The Criterion Collection

[cstle]

The Godzilla cover art is awful. Other than that and Breathless, I don't have many problems with Criterion covers.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by octagon

That's not what they're saying. They're simply saying the cover art can be a factor in deciding which film to watch at a given time.

And that's not really all that hard to understand.

If great cover art can make one more interested and more enthusiastic and more eager to see what's inside is the notion that a flat or mundane cover can be a tie-breaker the other way really that incomprehensible???

[*sigh*] My residual sanity thanks you octagon. That's all I really said, or implied.

As also noted, I own all Criterion Blu's to date, and will at some point watch every single one of them, including Mystery Train. In fact I was considering watching it just last week, but chose to spin up Revanche instead. Merely the headspace I was in. Yet nothing as superficial as a movie poster or video cover art would ever keep me from enjoying the experience of wonderful film. That's never happened, and never will. Simply not within my frame of reference.

And if I did not qualify all of my comments up front, it was because many here were already having a lot of fun lauding bests and dissing worsts without even the teensiest bit of justification for their own choices, just Best = / Worst =. Therefore, I didn't think it was necessary to do so either. Of course, I'm newer here, so in retrospect I realize that many of you do not know where I'm coming from, and especially when my tongue is planted firmly (yet lovingly) in cheek.

So I'm adding this little qualifier retroactively. I've been loyally buying Criterion Laserdiscs, DVDs, and Blu-rays since the late 80s, and have chronically bored the padiddle out of every film fan within earshot about this label's exceptional quality standards*. On the whole, I have admired their creativity and savvy in all aspects of production, including their distinctive and frequently beautiful packaging. Even Criterion's worst covers are typically several cuts above any other home video label. Some are just more evocative - and memorable - than others. Which is what we were having some fun with here...or so I thought.

Originally Posted by octagon

I bought Naked based on some strong recommendations from people in this thread (welcome back again, Joe) but it sat on my shelf for months before I finally popped it in. I picked it up several times, thought 'ehhhh, another time' before deciding on something else and the cover played a part in that.

Precisely, my feeling about the Mystery Train cover. And I've already conceded that one day I'll spin up the film, probably enjoy it as I have most other Jarmusch works, and then maybe look at that cover again and think, "Hey, that was pretty nifty after all." Outside the context of the film though, taken strictly at face value on its own design merits, if I was not already a committed Criterion fan and collector, I can understand why someone might look at that cover and shrug "meh." It's just not as compelling to me as many of the others discussed here.

* ...except for their propensity for CAV 'laser rot', and inadequate handling of that issue, which thankfully is no longer relevant.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

Thank you so much, Octagon. I'm beginning to regret giving my opinion and defending a fellow forum member in the first place, because apparently you are the only person who understood what we meant.

And thank you too CoopFilm, for alll the reasons mentioned in my previous post.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Moot point since neither Mystery Train or Modern Times were 2011 releases...

Wow...has it really been over a year since I bought them? I would have sworn both were from early 2011 Joe.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

It's actually a still from Red, near the beginning, just in case anyone thinks it's a created image. I remember loving the image in the film, and was surprised and delighted to see Kellerhouse pull that frame from all of the possible frames in the entire trilogy to use as the box set cover. Blending of the three colors, light, motion, travel, fireworks, energy, brilliant.

See previous reference to "context" Joe. To date, I've only had the opportunity to see Bleu from the Three Colors trilogy, but have been looking forward to this set since it was announced. Until a connection to the actual film is established though, the box cover just seemed overly abstracted and kind of meaningless. So I'll gladly be proven wrong on that point...

[octagon]

This already has a thread of its own but I thought it might be of interest to some of the folks here...

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Insignia...t=RF-NS-BRDVD4 &cp=1&lp=1

Insignia NS-BRDVD4 - refurbished - $34.99 - free shipping

Region free capable for under forty bucks tax and delivery included?

How could I not roll those dice?

[tenia]

The "Best / Worst" might simply need a dedicated topic where we could explain our choices, because it will be lost in all the on-going discussions here.

However, when I chose Something Wild as Worst Cover, I don't think of it as something really ahead of the reste of the market. I do think it is an awful cover art. Too simple, and quite vulgar too, the worst thing being that they chose to keep this artwork for the booklet too, and the interior is bland.

As a whole, it makes the artwork fully dull.


However, as a whole, I really don't think that covers play that much on me when choosing to buy this or watch that, and I don't think it should.
There have been a lot of movies, tons in fact, released with awful artworks. Missing them because of these artworks is something I would never allow me to do.

Think of the issue the other way around : would you allow yourself not to watch tremendous things as Kurosawa's or Bergman's movies (I tried to choose something quite unanimous) because of dull artworks ?


So, as a whole, if I fully understand the point being made behind this query, I also understand joenostalgia's point :

If you consider Mystery Train's artwork to be so bad that you won't even watch the damn film... how do you manage to watch non-Criterion films?


But again, movie itself should be enough to drag you into buying it / watching it.

I've bought 12 Angry Men and watched it within the hour. I haven't even looked at the artwork inverting the 11th and 12th juror, or the booklet, or whatever.

The movies are magical, and are what you watch for 1h30. Not the cover arts.


It's funny, because we had about the same discussion on DVD Classik and Homecinema-fr, with all the slipcovers or steelbooks adorators, or the people that can't stand buying BDs with DVD-sized cases.

They are people reluctant to buy Ben Hur or The Leopard in their wonderful HD transfer because of such things. They are people eager, instead, to buy Clash of the Titans in a Japanese releases just for the Steelbook.

This is the opposite of the spectrum of course, but it is also something I will never fully understand.

In the end, they end up buying BDs they can't even watch, either due to the region locking or the lack of understandable soundtracks or subtitles.


This being said, of course, appealing covers have for a long time been the Criterion trademark, and I completely understand that dull ones might prevent some to blind buy them or whatever. But I think this is kind of wrong.

[toddly6666]

I get a kick how how the booklet information is more cherished since it's in paper form when all they could have done is put the booklet info on the actual bluray itself. I remember during the early days of DVDs (when they used to have a lot of extras on the first-released version) that all Essays would be in the DVD.

I like the booklets, but I dont like reading them till after watching the movie because those booklet essays usually always have some spoiler info about the movie.

And it's a shame that more video companies dont copy Criterion's style of doing creative covers, especially when people buy videos just for the packaging (which I think is a little cuckoo):

[tenia]

The issue is that reading essays on you TV is not very practical.
Moreover, some might find it a bit silly. Either you go digital, or you stay with paper, not somewhere in the middle.

We still have in France editors like SNC who keep putting production notes on DVD instead of creating a booklet. It is, honestly, much boring reading it on TV than on paper, also because you're using your TV for it.

[RojD]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

Looking through the Collection while narrowing my future buy-list I came upon what probably is the most undiscussed title in the Collection (In BD, I mean), El Norte! Does anyone has a particular opinion about this film ? Looks different and intriguing to me, I may get it the next sale.

I think El Norte is worth a look, though I still wonder about CC's thinking in having it among the earliest BD releases. Maybe because it was among the earliest to engage the immigration issue? It's got a clear statement to make, and it uses melodrama to make it, but a big thing I've learned from watching silents the last few years is that melodrama can be done well and can be effective. And it's effective in El Norte. (I still want to watch Sin Nombre to see how the two play off each other.)

Originally Posted by ROclockCK

[*sigh*] ... I own all Criterion Blu's to date, and will at some point watch every single one of them, including Mystery Train. In fact I was considering watching it just last week, but chose to spin up Revanche instead. Merely the headspace I was in.

Lucky you, ROclockCK....you have a great pleasure ahead. I loved Mystery Train and have enjoyed it almost as much in retrospect as while I was watching it. It's all about transitions, people arriving and leaving, just like Memphis is about logistics -- arriving and leaving. And there's something about Memphis (in the film, anyway), that affects change. That's how Sun Records and its music were able to come out of there. As to what causes that change, well, it's mystery. You might not understand it, but you see it.

....and for a total experience, try some carry-out barbecue while you're watching it.


(btw, the cover art is a riff on Sun Records' design style, and music is big part of the movie)

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by toddly6666

I get a kick how how the booklet information is more cherished since it's in paper form when all they could have done is put the booklet info on the actual bluray itself. I remember during the early days of DVDs (when they used to have a lot of extras on the first-released version) that all Essays would be in the DVD.

I like the booklets, but I dont like reading them till after watching the movie because those booklet essays usually always have some spoiler info about the movie.

And it's a shame that more video companies dont copy Criterion's style of doing creative covers, especially when people buy videos just for the packaging (which I think is a little cuckoo):

Considering you have people on this forum who won't buy a film without a stupid slipcover, or if the case isn't uniform in size to the rest of their collection, despite actually liking the film, I'd say people who aren't as impressed with certain Criterion covers aren't that bad at all.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

No love for The Fearless Vampire Killers? I first saw this in a film class at college.

I would really like having that one on Blu-ray. I saw an HD broadcast of it on Radio Canada last summer (French version) I keep hoping it mean's a Blu-ray is not so far away

[Eny-]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

Looking through the Collection while narrowing my future buy-list I came upon what probably is the most undiscussed title in the Collection (In BD, I mean), El Norte! Does anyone has a particular opinion about this film ? Looks different and intriguing to me, I may get it the next sale.

I love it. Watched it multiple times since I bought it. I can't recommend it enough. It's beautifully shot by Nava and it deals with a still very contemporary issue.

[silentblu]

Originally Posted by toddly6666

I get a kick how how the booklet information is more cherished since it's in paper form when all they could have done is put the booklet info on the actual bluray itself. I remember during the early days of DVDs (when they used to have a lot of extras on the first-released version) that all Essays would be in the DVD.

I like the booklets, but I dont like reading them till after watching the movie because those booklet essays usually always have some spoiler info about the movie.

And it's a shame that more video companies dont copy Criterion's style of doing creative covers, especially when people buy videos just for the packaging (which I think is a little cuckoo):

Yeah. Always read them after watching. Although it seems a lot of the time it is just summarizing the film I just watched. I've stopped reading the essays because of this and the fact the writing isn't very good or necessarily correct.

[*DrStrangelove*]

Any thoughts on The Last Metro? considering blind buying it. It would be my first Truffaut.

[greekak229]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

Any thoughts on The Last Metro? considering blind buying it. It would be my first Truffaut.

Never seen it, but for a first Truffaut film, there's really nothing better than The 400 Blows. I'd recommend getting that.

[sskclickgeneral]

Anyone know if B&N is going to have any special deals/sales on criterions (after the current one) for black friday or anything else?

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

Any thoughts on The Last Metro? considering blind buying it. It would be my first Truffaut.

It's good but not in the same league as 400 Blows, Jules and Jim or even Wild Child, imo.

[melo4mvp]

Originally Posted by sskclickgeneral

Anyone know if B&N is going to have any special deals/sales on criterions (after the current one) for black friday or anything else?

I've seen mention of a 40% off blu-ray sale during the last two weeks of december. I think I it was on facebook, somebody said a B&N employee told them.

[punisher]

Originally Posted by sskclickgeneral

Anyone know if B&N is going to have any special deals/sales on criterions (after the current one) for black friday or anything else?

I received 4 20% off coupons, a $10.00 off Godiva chocolate coupon and a few others in the mail yesterday