Criterion & Eclipse Cover Art & Packaging Babble-on Vol. 7

[eerik]

For what it's worth, the same photo was used for the 2022 re-release of the soundtrack by Richard Thompson.



Here's the original photo on Timothy Treadwell's Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/p/mob-RmC3zk/?hl=en

[RPG]

I actually kind of like the cover for The English Patient, though I don't enjoy the movie itself.

Agree with everyone on Grizzly Man, what on earth. If it's done to showcase a photo by Treadwell are we supposed to surmise he was a shitty photographer?

[Lowry_Sam]

That's a blowup & there's better to chose from on Treadwell's Instagram page. I would embed 3 images, but I can't figure out how to share just the image without requiring you to use Instagram.

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

There’s so many great shots of the bears taken by Treadwell that could’ve been used here.

[Forrest Taft]

Came across this on IG, and thought it was pretty neat: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdTiLeuA ... JrdGN4d3Ew

[DimitriL]

There’s so many great shots of the bears taken by Treadwell that could’ve been used here.

I mean, sure, but considering that they've now been leading with this one on multiple Grizzly Man-related releases, one has to assume it's the one that Herzog specifically wants.

[denti alligator]

How do you the outer plastic wrap off that’s stuck to the spine? I really hate this. Do they use a glue or does the plastic chemically react to the case?

[Matt]

It's usually just the glue. You can try heating it gently with a hair dryer and scraping it off with your fingernail.

[Finch]

[aox]

Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp look so young.

[Lowry_Sam]

Interesting that the image from Chocolat is big & detailed, but it's blu-ray only, while the image from Deliverance is small & low quality but it's coming out on UHD.

[cdnchris]

The Complete Kubrick

I apologize that they're not in the typical format I usually use; I'll try to get better ones and add more when I can.

[Amazing Goose]

Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp look so young.

His youth wasn't the first difference that I noticed.

[Lowry_Sam]

and in fact Johnny Depp is 35 when filming Chocolat and Isaach De Bankolé is 31, so not far off & only a bit older.

[CriterionPhreak]

I got my set today. The box is beautifully designed, with all the detail lovely to look at, from page to page, cover to cover. But the disc sleeves are tough to handle. I had to use patient nudging, pivoting, and careful amount of force to pull out all 30 discs from their sleeves, which took me quite a bit of time. And I had a particularly hard time pulling out one of the discs. I used a flashlight to check out the inside of the sleeves -- nothing strange inside, no glue, or anything weird. The sleeves are just TIGHT, I guess. There is NO WAY I'm putting any of the discs back into the box.

Obviously, the high number of discs is why they used this packaging and cramped all the discs into as little space as possible. The Wes Anderson box set has 20 discs and is able to have individual disc cases. Maybe a 4K-only Kubrick set should've been made, which would've reduced the number to 13 discs.

[Finch]

Jason Gorber had the same trouble with retrieving the discs and he was also not going to put them back.

I would have included BDs for the extras only if it were me but they must have crunched the numbers and concluded that splitting the set into two separate 4k and BD exclusives would likely have meant prohibitively low sales of the BD only set. My guess anyway.

[Noiretirc]

I had actually given thought to getting this, BD discs for me (because I ain't doing 4k anytime soon), and 4k discs as a present to someone...

...But I'm the only person I know who does discs in real life.

[CriterionPhreak]

Jason Gorber had the same trouble with retrieving the discs and he was also not going to put them back.

The sleeves he uses are also not ideal because they don't prevent contact to the disc surface. Those sleeves touch the disc constantly, which is disconcerting and just as bad as Criterion's sleeves. The only ways to store discs safely are (1) storing them in cases that have hubs that prevent contact, and (2) stacking discs on a spindle, which also prevents contact. Discs have "ridges" at the center of the ring that prevent contact when discs are stacked. That's why stacks of blank discs are sold that way. (When you spin the first disc on a stack, it can spin freely because it doesn't rub against the disc below it, because it doesn't touch it. The downside of a stack is, of course, it's inconvenient to retrieve the discs near the bottom.)

[domino harvey]

Discs have "ridges" at the center of the ring that prevent contact when discs are stacked. That's why stacks of blank discs are sold that way. (When you spin the first disc on a stack, it can spin freely because it doesn't rub against the disc below it, because it doesn't touch it. The downside of a stack is, of course, it's inconvenient to retrieve the discs near the bottom.)

Interesting. I can’t believe I didn’t know this! Still never going to be okay with the Sony chocolate box thing they did with the NewsRadio complete series though

[CriterionPhreak]

Discs have "ridges" at the center of the ring that prevent contact when discs are stacked. That's why stacks of blank discs are sold that way. (When you spin the first disc on a stack, it can spin freely because it doesn't rub against the disc below it, because it doesn't touch it. The downside of a stack is, of course, it's inconvenient to retrieve the discs near the bottom.)

Interesting. I can’t believe I didn’t know this! Still never going to be okay with the Sony chocolate box thing they did with the NewsRadio complete series though

The "ridge" is very tiny and barely noticeable even when seen up close. But it is just enough to put some distance between two adjacent discs -- a distance that is not too big to allow debris to come in, but still big enough to prevent contact. The spindle holds the discs in place and keeps them horizontal to make sure they don't "tilt" and touch each other.

[Noiretirc]

Isn't it wonderful that we are discovering all of this disc-technology in 2026.

[Zot!]

Discs have "ridges" at the center of the ring that prevent contact when discs are stacked. That's why stacks of blank discs are sold that way. (When you spin the first disc on a stack, it can spin freely because it doesn't rub against the disc below it, because it doesn't touch it. The downside of a stack is, of course, it's inconvenient to retrieve the discs near the bottom.)

Interesting. I can’t believe I didn’t know this! Still never going to be okay with the Sony chocolate box thing they did with the NewsRadio complete series though

The "ridge" is very tiny and barely noticeable even when seen up close. But it is just enough to put some distance between two adjacent discs -- a distance that is not too big to allow debris to come in, but still big enough to prevent contact. The spindle holds the discs in place and keeps them horizontal to make sure they don't "tilt" and touch each other.

Count me among those that didn't realize that stacked discs on a spindle don't touch the information areas. Still this really only works with a level spindle, because as soon as I try to get it them out, I no doubt tilt and bend them and make them rub. Still if it puts anyone at ease, I have been handling optical media for at least 35 years now, and I have never rendered ANY disc less playable due to handling or storage, that isn't remedied by a quick wipe. I do understand UHD discs might be more sensitive however.

[mfunk9786]

It’s the players that are sensitive - I think the idea that some laminated paper stock is going to “scratch” a disc in any meaningful way is one of the silliest ongoing discussion points in physical media. Now, if it’s super rough cardboard stock with a rough finish, maybe? But discs are far more resilient (post-DVD) than those vocal fretters think they are. We all have our packaging preferences though, and it sounds like in this case they’re just really annoying to pull out, which is another thing altogether.

[CriterionPhreak]

It’s the players that are sensitive - I think the idea that some laminated paper stock is going to “scratch” a disc in any meaningful way is one of the silliest ongoing discussion points in physical media. Now, if it’s super rough cardboard stock with a rough finish, maybe? But discs are far more resilient (post-DVD) than those vocal fretters think they are. We all have our packaging preferences though, and it sounds like in this case they’re just really annoying to pull out, which is another thing altogether.

Optical discs require *microscopic* precision that needs much less than "scratches" to damage. As an analogy, does your computer hard drive or USB thumb drive need "scratches" to be damaged? These things operate at a completely different level and can be damaged without your eyes noticing it. Jewel cases and standard DVD/Blu-ray cases have been around since beginning of time, and they are all designed to store the discs without touching them. Ask yourself why optical discs have "ridges" and vinyls and laserdiscs don't. It is this newly formed opinion that sleeves are safe (or touching the discs is safe with "smooth sleeves") that is truly silly. This is all born out of people having too big a disc collection and having to store discs in sleeves to save space. Don't do it.

It's not just touching a disc, but touching it *constantly* like sleeves do that is troubling. Touching it with hands momentarily when we take out a disc, or touching it with the disc tray during the brief moment when a disc is loaded into the player, is not as problematic. (Btw, after a disc is loaded into the player, it is elevated from the disc tray, allowing it to spin and be scanned by the laser. Hence, no touching during playback.)

[denti alligator]

If using the sleeves Criterion designed to house these discs makes them unplayable after a while, ask for a replacement. You’ve spent enough on the set. Criterion will surely oblige. I say this as someone who seems never to have issues with these things. Even the Pasolini set caused me no problems.