Criterion Cover Art & Packaging Babble-on Vol.1

[Steven H]

...same with by Brakhage.

[Poncho Punch]

That seems like it would only make matters worse... Compacting a double-wide case with two discs and a very thick (i've also had problems with it) booklet into a standard case.

I like what Palm did with their Director's Label cases, and would love to see Criterion do this with the single-disc sets they release with large booklets (Beauty & The Beast re-release comes to mind). Not only is it roomier, but the binding on the booklet is much sturdier. Also, I imagine if they did do this, they could flesh out the booklets more. I'd love to see even more essays in print, as I'm running out of bathroom reading material.

[Narshty]

That seems like it would only make matters worse... Compacting a double-wide case with two discs and a very thick (i've also had problems with it) booklet into a standard case.

No, it's still the double-thickness, just with the interior remodelled to make more room for large booklets.

[Poncho Punch]

Oh, okay. So then it is kind of like the ones Palm uses, but with two discs overlapping instead of one double-sided disc.

[zedz]

Palm used this type of case (or something very similar) for demonlover. Looks nice enough, but a pain to use: you have to juggle the main disc to get the extras out.

[Tribe]

It's not a copyright issue, but it surely is a trademark issue. I'll bet anything that Criterion has established a trademark in its' design for DVD covers, which at this point in time is pretty distinctive.

John

[The Digital McGuffin]

It's can't see that it's a trademark issue as they've not actually used the Criterion Collection name and the font that Criterion uses for the title banner isn't Criterion's own creation but one that is readily available.

Certainly the design has a Criterion (well, a Criterion gone wrong) "feel" to it what with the choice of imagery and the same font as used on the Criterion Bergman Trilogy release, etc but I think they'd be hard pressed to prosecute it.

[Tribe]

It's can't see that it's a trademark issue as they've not actually used the Criterion Collection name and the font that Criterion uses for the title banner isn't Criterion's own creation but one that is readily available.

I didn't say there was a trademark violation. Only that if there is some legal infringement, it's on the basis of trademark, and not copyright.

In any event, I'm not entirely certain there is no infringement...apprpriating a particular design, as well as the placement of the particular elements that comprise a design, can lead to trademark infringement. The theory, among other tyhings, is that the consumer can be mis-lead.

John

[analoguezombie]

Does anyone know what's prompted CC recent decision to use cardboard slip covers and digipaks for their recent releases? Is it artistic only or cost?
Personally I like them more than the plastic cases, though I can't imagine they'll hold up very well. I've been leaving the cellophane on them, only slicing out the slide that the digipak comes out of, in an effort to lengthen their life cycle.

[Cinephrenic]

The Kagemusha cover art is up.

I don't know. It all seems mediocre. What is with this heavy use of white lately? Expecially on a colorful Kurosawa film. I'm not happy the covers lately.

[flambeur]

The Kagemusha cover art is up.

I don't know. It all seems mediocre. What is with this heavy use of white lately? Expecially on a colorful Kurosawa film. I'm not happy the covers lately.

January = snow, who knows?

[bjeggert82]

The covers lately are definitely minimalist, and not very impressive. Perhaps because more and more of the releases are 2-disc, feature-packed releases, they're spending less time on creating good cover art, and more time on the DVDs themselves--which is a good thing, as we buy the DVDs for the movie (I hope), not how the movie is packaged.

Still, one can't help but complain; they probably should get a new cover art dept..

The Kagemusha art is so-so. It looks like something I would be capable of with a few patient hours on the Paint program on my computer. Oh well, as stated, it doesn't deter me from purchasing it.

[cdnchris]

I was wondering, do they actually have a "cover art department" or do they just hire third party companies or individuals to do them? Not important but just curious.

[Narshty]

The Kagemusha is just ugly and dull. Really unattractive composition and juxtaposition. All in all, the January covers are a pretty shit bunch. Roll on the February designs later this week!

[peerpee]

They have an art dept, and a pool of outside folk who they probably ask for tenders, and then they all vote or something.

I'm not a fan of the inconsistency of the covers. Warners have them completely licked as far as cover art on their classic titles goes.

[Jun-Dai]

As much as I dislike some of the designs (and as much as I like some of the others), I see the inconsistency as a positive thing. I like the fact that each design is approached differently (though box sets are done together, to nice effect). I also like how the spine numbers are not done in the same font, though the logo is (mostly). Given that the covers have a certain consistency to them (logo, existence of a spine number, backs very similar, etc.), I think it would be quite bland if they made the designs consistent as well.

[mingus]

Why did they have to deliver such a dark depressing cover for this sunny movie (my favorite scene is actually seeing the warriors flags fluttering in the wind shot against bright sunlight) - i think it's cheap to take the title literally.

[rossbrew]

Thumbs down on the goofy Rorchat black blob Kagemusha cover...

[godardslave]

i actually like the kagemusha cover.

its a very original style for a DVD cover.

[peerpee]

As much as I dislike some of the designs (and as much as I like some of the others), I see the inconsistency as a positive thing.

You see bad covers as a positive thing?

I think it would be quite bland if they made the designs consistent as well.

What would be bland about all the covers being consistently good? I don't understand.

[Simon]

It seemed pretty clear to me Jun-Dai was talking about inconsistency of style, not of quality of the design.

Warner mostly uses the original posters, no? I like their covers, but overall I prefer a new design. Not in Kagemusha's case though, this is piss poor by all accounts.

[Jun-Dai]

I guess we missed each other's points, peerpee. As Simon noticed, I thought you wanted the Criterion covers to be in a consistent style, something that I would definitely disapprove of. I wouldn't mind them being consistently good, but I'm willing to take some bad designs along with the good ones if that's the price to pay for variety.

[godardslave]

I guess we missed each other's points, peerpee. As Simon noticed, I thought you wanted the Criterion covers to be in a consistent style, something that I would definitely disapprove of. I wouldn't mind them being consistently good, but I'm willing to take some bad designs along with the good ones if that's the price to pay for variety.

i feel this way too.

My feeling is that criterion clearly values variety and risk-taking over safe blandness [in all aspects of its operation, from film selection to cover design], and in the ultra-conservative culture of America in 2004, this is indeed something to be applauded and encouraged.

[Jun-Dai]

I wouldn't go that far. I think that Criterion's tastes, except for a few oddball choices, are pretty conservative. Fewer than 10% of their titles could really be considered "risks" in the sense that they don't already have an established audience (and even those tend to be of the sort where the likelihood of Criterion's market appreciating the film is tremendously high, such as "Il Posto" and "Branded to Kill"). Of these they don't tend much towards diversity or variety (most of their titles seem to be handed to them from Rialto, or picked from the cream of various studios' back catalogues, or are churned out of the already mostly canonized Janus vaults). Interestingly, they took many more "risks" in their early days (probably because they didn't have access to much in the way of rights, not because they were a more adventurous company at the time), back when the possibility of too many risks backfiring would have most likely destroyed the company (or at least prevented it from meeting much success in dominating its niche the way it has). I don't see this as much of a problem, since most of their titles are great, but it would please me no end to see Criterion make some efforts towards diversity and representation from the various cultures, movements, genres, and periods of film history that are missing from the collection or incredibly sparse in it.

[Anonymous]

the covers suck.

nope, they really really do. what are they thinking of, especially when some of the more recent cover art has been either charming, Une Femme est une femme, interesting at least, Nora Inu, or thematically appropriate, La bataille d’Alger.

This latest batch could've been designed by any teenager with Photoshop, no on second thought, had any teenager into film designed these covers they would've been fresh and at least inspired.

very disappointed by the Kagemusha cover. Its thoroughly uninteresting and dull. They had better at least give us a lovely cool cardboard slipcase. I am sick of the old keepcases they need to GO.

Grrr....