This was the first movie poster I ever bought. 

I remember it distinctly as I bought it when Pinewood Film Studios had their first (and as far as I know only) open day back in 1977. I persuaded (ok forced) my mum and dad to take me and we spent the day touring the various sound stages. I remember eagerly anticipating visiting the huge James Bond stage, where I knew the submarines-inside-an-oil tanker sets had been built for The Spy Who Loved Me, which had just been released. Naively, I expected to see them there fully intact, whereas they had of course been torn down and replaced for the next film shooting there. Inside was built a fake ice cavern (for Superman), and I was bitterly disappointed not to see submarines. 

But at the end of the tour, there was a melee in a small room where film posters were being brought out for sale. I had never thought of buying posters before, but wanted to grab a souvenir of the tour.   It was quite a scrum but I got this Clint Eastwood double bill poster. Of course, I did not know at the time that this was for a re-release, and therefore less valuable – which is one of the basic ‘rules’ of movie poster collecting. I figured I was getting double my money Clint!  (It was about 50p I think). 

Years later, I also bought the original release poster for Magnum Force (below), but this is one instance where I actually prefer the re-release version – somehow the main image is stronger in black and white, I think.

These are standard size UK ‘quad’ poster (76 x 101cm). I had the double bill poster on my wall for several years, and of course back then I did not give any thought to protecting the poster or future value. So it stayed stuck to the wall with double sided tape, which over time resulted in the ugly brown marks on the corners. At one point, when it came to take it down I also managed to yank it off the wall, bringing glued-on paint with it and ripping holes in it for good measure.  It is pretty much worthless now in this condition, but I have kept is as a memento of my early days of movie poster collecting.  

I am not sure if I saw these films before or after the Pinewood trip, but they are two of my all-time favourites. I do remember I saw them separately at the Savoy cinema in Nottingham, which still exists. The lady at the ticket counter did not blink an eyelid at a gangly and clearly under-18 teenager turning up for an X certificate movie, so pretty soon I was a regular there, particularly to catch horror movies – an illicit thrill!