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I was expecting something better. The floating heads ruin it for me.

ShellOilJunior wrote:The floating heads ruin it for me.

I'm sure it was contractual that the leads get their name + visage on the cover. That taken into account, I really like what they came up with. I'm assuming the cover went through several different drafts, thus the delay in announcing it. Would be nice to see the alternate designs.

Minkin wrote:

ShellOilJunior wrote:The floating heads ruin it for me.

I'm sure it was contractual that the leads get their name + visage on the cover. That taken into account, I really like what they came up with. I'm assuming the cover went through several different drafts, thus the delay in announcing it. Would be nice to see the alternate designs.

Aside from the heads the cover is good. I do think the artist's Phoenix cover is excellent.

domino harvey wrote:Same designer as Phoenix

Code Unknown too. Something's definitely a little off with Y tu mamá también, but his other covers are some of my favorites.

Further proof that Swimming Horses did indeed get a job at Criterion. Horrific!

MUBI has revealed the Janus posters for the two King Hu films and boy do they look nice. I'm expecting these will be retained as the Criterion covers.

Botox goes East

Neither of those posters feels very right to me. The reds and yellows in the Dragon Inn poster seem really over the top. The way the lapel of Hsu Feng's robe becomes the battlements of the old fort seems kind of gauche. And the little flying figures dancing in the air like leaves at the bottom of the TOZ poster just seem at odds with the rest of the image. The different scales of figures don't balance in that image. I think they were trying to use the sense of contrast to make a point of some kind, but I don't think the point has been made. The Dragon Inn poster seems to imply a constant criss-cross of action, but none of it feels true to the sense of the film. It looks chaotic, where the film's action is precise and formal. Giving the head of the East Chamber the same clothing as the other characters seems a little disingenuous.

I don't hate the idea of these images, but the execution of each seems full of details that don't ring true to the concepts they're meant to cover. They seem like illustrations for another pair of films––they're alienating themselves from the essence of each film, when they should be delivering a kind of "aw, yeah!" moment. And I feel as if slightly different layouts would have really helped, at least with TOZ. On that cover the bamboo leaves receding into the distance are a very nice touch, and they're executed elegantly. Hsu Feng's face there is nice, bulging lips aside. The stray hair falling on her face looks very true to the film. Those elements, in a different layout, might have been quite nice. Instead, I feel as if both posters are heavy, and overdone.

More WIP from Greg Ruth for the A Touch of Zen Blu-ray release:

That's awesome! (Carnival of Souls)

I guess the Carnival of Souls cover settles any question of what Candace Hilligoss's most unflattering angle was. Or is that her stunt double?

Gregory wrote:I guess the Carnival of Souls cover settles any question of what Candace Hilligoss's most unflattering angle was.

Seriously, what the hell compelled anyone to draw anyone from that vantage? Vom to the max

These all actually look pretty nice (although Night and Fog is a bit bland, though perhaps that's the point).

I like the new Night and Fog over the old cover, prefer the old Carnival of Souls. Don't mind the subject matter/composition of The New World, but the style...would've preferred a screen cap of one of Lubezki’s shots.

I like how the New World looks like it came out of a history book for kids in the 60s

What's with the weird text cropping on The New World title?

I quite like the Carnival of Souls cover, the Muriel cover is okay (but not as good as MoC's), and I really dislike the New World cover. (I agree with domino that it looks like a 60s history book cover.) The rest are "meh."

Except my comment was a compliment!

pzadvance wrote:What's with the weird text cropping on The New World title?

My first thought as well. Could've made something much better out of that. Great that it's going to be released though!

pzadvance wrote:What's with the weird text cropping on The New World title?

The New Old

swo17 wrote:

Gross. The concept is great, but note to Criterion, do not let Edward Kinsella draw human beings ever again.

I think The New World cover is one of my favorites released this year. It's beautiful and complements an incredible package.

I rarely comment or care about covet designs but Carnival of Souls is awful. Original cover was better and more in spirit with the film.

I like it a lot. The old one was a mess (though I think it was the original poster, right?), enough that it made me avoid the movie for a while.

They're all great! A Touch of Zen being my favorite.