New Case Desgin
Okay, so, it’s basically like a Playstation 3 game package, right? I was a tad bit confused about that. Their doing that for all of the Blurays? Hopefully. I saw some of the older cases and was a little turned off, I guess, by their presentation. It was kind of like when I saw La Rhonde and Le Plasir at Borders, where it looked like their cases were getting crushed by all the films around them. I basically just want the Blurays to fit in with my normal Criterions (and if the size has to be a little smaller, so be it).
Savvy
It’s the dvd that counts more than the packaging, and whatever enables Criterion to keep on putting out new releases is okay with me, but if I had my druthers, I’d go back to the older packaging, the style they used around the time of In the Mood for Love. I do think it’s more substantial — albeit wasteful of plastic.
Don’t get me wrong. I think the ‘non-plastic’ packaging design for all the subsequent DVD releases have been great (Man Who Fell to Earth; Third Man; Last Emperor, etc). I just felt once reduced to the more petite blu-ray versions, they just lost both impact and perceived quality. I think some of this is attributed to trying to keep to the small spine standard of the more common blu-ray packaging, and the reduced weight of the paper stock used.
The new plastic cases have the same size spines as DVD’s. I personally would like to see that same width in the spines for any future releases (even those without plastic cases)
Actually, until this release, I was almost considering asking Criterion if there was a way to offer an option to supplement the larger DVD packaging with the purchase of a blu-ray. I just felt the blu-ray size was far weak in comparison to their DVD counterparts. But this offers hope!
Okay, so…..
As a video store clerk (definitely not one of my most appealing social roles), I do have a sort of pet-peeve I’d like to express. The thing is, the attractiveness of the packaging is definitely a selling point. No question there. And Criterion has actually been one of the most consistent in good packaging and good package design, which are kind of two different things. So, Criterion has no conflict with me as far as packaging goes.
But.
I HATE non-tradition packaging. Hate it hate it hate it. I hate slip-covers, I hate boxed sets that are shaped funny, I hate including a bunch of random crap that isn’t booklets and discs. Most Criterions fit into the standard security cases that we have for the purposes of displaying on shelves without theft, but some of them (The Seven Samurai rerelease, e.g.) are so big that we have to put it into a glass case. I’m certain that this cuts down on its saleability.
Also, my recent beef with Criterion covers is more aesthetic in nature: the two Oshima movies that just came out have really dark covers. They just don’t “pop” at all. I can practically see customer’s eyes just gliding right past them. Side note, though. At least those DVDs fit into the security cases.
No, my pet peeve doesn’t often apply to Criterion releases. It typically applies to stupid shit like this 300 edition:
WHO BUYS THAT?! I know no one buys it from us, because we can’t get rid of it! That monstrosity covers half of a fucking shelf in our glass case, we have no place to put it, who wants that in their apartment or house clogging up their shelves? Never mind that 300 is a terrible movie, that’s a whole ‘nother issue. I’m just as upset with the Blade Runner suitcase monstrosity. I love Blade Runner, but I don’t want my copy of the DVD to be able to crush my cat to death if she knocks it down from the shelf.
Or, I really like the Masters of Horror series, but I’ll never own the second season. Why?
Because I don’t need a fucking skull on my desk.
So I know that this rant is barely on topic, but at least Criterion releases their movies in packaging that you can align with other movies so that you can have them on your shelves as DISCS, that you WATCH, because they’re MOVIES, not TOYS.
I believe that’s the angriest I’ve let my tone get on this board. Hooray!
—PolarisDiB
Agreed PolarisDiB. I don’t work at a video store but I know I would never buy something package like that. I do love the sets like Seven Samurai though. But the “toy” DVDs are terrible. Luckily films are rarely released like this.
My pet peeve is more DVDs that have stickers or packaging that ruin the DVD case or get stuck. I have not once had a Criterion DVD with this problem though!
Have to say the booklets included with In the Realm of the Senses and Empire of Passion are beautiful and the paper is sooo thick
Todd Andeson
I want to mention that I actually like the new ‘plastic’ case that was released with ‘In The Realm of The Senses". It just feels more substantial. While I love the elaborate packaging of the DVD’s, when adjusted to the size of the blu-ray standard, they were coming across as rather flimsy and something was being lost on the Criterion experience. And kudos for making it actually ‘clear’, too.