

I'm saying that when you see them side by side like this -- with perfect color calibration -- yes, you can clearly see a difference both in person and on screen. 

However, if you were a normal collector and didn't handle these regularly, it would be nearly impossible if you only had one example in hand. 

[Zorba]

However, if you were a normal collector and didn't handle these regularly, it would be nearly impossible if you only had one example in hand. 

True this. Cant do it with just my copy.

Then who knows how many different bootlegs this poster has out there?

[CineMasterpieces]

We will be auctioning a nm-m original one at no reserve on ebay starting this Thursday.

[archie leach]

We will be auctioning a nm-m original one at no reserve on ebay starting this Thursday.

When did you change your name to Kirby?

[CineMasterpieces]

now be nice negative nancy....

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

According to Egbert, Miramax sold 10,000+ of these posters direct to dealers for resale.  If you wade through the wackiness, it certainly has the ring of truth to it:

http://shop.vendio.com/comicod/item/758057218/index.html

OK , everyone wonders where you got them , are you sure they are original , etc.. It takes an extreme amount of time I don't have answering this kind of question individually so I will answer here , if my feedback (4.95 out of 5 DSR for item recieved as discribed) doesn't give you a clue I sell originals when advertised as such then here is a whole bunch of words on this subject. I paid 8 dollars each for the Pulp Fiction like everyone else -us movie poster dealers- did at the time. This one sheet was sold by the studio the one sheet was printed for dealers with the rest of the studio's print run initially and then reprinted during the film's release because of additional collector demand and so the minimum order of 3000 was met at least one time I know of . I was not buying from Miramax directly at this time 1994 but I did start buying from them after this film gave me the idea and that lasted a few short years until Joel Roodman left the company and then a lady Theresa was assigned the movie poster sales ,which never happened so I tried to get Brian Dickman, Michael Helfant, Ryan Hegg and his assistant Renee Crawford in the licensing department to help me have them Miramax continue to get the clearances and continue to offer their one sheets for upcoming movies - it didn't happen . Why?, you ask , well like New Line Cinema and pretty much all the studio's ever -they - the studio's licensing personnel that is are 1. disinterested and worried if you press them they will look bad to there bosses working on obtaining/licensing them without a deposit at least ,they don't understand movie posters nor do they want to , and just plain lazy 2. they get disapointed you don't want a huge quantity of there next 10 movie posters because after all your lucky if 1 poster in 10 or maybe it's more like 1 in 5 but lets say most movies are not collectible to put it nicely, and they - the studio's feel like posters aren't worth there time - just like most of there movies aren't worth ours !. 3. Almost all studio's have sold their original one sheets , none do right now as far as I know - they get disapointed , and the stars don't always allow there permission either , it is a very difficult business . Anyway, this poster was ordered by 2 of the largest movie poster dealers in the USA who together ordered direct from the studio and they sold more then 10,000 copies of this poster at about $8 each in 1994 when this was a $25 poster and I bought my supply then from them . It was a LUCKY STRIKE that this poster came at a time when Miramax was in fact selling their movie posters . get it lucky strike you know like the cigarette pack on this poster in the recalled version - oh, forget it !

Based on this, I doubt there are any true "bootlegs" out there, just tons of extras printed for dealers.  MoviePosterZone has unlimited supplies of these for $100:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pulp-Fiction-1994-movie-poster-/360544473521

$8 in 1994 is worth $12 now, Ebay/Paypal take $12, so that's still $75 profit per poster....

Probably the same deal with Blade Runner, Thing, Fast Times, and the other popular 80s posters that can be found in unlimited quantities on Ebay, all extras sold directly to dealers for resale from the original printing plates.....

[Harry Caul]

I stopped reading after the first three words of your post...

[Dan]

If you are looking for one-I know of a 100% original with Canadian Distributor's sticker attached that I personally walked out of a theatre with....I would stand up and swear under oath is an original.....it started for $0.99 on Ebay and ends in 4 days...  ;0)

[CSM]

I stopped reading after the first three words of your post...

I couldn't read it because it wasn't IN ALL CAPITALS

[Ari]

I read it all, god knows why, I'll never deliberately own one. But I read it all.
I have nothing to add, it's possible. But who would believe eggy?
There must be reliable dealers who could attest to it if true.

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

It's confirming what several have said privately and on these boards, i.e. that the studios (or their printers) printed extras and directly sold them to dealers and stores like Suncoast, sometimes years after the original printings. So it's no surprise that Ebay is flooded with limitless perfect copies of the most popular 80s & 90s posters, including these:



I agree with Archie, if you want a guaranteed "original" of these (i.e. printed at the time of first release and actually distributed to theaters), you'd better buy a very beat-up theater-used folded copy or a 30x40. It's too late for me, since I own perfect rolled copies - presumably "extra" copies printed for resale - of Blade Runner, Fast Times, ROTJ, Dune and The Thing, purchased from Egbert and MoviePosterZone over time.  I bought my Pulp Fiction from Rich and my BTTF is a beat-up theater copy.

Of course, as more and more of these "extras" drip into collector's hands from the dealers' bottomless supplies, the price will go down over time.

[Dan]

it was my understanding "back in the day" that Suncoast printings were easier to spot-slightly undersized-printing not as good for the "most part" except for the current stuff which was over-runs...

speaking of which-you can thank Star Wars....

I remember after that film had finally finished in theatres....people were starting to collect more and more movie posters ....and dolls and shirts...and cards....ect.

This was the start of supply and demand for movie posters like the hobby had never seen before...and thus running extras at the printers and sold to comic stores ect was born.

This is also where the hairy belt printing came in....and the rest...is history!

[ATLfun]

 Mel, you forgot to add Escape From New York to your list.  How in the world does that movie keep churning out rolled copies.  Every week, whether ebay or weekly auction houses you can find rolled copies.



Brian

[CSM]

Glad I bought a folded Blade Runner so I can dream sweetly at night

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

More talk from various places about the "licensed studio print runs" and overstock sales to dealers.  Not vouching for anyone, just reporting....

Pict_res (Dennis): "Since my business began in the 1970's, I have opted to acquire rolled movie posters by either buying into licensed studio print runs, or by getting material from studio field offices. In this manner, I have deliberately avoided getting reproductions. FYI, most one sheets made prior to 1990 are 27x41; most made after this date are 27x40."

Cinemasterpieces: "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."

Egbert back in 2008: " HAD AND STILL HAVE A VERY LARGE QUANTITY . EXAMPLE BATMAN 1989  BOUGHT 4,500 THEN - STILL HAVE ABOUT 1500 LEFT NOW . PREDATOR BOUGHT 5000 THEN HAVE ABOUT 2700 NOW . TITANIC 7,000 THEN - ABOUT 3200 NOW . BACK TO THE FUTURE 800 THEN 0 NOW OUCH!! , SCARFACE 850 THEN ABOUT 30 NOW  . "

More Egbert: "I am a huge fan of Arnold's and I personally bought the entire leftover inventory of this [PREDATOR] movie poster from 20th Century Fox directly myself long ago for close to 16,000 dollars , I also was the one that arranged the sale to a few dealers and was the largest buyer of the Terminator 2 - II - and Total Recall movie posters from the studio's thru O.S.P. who had the movie poster art exclusive by contract and had to be paid off . Once again these are originals and I picked them up from the studio myself. "

Somebody else off the record told me about the studio printing 5,000 Predators for sale to dealers....

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

it was my understanding "back in the day" that Suncoast printings were easier to spot-slightly undersized-printing not as good for the "most part" except for the current stuff which was over-runs...

Egbert said this (for what it's worth): "I mention francis because anyone that knows much about the one sheet movie poster business at least at the largest scale part of the business know this lowlife started his fakes/reprint business back in 1985 same year I started and has made millions of dollars worldwide with them and has had a very pervasive presence I think your local Suncoast MP Co. store probably still stocks them at over 400 stores in the US all illegal and unlicensed probably . Yes I have heard he has licensed some , doesn't mean I believe it . The point is wether your talking about Francis or his minions or moviegoods reprints or whoever to date there quality has been not nearly up to the quality of the originals ."