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Back by popular(?) demand and almost two weeks late...
MONTHLY COVER THOUGHTS: October 2023

• Don't Look Now: OLD COVER ALERT!!! The usage of blood to create the film's main symbol - one of the many recurring images that simultaneously confuse and clarify in tandem - makes for both a striking cover without firsthand knowledge of the film and a disquieting one when viewed in context. The only disappointing aspect is the placement of Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland's names - given the amount of free space, you would think there would be a less awkward placement that towards the end of the blood-coat. Even with that caveat, this is still a great cover, and I'm happy that they

• Videodrome: OLD COVER ALERT!!! It's a classic; obviously, this benefits from the rest of the packaging (that Beta tape gag still works), but the artwork on the outer sleeve itself is still rather effective. The drawing gives it a strange, surrealist quality that enhances the nightmarish imagery, and it's a good taster for the type of body horror that awaits those watching the film for the first time. It is interesting (and a little disquieting) to think about how old the cover is though

• Tod Browning's Sideshow Shockers: It's cute in concept - literalizng the sideshow settings in the films to the primary "attraction" - but much better in execution. Obviously, the centerpiece is Freaks, but it's nice to see The Unknown and The Mystic get decent spotlighting. The descriptors for the film, written in good ol' carny-speak, are a nice touch as well. The individual covers are somewhat weak, but it's safe to say that this will probably be a traditional boxed release rather than a grand boxset. Overall, a neat idea elevated by good execution

• The Others: GREGRUTHGREGRUTHGREGRUTH!!!!!! Fangirling aside, this is a genuinely beautiful cover; it's simple, but damn if it isn't beautiful. I genuinely thought that this was a lazy photo-based rushjob, but when I realized that it was a drawing (the hair gave it away), my thoughts did a complete 180. The fact that it's able to be effective despite its simplicity makes it all the more better. Easily the best of the batch, and a contender for best of the year

• Nanny: It's a pretty-looking cover, but it feels a bit basic. The implications of the horror elements feels like an afterthought (which is the vibe I'm getting from the trailer - I have not previously seen this film); the incorporation of water could have helped, though I guess that would be misleading? A cover that feels like its missing something

A rather mixed bag, but the good stuff definitely outweighs the disappointments. Now here's hoping I can stay on top of this silly little exercise in critique...

Computer Raheem wrote: Fri Jul 28, 2023 9:31 pm

• The Others: GREGRUTHGREGRUTHGREGRUTH!!!!!! Fangirling aside, this is a genuinely beautiful cover; it's simple, but damn if it isn't beautiful. I genuinely thought that this was a lazy photo-based rushjob, but when I realized that it was a drawing (the hair gave it away), my thoughts did a complete 180. The fact that it's able to be effective despite its simplicity makes it all the more better. Easily the best of the batch, and a contender for best of the year

My stars, I didn't even realize this was a drawing until I read your take Computer Raheem! I appreciate this cover even more now but then I'm a Kidman fan and I now have ridiculous visions of a Kidman renaissance from Criterion namely Birth and Margot At The Wedding. A guy can dream, can't he?

Cover update for Nanny:

headacheboy wrote: Sat Jul 29, 2023 2:05 pm

Computer Raheem wrote: Fri Jul 28, 2023 9:31 pm

• The Others: GREGRUTHGREGRUTHGREGRUTH!!!!!! Fangirling aside, this is a genuinely beautiful cover; it's simple, but damn if it isn't beautiful. I genuinely thought that this was a lazy photo-based rushjob, but when I realized that it was a drawing (the hair gave it away), my thoughts did a complete 180. The fact that it's able to be effective despite its simplicity makes it all the more better. Easily the best of the batch, and a contender for best of the year

My stars, I didn't even realize this was a drawing until I read your take Computer Raheem! I appreciate this cover even more now but then I'm a Kidman fan and I now have ridiculous visions of a Kidman renaissance from Criterion namely Birth and Margot At The Wedding. A guy can dream, can't he?

And Dogville

Rupert Pupkin wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 12:35 am I'm totally mesmerized since I saw the animated menus by Per Kirkeby on Criterion Blu-Ray "Breaking The Waves"; I saw the movie in theatres when it was released but it was such a fascinating experience to rediscover this gorgeous transfer.

I revisited this film this past week, knowing nothing about how it was made, and I was surprised that they shot on film then outputted to VIDEO (presumably something like DigiBeta) and did all the additional art there before transferring that back on to film. It's amazing how good it looks.

FrauBlucher wrote: Sat Jul 29, 2023 2:17 pm
And Dogville

I knew I was forgetting something! Yes, absolutely!

Akira Kurosawa's Dreams [4K] (booklet)
Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart
Bo Widerberg's New Swedish Cinema (booklet)
Drylongso

Also updated the pages for each title with restoration information except for Dim Sum, which didn't include any information. It's licensed from Strand Releasing, so I'm assuming it's just whatever high-def master they supplied to them. The information appears at the bottom of each page:

Akira Kurosawa's Dreams
Bo Widerberg's New Swedish Cinema
Drylongso

I think the design of the Widerberg set is the most "yes, this is the new Eclipse set" thing we've seen yet. so they brought back double wide cases??

Ooh, I have not seen that 22mm 4-disc case before. Very sexy.

They must have spent 5 mins on putting the Dim Sum design together.

Matt wrote: Thu Aug 03, 2023 5:14 am Ooh, I have not seen that 22mm 4-disc case before. Very sexy.

Flicker Alley's avant-garde set and BFI's early women filmmakers set also use such a case

hearthesilence wrote: Sat Jul 29, 2023 6:13 pm I revisited this film this past week, knowing nothing about how it was made, and I was surprised that they shot on film then outputted to VIDEO (presumably something like DigiBeta) and did all the additional art there before transferring that back on to film. It's amazing how good it looks.

The original master was Super 35 to PAL D-1 (the first digital tape format, obsolete even in the mid-'90s) and then to anamorphic 35mm. (The Per Kirkeby chapter art and the final shot were done using a different process that looked considerably better.) The remaster that Criterion used came from a new 6k scan of the negatives, bypassing the entire conversion to SD and back to 35mm. Consequently it looks nothing like the film did before—the old DVDs aren't a perfect representation of how it originally looked in theaters, with the color timing being especially different, but in the absence of anything better, the DVDBeaver comparison gives you some idea. There was a Japanese Blu-ray from the older master, but it's long OOP and goes for high prices on the secondary market. I sorta regret not picking it up when it was available, since I have some affection for the crummy early SD digital look.

The covers for Mean Streets and La Ceremonie are so good! Mean Streets is definitely one of the collection's best.

they had the opportunity to go with the original poster on Last Picture Show...certainly a movie that deserved it

With Walkabout, Days of Heaven, and The Last Picture Show, Criterion seems to be giving up the idea of new covers for upgrades, even when the transfer and/or the extras are new. Last time they did offer a new cover it was a regressive one (The Rules of the Game).

andyli wrote: Tue Aug 15, 2023 4:52 pm With Walkabout, Days of Heaven, and The Last Picture Show, Criterion seems to be giving up the idea of new covers for upgrades, even when the transfer and/or the extras are new. Last time they did offer a new cover it was a regressive one (The Rules of the Game).

Last Picture Show IS a new cover, no? That's not what the cover of my BBS digi looks like.

Getting Kyle Baker to do the art for the Jackie Chan set was a fantastic choice.

HitchcockLang wrote: Tue Aug 15, 2023 7:20 pmLast Picture Show IS a new cover, no? That's not what the cover of my BBS digi looks like.

My Bad. The similar central design threw me off.

Is anyone else seeing Jeff Bridges nibbling on the corner of the ticket stub?

low wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2023 3:55 pm Is anyone else seeing Jeff Bridges nibbling on the corner of the ticket stub?

Thats Timothy Bottoms and no

It would appear as if the font on the upcoming Days of Heaven reissue has been adjusted. Malick's name is now much less prominent than before.

https://www.criterion.com/films/213-days-of-heaven

Walkabout [4K] (Booklet)
The Princes Bride [4K] (Book packaging like Blu-ray's first printing)
The Trial [4K]
Moonage Daydream [4K]
La Bamba

Moonage Daydream includes the 4K trailer on the UHD disc, which I think is the first non-commentary feature to be included on the UHD.

As expected, the Blu-rays for both Walkabout and The Princess Bride are the old ones with different disc artwork.

Links to restoration details for each title, which are at the bottom of each page:

Walkabout
The Princess Bride
The Trial
La Bamba

Moonage Daydream, as expected, didn't include any information about the master.

Is the standard blu for Moonage Daydream also a digi?

I haven't seen it firsthand, but my understanding is that it's in a standard Scanavo case.