Recommended music: James Horner – Tir Asleen
Also, today from the archives, let’s celebrate the Magic of Willow with this Willow Japanese Movie Program!
Japanese movie programs or souvenir pamphlets are only sold in Japanese theaters during a film’s initial run. They are frequently a good source of thorough information and images, varying in content from the standard publicity materials found in most countries. The programs have come in a few different dimensions over the years, with 8×11 inches being the most common (all of mine are this size). The souvenirs have been made since at least the 1930s (the earliest example I found being All Quiet On The Western Front, which was released in Japan on October 24th 1930) and continue all the way up to this past summer’s major film releases. Update: I also found a 12-page Japanese booklet for Metropolis that was sold at auction a couple of years ago. The film debuted in Japan in April 1929.😲
This Willow Japanese Movie Program features 28 pages of artwork and stock photos, some of which appear to be rarer compared to images used in multiple books, magazines, posters, or sticker cards. The back cover is an ad for a VCR with both Yoda and George Lucas (perhaps I’ll share more of this collection in 2023). Lucas recorded a half dozen Japanese commercials for Panasonic between 1987 and 1988, with the George Lucas Super Live Adventure stage show touring the country about five years later.
The Willow film turned 37 years old this month! I figure there’ll be a new Willow item from my collection to share here for the rest of the month. Happy 37 years to the Magic of Willow!
Dale's Toys 