Criterion Designs (The Criterion Cover Art Book)

[Minkin]

Pre-order is back up.

The most exciting names in design and illustration today apply their talents to some of the most important and influential films of all time. This volume gathers highlights from designs commissioned by the Criterion Collection, featuring covers, supplemental art, and never-before-seen sketches and concept art plus a gallery of every Criterion cover since the collection's first laserdisc in 1984. From avant-garde experiments to big-budget blockbusters, cult favorites to the towering classics of world cinema, the depth and breadth of what film can be is on display in these striking images. Whether painstakingly faithful re-creations or bold re-imaginings, the stunningly diverse designs collected here offer new ways for cinephiles and design aficionados alike to engage with the world's greatest filmmakers.

And the MSRP has been dropped to $99.95.

Hopefully Tooze will review it and tell us of any edge enhancement so we can order the MoC release instead.

[Yaanu]

So if this is 1984 to 2014, does this mean we won't see Volume Two until 2044?

[AtlantaFella]

I wonder if this has the same dimensions as the Janus book. If so it could be a nice companion... definitely waiting on a serious price drop however.

[tholly]

Dropped into the $60 range overnight.

[sir_luke]

The listing now has additional photos. Personally, I think it looks awesome, and I'm excited to pick it up (especially now that it's $64.79)

[tholly]

It was at $61.xx when I ordered and is already going back up, so I'd get preorders in sooner rather than later.

[tenia]

I'm still hesitating due to possible fees to get it in Europe. Does anybody knows if US books are subject to VAT and/or customs fees if you order them from France ?

[eerik]

I'm still hesitating due to possible fees to get it in Europe. Does anybody knows if US books are subject to VAT and/or customs fees if you order them from France ?

EU standards:
VAT - everything over 22 euros
Customs - everything over 150 euros

[EddieLarkin]

Do those standards apply to books though? Because all books are zero rated in the UK, meaning imports are never subject to VAT fees.

[eerik]

Do those standards apply to books though? Because all books are zero rated in the UK, meaning imports are never subject to VAT fees.

Oh, didn't even think of that (books have 9% VAT over here). If the local VAT rate is 0 then imports should also be have 0% VAT.

[dwk]

Criterion has the book for sale on their website (at full MSRP) and it has the size listed as:
• 306 pages
• 10" x 13"
• 4.5 pounds

[Yaanu]

Criterion has the book for sale on their website (at full MSRP) and it has the size listed as:
• 306 pages
• 10" x 13"
• 4.5 pounds

Well, technically it's full MSRP. Use the promo code 30YRS and you can knock off $20 off the price. So that's- what, a free copy of I Married A Witch on DVD?

[JAP]

No spine number? Is it also going to be region-locked? If that's the case where can I get a reliable pair of multi-region eyes?

[hanshotfirst1138]

Damn, so the rumors about them reacquiring anything from Studio Canal are false ? Guess I will have to pay through the nose on eBay after all . This would be a might cool talking point and would look great on the table, depending on the price.

[Cinephrenic]

The tragedy is that 95% of all the art in the book was bitched about at one point.

[sir_luke]

The tragedy is that 95% of all the art in the book was bitched about at one point.

The book itself has been bitched about quite a lot so far, too. Bitching is our spec-i-a-lity!

[shadedpain4]

Providing the price remains the same between now and then, you can order this from BN.com for under $50 shipped starting Thursday with coupon code BFRIDAY14.

[mfunk9786]

Have we confirmed that this is a book and not a fold-out poster inside a hard box?

[tenia]

Have we confirmed that this is a book and not a fold-out poster inside a hard box?

Neither. It's made of all the 3-discs Scanavo cases Criterion will never use.

[FrauBlucher]

Teaser video I dig the white gloves.

[Ashirg]

Looks like the covers go up to My Winnipeg (#741)

[Minkin]

Am I the only person who actually bought this?

For all the joking we made about it being a $100 book of covers that we already own, it is actually a great book.

If you enjoyed those Eric Skillman blog posts (that he seems to no longer make, but appears to be a new thing on Criterion's website.) - then this book will certainly get your interest - as it mixes in a lot of alternative / rejected cover designs.

Most interestingly are the blurbs about the cover design choices - like The Taking of Power by Louis XIV using a font created specifically for Louis XIV (the cover is based on the original engravings). Some are quite lengthy descriptions about the artistic decisions made and what worked / didn't. Its rather fascinating - and helps to make what I thought were some dull covers into, at the very least, intriguing ones. That said, most are just a few sentences - (I would have liked to learn more about their decision on I Married a Witch).

Some other highlights for me: The alternative Uninvited designs, the woodcutting for Master of the House, the beautiful Picnic at Hanging Rock painting (used for the included book), the huge amount of alternate design work for Repo Man (sheesh), etc. At the very least, it is cheaper than buying some of those art prints that Criterion sells (Amarcord and Monsters and Madmen in particular). Amarcord / Zatoichi / Naked Kiss /etc all get huge fold out recreations of the booklet / sleeve art).

Not every cover in the collection gets highlighted, but I think most of everybody's favorite covers are in there - and the ones with the best design work get at least a few pages devoted to them. I think it is well worth owning as it has a great amount of information on their design process, plus individual artistic decisions regarding the covers / alternate covers, designs. At worst, you can always cannibalize the book and frame stuff.

[tenia]

I bought it and frequently goes through its pages. I'm always a bit disappointed to see stuff missing from it, but it's overall a very interesting book for those who like to see the reflexion leading to the final design.

[Minkin]

I just found a "My Criterion" list (thanks Newsnayr) that lists all of the film covers that are highlighted in this book (and in order too). Hope this helps some of you to see if your favorites are included or not (although technically every edition's cover is included in the back from the laserdisc era up until My Winnipeg (so it includes the 1st editions of some titles as well as upgrades)).

I am slightly disappointed that Viridiana wasn't included in the book. I wanted to see a description of "Thanks to the whining of the jerks on the so-called Criterion Forum, we decided to change it."