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As a designer, packaging heavily influences my purchases. As much so to discourage buying several movies I love because I can't bear their shoddy covers. Top-notch artwork is what originally attracted me to Criterion, Masters of Cinema and many other labels discussed here. I guess I'm just lucky they also provide such quality content with the covers!

I came across the StudioCanal Collection through their September 2010 releases, and was immediately floored by their bold and unique packaging. It's hard not to want the entire set, and I even purchased a few titles that were never on my radar or that I never thought I'd care for. I'm glad for the excuse to finally discover some personally overlooked gems.

Criterion has the best plastic blu-ray case solution so far, eliminating the wasted headroom and insultingly redundant blue hue. But I think StudioCanal's book-like package blows the competition away. Everything about it appeals to me – the size, texture, crimped "book" spine, and especially the daring and complementary artwork style. The movies I care to collect are finally given a full classy and mature treatment instead of being dressed like shiny, disposable toys.

Is anything known about their designer(s) or curatorial process? I'd love to know how they arrived at their signature style.

As for your remark, as much as packaging can also include disc menu, I have to say that I simply hate that all the movies in the collection have the same menu with the exact same music.
So, basically, The Third Man, Mulholland Dr, The Pianist or Ladykillers have just the same menu and same music, like they are all thematically linked somehow.

As for the "packaging stuff", I would say that a nice packaging can make me try a movie I wouldn't have bought otherwise (but a movie I still wanted to see however), but a bad packaging will never discourage me. The movie itself is the most important thing for me.

Extras and specs for Brighton Rock have been announced:

• Interview with Rowan Joffe
• 1954 NFT interview with Richard Attenborough and John Bouting
• HOH subtitles

Region B
Total Running Time: 93 mins approx
B&W
Feature Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Video: BD50 / AVC / 24p
Feature Audio: Mono / Audio Codec: LPCM
English Language
Catalogue No: OPTBD2086
RRP: £19.99

tenia wrote:As for your remark, as much as packaging can also include disc menu, I have to say that I simply hate that all the movies in the collection have the same menu with the exact same music.

I'm strictly referring to printed materials, but agree the similar menus are ill-advised. :)

I discovered Axiom's Wim Wenders discs just this week (what a great price!) and am eagerly awaiting their arrival. The cover designs look fantastic, and even more fitting as a theme for a single director.

Films like Breathless, L'Eclisse, Made in USA, and I'm sure others are listed in Studio Canal's catalog but the criterion license is not through Canal on any of these titles, but I'm wondering if that still does not protect them from going out of print, because the Canal logo is nowhere to be found on the back cover of Criterion's Alphaville release, yet they lost that one to Lionsgate/Studio Canal. Perhaps, Studio Canal coerced or will coerce whoever licensed the films to criterion, or, if we are lucky, those titles are safely ensconced in the collection like L'Avventura, a film criterion essentially owns.

It doesn't seem the wed have a Optimum by itself thread so I'm just posting this here. Anyways does their release of Carlos have english subtitles during the english parts of the film? I know even under these circumstances Criterion wouldn't be so considerate and I could really use it.

L'ECLISSE was a French coproduction with one 'Paris Film Production', however the CC disc credits on the rear of box, and uniquely in an added super caption below MA's credit in the opening titles, 'Copyright 1991 Investing Establishment', so it is clearly not licensed from Studio Canal...

Coppola's The Conversation on Blu-Ray in June.

Also Peckinpah's Cross of Iron

Cathode Ray Tube on Brighton Rock blu-ray

Optimum are releasing Chabrol's A Double Tour on DVD in April.

tojoed wrote:Optimum are releasing Chabrol's A Double Tour on DVD in April.

Previously available as part of their Belmondo boxed-set, so I guess it'll be a straightforward stand-alone reissue.

knives wrote:It doesn't seem the wed have a Optimum by itself thread so I'm just posting this here. Anyways does their release of Carlos have english subtitles during the english parts of the film? I know even under these circumstances Criterion wouldn't be so considerate and I could really use it.

Late reply. But if you are still wondering, the answer is no. I could have used them myself for some parts.

Drat. These companies have no consideration for the(mostly)deaf. Thank you for the reply also.

According to The Digital Fix:Other digitally restored classics teased in the Cross of Iron press release for potentical cinema and Blu-ray release in 2011 are Whiskey Galore!, The Lavender Hill Mob, Quatermass & The Pit and Kind Hearts & Coronets.

That's because the press release contained this paragraph, first spotted last year...

Kind Hearts & Coronets has been scheduled:
Theatrical rerelease - 19th August 2011
Blu-ray - 5th September 2011

eerik wrote:Kind Hearts & Coronets has been scheduled:
Blu-ray - 5th September 2011

I hate that the first thing I thought of wasn't joy that this masterpiece is being released in HD, but that SC will probably fuck it up.

Why do you think they will do that?

Peeping Tom (my copy should arrive within few days), Man Who Fell to Earth and Brighton Rock have all been fantastic releases as far as I know. I'm not too worried about Kind Hearts & Coronets.

Peeping Tom looks too waxy to me and I almost regret that I sold the DVD since in spite of its inherent weaknesses compared to the Blu-Ray, it looks more natural to me than the Blu. So far, the only SC Blu that I found genuinely great is Le Cercle Rouge though Delicatessen and Mulholland Drive look pretty decent as well. Keeping my fingers crossed for a good transfer on The Cruel Sea!

I have the SC Blu of the Ladykillers, which seems like it would be comparable to Kind Hearts- there's some minor color fringe issues, but overall it's a fantastic disc, with excellent special features.

Do you think that the colour palette of SC's Le Cercle Rouge are more accurate than the Criterion release?

Anyone know the specs and details of the UK disc of "Chaplin"?

A few more upcoming Optimum Blu-rays:

Dead of Night - 9/5
They Live - 9/5
Apparently Rolling Thunder is back on as well, but delayed until September 19th.

Empire of Passion and In the Realm of the Senses will be receiving dual-format releases from Optimum on July 25th.