The Birds/ Ptaki (1963), poster, first Polish release (1965)

The Birds/ Ptaki (1963) Poster, First Polish release (1965)

Artist: Bronislaw Zelek (1935-2018)

Bronislaw Zelek is well known for his ingenious combinations of typography and illustrations. Jean-Luc Godard said of Zelek's work that 'the relationship between text and image is similar to that between the chair and the table: to sit at the table, you need both of them'. This poster for Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds was Zelek's debut at the 1st Warsaw International Poster Biennale in 1968. The previous year, Zelek had won Tadeusz Trepkowski's prestigious WAG Award. This poster is considered to be one of the greatest film posters of the twentieth century. Zelek's distinctive design perfectly captures this horror film, with its flapping impending threat.

Exceptionally rare. This poster does not surface very often.

This film was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and is loosely based on the 1952 novelette of the same name by Daphne du Maurier, which was included in her collection 'The Apple Tree'. The film stars Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren (in her film debut).