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National Film Vault

OFFICIAL FILM AUTHENTICATION BY CROWN GRADING
A
AUTHENTIC
CROWN CERTIFIED
Film cell NFV-000002819 Tap to enlarge
MOVIEPokémon: The First Movie Trailer
SCENEMewtwo/Mew and Pokemon Group
FILM FORMAT35mm
YEAR1999
CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000002819

FILM NOTES

Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in 1999 from Warner Bros. and Nintendo/4Kids at the height of Pokémania, bringing the franchise's first theatrical outing to American audiences on the strength of a trailer campaign built to convert a television phenomenon into a box office event. The film's success proved the brand could carry a feature narrative, anchored by the Mewtwo origin story and the mythic rarity of Mew, two characters whose rivalry gave the movie its emotional and philosophical core beyond simple monster battling.

This cell comes from that promotional reel, a trailer frame meant to stir anticipation rather than tell the story outright. Pairing Mewtwo and Mew with the wider Pokemon group signals the scope the marketing wanted to convey: a clash between the franchise's most powerful psychic types set against the familiar cast audiences already loved. Mewtwo appeals to collectors for his created, tragic standing among Pokemon, while Mew's legendary scarcity makes any appearance desirable. Together with the assembled group, this cell represents the moment the trailer promised scale and stakes beyond the television series.

Authentication Findings 8 checks

Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital release print of the Pokémon: The First Movie trailer.

Gauge
35mm, with four perforations per frame along both edges; the strip holds about three frames, the first a single blue card and the other two near-identical picture frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both the top and bottom edges, rounded-rectangle holes that look evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no torn or missing perforations seen.
Soundtrack
Two variable-area optical tracks run beside the picture, with a dashed blue cue line above them; the gaps between the bottom perforations hold speckled blocks, which look like Dolby Digital data.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear base with a light blue edge tint and neutral-to-cool dye colours; the dyes look saturated, with no obvious fading or red shift.
Projection history
No scratches, splices or cue marks seen at this size; the only marks are the dashed line beside the optical tracks and a camera reflection on the frames.
Picture
Positive image; the first frame is a separate blue card, the next two show the same shot and run consecutively, and the animated style fits a Pokémon title.
Era check
Dolby Digital blocks, twin optical tracks and a positive release-print look fit a 1999 35mm theatrical print, so this is consistent with the film on record.
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 in partnership with National Film Vault, 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.
CROWN SERIAL 000069820
Original Film Capture As received
The film strip as photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size