MoC Cover Art & Packaging Babble-on

[Michael Kerpan]

I see Mizoguchi as an extremely florid film maker -- albeit is an atypically quiet-seeming fashion. I believe Ozu once made (more or less) the same observation.

[addz]

With regards to "F For Fake", I really liked the very first design that was posted but I've started warming to the split face one.

With that in mind I did my own mock-up using an altered version of that motif as opposed to the photo. For no other reason than I saw other people doing their own and it looked like fun.

This (after many different alterations, font changes, etc) was my end result

[Jem]

I know it'd be plagiarism but I'd love for MoC's future Mizoguchi boxsets to look exactly like these ones. They look so beautiful!

Thanks Lino. Just stunning, especially the box sets.
How did you find these, and where can you buy them??

[Lino]

I think I found that link over at the Mizoguchi thread in the Old Films section and you can buy them over at cdjapan for instance. But beware that apparently, they don't carry any english subs at all!

[Greathinker]

I like the first one. I hope MoC continues these simplistic covers, I can't stand how criterion continues to draw more and more attention to their covers, not to mention their logo and tags all over that make them look like a clothing line-- and I know they already have one of those too.

[Steven H]

I just wanted to add that both Fantastic Planet and Funeral Parade of Roses are gorgeously packaged. The booklets for both are perfect. I'm very glad the kind MoC people decided to subtitle and include the Matsumoto commentary, as it's very interesting. I can only hope more Japanese new wave films are in the works. The ATG world is unbelievably ripe for investigation (there are still a handful of filmmakers who are far and away the "household names" they deserve to be.)

As a side note, just the other day a friend of mine pulled into my driveway listening to the new Jim O'Rourke CD. I commended him on his good taste.

[Jem]

I can't stand how criterion continues to draw more and more attention to their covers, not to mention their logo and tags all over that make them look like a clothing line-- and I know they already have one of those too.

As do MOC!!!!

[Greathinker]

So they do-- but why are they selling T-shirts of Tarkovsky, Ozu and Buñuel without having any of their films in the collection? Get crackin' MoC.

[peerpee]

In the mists of time, MoC began as a website with Dreyer, Tarkovsky, Bresson, and Ozu microsites. We aim to continue work on this website, as well as the DVDs!

[Jem]

Well the Buñuel thong is a start, I guess.

[colinr0380]

Following on from the Shoah thread I just wanted to say I quite like the 'talking head's Shoah cover (but the train driver cover would be fine too!)

[fred]

Amazon.co.uk is now saying this is set for 4 December. Still no artwork.

[Tim]

Box cover art here

On sale for £35 from HMV.

Release date is 20 November at Benson's World (who ought to know but are probably not up to date) and 4 December at Play.

[heemee]

There is artwork on other sites. For instance Play

[peerpee]

That's not the final artwork.

The title has changed to: "NARUSE: VOLUME ONE"

and this is the final outer box artwork (includes the front, the spine, and the back):

[kinjitsu]

Box cover art here

Already on page one, first post, this thread... and awaiting updates!

That's not the final artwork.

The title has changed to: "NARUSE: VOLUME ONE"

Unexpected, wonderful news!

[Steven H]

Glad you decided to go with those stills for the covers, very nicely done. I'm extremely excited at the prospect of another set (or a few more sets) of these films. I hope this sells enough to make it worth it.

[125100]

doesn't everyone want this?.

I wouldn't go that far. I'm not sure this kind of classic Japanese cinema has that big an audience outside Japan. Obviously Kurosawa and the Samurai genre have a significant following, Ozu and Mizoguchi are listed in every "Top ***" or "Must See" movie list so they'll sell but Naruse is relatively unknown among your average DVD buyer.

Then again who knows, MoC probably don't have the loyal worldwide army of fans ready to buy anything like Criterion do but I imagine they have a decent customer base and as they're the first with Naruse DVDs in the western markets they "should" sell well. I hope so, I'm a big fan of what the MoC do... Well not with this...

I pre-ordered this as soon as it was listed on amazon.co.uk but then canceled it when I saw the final artwork. For me no matter how much I wanted this a DVD sits on a shelf most of the time and as a designer artwork is a must for me when buying DVDs. They just have to be pretty, and to me (who's opinion I know doesn't matter to anyone here), this just isn't. I hear Criterion have Naruse films in the pipeline though so all is not lost.

P.S. Peerpee, if the upcoming Mizoguchi and Nosferatu DVDs aren't gorgeous/colorful like Metropolis, Sunrise, Scandal and even Humanity and Paper Ballons were I can't promise to brake if I see you crossing the street

[Steven H]

I pre-ordered this as soon as it was listed on amazon.co.uk but then canceled it when I saw the final artwork. For me no matter how much I wanted this a DVD sits on a shelf most of the time and as a designer artwork is a must for me when buying DVDs. They just have to be pretty, and to me (who's opinion I know doesn't matter to anyone here), this just isn't. I hear Criterion have Naruse films in the pipeline though so all is not lost. :D

Maybe you should see a hypnotist about this problem? If I really cared about cover art, I probably would never have bought a handful of the DVDs blind that completely changed my perspective on cinema (Andrei Rublyev, Kwaidan, and After Life for starters), which just sounded like amazing films.

I know many people have said nice things about the covers, but I would like to add that I even like the FONT. Can anyone clue me in on what font is being used (I assume it's Photoshop... sorry Adobe Photoshop, always use the brandname.)

[peerpee]

125100, sorry to hear you're not happy with our final artwork -- but we did spend an unusual amount of time on this. I wonder what you would have done in the same circumstances? All three original Japanese posters had copious Japanese text, and nowhere for English text (unless the Japanese text was airbrushed).

One of the posters was very tall and twice the size of a DVD cover.

Rather than butchering the posters, airbrushing them, and cropping the tall poster, we decided to go with stylish, tasteful stills from the films.

If you so wish, you can turn the DVD sleeves round, where we will be printing the original, untouched, Japanese posters.

But thanks for the headsup about the "not braking", I'll be sure to listen out for someone aggressively driving a beige Skoda...

[peerpee]

but I would like to add that I even like the FONT. Can anyone clue me in on what font is being used

The font used on the front of the Naruse box, and on the sleeves? -- It's Poplar Std, Black

[domino harvey]

I think the new covers look great

[125100]

Wow, I thought I'd get a flaming over that post, I just wanted to express my thoughts. You're all very nice...

Maybe you should see a hypnotist about this problem?

I know, you should see the stress I go through buying a car lol

If I really cared about cover art, I probably would never have bought a handful of the DVDs blind that completely changed my perspective on cinema (Andrei Rublyev, Kwaidan, and After Life for starters), which just sounded like amazing films.

I don't avoid seeing these films, I just choose not to add them to my collection.

[AZAI]

I like the cover art in general....only thing I don't like is that it shows 4 pictures on the spine, while it is a 3xDVD box.

I know you probably did it because of the symmetry, but I'd have chosen a different set-up, rather than an extra picture-as-if-it-is-a DVD.....it kind of suggest a fourth DVD with extras....It doesn't help that the picture doesn't return somewhere else on the cover...

just my thoughts....

[Michael Kerpan]

I think, Azai, that the 4th picture represents the 4th element of the set (and one that is _almost_ as important as the films) -- the very substantial book on Naruse (an English language first, I believe).

On another topic...

To each his own, but the thought that anyone would pass up a first-rate (and extremely important) release because they are unenthusiastic about the cover art is more than a little saddening (and appalling)....