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Kim Hendrickson on The Last Emperor: Final Cut

Eric Skillman on designing Berlin Alexanderplatz.

I have to say I really like some of the early versions a lot better than what was approved for the finished product.

Antoine Doinel wrote:Eric Skillman on designing Berlin Alexanderplatz.

I have to say I really like some of the early versions a lot better than what was approved for the finished product.

They should have called that blog entry "I should have listened to Peter."

Part II of the entry is up at Cozy Lummox.

Is preferable to me than the one finally used.

It looks like too much over-thinking and design by committee went on for this artwork Criterion!

Eh, that's why they're Criterion and you guys are you guys. I think the final cover for Berlin Alexanderplatz is stunning. There's nothing else like it in the collection. I don't think the point of the blog entry was them questioning their decision but to illustrate(!) for fans how thorough the process of cover selection is and how much care they put into their designs.

M wrote:Eh, that's why they're Criterion and you guys are you guys. I think the final cover for Berlin Alexanderplatz is stunning. There's nothing else like it in the collection. I don't think the point of the blog entry was them questioning their decision but to illustrate(!) for fans how thorough the process of cover selection is and how much care they put into their designs.

Open discussion on a public forum stifled yet again! Turn out the lights; time to go home everyone.

M wrote:Eh, that's why they're Criterion and you guys are you guys. I think the final cover for Berlin Alexanderplatz is stunning. There's nothing else like it in the collection. I don't think the point of the blog entry was them questioning their decision but to illustrate(!) for fans how thorough the process of cover selection is and how much care they put into their designs.

Yes, I agree. Good post. With all due respect to those not liking it, I think the final drawn artwork is more expansive than the still photo treatment. And it needs to be expansive in order to encapsulate the scope of the work. The still photo would work I guess if the name of the work were the character depicted, but it's titled "Berlin Alexanderplatz" and you need something less direct while still to the point. The hand-drawn approach accomplishes that feat.

I am quite surprised at how many revisions and sweat and tears go into cover art development, which I think is kind of the point of the artist's blog. That, and to give us a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the goings-on with regard to a Criterion release.

skuhn8 wrote:

M wrote:Eh, that's why they're Criterion and you guys are you guys. I think the final cover for Berlin Alexanderplatz is stunning. There's nothing else like it in the collection. I don't think the point of the blog entry was them questioning their decision but to illustrate(!) for fans how thorough the process of cover selection is and how much care they put into their designs.

Open discussion on a public forum stifled yet again! Turn out the lights; time to go home everyone.

Kind of an awkward non-sequitur. Disagreement is stifling open discussion? How's that so?

M wrote:

skuhn8 wrote:

M wrote:Eh, that's why they're Criterion and you guys are you guys. I think the final cover for Berlin Alexanderplatz is stunning. There's nothing else like it in the collection. I don't think the point of the blog entry was them questioning their decision but to illustrate(!) for fans how thorough the process of cover selection is and how much care they put into their designs.

Open discussion on a public forum stifled yet again! Turn out the lights; time to go home everyone.

Kind of an awkward non-sequitur. Disagreement is stifling open discussion? How's that so?

Sarcasm regarding the first sentence, dogg.

I prefer the final cover myself. There's little innovation in a film still and text (although I do like the This Sporting Life cover).

I also liked the final artwork a lot. And not just the Franz, but also the Mieze, and the canary. I like the way they are presented as archetypes and not merely as the specific characters from the film.

But the Fassbinder done in the same style for the extra disc is amazing. They should sell that as a full-blown poster. I'd buy it.

Kudzu wrote:Sarcasm regarding the first sentence, dogg.

I prefer the final cover myself. There's little innovation in a film still and text (although I do like the This Sporting Life cover).

Oh, oh yes...sarcasm. I, get it? Anyway, we're agreed. The final cover is tops. Seriously.

Lee Kline on [url=http://www.criterion.com/blog/2008_01_01_archive.html]The Thief of Bagdad[/url].

Commentary with Scorsese and Coppola?

I'm there.

Ditto. That makes the title a must buy for me. I really had no interest in the film at all, but I'll buy any film if it has the opportunity to hear Scorsese talk about it. And with Coppola? Goddamn.

Off topic:

Lol at the quotes around shrinkage expert.

Why am I not surprised this individual prefers to remain anonymous?

But seriously, this project sounds pretty nice. Thanks, Criterion.

Curtis Tsui on The Naked Prey

That cover reminds me a lot of There Will Be Blood.

There Will Be Beer.

Lemmy Caution wrote:There Will Be Beer.

Well, you certainly got crickets for that, but I have to say...

that's pretty damn funny. =D>

Peter Becker discusses the unusual treatment of The Red Balloon and White Mane, including the revelation that both will receive the full Criterion treatment in the near future (not Paddle to the Sea, however).

fiddlesticks wrote:Peter Becker discusses the unusual treatment of The Red Balloon and White Mane, including the revelation that both will receive the full Criterion treatment in the near future (not Paddle to the Sea, however).

I'm really glad that they've cleared all this up well in advance of the releases. There was no way I was going to buy stripped down versions of both separately, but I absolutely would buy them with the appropriate contextual materials, etc. They are certainly doing the right thing in essentially telling us that the April releases are for the kids and that we should wait. Bravo.

arsonfilms wrote: There was no way I was going to buy stripped down versions of both separately, but I absolutely would buy them with the appropriate contextual materials, etc. They are certainly doing the right thing in essentially telling us that the April releases are for the kids and that we should wait. Bravo.

agreed. i think it's an interesting and commendable decision on their part.

New post in which Issa Clubb discusses working on the supplements for The Ice Storm.

And now I have to book a flight to Copenhagen, where I’ll be returning to the primary pleasures of being a Criterion DVD producer: working with cinema scholars and sifting elbow-deep through film archives.

Hmmm, what movie this might be? Let the speculations begin!

Ashirg wrote:

And now I have to book a flight to Copenhagen, where I’ll be returning to the primary pleasures of being a Criterion DVD producer: working with cinema scholars and sifting elbow-deep through film archives.

Hmmm, what movie this might be? Let the speculations begin!

Vampyr