Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in 1999 through Warner Bros., riding the crest of Pokémania as it swept American theaters and toy shelves alike. The trailer that preceded it served as many young audiences' first glimpse of Mewtwo's saga rendered for the big screen, a critical marketing beat that translated a television and card phenomenon into cinematic event status. For collectors, teaser and trailer material from this release holds particular value, marking the exact moment the franchise proved its box office viability beyond the small screen.
This cell isolates Gyarados, one of the franchise's most visually striking and battle-storied Pokémon, prized among collectors for its dragon-serpent design and its reputation as a powerhouse evolution from the humble Magikarp. Its inclusion in trailer material signals the film's intent to showcase spectacle and scale early, giving audiences a taste of the creature roster beyond Pikachu and the core cast. A trailer cell like this one captures a single promotional frame meant to entice, a fragment built purely for anticipation rather than narrative context.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The First Movie Trailer (1999).
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds four frames.
Perforations
Four perforations per frame on each edge; spacing appears even and the punched holes appear cleanly cut with no visible tearing.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, appearing as a dual-bilateral (two-track) waveform pattern; Dolby Digital pixel blocks are visible in the inter-perforation gaps on the same edge, indicating a combined optical and Dolby Digital soundtrack.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to quote any text or key numbers.
Base & colour
The base appears with a slight blue-green tint consistent with a safety acetate or polyester stock; the dye image reads with strong blue and purple saturation and no visible fading.
Projection history
No splices, cue marks or significant scratches are visible in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; all four frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, consistent with an animated theatrical release print matching the film on record.
Era check
The combined Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks alongside a variable-area optical track is consistent with a 1999 theatrical release print, as that dual-format encoding was standard for major studio releases of that period.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
