Criterion & Eclipse Cover Art & Packaging Babble-on Vol.4

[Finch]

Not even a stunning cover for A Christmas Tale could salvage this month as far as the artwork goes. I don't mind Gomorrah but Golden Age looks horrendous and Downhill Racer proves that they are trying too hard (and for worse) to be different in their designs. I can understand that it's the easy way out to use an original poster but if it's not broken why try to fix it?

[The Masked Marvel]

That Downhill Racer cover is an all-time low

Especially since the poster is beautiful.

Seconded. Wow.

I usually try to stay out of this thread, but yeesh... November's titles all look pretty terrible.

[TheGodfather]

Not even a stunning cover for A Christmas Tale could salvage this month as far as the artwork goes. I don't mind Gomorrah but Golden Age looks horrendous and Downhill Racer proves that they are trying too hard (and for worse) to be different in their designs. I can understand that it's the easy way out to use an original poster but if it's not broken why try to fix it?

Agreed on all counts.
Gotta say I am really surprised to see Gomorrah entering the collection, though...

[godardslave]

golden age of TV cover
its the "pink Viridiana" syndrome all over again
But yet, hope still remains!
(they changed the Viridiana cover)


best wishes
e.e. cummings

[hammock]

Oh my god, wtf is going on!? I usually don't complain but this months covers are ugly as hell. I'm joining Domino this time and will e-mail them. Utter crap.

[denti alligator]

No matter how bad you think these covers are: let's not waste CC's time writing to complain about them. Aren't there better things to raise a fuss over, like not releasing a BR of Christmas Tale or not releasing more Eclipse boxes, etc. etc.

[domino harvey]

Bullshit. If you guys can pitch a tanty over the Viridiana cover, we can work to fix Downhill Racer

[ianungstad]

I personally think the cover for Golden Age of Television is far worse than Downhill Racer. (They both suck)

I'll definitly send them an email, don't know that it's going to do much good.

[denti alligator]

Bullshit. If you guys can pitch a tanty over the Viridiana cover, we can work to fix Downhill Racer

Yeah, but that was back when they were releasing films like Viridiana. Is Downhill Racer in that class?

[Cinephrenic]

[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/2410/Gomorrah_web.jpg[/img]

Attack of the 50 ft. boy

[hammock]

[Cinetwist]

Bullshit. If you guys can pitch a tanty over the Viridiana cover, we can work to fix Downhill Racer

Yeah, but that was back when they were releasing films like Viridiana. Is Downhill Racer in that class?

I haven't seen Viridiana but Downhill Racer is a great, underrated film, albeit not the sort Criterion should necessarily be releasing.

It also has one of the most beautiful posters of its era. So just when we thought Criterion couldn't mess things up any more, they make all the artwork laughable too.

MoC again have the most sensible policy, whereby using original artwork, if it looks good, is the best option.

[Matt]

I'm with you guys on the Downhill Racer cover. It's just extremely literal and a poor substitute for a great original poster. But I like the Gomorrah poster (it takes the iconic image from the advertising campaign and turns it into a great visual metaphor), and I suspect the Golden Age of Television cover is one of those that looks bad as a flat image on a monitor but will look great when you hold it in your hands (c.f. Mishima).

I'm crossing my fingers for a nice, illustrated cover for A Christmas Tale, but whatever we get, it can't be worse than the US theatrical release poster.

MoC again have the most sensible policy, whereby using original artwork, if it looks good, is the best option.

I don't know about that. I think they paint themselves into a corner sometimes. I mean, this cover is pretty dire (no offense, Nick--it's not like you drew it).

[HerrSchreck]

The funniest thing about the TELEVISION set is that, since the "age" was "golden", the font is too. Thank god they didn't release The Blue Angel.. Dietrich would look like a corpse!

(Lemme take that back.. I'd love it if they released Blue Angel; but first things first-- how about Shanghai Exp?)

[Jeff]

I suspect the Golden Age of Television cover is one of those that looks bad as a flat image on a monitor but will look great when you hold it in your hands (c.f. Mishima).

It looks quite possible that the words "The Golden Age of Television," the Wacky C, and the Criterion tab may be printed on a clear slipcase (á la Fear and Loathing) with just the white cover and little TV screens on the case underneath.

[Feego]

Dietrich would look like a corpse!

Well, Kino sort of did that already.

I might be in the minority, but I am actually fine with the Golden Age of Television cover. Like Matt, I too think that it will probably look pretty terrific when we actually have it in hand.

[TheGodfather]

I'm crossing my fingers for a nice, illustrated cover for A Christmas Tale, but whatever we get, it can't be worse than the US theatrical release poster.

so they`ll probably gonna be using that one....

[SSF]

But I like the Gomorrah poster (it takes the iconic image from the advertising campaign and turns it into a great visual metaphor),

Not to mention the fact that actually is the advertising campaign.

I don't know if anyone's looked at the poster close enough, but he is walking on a city.

[Matt]

I haven't actually seen that poster before, but I think I actually like its high-contrast image better. I was just referring in my post to this ubiquitous still.

[Finch]

[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/2410/Gomorrah_web.jpg[/img]

I bet some folks will look at this cover and say to their other half: "Never heard of this one here, Gom Orr Ah. You?"

The placement of the title reminds me of how people would misquote/misremember a certain Frank Darabont film when walking up to Tim Robbins and they'd say, I really loved The Shinkshonk Reduction.

[danz]

Anyone know who did the artwork for the Criterion DVD "The Horse's Mouth"?

http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/2116/154_box_348x490_lined.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I emailed Criterion and was told to check the DVD booklet for a credit. I rented it from Netflix and they don't give you the booklet when you rent from them.

[Cosmic Bus]

Anyone know who did the artwork for the Criterion DVD "The Horse's Mouth"?

Well, it's listed in this post as the Boland Design Company, although it isn't shown among the other Criterion designs on their company website.

[zedz]

Anyone know who did the artwork for the Criterion DVD "The Horse's Mouth"?

Well, it's listed in this post as the Boland Design Company, although it isn't shown among the other Criterion designs on their company website.

It looks like the cover art is based on the UK poster, not an original design.

[cdnchris]

What I got:

EDIT: I think the box where the title is represents a flap like on a cheap advent calendar, you can make out the beginnings of another flap to the left it

But this looks a little better for Golden Age (sorry it's compressed):

[domino harvey]

What I got:

A perfect finish to a perfect month of terrible covers