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

[TMDaines]

That Red Desert cover is probably one of the bravest attempts to package a movie I have seen. I don't think it will elicit a single "impulse buy". Obviously they are trying to capture the "feel" of that movie, which I won't ruin for anybody who hasn't seen it, but obscure and hazy for sure. I'm not saying it's a good idea, but an interesting one.

The release is great as it is certainly stronger on paper than the BFI one. The cover, however, is simply terrible.

[Matt]

As pure design, there's nothing really wrong with the Red Desert cover. Nothing necessarily great about it either, though. But as far as representing the film, it fails. For a film arguably most notable for its use of color, a cover with no color?

[panicprevention]

months upon months of waiting to see the Red Desert cover, and tahdah! dull as dishwater. it's so instimulating. i understand the movie is about indiffernece and alienation, but did the cover really have to reflect the same disharmony?

[Brian C]

The text on the Troell film is really bland.

There's a dot right under the capital 'E' in Everlasting - it makes it look like "Eyerlasting" at a quick glance. Kind of annoying, though minor.

I'll second those who wonder why no Blu for this film. Stoked for The Leopard, though, even at the higher price, and I agree that with those who say the cover is a big improvement over the SD.

[tartarlamb]

I think the Red Desert cover represents the film pretty well. A factory shrouded in pollution. I also love that they didn't take the bait and include red in the cover.

[Flike]

I had assumed one of the two covers (the other being Night Train to Munich) Eric Skillman had said were among his best for June would be Red Desert, as it just begs for a beautiful cover. However, it's definitely the Mystery Train, which I think is brilliant, making up for the last two slapdash Jarmusch covers. Nothing terrible this month, so that's nice.

I'm surprised others are surprised about Everlasting Moments being DVD-only. It and Secret of the Grain are probably the least commercially viable of the IFC releases, minor releases by great directors (though I adore Secret of the Grain). I'm sure there's a good reason in the way of shoddy elements for not releasing Close-Up on BD, which is still the release of the month for me. Sigh, if only...

[Sloper]

The Red Desert cover is a bad imitation of the film's title sequence, in which the (alternately black and white) credits appear over blurry images of grey factories and so on. More colourful objects gradually appear, but they're very muted. Then the first shot of the film bursts in: flames erupting from a chimney, evocative of the heroine's own bedraggled shock of red hair. Then you have green-clad Vitti and her yellow-clad son (if memory serves) lost in the monochrome landscape. It's a brilliant, witty opening to the director's first colour film.

But that cover is stupid, lazy, and boring. Sorry tartarlamb, but I think in trying to be daring by leaving out any colour, they've ended up missing the point entirely. The Last Year at Marienbad cover was also derived from the title sequence, and that works well 'in the flesh'. I can't imagine that the same will be true of this one, but you never know.

[TMDaines]

I think the Red Desert cover represents the film pretty well. A factory shrouded in pollution. I also love that they didn't take the bait and include red in the cover.

To me it screams out that someone was trying to be far too clever by not taking the bait.

[tartarlamb]

To me it screams out that someone was trying to be far too clever by not taking the bait.

That could be. But I don't think its so off the mark considering the content of the film. Despite its eye-popping colors, its a pretty grim, even austere, film. At least its not a picture of Monica Vitti being squashed by the leading man.

[tavernier]

I'm surprised others are surprised about Everlasting Moments being DVD-only. It and Secret of the Grain are probably the least commercially viable of the IFC releases, minor releases by great directors (though I adore Secret of the Grain).

"Minor"? Everlasting Moments is one of Troell's best films, but I'll concede that it won't sell many copies. And it will sell fewer copies than they thought since I won't pick it up on DVD (as I'm sure others won't). I guess it's time for a region-free BD player, so i can get the Swedish release.

[ShellOilJunior]

I like Red Desert. Just something about the simplicity of the cover I enjoy.

Although, the month's best is Night Train to Munich. Outstanding!

[swo17]

So help me, I actually really like the Red Desert cover, as a cover per se, though I suspect it's not the right cover for the film (haven't seen it yet).

And I love the cover for Close-up, though ironically, you will likely want to view the film from a distance so as not to focus on all the SD compression artifacts.

[Finch]

My initial reaction to the Close-up cover was, CC have employed Swimminghorses!

I like the Night Train to Munich cover quite a bit though I wish they'd picked a different font for the title. Mystery Train's artwork is fabulous, if a bit cluttered.

[mfunk9786]

And I love the cover for Close-up, though ironically, you will likely want to view the film from a distance so as not to focus on all the SD compression artifacts.

=D> Hilarious. Although, I watched Dillinger is Dead last night, and Criterion is still second to none when it comes to film-like SD transfers. I know, I just deflated your joke. Sorry.

[LQ]

My initial reaction to the Close-up cover was, CC have employed Swimminghorses!

That was my reaction too. It looks like some gram's needlepoint project.

[HistoryProf]

I love the EM and Leopard Covers...the rest are meh.

But I can not for the life of me understand the decision to NOT release Everlasting Moments on Blu-ray. I am absolutely mystified and extremely upset by this one. It's a GORGEOUS film, and demands a blu! wtf are they thinking?!?!??!

[tavernier]

Maybe if we contact them using LOTS OF CAPS AND PUNCTUATION, they'll RELENT!!!!!!!!!

[mfunk9786]

I like the Close-Up cover. The problem with swimminghorses was, his Avatar cover would look like that.

[gyorgys]

My initial reaction to the Close-up cover was, CC have employed Swimminghorses!

That was my reaction too. It looks like some gram's needlepoint project.

Pointillism à la Georges Seurat?

[img]http://image_www.sightline.org/images/blog-2007/chris-jordan-seurat.c.400.jpg[/img]

[MyNameCriterionForum]

I dunno what film that cap is from, but the product placement is shameless

[LQ]

My initial reaction to the Close-up cover was, CC have employed Swimminghorses!

That was my reaction too. It looks like some gram's needlepoint project.

Pointillism à la Georges Seurat?

More like needlepointism à la Grammy Mavis

[Matt]

It's a color halftone, often used in the reproduction of photographs in 4-color printing (look closely at a color photograph printed in a newspaper or magazine). The main character is a printer's assistant. This, to me, is an excellent case of the cover relating well to the film. It's also pretty (but I love halftones in the same way I love film grain. Maybe these things are only appreciated by the extremely near-sighted).

And I love the changes made to the The Leopard art, it looks a thousand times better.

Same here. I wasn't planning on upgrading to Blu-ray, but I might just do it to get the better cover. (How's that for having your priorities in order?)

[HistoryProf]

Maybe if we contact them using LOTS OF CAPS AND PUNCTUATION, they'll RELENT!!!!!!!!!

if it'll work, i'm game. but I think you over did it with this post.

[Tom Hagen]

We really need a "Why won't they release only what I want ON BLU!!!1!!?" companion thread.

[Zot!]

It's a color halftone, often used in the reproduction of photographs in 4-color printing (look closely at a color photograph printed in a newspaper or magazine). The main character is a printer's assistant. This, to me, is an excellent case of the cover relating well to the film. It's also pretty (but I love halftones in the same way I love film grain. Maybe these things are only appreciated by the extremely near-sighted).

Thanks Matt, I was going to post the same thing. Just another sign that print is dead, people can't even recognize its native imperfections anymore! These dang whipper-snappers and their iPads.