Alligator (1980) – Original UK Quad Poster
Format: UK Quad (30 x 40 inches), Single-Sided, Rolled
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Year: 1980
Rating: AA
Printer: W.E. Berry Ltd., Bradford
Style/Issue: First-release UK Quad
A wonderfully mischievous slice of creature-feature history, this original 1980 UK Quad for Alligator remains one of the most delightfully inventive posters of the era. Designed with tongue firmly in cheek, the artwork perfectly reflects the film’s cult reputation—part monster movie, part razor-sharp satire, and all delivered with the snappy wit of writer John Sayles, who was fresh from scripting Piranha.
Rendered in vivid colour against a clean white field, the poster showcases its star attraction: an oversized, wildly animated alligator coiled into a figure-eight—equal parts charming and threatening. It’s a striking composition: humorous, graphic, and instantly recognisable to fans of early-‘80s eco-horror and video-store nostalgia. The numerous review quotes emphasise the film’s unique tone—“A frightening movie with a sense of fun!”—perfectly capturing the blend of tension and sly humour that made the film a sleeper hit.
This is the true first-release UK Quad, printed by Berry and carrying the correct AA certificate and period-accurate credits for director Lewis Teague and stars Robert Forster, Robin Riker, and Henry Silva. Collectors will know that clean examples aren't easy to acquire; the white background shows wear quickly, and many surviving copies display heavy handling. This example remains remarkably presentable—ideal for collectors of creature features, eco-horror, and cinema art of the late grindhouse era.
A prime opportunity to secure one of the most characterful and display-friendly posters of the era—equal parts charm, chaos, and chomping reptilian menace.
