Someone's about to get a very unpleasant surprise!

[Posteroid]

Or would you be happy if you found that the "RARE original 1954" movie poster you bought turns out to be from an 80's rerelease: http://cgi.ebay.com/Seven-Samurai-Toho-1954-Japanese-B2-Akira-Kurosawa-/250752837789?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a6208a89d
This seller is either ignorant or intentionally trying to mislead potential bidders. In any case, he/she cannot read Japanese because the "Emerald Green Titles of the stars printed on this movie poster" actually say "Kurosawa Akira, director, producer".
If you cannot understand Japanese, don't pretend you do.

I have mailed the seller. Let's see if the auction gets changed.

Armin

[Ed_209uk]

Yikes! I suspect he'll leave it running. I think you called it right that he's not aware of what he's selling, but I doubt he'll care when the truth is put to him. Poor buyer!

[brude]

If he doesn't change it, tell the ignoramus you'll report him to Ebay.
A good bluff will usually do the trick.

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

Or would you be happy if you found that the "RARE original 1954" movie poster you bought turns out to be from an 80's rerelease: http://cgi.ebay.com/Seven-Samurai-Toho-1954-Japanese-B2-Akira-Kurosawa-/250752837789?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a6208a89d
This seller is either ignorant or intentionally trying to mislead potential bidders. In any case, he/she cannot read Japanese because the "Emerald Green Titles of the stars printed on this movie poster" actually say "Kurosawa Akira, director, producer".
If you cannot understand Japanese, don't pretend you do.

I have mailed the seller. Let's see if the auction gets changed.

Armin

Even better than reporting him to Ebay:  Tell him you'll directly contact the buyer after s/he leaves feedback that it's a scam.

[linder1]

I just sent the seller a question pretending to be ignorant.  Let's see what happens.

[Dr Hackenbush]

Even better than reporting him to Ebay:  Tell him you'll directly contact the buyer after s/he leaves feedback that it's a scam.

You can't anymore

[linder1]

Here's the response I got when I asked (in a very clueless fashion) how the seller was sure it was an original from 1954:

Hello
First of all if anyone gets anything from us and for any reason they
dont like it they can return it for a refund. It is a very well known movie
poster and the same EXACT movie poster sold almost a year ago on ebay for
alot of money THE SAME EXACT piece which I have the ebay number and so
forth, and also the size deminsion of the movie poster is the B1 sheet of
original 50's Japan and also the Japanese writings on the bottom of the
poster, also the studio logo and finally the same movie poster was printed
in the 70's with a different top portion and ofcourse a different size and
last and final when you touch the poster and see the vividness of the movie
poster there is not a single mind can think it anything but the original
1954 and remember we always refund for any reason.
Sincerely

-rare-movieposters

I'm sorry but anyone who spells dimension as deminsion is not only combining a multi-layered Freudian slip (demon? demented?) with stupidity, but I'd also wager is a defensive asshole.  Yes, I can read that much from just that one word!! 

The other ramblings are also good for a laugh.

More to come.  As you see the jerk is already very defensive even though the way my question was phrased it may as well have come from Bambi.

[linder1]

Sorry guys, I can't resist providing you with a play by play.  Here's my reply back to this jerkoff.  Meanwhile I'm reporting his ass to eBay, we'll see what happens.

Hi!  Thanks so much for your response!  I am really interested and I have much more confidence because of your gaurantee, that's really great.  I was looking at emovieposter because I used the google to find a "movie poster price guide".  I saw that they have a price of about $8400 for an original from 1954.  That is what I am looking for though, for my dad, who love Kurosawa.  I don't know if I can win it though because my budget for his birthday is $3000.  Do you think if I bid $3000 I will win it?  What did that other one you talked about go for?  Thanks a lot!!

All butchering of English etc very intentional.

[Posteroid]

That is funny Erich!
Let us know how it progresses!
The guy seems to be a real dickhead.

Armin

[linder1]

To be honest with you I have no idea who is the other bidders
maximum bidding because we as a seller dont know but give it a bid and see
what happens, I really hope you get this movie poster because I know it
will go to an excellent home that will appreciate it sincerely. If there is
anything I can do, plz let me know.
Sincerely
PS: give my best to your
dad, dad's are jewels to be worshipped and cheerished every single day.

-rare-movieposters

My reply:

OK, I see. So I am still kind of confused about this poster tho, because I
was looking more at emovieposter and their pictures of old posters? So
this one looks exactly like yours:
http://www.emovieposter.com/imagearchive/poster/236979.html and it is from
1975. This one is from 1954 and it looks totally different:
http://www.emovieposter.com/imagearchive/poster/5742.html The one from
1975 really looks exactly like yours so how would I know it is from 1954?
I don't really understand. Can you help me understand?

Fuckstick's reply:

HelloThank you for asking questions. I looked up the emovieposter and by
first sight I realized it is not original because the reissues that they
print (emphasis mine - EL) CAN NOT Capture the vividness of original release copies, secondly
the one emovieposter sold for $34.00 is not the 20 x 28 inches size but the
11 x 17 inches size, for example I have the original one sheet for the 1947
movie Smash-up which is worth aprox. $1,000.00 the same exact copys is
being sold on ebay for $6.99 with ebay nummber 120664513606, the same exact
piece. My $1,000.00 Smash Up poster is 27 x 41 inches which is the original
standard 1948 one sheet and the one for $6.99 is 11 x 17 inches. Also if
you look at the bottom poster of the Japanese one that we have listed,
right under that HUGE red Japanese word wich looks like a large T
underneath that you see some small blue Japanese printings, the original
one we have our blue Japanese words begins a little space from below the
large T and then the Japanese words begin, the reissue copy the Japanese
small blue wordings begin immediately above the black Japanese words.
Believe me I am not trying to make you buy this poster but would like to be
of ANY HELP to fellow movie poster collectors and also would like all
collectors to buy the best pieces so they all can be investment pieces. It
is so obvious that the one emovieposter is selling is a less than $34 but
maybe a $10 poster and NOT a few thousand dollars movie poster. If there is
anything else I can explain PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE to let me know, I enjoy
sharing thoughts and knowledge on movie posters. I have been collecting
since I was 18 years old and if you decide to buy this movie poster and you
win and when you get the movie poster in your hand you can just tell it is
from 1954 and if you felt it is not return it for a refund because you can
pay via paypal and they 100% protect your payment for any fake or wrong
pieces. I am happy to have communicated with you and hope to one day meet u
& share postrs

-rare-movieposters

More to come...

[Ed_209uk]

Dear lord...

This is great stuff Erich, keep 'em coming!

[stewart boyle]

He wants to meet you now??..sounds like he`s grooming you....

Stew

[linder1]

Armin, if you have a link to the R80's version of the poster that would be helpful to my little exploit.  That R75 is a little different from the one he has up (placement of bottom credits).

I've already reported the listing to eBay but it may be too late.

This guy is clearly scum.  We'll see what happens with my latest reply...

[brude]

Unbelievable....

[CJ138]

The APF crew, detecting and exploiting fraudsters! Nicely done gentlemen. This is as entertaining as Ari's thread on Nigerian fraudsters.

[linder1]

My latest bait reply:

Dear rare-movieposters,

Wow, that's great! U rly have a special attenttion to detail, I would not
have seen that for sure. Do you have a web site on the internet where I
can look at more of your posters? And what is your name sir, if I can ask?
I like to know who I am talking to :-) I hope I will win this poster
today. Thanks agian!

And "Mo" replied as follows:

My name is Mo and I live in Los Angeles and I would like to share my
movie poster collection with you if you ever come to Los Angeles. Our home
is open to you and please consider coming to us. One time we had listed an
expensive movie poster it was a Rudolph Valentino movie poster for a few
thousand dollars and a buyer said they are selling the same copy for $9.00
and when I looked at the movie poster that printing company that was
selling the $10 poster had made a copy of our Valentino Movie Poster
through the photo we had placed on ebay and it was a terrible and
disgusting copy because from ebay photo you can not obtain true colors and
it was a 8 x 10 inches cheap photo of the original movie poster we had
listed on ebay, ofcourse we sold it and we are sort of sorry for selling it
because they are so so so rare and in our lifetime we wont be able to find
these pieces anymore, so please please if you come to Los Angeles consider
visiting us.
God Bless you and your precious father
Your Friend
Mo

-rare-movieposters

OK, so who knows Mo?

I feel like I'm writing a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book with this goof.  Now he's inviting me to his house?  I'm his friend?  Amazing what the faintest hint of a possible score will do.

[stewart boyle]

I can just picture it..

Reply
"youre coming here to visit???"
"well, first off my basement is really small... and if you would bring a sleeping bag that would help..."

Stew

[kovacs01]

There are only two periods on that diatribe above.  I'd say it looks like Egghead rambling, but it is much too polite for that.

[Posteroid]

Armin, if you have a link to the R80's version of the poster that would be helpful to my little exploit.  That R75 is a little different from the one he has up (placement of bottom credits).

Erich, you really know how to make friends! Mo seems like a great guy!

I thought it was the 80's rerelease, but you are right it is for the 75's RR. The poster is also featured on Movieposter Database (http://www.movieposterdb.com/poster/e851291e).

Interestingly this rerelease did not have an Eirin mark, so it was most likely in very small distribution. I am selling the tatekan for this release on my website at the moment. You can tell it's from the same release as it says on the poster that the film is the original uncut version, 3hours and 30 minutes long - the same sentence appears on the B2 in the ebay auction. Also the "Kurosawa Akira, director, producer" is written in the same font and size and the photocollage is the same stlye.



The auction price on ebay is now already over $1,500.-. I really hope that Mo is doing some shill bidding on his own poster and wins it in the end. Otherwise someone is really getting screwed.

Armin

[crowzilla]

I notice the $1500 underbidder has bid on 26 items in the last 30 days and ALL of them just happen to be with this seller.
Very discriminating taste.

It is strange that text of the "original length 3hrs 30 minutes" (and in 4 channel stereo!) is not centered over the lower text like the examples from Bruce and Heritage.  I saw one for sale now on Yahoo Japan also and it was also centered.

[linder1]

I'm quite sure the winner will not pay.

Let's let this play out a bit over the coming days...

[oldposterho]

It goes without saying the shi...underbidder will cap out at $2900.

--Peter

[Jonkino]

A couple of years back I bought a couple of Uk Quads (not expensive ones - about £40 I think), from a eBay seller that was called Rare Movieposter, from memory but I don;t know if it is the same person as this as he used to sell mainly rare uk quads. I don't really remember the titles now but they will be still in the tube. I remember I was a bit surprised at the time as I thought they were good prices. I remember when I got them that they were on quite unusual thinner paper than I would normally expect from a quad from 70s. I asked the seller and he said it was the only type of paper that that he had ever seen them on. Anyway, I left it at that but this post has got me thinking about them again. It may be that there is just a similar name here but does anyone know is there another seller of a similar id name as raremovieposters ? Also, were UK quads in the 60s/70s ever released on quite a thinner paper?

[CSM]

Ask this guy if he has any Bond posters and, if so, for pictures and let's see what the response is...

[quadbod]

A couple of years back I bought a couple of Uk Quads (not expensive ones - about £40 I think), from a eBay seller that was called Rare Movieposter, from memory but I don;t know if it is the same person as this as he used to sell mainly rare uk quads. I don't really remember the titles now but they will be still in the tube. I remember I was a bit surprised at the time as I thought they were good prices. I remember when I got them that they were on quite unusual thinner paper than I would normally expect from a quad from 70s. I asked the seller and he said it was the only type of paper that that he had ever seen them on. Anyway, I left it at that but this post has got me thinking about them again. It may be that there is just a similar name here but does anyone know is there another seller of a similar id name as raremovieposters ? Also, were UK quads in the 60s/70s ever released on quite a thinner paper?

eBay ID rarefilmposters is Greg Edwards - an extremely reliable, long-established UK dealer - and yes, 60s/70s posters do appear in a variety of grades of paper, including some very lightweight items.

Best wishes,

Terry - www.quadbod.co.uk