Criterion & Eclipse Cover Art & Packaging Babble-on Vol. 6

[FakeBonanza]

There was never any official Blu-ray cover art. When Criterion was first about to go Blu, they sent out a newsletter mentioning several titles, including Contempt, that would be among their first batch of releases. None of those titles were assigned cover art at that time. The Contempt release never materialized so it never got a cover. Presumably it would have just been a miniaturized version of the DVD cover art, since it would be a while before they would start to change the cover art for their upgrades.

Have they ever changed the cover art for a blu-ray without either simultaneously upgrading the DVD, or switching to Dual Format? I can't think of anything. Otherwise, have they not always changed the cover art for upgrades, even before blu?

[CSM126]

There was never any official Blu-ray cover art. When Criterion was first about to go Blu, they sent out a newsletter mentioning several titles, including Contempt, that would be among their first batch of releases. None of those titles were assigned cover art at that time. The Contempt release never materialized so it never got a cover. Presumably it would have just been a miniaturized version of the DVD cover art, since it would be a while before they would start to change the cover art for their upgrades.

Have they ever changed the cover art for a blu-ray without either simultaneously upgrading the DVD, or switching to Dual Format? I can't think of anything. Otherwise, have they not always changed the cover art for upgrades, even before blu?

Naked and My Life as a Dog come to mind.

[krnash]

Umberto D. and Beauty and the Beast, too.

[FakeBonanza]

Well shit.

And for some reason I thought the Beauty and the Beast DVD was upgraded for a second time along with the blu-ray release. It was one that I had specifically recalled having a cover to match the blu-ray.

[RyanGallagher]

Been curious about this lately, did Criterion ever post new cover art for announced but cancelled titles like "Ran" and "Contempt" in their coming soon section? It seems likely they did since they were to be released soon.

Here is the Ran art from the press release

[nissling]

Have they ever changed the cover art for a blu-ray without either simultaneously upgrading the DVD, or switching to Dual Format?

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Wages of Fear are two another examples.

[adavis53]

did they actually post artwork for a blu copy of Contempt? i probably just have crap memory but I don't remember that one

[ShellOilJunior]

I recall having a pre-order in for RAN for months then all of a sudden it was gone - poof! One day it will receive a satisfactory blu-ray release. . .

[dwk]

did they actually post artwork for a blu copy of Contempt? i probably just have crap memory but I don't remember that one

No, Contempt was never given a release date, so it never had an official announcement or press release.

[Moe Dickstein]

Have they ever changed the cover art for a blu-ray without either simultaneously upgrading the DVD, or switching to Dual Format?

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Wages of Fear are two another examples.

Fear and loathing has never changed. You can't count the slip cover thing as a change. And didn't wages of fear get upgraded DVD and Blu?

[zedz]

Have they ever changed the cover art for a blu-ray without either simultaneously upgrading the DVD, or switching to Dual Format?

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Wages of Fear are two another examples.

Fear and loathing has never changed. You can't count the slip cover thing as a change. And didn't wages of fear get upgraded DVD and Blu?

Yeah, The Wages of Fear Blu has the same cover as the upgraded DVD that came out several years earlier.

[Feego]

The Charade cover art was changed for the Blu edition. Other Blu editions received slight tweaks to the cover image, such as the brightening on The Leopard and the removal of the grid overlay on 8 1/2.

[matrixschmatrix]

Naked has totally different cover art with no content changes.

[colinr0380]

Naked has totally different cover art with no content changes.

I haven't picked up the Blu-ray yet but didn't Naked go through a licensing change too, from New Line for the first DVD, to Film4 for the re-release DVD and Blu?

[cdnchris]

Yes, the DVD was through New Line while the Blu-ray (and I'm guessing future pressings of the DVD) is directly from Film4. I'm guessing Warner let the rights lapse and Criterion was then able to snatch them up immediately from Film4.

[cdnchris]

City Lights
Tokyo Story
Frances Ha

[Jean-Luc Garbo]

Do you have to pry the discs in Frances Ha off their hubs?

[cdnchris]

Not really

[lacritfan]

City Lights

Geez, that inner pic evokes nothing of Virginia Cherrill/The Blind Girl to me.

[swo17]

[Gregory]

The Foreign Correspondent cover looks like it's by Jacques Tardi.

[acroyear]

I noticed spine #699 is not accounted for. I was expecting that when Fantastic Mr. Fox was released it would be accompanied by The Quay Brothers collection as being Criterion's long overdue re-entries into animated features. Hmmmm, we'll see.

[movielocke]

Love all the covers.

Because these DF editions are all 3 discs, that means every release this month, except Blue is the Warmest Color, is in a Digipack. Cardboard fetishists rejoice!

[Anhedionisiac]

Yeah, all of these are great covers. Blue is the Warmest Color could have been better considering the alternate posters available but it's good enough and, anyways, who cares? Look at those other covers!

[AlexHansen]

They might want to change the sticker on BITWC. Calling it a special edition is a little premature.