The first general release of
Biancaneve ei Sette Nani in Italy
occurred on December 23, 1938. This would be followed by numerous
post-war theatrical runs, beginning with the January 1, 1950 re-release.
About Italian movie posters:
They typically come in one of five sizes. The most common is a 2 Fogli (a one-panel or "two-sheet"). It measures 39" x 55" (100 x 140 cm). There is also the 4 Fogli (two-panel poster or "four-sheet") with dimensions of 55" x 78" (140 x 200 cm). It's printed in two sections. A third size, the Foglio ("Italian one-sheet") is not actually widely used. Measures 28" x 39" (72 x 100 cm).
Then there are Photobustas (fotobusta) which are similar to US lobby cards, except they're printed on thinner glossy paper, and they tend to be much larger (from slightly bigger up to nearly the size of a US one-sheet). They almost always come in sets of eight but this can vary too. Finally, there are Locandinas which resemble US inserts and are printed in different sizes. SOURCE: EMOVIEPOSTER.COM
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Releases by RKO Radio Pictures...
- August 8, 1938 (Venice Film Festival)
- December 23, 1938 (general release)
- January 1, 1950
- April 16, 1953 (16mm release)
1938 Premiere. RKO/Generalcine 2 fogli, 100 x 140 cm (similar to the North American 40 x 60). Generalcine was the "host" distributor that rented all the RKO films to Italian theatres. "Un Film Fuori Classe" translates to "An Outstanding Motion Picture" and the bottom text reads "Winner of the
Great Art Trophy at the Venice Film Festival". The artist was a painter named Carlo Ludovico Bompiani.
1938 Premiere. RKO/Generalcine horizontal 4 fogli.
Image via Armando Giuffrida.
R-1950. RKO horizontal 2 fogli, 39" x 55" (100 x 140 cm). Text across top reads: "Returning to Italian screens the most delicious tale of the world."
R-1950. RKO 2 fogli, 39" x 55" (100 x 140 cm). It was designed by poster painter Niso Ramponi who used to sign his works as "Kremos".
Image via Little Nemo Auction House.
R-1950. RKO locandina, 9.45" x 13.4" (24 x 34 cm). Small print along the bottom is different than the above 2 fogli. (The colors have faded on this example.)
R-1950. RKO photobusta, 13" x 17" (34 x 49 cm). Across the bottom, "Walt Disney's Immortal Tale returns!"
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Distributed by Rank Films...
R-1962. Rank folded 2 fogli, 39" x 55" (100 x 140 cm). The 1962, 1972, 1980 and 1987 posters were all created by a well-known
painter, Bruno Napoli, who made all the Disney posters for Italian cinema from the '60s to the '80s.
R-1962. Rank locandina, 13" x 27" (33 x 70 cm).
R-1962. Rank folded 4 fogli, 55" x 78" (140 x 200 cm).
Locandina and 4 fogli images courtesy of Nunziante Valoroso, pictured here at the 2013 Napoli ComicCon.
R-1962. Rank folded soggettone, approximately 27.5" x 39" (70 x 100 cm). It's a double fotobusta (nearly a "one sheet" un foglio size).
R-1962. Rank folded horizontal soggettone.
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Distributed by Cinema International Corporation*1 (CIC)...
- December 20, 1972 (first complete Italian redub)
- December 19, 1980
R-1972. CIC folded 2 fogli, 39" x 55" (100 x 140 cm). The tag "Un film immortale!" can
be translated as "A motion picture that will live forever!" This line comes from the 1958 USA trailer which was used in
Italy for the 1962, 1972, 1980 and 1987 reissues. In it the tag "A
motion picture that will live forever" was translated as "Un capolavoro
immortale".
R-1972. CIC locandina, 13" x 27" (33 x 70 cm).
R-1972. CIC 6 fogli (three 2-fogli panels attached horizontally. Measures 55" x 118" (140 x 300 cm). That's over 9 feet long!
Images via Heritage Auctions.
R-1980. CIC folded 2 fogli, 39" x 55" (100 x 140 cm).
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Distributed by United International Pictures*2 (UIP)...
- July 17, 1987 (50th anniversary; one day/free admission in Torino-Milano-Roma only)
- December 1987
R-1987. UIP locandina, 13" x 27" (33 x 70 cm).
Also see a set of 1987 photobustas in
another Archive entry.
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Distributed by Warner Bros...
R-1992. Warner Bros. folded 2 fogli, 39" x 55" (100 x 140 cm). Two examples, the one on the right includes the Euro Disney Park logo placed in upper right corner. A folded 4 fogli "pink dress" design was also produced.
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Distributed by Buena Vista*3 International...
R-1994. Buena Vista rolled 2 fogli
, 39" x 55" (100 x 140 cm).
R-1994. Buena Vista folded 4 fogli, 55" x 78" (140 x 200 cm).
FOOTNOTES:
*1 - CIC was founded by Universal and Paramount to distribute films outside the US. In Italy, Universal picked the Disney catalog beginning in 1969.
*2 - UIP was formed by CIC and United Artists international after MGM bought UA in America.
*3 - Buena Vista's Italian agency was established in 1993.
Special thanks to Nunziante Valoroso for his valuable assistance with this Archive entry.
