Desperately Seeking Susan
Promotional Items
This section contains promotional items only - for the full narrative see the main entry within the VIDEOS tab
'Desperately Seeking Susan' was the first big budget movie in which Madonna featured and as such it comes with a full range of promotional items. Of these, the photos provide a particular challenge to the collector as there is a large number coming with three different typefaces denoting US, UK and 'International' issue. In additional, while some photos were originally issued within the press packs, others were produced (and reproduced) in response to the success of the movie. Accordingly some photos are scarcer than others.
First and foremost is the US promo press pack, a very nice item that comes with a range of documentation and promotional photos all housed in a customised folder as follows:
US promo photos can be distinguished from the UK/European issues by the additional 'Photo By Andy Schwartz' credit in the bottom right hand corner. This particular pack came with four photos: solos shots of Rosanna Arquette and Madonna, a shot of both Rosanna and Madonna, and a solo shot of the director, Susan Seidelman. It seems to be a theme of press packs that the promo photos should include at least one shot of the director, either behind-the-scenes or posed. This can also been seen in the press packs for all the major movie releases featured on this website. The only press pack not to include a director shot is 'Bloodhounds of Broadway', and perhaps the directors declining health at the time of filming may account for the omission.
There are thirteen other US promo photos where the 'Orion Pictures' credit along the bottom is consistently smaller. The photos contain a variety of stills from the movie (some of these images also appear as UK and European promo photos) as well as rarer behind-the-scenes images.
'Desperately Seeking Susan' is the only Madonna movie where there is a UK press pack with exclusive UK promo photos. While not on the lavish scale of its glossy US counterpart, Rank did issue a 4-page b/w booklet that contained cast, credits and synopsis. These may have been issued on their own without photos, as they appear fairly regularly, but for the collector the rare version is the one that also comes with a one-page 'opening' sheet typed on original Rank Film Distributors headed paper as well as a 10-page document consisting of production notes.
There is also a UK 'Press Book' which is a triple-sided folded sheet containing information on Editorial and Advertising Blocks as well as the 4-page booklet. This particular item is interesting as it details the availability of UK promo items - photos were issued in sets of eight, while there is also, apparently a set of five 11"x14" display stills. The only display stills ever seen for sale are the US set of 8 and European issues so it is not clear if these were ever produced. However, what is clear is that there are an impressive number of UK promo photos - sufficient even to surpass the US! UK photos can be easily distinguished by the Rank logo in the bottom right hand corner and there are no fewer than 17 different images featured here - and this collection does not claim to be complete. In fact there are 19 individual photos as collectors should note that there is also a variation with four of these photos (solo shots of Rosanna and Madonna, a shot Rosanna with a supporting actor, and a shot of Madonna with another supporting actor) coming with additional cast credits. It would appear that these would have been among the first promo photos issued in order to publicised the main actors. Subsequent photos deemed it not necessary. Two of these photos - both of those featuring Madonna - were reissued without the credits and are included below.
'Desperately Seeking Susan' is the only movie featured here where three separate promo press packs were issued. The third and final pack was produced in the US by Orion for the 'International' market. It followed the US style as the pack was housed within a glossy custom-made folder with 'Desperately Seeking Susan' in bright pink text. It also came with three documents, all of which are in English: a one page introduction sheet, a three-page Synopsis, and nineteen pages consisting of Preliminary Production Notes/Cast/The Filmmakers. The 'International' style of b/w photos come with the UK-style 'Desperately Seeking Susan' banner and 'Orion' credit along with bottom but lack the 'Rank' logo. There are twelve photos in this set consisting of stills from the movie along with two photos of the director.
As this particularly pack was distributed around the world, it was also customised according to each country. This particular pack also came with a set of 16 colour German promo photos - with German text - issued by 'Twentieth Century-Fox of Germany'. While these were probably added to the pack, they have been included here for completeness.
Such a variety of stills certainly provides an interesting challenge, particularly as many are rare images that appear to be exclusive to each particular pack. The only image to appear in identical form in all three packs is the close up shot of Madonna and Rosanna hugging cheek-to-cheek, while the second most ubiquitous shot is a variant of Madonna lying on a sofa wearing earphones. Many of these photos are rarely seen for sale.
'Desperately Seeking Susan' is also the first big-budget movie that came with a UK promotional poster for the cinema release. Often referred to as 'quad' posters due their size, this is a larger version of the poster that was issued with the 12" single 'Into The Groove'. Or rather it is fairer to say that the 12" came with a reduced size version of the cinema poster! While the 12" poster is readily available, this cinema poster is one of the rarer UK promotional posters. One is currently on Ebay with an asking price just below £80 although a copy recently sold for less than £10.
Finally, when it came to promoting the video release, Rank again issued a four-page booklet - only this time in lavish full colour - with the same bright pink text of the International movie pack.
'Desperately Seeking Susan' was the first big budget movie in which Madonna featured and as such it comes with a full range of promotional items. Of these, the photos provide a particular challenge to the collector as there is a large number coming with three different typefaces denoting US, UK and 'International' issue. In additional, while some photos were originally issued within the press packs, others were produced (and reproduced) in response to the success of the movie. Accordingly some photos are scarcer than others.
First and foremost is the US promo press pack, a very nice item that comes with a range of documentation and promotional photos all housed in a customised folder as follows:
- A one page 'opening' sheet;
- Cast and Credits (9 pages);
- Production notes (20 pages);
- Biography of Susan Seidelman (3 pages)
- Biography of Rosanna Arquette (3 pages)
- Biography of Madonna (4 pages)
- Biography of Aidan Quinn (3 pages)
- Is Madonna Susan? Is Susan Madonna (2 pages)
- Promotional Photos (4)
- Promotional slides (4)
US promo photos can be distinguished from the UK/European issues by the additional 'Photo By Andy Schwartz' credit in the bottom right hand corner. This particular pack came with four photos: solos shots of Rosanna Arquette and Madonna, a shot of both Rosanna and Madonna, and a solo shot of the director, Susan Seidelman. It seems to be a theme of press packs that the promo photos should include at least one shot of the director, either behind-the-scenes or posed. This can also been seen in the press packs for all the major movie releases featured on this website. The only press pack not to include a director shot is 'Bloodhounds of Broadway', and perhaps the directors declining health at the time of filming may account for the omission.
There are thirteen other US promo photos where the 'Orion Pictures' credit along the bottom is consistently smaller. The photos contain a variety of stills from the movie (some of these images also appear as UK and European promo photos) as well as rarer behind-the-scenes images.
'Desperately Seeking Susan' is the only Madonna movie where there is a UK press pack with exclusive UK promo photos. While not on the lavish scale of its glossy US counterpart, Rank did issue a 4-page b/w booklet that contained cast, credits and synopsis. These may have been issued on their own without photos, as they appear fairly regularly, but for the collector the rare version is the one that also comes with a one-page 'opening' sheet typed on original Rank Film Distributors headed paper as well as a 10-page document consisting of production notes.
There is also a UK 'Press Book' which is a triple-sided folded sheet containing information on Editorial and Advertising Blocks as well as the 4-page booklet. This particular item is interesting as it details the availability of UK promo items - photos were issued in sets of eight, while there is also, apparently a set of five 11"x14" display stills. The only display stills ever seen for sale are the US set of 8 and European issues so it is not clear if these were ever produced. However, what is clear is that there are an impressive number of UK promo photos - sufficient even to surpass the US! UK photos can be easily distinguished by the Rank logo in the bottom right hand corner and there are no fewer than 17 different images featured here - and this collection does not claim to be complete. In fact there are 19 individual photos as collectors should note that there is also a variation with four of these photos (solo shots of Rosanna and Madonna, a shot Rosanna with a supporting actor, and a shot of Madonna with another supporting actor) coming with additional cast credits. It would appear that these would have been among the first promo photos issued in order to publicised the main actors. Subsequent photos deemed it not necessary. Two of these photos - both of those featuring Madonna - were reissued without the credits and are included below.
'Desperately Seeking Susan' is the only movie featured here where three separate promo press packs were issued. The third and final pack was produced in the US by Orion for the 'International' market. It followed the US style as the pack was housed within a glossy custom-made folder with 'Desperately Seeking Susan' in bright pink text. It also came with three documents, all of which are in English: a one page introduction sheet, a three-page Synopsis, and nineteen pages consisting of Preliminary Production Notes/Cast/The Filmmakers. The 'International' style of b/w photos come with the UK-style 'Desperately Seeking Susan' banner and 'Orion' credit along with bottom but lack the 'Rank' logo. There are twelve photos in this set consisting of stills from the movie along with two photos of the director.
As this particularly pack was distributed around the world, it was also customised according to each country. This particular pack also came with a set of 16 colour German promo photos - with German text - issued by 'Twentieth Century-Fox of Germany'. While these were probably added to the pack, they have been included here for completeness.
Such a variety of stills certainly provides an interesting challenge, particularly as many are rare images that appear to be exclusive to each particular pack. The only image to appear in identical form in all three packs is the close up shot of Madonna and Rosanna hugging cheek-to-cheek, while the second most ubiquitous shot is a variant of Madonna lying on a sofa wearing earphones. Many of these photos are rarely seen for sale.
'Desperately Seeking Susan' is also the first big-budget movie that came with a UK promotional poster for the cinema release. Often referred to as 'quad' posters due their size, this is a larger version of the poster that was issued with the 12" single 'Into The Groove'. Or rather it is fairer to say that the 12" came with a reduced size version of the cinema poster! While the 12" poster is readily available, this cinema poster is one of the rarer UK promotional posters. One is currently on Ebay with an asking price just below £80 although a copy recently sold for less than £10.
Finally, when it came to promoting the video release, Rank again issued a four-page booklet - only this time in lavish full colour - with the same bright pink text of the International movie pack.
US Press Pack: comes with eight documents and a selection of promo photos + slides
US Promo Photos: Four main images with additional credits
Set of four promotional slides from the US press pack
Fourteen Additional US Promo Photos
UK Press Booklet: with info sheet, production notes and a set of 8 various promo photos
UK Promo Photos: Four main images with additional credits
Nineteen Additional UK Promo Photos
UK Press Book
Additional UK Promo Photo
International Press Pack
Eighteen International Promo Photos
UK Promo Cinema Poster
Promotional Items for UK Video Release
UK Video Release Promo Booklet
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© madonna-decade 2013
© madonna-decade 2013
