Why do French blu's have consistently better cover art?

[The Truffle Shuffle]

Compared to the US/Canada, that is. Is it just me?

[toddly6666]

The Europeans have a better visual aesthetic sense with everything (not just blurays) compared to the boring, generic, and safe designs of everything found in North America.

[discking]

Originally Posted by The Truffle Shuffle

Compared to the US/Canada, that is. Is it just me?

Because to be French is to have better cover art... Or, put another way: why would anyone in their right mind want to have cover art, food, wine, cheese, chickens, clothing, furniture, women or sex only as good as what an American mass market consumer would find acceptable?

Il est évident, non?

[Kaminari]

Hey... I do like American sex!

[tenia]

That's funny, because we French always complain about our cover arts.

Remember Tree Of Life ?

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by tenia

Remember Tree Of Life ?

Yes, but I also remember these guys:

http://www.renechateauvideo.com/

No one even comes close to producing this type of artwork in the U.S

By the way, this is a great English-friendly disc to own:

En cas de malheur a.k.a Love is my Profession.





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[blu-voyager]

Well, don't know why, but I already heard a similar complain about videogames covert arts (NTSC vs PAL)

[discking]

Originally Posted by tenia

That's funny, because we French always complain about our cover arts

Every country has a "the least you can get away with" standard for just about everything. Companies will, while promoting their hard work and great products, always try and stay as close to that standard as possible -- why do more than absolutely necessary. It would be fair to say that when it comes to the sensual and aesthetic that the standard is somewhat higher in France than at Costco and Best Buy...

[toddly6666]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Yes, but I also remember these guys:

http://www.renechateauvideo.com/

Are any of those Renechateau dvds English-subtitled? It looks like they have a ridiculous amount of French classics on DVD.

[pro-bassoonist]

Only Love is my Profession. The overwhelming majority of their titles do not even have French subs.

Pro-B

[grospaquet31]

i think french releases have great cover art but not only one.

i'm just disapointed about last wave of canadian steelbook. i find the artwork minimalist with not a real creative work.

[tenia]

Originally Posted by discking

It would be fair to say that when it comes to the sensual and aesthetic that the standard is somewhat higher in France than at Costco and Best Buy...

Unfortunately, you can't be more wrong.
Our specialized shopping centers such as FNAC or Virgin have just about the same standard than a Costco or a Best Buy in the USA, meaning : they are just selling stuff they don't even know what it is.

It is so sad than, a not so few times, I had to explain them myself than, yes, what I was looking for exists, that it was released the day before, that their online website was showing specs, release day, and price, and, once, I even had to do myself the research on their computer to find it.

They just don't know.

And, except some art house editors as Carlotta, Wild Side and Gaumont, we are dealing here with the same majors than you are in the USA.

For exemple :

[discking]

Originally Posted by tenia

Unfortunately, you can't be more wrong.

I am never wrong, I am just not right enough...

But, seriously, I think the discs that many people are speaking about when they speak about French DVD and BD artwork are not the average discs but the special multi panel and boxed packages and slipcovers at which the French really do excel, and which they also seem willing to spend the money on when designing the retail packaging, and which many French buyers are, evidently, willing to pay extra for. One could say it's just economics. But the French buyer is more supportive of such packaging, the French companies seem more experienced at producing very tasteful products in this way, and in the US the bias tends to be more toward "special" artwork and packaging for blockbusters...

[Douglas R]

I think that in North America people are much more fixated on the stars of a film - so it's the stars which sell a film, hence the ubiquitous (and unimaginative) use of headshots on covers. The French, in particular, treat films more respectfully as an art form. At least, that's the impression I get from visiting France and the U.S. I also agree with what toddly6666 says, that Europe place more importance to style and design.

[toddly6666]

Originally Posted by tenia

Unfortunately, you can't be more wrong.
Our specialized shopping centers such as FNAC or Virgin have just about the same standard than a Costco or a Best Buy in the USA, meaning : they are just selling stuff they don't even know what it is.

It is so sad than, a not so few times, I had to explain them myself than, yes, what I was looking for exists, that it was released the day before, that their online website was showing specs, release day, and price, and, once, I even had to do myself the research on their computer to find it.

They just don't know.

And, except some art house editors as Carlotta, Wild Side and Gaumont, we are dealing here with the same majors than you are in the USA.

For exemple :

You are talking about two different things though: release information versus design. We were all talking about design, but I agree with you 100 percent about release information. Europe is just awful when it comes to know what the hell is being released and what the specs are - in stores and online. It's true that USA stores have employees that don't know much too, but at least Western online stores/websites have consistent trust-worthy blu-ray/dvd spec information about a release. I can't buy one French blu-ray/dvd online without getting feedback from a buyer that literally confirms what the specs are since France online stores/websites have no understanding of how that information (such as English subtitles, Regions, anamorphic or letterboxed, etc.) is important to the consumer.

[tenia]

Originally Posted by toddly6666

You are talking about two different things though: release information versus design. We were all talking about design, but I agree with you 100 percent about release information. Europe is just awful when it comes to know what the hell is being released and what the specs are - in stores and online. It's true that USA stores have employees that don't know much too, but at least Western online stores/websites have consistent trust-worthy blu-ray/dvd spec information about a release. I can't buy one French blu-ray/dvd online without getting feedback from a buyer that literally confirms what the specs are since France online stores/websites have no understanding of how that information (such as English subtitles, Regions, anamorphic or letterboxed, etc.) is important to the consumer.

I just wanted to emphasize that our sellers are not better than yours, and that, usually, they are made to match their buyers.
But yes, we have in France more people really keen on buying on basis of the cover, or of a special packaging, or whatever.
For exemple, whether US people prefer clear Amaray cases because it's easier to change if broken, we are hugely fond of digipack and all. But I suppose it's because website buying is bigger in the US than in France.

[toddly6666]

Originally Posted by tenia

I just wanted to emphasize that our sellers are not better than yours, and that, usually, they are made to match their buyers.
But yes, we have in France more people really keen on buying on basis of the cover, or of a special packaging, or whatever.
For exemple, whether US people prefer clear Amaray cases because it's easier to change if broken, we are hugely fond of digipack and all. But I suppose it's because website buying is bigger in the US than in France.

Where in France are you? Would you be interested in any blu-rays or DVDs from USA? If so, I am looking for the French blu-rays of Lucky Star and 7th Heaven.