Movie Poster Reproductions
A reproduction is a print that is made from a photograph of
an original poster. When original plates or high resolution digital
files of a poster are not available the only option to print
a poster again is to reproduce it using a photograph of an original
poster. Only posters for popular films (classic
films for the most part) are reproduced and like reprints
are a popular alternative to expensive original posters for decorating.
Reprinted posters are made from original offset plates, stone
lithographic plates, or high resolution digital files, and are
often indistinguishable in size and appearance from an original
poster. Even though the term reproduction is often used
interchangeably with the term reprint, the differences
between the two can be stark and thus need to be mentioned when
discussing movie posters.
 In contrast
to reprints, reproductions are seldom printed the same size or
close to the same size as original posters. Many are smaller
(24 x 36 or 26 x 38 inches, for example, compared to a 27
x 41 inch one-sheet) or much larger than the original (Marilyn
Monroe's Niagara poster is a 26 x 38 inch reproduction of an
original 11 x 14 inch lobby card) and may have a white border
that was not part of the original poster .
 The
quality of reproductions can vary, depending upon the photographic
skills and equipment of the reproducer and the condition of the
original poster being photographed. Since almost all old movie
posters were issued folded, reproductions will reproduce the
original fold lines as well as any flaws or damage (fading of
colors, pinholes, holes, staining, tears or separations along
the fold lines) that might be in the
original poster. A few reproductions have been restored and show
no evidence of original fold lines, flaws or damage. John Wayne's
Rio Grande and Shirley Temple's The Littlest Rebel are two examples.
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