tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post8736198456303359727..comments2023-06-10T01:50:16.788-07:00Comments on More Than Fine: Why Do Great Movies Get Awful DVD Cover Art?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-74582851380341157452013-05-01T20:59:38.292-07:002013-05-01T20:59:38.292-07:00i would prefer the poster art on dvd covers...when...i would prefer the poster art on dvd covers...when a movie comes out in theaters and you go see them movies you remember the poster...and when you buy the dvd,that original poster brings back memories of the first time you seen it, like for example "Hiding Out" with Jon Cryer...movie poster was black with 4 people on it, the dvd art, just him in one box with his beard and him in another box clean shaven...if the original poster got you hyped up to watch the movie then why should it matter to put new art on a dvd cover just to sell dvd's, we already saw the movie so we know what its about...new dvd art makes some of the older movies look new and only reminds us of this era, i want original poster art on dvd's so it can bring back memories.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-17823206827126692272010-10-27T16:58:17.981-07:002010-10-27T16:58:17.981-07:00Great article! I personally really hate the (usual...Great article! I personally really hate the (usually photography based) "modernising" of 80's movies when put to dvd. Film posters in the 80's (and video box art i might add) were typically just BEAUTIFUL, but we get this HORRIBLE modernisation of the art when released upon dvd.<br />I understand that perhaps some kids today might, in some cases, require modernisation of art in order to make stuff look like it's of their generation, but a huge amount or even a majority of buyers of older era movies are the ones who were there at the time or who at least remember the vhs cover in video stores all through their childhood.<br /><br />Even a deluxe 2 disc special edition dvd of a 70's or an 80's movie,that costs three times as much as the normal dvd can't get it right and capture the time of the movie in some way by using a classic movie poster or the original vhs or laserdisc art. It should make sense to the studios that a huge amount of potential customers for dvds are people replacing their vhs or laserdisc collections, and those people want to upgrade to dvd with the wonderful art that vhs or laserdiscs nearly always had. It is APPALING.<br /><br />Your examples here of modern films recieving crap art are great my friend. Well done. Look at this crap! Yikes.<br /><br />PaulAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-13983822391836237062009-12-28T02:34:27.861-08:002009-12-28T02:34:27.861-08:00The reason is because most good movies make back w...The reason is because most good movies make back what they spent through cinema ticket sales. <br /><br />DVDs are just a formality from the point of view of the studio and most of the value is placed in the media as a way of raking extra dollars. A good chunk of the profit from DVD sales go straight to the distributers of the movies and so they can't be bothered to make better DVD cover art.<br /><br />It just shows how half assed they are at their business. Just wait till movies distribution becomes all digital.<br /><br />We can finally get rid of this pesky environment destroying discs and get proper HD transfers for a much cheaper price than this over hyped expensive blu-ray bullshit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-79963510870200761892009-04-30T13:21:00.000-07:002009-04-30T13:21:00.000-07:00I know I've found this post a few years later but ...I know I've found this post a few years later but it's still a good read. I'm from the UK and it might be worth you investigating the difference in UK and US DVD covers, I was constantly surprised at the different treatment the same film will receive in different territories.<br /><br />I think we ended up with the better covers for some reason. We Were Soldiers is a case in point.<br /><br />US Cover: http://tiny.cc/ROlP7<br />UK Cover: http://tiny.cc/ygrWpStevie Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03725333059032441591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-72856125777407208512009-02-26T07:30:00.000-08:002009-02-26T07:30:00.000-08:00"Your article is spot on, thank you.I buy all my m..."Your article is spot on, thank you.<BR/>I buy all my movies online and very rarely pick one up in a store. And since I am a graphic designer and film lover, I hunt for the best version available - which, 9 out of 10 times, means shopping in Europe, Asia or Australia. They usually have different packaging art from the U.S. version and more or better bonus materials to boot. To make sure, check the desired title at dvdcompare.net. Of course, you'll need a codefree player to enjoy discs that were meant for the foreign markets, but that's a small price to pay for a much better and better-looking product. It's unbelievable, how much attention to detail especially Asian designers give to a DVD. You'll never shop at WalMart again, believe me.<BR/>(Still, the best package design won't make up for a crappy movie, but that goes for every product.)"<BR/><BR/>As a resident of Australia. I have to call complete and utter BS on that. We're the ones who have to get region 1 players since the damn international distributers:<BR/><BR/>1) Don't release the DVD at the same time as the US version.<BR/>2) Have less special features (if any)<BR/>3) In most cases, the special edition is out in the US before the bare bones is even out in Australia!<BR/>4) Not even to mention waiting for rereleases of older films, even ones that were upgraded years before in the US.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10059086914165287969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-64113355010612872452009-02-19T21:26:00.000-08:002009-02-19T21:26:00.000-08:00"It would be cool if DVD producers would put in a ..."It would be cool if DVD producers would put in a reversible cover art sheet so that the buyer can choose which one they want to display on their shelf."<BR/><BR/>Quite a few anime import companies in the US already do this. <BR/><BR/>Just off the top of my head: <BR/><BR/>*At least one volume of <I>Sailor Moon SuperS</I> series that I've seen, put out by... Geneon/Pioneer, I think, had a poster-style reverse-side cover, and I'm guessing other volumes from the S/SuperS season had them as well. <BR/><BR/>*ALL of the <I>Azumanga Daioh</I> volumes released by ADV Films had reversible covers (the initial outside had a shot of a given one of the schoolgirls doing her little jump from the credits, against a white background, with a chalkboard-style back cover, whereas the reverse side featured some scene based on one of the episodes w/ all the episodes and their chapters listed in a small, clean font). <BR/><BR/>*So did my edition of the first <I>Cardcaptor Sakura</I> movie; it gave you the option of displaying the American design or the original Japanese DVD cover design, complete with the original Japanese-language logo. I didn't even have a fancy collector's edition, either.<BR/><BR/>*So did <I>Comic Party</I>, Vol.1 (released by The Right Stuf International, aka TRSI), the reverse side for which is actually designed to look like a translated manga volume (the series is about fan-made comic books), right down to being "right-left" orientation. If you happened to purchase the version that came with the "Art Box", you also got one of the awesomest collector's box designs ever made (made to hold the entire series, it features pencil sketch-style drawings of the characters on a clean white background... which are lovely but wouldn't necessarily be all that awesome, except it also comes with a plastic slipcover designed to look like an animation cel with several key characters in bold, sharp colors meant to hover over said pencil sketches. The series bored me to tears but I have never been able to part with that DVD because of the gorgeous box and amusing reversible cover. Granted, the box cost extra, but the reversible cover was there even for the "regular" edition)<BR/><BR/>Additionally, Google says that all the <I>Chobits</I> (Geneon, I think?) volumes had reversible covers, as did <I>Final Fantasy Unlimited</I>, <I>Gate Keepers</I>, <I>Full Metal Panic!</I>, <I>UFO Ultramaidn Valkyrie</I>, <I>School Rumble</I>, <I>DNAngel</I> (also from ADV Films) and <I>Witch Hunter Robin</I> (released by Bandai). I could swear my copy of the <I>Revolutionary Girl Utena</I> feature film also had a reversible cover.<BR/><BR/>In actual fact, with anime releases, it's a quite common extra... and certainly the most common "feely" (physical package extra), save possibly for "art boxes" to collect the series in. The reason it is more common in anime releases, I suspect, is that anime is more expensive because it is imported and translated (often with at least one dub and at least one subtitle track), but that's a relatively cheap "extra" to include as incentive to buy it. <BR/><BR/>Particularly since it is often a lot more expensive to try and purchase rights to additional DVD extras from the Japanese releases; which is why most anime releases' extras will consist of something like "line drawings of the characters, picture gallery, creditless opening and closing, and if you're lucky you will get translation notes and/or reversible cover".<BR/><BR/>But since it seems to be a cheap and popular extra there, I could easily see western companies making them. It's not like it's expensive to do, just print on an extra side of the sheet, that's pennies extra, tops.Jamiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00840316413910459116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-40967081949920256872008-12-21T10:20:00.000-08:002008-12-21T10:20:00.000-08:00Who cares about the reason the studios do it. It i...Who cares about the reason the studios do it. <BR/><BR/>It is tacky.<BR/><BR/>The author argues for collectibility, well maybe these cheesy collectors editions should try hard to cater to such consumers. These are the kinds of people who buy into apple products.<BR/><BR/>Personally I donate most media I purchase to the public library because I don't like keeping it around. I could care less about box art.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-6671691439808706722008-01-04T08:29:00.000-08:002008-01-04T08:29:00.000-08:00I picked up Children of Men (with that cover) for ...I picked up Children of Men (with that cover) for $5 at Best Buy (Canada) as part of Boxing Week sales. If only I read your post sooner, as the sale I believe ends today if not already over.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-56161167119674791622007-12-24T21:55:00.000-08:002007-12-24T21:55:00.000-08:00Right on dude. I was looking forward to buying a c...Right on dude. I was looking forward to buying a copy of Frida way back when. The poster art actually managed to make it onto the DVD cover, but by the time I got around to picking one up, instead of the pop art, mexican folk style treatment of Selma Heyick, we got her brief lesbianesque moment w/ Ashley Judd who's on film no more than 3 minutes.<BR/><BR/>Also, the poster for the indie film, Dancer In The Dark, was striking w/ nothing more than a seeing eye chart (here http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/MG/196395~Dancer-in-the-Dark-Posters.jpg) but then we get a bizarro world vinnette instead of floating heads belonging to the stars.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-25833385927823400392007-12-20T09:16:00.000-08:002007-12-20T09:16:00.000-08:00A plug for the "Criterion Collection" of DVD's for...A plug for the "Criterion Collection" of DVD's for their efforts in DVD case cover artwork.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-19565617014344018572007-12-19T00:24:00.000-08:002007-12-19T00:24:00.000-08:00Your article is spot on, thank you.I buy all my mo...Your article is spot on, thank you.<BR/>I buy all my movies online and very rarely pick one up in a store. And since I am a graphic designer and film lover, I hunt for the best version available - which, 9 out of 10 times, means shopping in Europe, Asia or Australia. They usually have different packaging art from the U.S. version and more or better bonus materials to boot. To make sure, check the desired title at dvdcompare.net. Of course, you'll need a codefree player to enjoy discs that were meant for the foreign markets, but that's a small price to pay for a much better and better-looking product. It's unbelievable, how much attention to detail especially Asian designers give to a DVD. You'll never shop at WalMart again, believe me.<BR/>(Still, the best package design won't make up for a crappy movie, but that goes for every product.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-17739184292334762112007-12-14T18:37:00.000-08:002007-12-14T18:37:00.000-08:00I like purchasing my media online now. I can choos...I like purchasing my media online now. I can choose the cover-art myself: do a quick google for the images out there, check iTunes too, and select the one that's prettiest to me. My music collection already looks great as a result. Soon, I hope I can do this for my movies too. (The boxes are just stacked in my room ..the digital art of the ripped versions is all I would see anyway.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-9822326824586611952007-11-01T11:09:00.000-07:002007-11-01T11:09:00.000-07:00Simple Explanation:It's basic science.When you str...Simple Explanation:<BR/><BR/>It's basic science.<BR/><BR/>When you strolling down the aisle, a picture of an actor's face (especially a famous one) jumps out at you far better than any random word or image -- even a great one. <BR/><BR/>It's just hardwired into our brains.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-61458085901733025442007-09-26T15:12:00.000-07:002007-09-26T15:12:00.000-07:00Thanks for your nice post!Thanks for your nice post!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-36965658387403951842007-08-17T19:07:00.000-07:002007-08-17T19:07:00.000-07:00In a few years you won't have to worry about this,...In a few years you won't have to worry about this, as dvds go the way of the cd... extinct.<BR/><BR/>My uncle is a huge cd/dvd fan. I think more for the physical product than the actual music or movie.<BR/><BR/>When all this is digitized, and downloaded, it just won't matter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-79485461672956923622007-07-23T09:23:00.000-07:002007-07-23T09:23:00.000-07:00Studios can create masterpieces for dvd covers, bu...Studios can create masterpieces for dvd covers, but it's the Dvd producers and marketing teams that have the final word. I once worked with a group of people who created an amazing piece of work and the company turned it down for something more tasteless. That's the way business works. Sad =(Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-8914790072670631672007-07-10T00:58:00.000-07:002007-07-10T00:58:00.000-07:00I also like good box design because I think we pay...I also like good box design because I think we pay attention to the "image" of the box firstly, especially in case of unknown movies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-18508908014884778372007-05-09T03:57:00.000-07:002007-05-09T03:57:00.000-07:00I think this is a deliberate thing, in order to se...I think this is a deliberate thing, in order to seperate Cinema presentations vs. the DVD. A value/quality proposition.frodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17849076519641834219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-54648347632717286122007-04-12T11:09:00.000-07:002007-04-12T11:09:00.000-07:00I also have my own DVD collection and I did not li...I also have my own DVD collection and I did not like the one in " Children of Men " , so I decided to make my own DVD cover with the fetus in the middle of the black background, it took so much time , but I am so happy with the result , as you said , a DVD cover is an art.WShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09792531848214000015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-66267166526620378202007-04-07T18:31:00.000-07:002007-04-07T18:31:00.000-07:00It would be cool if DVD producers would put in a r...It would be cool if DVD producers would put in a reversible cover art sheet so that the buyer can choose which one they want to display on their shelf.<BR/><BR/>I guess the only problem with that is paying for the design of two covers =/<BR/><BR/>reuse the great art they ALREADY made maybe like those posters?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-15301603860856830722007-04-01T08:42:00.000-07:002007-04-01T08:42:00.000-07:00I think the movie producers meet heavy expenses fo...I think the movie producers meet heavy expenses for dvd covers, posters & promos as these are the vital tools to attract audience.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-55875493614107243572007-03-31T11:55:00.000-07:002007-03-31T11:55:00.000-07:00Thanks for the comment and the critique :)The titl...Thanks for the comment and the critique :)<BR/><BR/>The title "More Than Fine" is from a song by Switchfoot. Here's some of the lyrics:<BR/><BR/>"I'm not giving up...not backing down.<BR/><BR/>More than fine, more than bent on getting by. <BR/>More than fine, more than just ok."<BR/><BR/>Basically, the song says we should strive for more than mediocrity, to be "more than fine." I don't like the song too much but I like the message, and the fact that the title is at least fairly unique. <BR/><BR/>Thanks again for reading!David Chenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933948174322119713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-48879525164166174752007-03-31T11:44:00.000-07:002007-03-31T11:44:00.000-07:00Fantastic writing, fantastic blog."More Than Fine"...Fantastic writing, fantastic blog.<BR/><BR/>"More Than Fine"!?<BR/><BR/>Surely you can think of a better title?<BR/><BR/>My favourites just says "more than fine", definitely one for me to rename.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-58625185928515292542007-03-29T13:59:00.000-07:002007-03-29T13:59:00.000-07:00I would like to add to the comment made by the Ano...I would like to add to the comment made by the Anonymous person who works as a DVD key art designer...<BR/><BR/>I, too, have been in Key Art Design for Home Entertainment for 10 yeas, art of those years being at a major design agency and part of those years being at 2 major motion picture studios and I can attest that the marketing people are the ones who make these calls. <BR/><BR/>These are marketing people who have ZERO training in art and design and usually they fall of the truck fresh from some hoity toity college where they got a nose ring and have to cover it up now that they work in a "corporate" environment. These "kids" haven't even seen 95% of the catalog titles of any of the studios films so they have no grounds to base their judgments on.<BR/><BR/>Quite frankly, it's the most frustrating thing to wokr in Creative Services at any studio because you are constantly fighting to be creative while marketing wants to do.... well, kiss the ASSES of WALMART and BLOCKBUSTER. <BR/><BR/>Walmart and Blockbuster are the 2 primary reasons why packaging is done the way it is done.<BR/><BR/>That's my 2 cents!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31659752.post-89301872981888425042007-03-29T11:34:00.000-07:002007-03-29T11:34:00.000-07:00Let's not forget the sinkhole of the star system.I...Let's not forget the sinkhole of the star system.<BR/><BR/>It's long been argued that Hollywood product sucks because the studios are in thrall to star salaries. You know how it works. No Tom Cruise, no picture. Got Tom? Good, let the lobotomy begin. So much depends upon a red wheel barrow, glazed with botox, beside that Scientologist.<BR/><BR/>With such monster investment in the tiny pack of actors who open Hollywood product, is it surprising that the DVD cover is now, essentially, a platform for face brands? Studios bet the farm (OK, someone's else's farm) on the latest sequel, and they're damn well going to show off what the gazillions bought.<BR/><BR/>I don't think it's so terrible, just predictable. People who like corporate cinema seem to want it this way: they want stars upon thars. They won't go to movies without stars, so it reasons they won't buy DVDs without big-ass star photos. Saul Bass abstracts won't reach them--that's another sensibility entirely, or as the suits say, "another market."Richard Cretanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03379661120390117017noreply@blogger.com