Crown Grading
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FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in 1999 courtesy of Warner Bros. and Nintendo's licensing machine, riding the crest of Pokémania as it swept from Japan into American living rooms, playgrounds, and Saturday morning schedules. The trailer that preceded the feature was itself an event, teasing audiences with their first theatrical glimpse of Mewtwo, a character built specifically for the film rather than the games or television series. It promised something darker and more ambitious than the franchise had yet attempted, and the marketing push around it helped cement Pokémon as a genuine cinematic property rather than a passing fad.
This cell isolates Mewtwo alone, in close-up, at a moment defined by glowing eyes. Mewtwo remains one of the most sought-after figures in Pokémon collecting, a genetically engineered psychic type whose introduction to mainstream audiences happened through exactly this kind of promotional material. A trailer cell like this one captures a single frame pulled from the reel used to advertise the film ahead of release, a physical artifact of the marketing campaign itself. The glowing eyes point toward Mewtwo's psychic abilities, a visual signature the character carries throughout the story and one that trailer editors leaned on to signal its power to first-time viewers.
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The First Movie Trailer (1999).
- Gauge
- 35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame visible on the upper edge; the strip holds three complete frames.
- Perforations
- Four per frame on the upper edge; the lower edge perforations are also present and appear evenly spaced and cleanly punched with no torn or missing holes visible.
- Soundtrack
- A variable-area optical soundtrack track is visible running along the lower edge beside the picture area, appearing as a single variable-area track with a modulated waveform pattern.
- Edge print
- Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text clearly.
- Base & colour
- The base shows a cool blue-tinted dye image with deep blue and purple tones; no obvious red shift or fading is apparent.
- Projection history
- Light horizontal abrasion lines are visible across the lower soundtrack area, consistent with a print that has passed through a projector gate.
- Picture
- Positive image; the three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single animated shot, consistent with a theatrical release print of the film on record.
- Era check
- The single variable-area optical soundtrack, the cool blue-tinted dye image, and the 35mm four-perforation layout are all consistent with a 1999 theatrical release print of this title.
