Like each of Louise Brooks’ other films, Pandora’s Box was promoted and shown all around the world. Today, the film has a reputation for having been something of a commercial and critical failure, but that really isn’t true. In fact, it played for more than six years on five continents — all across Europe (when and where it wasn’t banned), in north Africa, in a few countries in Asia, in the United States, the Caribbean, and South America. This page displays examples of vintage promotional items including a French campaign book, German, Austrian and Japanese trade ads, a German program, and a Cuban herald. Each dates from 1928 or 1929. These items tell us how the film was promoted, and exhibited. In France, for example, the film was titled Loulou and sometimes Le boîte de Pandore. In Cuba, it was Lulu La Pecadora, which translates into English as Lulu the Sinner.
The first item shown, a 1929 issue of Film Currier, was in effect, a program for the film when it played in Germany. The Austrian trade ad, from a late December, 1928 issue of Österreichische Film-Zeitung, comes from before the film was released. The German trade ad, also from a magazine, promotes the film’s premiere. Brooks was a major star in Japan who enjoyed a cult following almost the equal of Clara Bow! Pandora’s Box was the subject of a significant promotional campaign and was itself considered a major release in that country.
For more about the film, check out the Pandora’s Box (filmography page). If you know of other posters, have additional information, or have a scan of a poster you would like to share, please CONTACT the Louise Brooks Society.
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| Germany – program cover | Germany – program interior | Germany – program interior | Germany – rear cover | |
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| Germany – display piece | Germany – trade advertisement | Austria – trade advertisement | Austria – movie herald cover | |
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| France – campaign book | France – campaign book | France – campaign book | France – campaign book | |
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| France – trade advertisement | Cuba – movie herald, cover | Cuba – movie herald, interior | Cuba – movie herald, rear | |
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| Japan – trade advertisement | Japan – trade advertisement | Japan – trade advertisement | Japan – trade advertisement | |
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| Japan – trade advertisement | Japan – trade advertisement | Japan – trade advertisement | Japan – trade advertisement |