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

[Adam]

Agreed. He did do that lovely Cinefamily program cover for Tokyo Story, so...

Are you referring to this gorgeous piece?
.

Yep, that's the one...

[StevenJ0001]

Just thank god it wasn't Adrian Tomine, the dullest fucking cartoonist on the planet.

I've never read any of Tomine's work but I am forever thankful to him purely because he brought us the wonderful English editions of Yoshihiro Tatsumi's manga/gekiga. Tatsumi, incidentally, did a very appealing cover for the Penguin Classics deluxe edition of their Rashomon and other stories collection:



As a Tatsumi fan, I was ecstatic when I found it. =P~

[MyNameCriterionForum]

Tatsumi is very good, yes, though I find the structure of his stories a bit "parableistic" (?!) verging on morality tales... not obnoxious about it, just a little too close, especially when taking his relatively dirge-like approach into account. His work has been published in English before Tomine/D&Q released their admittedly excellent versions, BTW.

Tomine's own work is like a J Crew catalog come to life, as exciting as that sounds.

I imagine this discussion will be split to another thread right... about... now?

Incidentally, speaking of cartoonists who I'd like to see on a Criterion DVD cover, here's Suehiro Maruo:



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[domino harvey]

I love Tomine and don't take the J Crew criticism as criticism, honestly

[MyNameCriterionForum]

His writing makes The New Yorker seem transgressive, which I guess is some kind of accomplishment.

[Matt]

In his illustration work, Tomine's very good at distilling complicated emotions into a single image and so would be a great choice for a Criterion cover. This is most evident, I think, in his New Yorker covers, particularly this one and this one.

EDIT: We might have varying opinions on the quality of his writing, but that's irrelevant when it comes to illustration.

[MyNameCriterionForum]

I'll agree with that. Though even his illustration is formally and technically unimaginative and too concerned (in an uncritical way) with the superficial aspects of wealth, comfort, beauty, etc. I'm sure I'd be drawing the exact same things the exact same way if I were getting $4000 per cover or whatever ungodly amount the N'Yorker pays. I suppose he'd be a good choice for cover art if CC ever releases any of that mumblecore junk, haha.

[Tribe]

In his illustration work, Tomine's very good at distilling complicated emotions into a single image and so would be a great choice for a Criterion cover.
EDIT: We might have varying opinions on the quality of his writing, but that's irrelevant when it comes to illustration.

Matt, I know you didn't mean it in the way I'm posturing it, but Tomine is actually a very good story teller...he doesn't write with words, but rather, with illustrations. Which is really a measure of any comix creator...can he or she visually depict a story without words. Illustration is certainly not everything, but when we're reading comix, we're reading illustrations. Again, I'm not knocking your comment.

[Matt]

Yes, thank you. Let me be clear that when I said "when it comes to illustration," I meant illustration for hire. As is shown with the two New Yorker covers I linked to, Tomine can tell a story even with no words at all.

[hidaniel]

As far as illustration on CC goes, I'd love to see Asaf and Tomer Hanuka give it a go. I love the De Sade cover they did for Penguin:

[colinr0380]

Yes, thank you. Let me be clear that when I said "when it comes to illustration," I meant illustration for hire. As is shown with the two New Yorker covers I linked to, Tomine can tell a story even with no words at all.

"The one time I buy books in bulk from Amazon it has to arrive when the grumpy bookshop owner (who I'm unknowingly in the midst of an ongoing mentoring relationship with on a strangely asexual chatroom) is locking up after his closing down sale! How awkward!"

[godardslave]

I hope Criterion employees actually take this thread seriously.
Because some of the beautiful illustrations you guys post in here (like the De Sade covers above) are waaay better than some of the garbage artwork (*A Christmas Tale*) they have been putting out in recent months.

[MyNameCriterionForum]

Daniel Clowes on Russ Meyer and I can die happy

[cdnchris]

Gimme Sheltr Blu-ray
A Christmas Tale Blu-ray

[HistoryProf]

boy, they really went all out with that new Gimme Shelter upgrade....awesome new design! #-o

[Flike]

It's pretty hideous, but the sized-down font makes it look less '90's', and thus a slight improvement.

[Matt]

Again with this: I refuse to believe that the cover for A Christmas Tale was designed by Rodrigo Corral. This guy has been responsible for some of the best book covers in recent years ([Kanye]OF ALL TIME!![/Kanye]), and this is the best he can come up with for this fantastic film? Must be a mistake in the booklet credits. Either that or this was just a cursed project. First the J.C. Penney catalog advent calendar, then the blurry Christmas lights, and finally the smudge tool smoke tree. I almost feel bad for whining, given all the work that's been put into this cover.

[swo17]

Will you at least concede that it would make a good cover for a novelization of the film?

[Matt]

I will not. It's not the concept I object to, it's the execution.

[so lightly here]

I will not. It's not the concept I object to, it's the execution.

Let's just be blunt and say it is the content and the execution. I liked the original cover with the out of focus lights, but then I would. At least it felt like Christmas.

This cover looks like a Christmas tree made out of Cotton Candy or some hideous spun glass and spun badly at that. There is no way it reads "smoke". The frickin' star looks like an afterthought and the wacky "C" is under the the "A" of the title. The cigarette is cheesy.

"Gimme Shelter" looks just about as bad all shrunk down for it debut Blu-Ray release.

[Noiretirc]

Doesn't really look like much reason to upgrade for those who have the Optimum, so thank God I don't have to have something with that cover on my shelf

Am I the only person here who thinks that the cover for Last Year at Mariendbad is entirely appropriate and excellent? Given the "white" scene in the film?

(Of course I am.)

[Max von Mayerling]

You are not the only one.

[aox]

It's not that I don't like it, or don't think that it is 'appropriate'.

I just find the cover of Last Year at Marienbad at best 'obvious' and at worst 'boring'.

[Sloper]

I just saw a copy of Marienbad in the library, and having thought it was a total wash-out before, found it to be a really beautiful cover in the flesh: totally appropriate to the film, in that it is elegant, mysterious and kind of infuriating.

[eljacko]

I just saw a copy of Marienbad in the library, and having thought it was a total wash-out before, found it to be a really beautiful cover in the flesh: totally appropriate to the film, in that it is elegant, mysterious and kind of infuriating.

This reasoning is exactly why I think the cover design is so well done, and I don't even think I like the film at all.