My point exactly... All of the sudden we have a Total Recall in a metal circle 'Mars' and an Evil Dead in a Spongy book - I wish they would have spent more of that money on another commentary. (Not that they don't look cool, but definately examples of how they do not fit in the collection.)

Cheers from a fellow comic book collector!

I love thinking of Criterion as a 'library' of good films and when it star

My point exactly... All of the sudden we have a Total Recall in a metal circle 'Mars' and an Evil Dead in a Spongy book - I wish they would have spent more of that money on another commentary. (Not that they don't look cool, but definately examples of how they do not fit in the collection.)

Cheers from a fellow comic book collector!

I love thinking of Criterion as a 'library' of good films and when it starts getting gimmicky, I just shake my head and think 'Don't they realize that they don't need to do this?' I'm not sure about others but my Antione Doniel set does not have the same measurements as a normal keepcase. So it does stick out on the shelf.

I felt the exact opposite about this release. I think Beautiful is a little strong to describe this cover. It's a dark green suitcase in the shape of a box... Not too too inspiring. Anyway, I am more careful than anyone I know with my DVD's and there is already knicks on the box set. Please don't hate me for liking durability. All I can think of is my tattered VHS collection of a few years ago and I shudder...

As I said, there's only one. I recommend another forum if you aren't interested in talking about any aspect of DVD. Either that or skip the posts that you don't think are interesting, that's what I do...

Hey Kerborus, I feel your pain.

I have a question: aren't all of the titles in this box being released separately? Are the separate releases also in crappy paper packaging?

And for those of you to whom packaging doesn't matter, wait until the day when they stick postage on the top part of the disc and just send it to you in the mail - no packaging required.

It's not that packaging is the most important thing, or inserts, cases, etc. It's just that studios DO tend to listen to consumers (especially when consumers don't buy things that they dislike - like I won't buy P&S titles, or titles without inserts, etc) and if you just roll over and go "it's okay, I don't care about the packaging" then DVD packaging will get crappier and crappier.

I expect eventually everyone will care. But then it will be too late.

Bum bum BUM!

-- Jough

I just got the Antoine Box set and I must say I love it!!! I have no problem with the packaging and as far as it getting messed up, I leave the wrapping on and just make an incision on the side to get the dvds out. That has kept all my otther boxsets safe from more wear and tear than other dvds I have.

Re: Antoine Doinel Set...

Fair enough, although the word i used was package - the suitcase cover, and the ingeniously designed individual sleeves. Add to this nicely chosen card stock, and you have a set that looks good and feels good in the hands. I was referring to this as a whole, and I do think it is inspiring.

Concerning DVDs becoming like comics in the mid 90's, Kerborus said:
I don't think DVDs are mimincing comics. I've collected comics since the late 70's (on and off,) worked in a comic store for a while, and was a dealer at comic shows for quite some time. (Not to mention selling on the internet.) I saw the whole 90's fiasco first hand. Without going into a lot of detail, though the publishers messed up big time, the implosion was not mainly thier fault. The main blame belongs on the "collectors" who invested in comics. I saw people, week in and week out, buying two copies of every comic they collected, and NOT READING THEM!!! The publishers encouraged this view, because it sold comics. This cost them dearly in the end.

DVDs are not like that right now. With the exception of Criterions and a few Disney titles, I don't know anyone who buys DVDs as an investment. Yes, Criterions that go OOP disappear quickly from shelves, but the current titles don't. There has never been a run on Alphaville, or Cleo.

As for the Total Recall tins etc. they were put out to raise sales, of course, but not for people to 'invest' in. If anything, Anchor Bay tried to tap into the investor mentality with thier numbers LE tins. It didn't work. You can still find "Heathers" and "Candy" and "Two Lane Blacktop" and "Wickerman" if you look.

-Videophile, who had to cut this short due to pressing business, hope it makes sense.

Good discussion.

I agree after further review that the suitcase setup is very interesting and inspiring, actually so was the Monterey Pop collection. It's not that big of a deal to me, but is a trend I hope is not growing. I thought it may have something to do with costs, but I'm not sure. (It still won't fit on my shelf and I'll be damned if I can figure out why the box itself recieves a spine number...)

I will disagree however that DVD's are not headed the way of 90's comics. Every month we see another release, special edition or limited edition rear it's ugly head as part of a marketing scheme. I was one of those 'collector's who was buying two of every issue and never realized what was ocurring until it was too late.

Criterion is very smart for putting spine numbers on films and calling all of their titles 'art' because it roped me in real quick. While I think that most of their titles are classics and I enjoy them all, The Rock and Armeggedon jump right out at me as just two horrible films that I bought to complete the collection.

The packaging issue is a personal quirk to me, I don't think it's a marketing tool but rather a cost saving tool for the cardboard box sets, but the F&L packaging is blatantly targeted at marketing... Since Criterion is supposed to be for fans of film rather than J6P, I'm curious why they think we need bells and whistles...

I don't mind cardboard sets a bit, as long as they look nice; e.g. The Godfather Collection, LOTR:FOTR, Futurama, West Side Story, etc... But when they just throw them in a crappy box; e.g. Jack Ryan Set, G-Gundam sets, etc..., then to me that is just asking for a "no sale."

Are the Jack Ryan collection discs in cardboard cases? Because the individual discs come in keepcases.

Ack! How hideous!

Or do you just mean that they'll simply put the four keepcases in a little cardboard holster?

-- Jough

Complaining about packaging? I think the varied packaging makes it more collectible if that is the main reason you buy them.

Harosa,

I like my discs to be protected and I want the packaging to withstand impact and travel.

I want the monkeys at the airport to be able to bounce my luggage around and for my DVDs to not be destroyed.

Not that I'd ever let my precious DVDs ride with the rest of the freight.

Those cardboard cases (including the snappers) are just fragile - they break, and you can't simply replace them easily, since the cover art is printed right on the case. Paper bad. Plastic/Metal good.

-- Jough

another vote for the packaging is fine. i've finally even come to accept warner's crappy snapper cases. imo, these are not precious jewels. a few years later, dvds will probably be obsolete anyway.

but i have one suggestion. store the cases away and put the dvds in: a dvd binder book, blank cases, or a dvd changer. that way, the cases can stay mint.

jough, when i travel, i put the dvds into a small binder booklet. takes up less space.