This poster for Marihuana, a classic 1936 exploitation movie by cult director Dwain Esper, is selling at RR Auction.
It tells the story of a teenage girl who accidentally smokes cannabis at a party. This results in her getting pregnant, losing a friend to drowning and her boyfriend getting shot by the police.
This movie gleefully depicts one woman's descent into drugs hell
Then she gives her child up for adoption and starts injecting heroin.
Esper’s other films (including Narcotic and Sex Madness) plough a similar furrow.
They purport to be morality tales (giving him some leeway with the censors) but then go completely overboard with the nudity, violence and drug use.
They attracted huge audiences at the time.
The poster breathlessly promises: “Weird Orgies”, “Wild Parties” and “Unleashed Passions”.
It’s valued at more than $800 in the Gangsters, Outlaws and Lawmen sale, which closes on June 24.
A US poster for 1948 Italian exploitation movie Una lettera all'alba (Letter at Dawn) – retitled “Cocaine: The Thrill that Kills” in the US – is valued at more than $200.
It states: “This picture is a lesson for every teen-ager, and a warning for every parent!”
We have a great selection of posters for sale, why not take a look?
The sale will also feature a letter from Clyde Barrow and Al Capone’s pocket watch.
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