One thing I hate about Australian Blu ray/DVD releases

[sugar_kane]

Is the packaging/covers. I really cannot stand the massive rating (M15+, R18+ etc.) they put on the cover because I feel it detracts from the artwork. Every time I see a cover, I can't help but being drawn to the classification and I get that it's the point, but I wish it could be a lot more subtle. It's definitely a step up from how it used to be, alongside the bottom of the cover, but it's still far too big imo. They should go with the American method of putting the classification on the back, however big they please... but leave the covers as they are or at least scale it down significantly if it must stay on the front.

[insomniac]

I've gotten used to it, at least it's better than the UK ones though, which has a hideous design.

[sugar_kane]

You're right. I think UK covers are just generally awful, including the ratings design.

[LordCrumb]

It's the law... wotcha gonna do.

[Anamnesis]

personally I think they should just print double sided covers, one with rating, one without! It really wouldn't be that hard or cost prohibitive....

[julz0802]

Originally Posted by Anamnesis

personally I think they should just print double sided covers, one with rating, one without! It really wouldn't be that hard or cost prohibitive....

A few studios in Germany release titles with "Wendecovers"; one side with the FSK rating logo, the other side without. All other cover art is identical on both sides and it means you can flip the cover around so the logo is hidden after you've bought it.

I don't know of this practice existing in any other country (edit: save for Canada which prints reversible covers in their bilingual issues; one side predominantly English and the other predominantly French), but it would be nice for Australia to join the list of countries who partake

[Anamnesis]

Originally Posted by julz0802

A few studios in Germany release titles with "Wendecovers"; one side with the FSK rating logo, the other side without. All other cover art is identical on both sides and it means you can flip the cover around so the logo is hidden after you've bought it.

I don't know of this practice existing in any other country (edit: save for Canada which prints reversible covers in their bilingual issues; one side predominantly English and the other predominantly French), but it would be nice for Australia to join the list of countries who partake

Madman have a few titles with alternative art, that is different cover art on the reverse side, but that art is also devoid of ratings logos.

[Caustic]

It is worse in NZ. They put an NZ classification sticker over the Aussie one which makes it look worse

[SGB]

Originally Posted by LordCrumb

It's the law...

It's also Nanny state-ism. You can blame the "Oh, why won't someone think of the children?" crowd for the ugly classification logos.

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by SGB

It's also Nanny state-ism. You can blame the "Oh, why won't someone think of the children?" crowd for the ugly classification logos.

I'd rather have a small amount of that in return for a safer and superior society in comparison to that of U.S, i.e lack of gun control laws

[80sfanboy]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

I'd rather have a small amount of that in return for a safer and superior society in comparison to that of U.S, i.e lack of gun control laws

lol, from movies to guns! - some think both are the reason for violence and crime

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by 80sfanboy

lol, from movies to guns! - some think both are the reason for violence and crime

The reasons are for a different discussion altogether.

Though I hope you are not going to argue the fact that certain things which could be considered as "nanny state-ism" to some, such as Australian gun legislation, has not been a success.

My point was that sometimes there seems to be a lot of complaining about what America has better, but not so much appreciation about the many things that we have that are better, things that are far more important than ratings logos

[80sfanboy]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

The reasons are for a different discussion altogether.

Though I hope you are not going to argue the fact that certain things which could be considered as "nanny state-ism" to some, such as Australian gun legislation, has not been a success.

My point was that sometimes there seems to be a lot of complaining about what America has better, but not so much appreciation about the many things that we have that are better, things that are far more important than ratings logos

I don't disagree with you. I think America have a very primitive and counter productive view on the things that matter the most for it's people. Health and Safety

[julz0802]

Originally Posted by Anamnesis

Madman have a few titles with alternative art, that is different cover art on the reverse side, but that art is also devoid of ratings logos.

A lot of DVD releases in Thailand are the same (usually with the reverse side being some poster art). For this reason I've bought a lot of Disney releases from Thailand

[Blu-21]

I've never had a problem with them, much better then the old logo classification which I think was discounted around 2004 or so. Can anyone confirm that?

I actuelly have the remake of The Amityville Horror on VHS which has the 'new' classification on it. It would have to be one of the last VHS tapes ever produced I would have thought.

[sugar_kane]

Even if they just reduced the size of it, it would be so much better. Like a tiny R or M and so fourth in the corner, without all the reasons for the said rating ("adult themes" etc). It's kind of redundant slapping on WHY it's been given a certain classification on the cover when it can be illustrated on the back like in the States and some of the explanations are so vague ("strong themes").

I lived in the US for a while, so I purchased a lot of the titles in my collection there, and they are some of my favourite editions because of the clean, uninterrupted cover art.

[KingWoftam]

Agree totally, the NZ ratings are the worst given its a sticker on top of the Aust rating, sometime's not even put on straight

I've now fallen in love with the US covers, given the clean cover art, that I'm now contemplating selling all my NZ/Aust/UK Blu's and replacing them with their US counterpart (assuming that PQ & AQ are comparable)... costly exercise I know, plus I'll have to live with some shitty eco cases, but I'll get the clean coverart plus the slimmer cases mean I'll fit more onto my shelves

[fuzzymctiger]

Originally Posted by Blu-21

I've never had a problem with them, much better then the old logo classification which I think was discounted around 2004 or so. Can anyone confirm that?

I actuelly have the remake of The Amityville Horror on VHS which has the 'new' classification on it. It would have to be one of the last VHS tapes ever produced I would have thought.

Robots, Sahara, and Coash Carter have them too I'm pretty sure.

A friend has them.

[sugar_kane]

Originally Posted by KingWoftam

I've now fallen in love with the US covers, given the clean cover art, that I'm now contemplating selling all my NZ/Aust/UK Blu's and replacing them with their US counterpart (assuming that PQ & AQ are comparable)... costly exercise I know, plus I'll have to live with some shitty eco cases, but I'll get the clean coverart plus the slimmer cases mean I'll fit more onto my shelves

Kinda sad that ours are so insufferable we have to replace them with international Blu's.

[Lutz]

I wrote a letter to the Australian Classification Board when they first introduced the current ratings signs complaining that they were ugly and that movies aren't disposable items like cigarettes. They reply was very, ah, bureaucratic.

I buy all my movies from overseas.