This is no recent trend, but the recent release of A History of Violence (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0399146/) reminds me how much I hate it. Instead of trying for any sort of artistry with ttheir packaging, movie studios will simply shove a DVD out onto the shelf plastered with a close up of the actors faces. Lazy, lazy marketing, especially for a David Cronenberg film.
It is especially egregious when the original poster art is something worthwhile. One of the worst examples is the DVD cover for the movie One Crazy Summer (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091680/), one of my favorite screwball comedies.
Compare this:
(http://www.movieposter.com/posters/archive/main/10/A70-5176)
To this:
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00008DDXK.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Terrible. Not only does it demolish the original art, it gives off the entirely wrong tone for the movie. It's as if the designers had come to the table only knowing John Cusack and Demi Moore were in the movie, instead of actually watching it.
These DVD covers are lazy and stink of "movie as product", which is a terrible thing.
That's it. First thing tomorrow morning I'm going to go down to the movie studio and punch their marketing guy in the back of the head.
I'm a fan of box covers that are the same as (or similar to) the theatrical posters.
Theatrical posters are fine... I don't like DVD covers that giveaway scenes from the movie. The title, not the movies "money shot" needs to be seen.
Also, the worst cover I've ever seen wasn't a DVD, but rather a VHS tape of Rhino's MST3K release of Red Zone Cuba; a face like Coleman Francis' really doesn't need to take up that much room.
The American DVD cover of FInal Wars is kind of neat but the original Japanese poster is epic!
Thinking of Planet of the Apes?
I just bought the dvd version of 1989's Headhunter, which looks like this:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/519P3GNJZTL._SL160_.jpg)
Boring, badly done picture of a head under some sort of sheet. Now compare that to the original VHS:
(http://www.twistedanger.com/images/dvds/devils/TWA1884.png)
Beyond awesome, so why change it!?
This speaks for itself:
Highlander-Original artwork:
(http://cache2.allpostersimages.com/p/LRG/7/714/K1WA000Z/posters/highlander.jpg)
DVD artwork:
(http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/Highlander/Images/DVD-Highlander.jpg)
I'm gonna have fun with this thread. :drink:
Despite the fact that I despise this movie, I admit that the poster artwork for Nightmare On Elm Street 4 is millions of times more awesome than the DVD cover (and the movie itself).
Original art:
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GGmY1nRIvi0/S_TejnsSUVI/AAAAAAAALf0/ZJy7Ud7SZMs/s1600/A+Nightmare+On+Elm+Street+4+The+Dream+Master.jpg)
DVD art:
(http://media.dvdtown.com/images/displaymedia.php?id=5016&sizew=500&cat=3&type=1&page=0)
(http://images.moviecollector.net/large/7d/7d_d_33665_0_TheLastHouseOnTheLeft.jpg)
"yeah , you know...Last House On the Left...
...that movie about a haunted house in a scary supernatural wood where giant skulls beam down from the night sky"
This thread... RESURRECTED!
I posted this somewhere else, but...
The DVD package for Near Dark was surprisingly stylish.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51APVD3GRWL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
The redesign for the Blu-ray release is one of the worst things I've ever seen.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51fd1FInwiL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
I don't have a picture handy but aren't there cheapo dvd releases of the movie mutant that use a picture from forbidden world for the cover since forbidden world was also titled mutant
(http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/funny/1/vomit.gif)
(http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk236/mintchocolatechiphp/disneydvdcovercollage.jpg?t=1242064388)
Any kind of DVD's that are not close to the original posters and have "Floating head syndrome".
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FloatingHeadSyndrome
Yeah I'm sick of heads, all they use on everything now is big goofy heads!!
Quote from: PSlugworth on March 14, 2006, 08:33:12 PM
Thinking of Planet of the Apes?
SPOILER ALERT!
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b273/TimDoolan/planet-of-the-apes-1968-20061208003.jpg)
...woops.
Oh look it even has a floating monkey head. :lookingup:
I have a few DVDs where the actor/s on the front cover do not appear in the film
one example...
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SMVNAE7ML._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
there are no sword weilding women in this film, no idea who that is
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BaDlBbsHL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
likewise...no idea who she is...(although she looks a bit like one of the actresses)
Comparing the original poster art to DVD artwork of Friday the 13th part VII:
Original art:
(http://ragingminotaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/friday_the_13th_part_vii_1988.jpg)
Comment: Simplistic yet spooky.
DVD art:
(http://www.horrordvds.com/reviews/a-m/f13th7/f13th7_fl.jpg)
Comment: It's just a picture of Jason. Lame.
Quote from: DCA on July 11, 2011, 07:32:43 PM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BaDlBbsHL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
likewise...no idea who she is...(although she looks a bit like one of the actresses)
I like this artwork, as I've not see this film I don't know if it has any reference to the movie, but I like it all the same.
I wouldn't call the DVD art for The Fly II bad (in fact, it's cool), but it doesn't really compare to the original art.
Poster art:
(http://online-sinema.ru/uploads/posts/2009-11/1257356592_4.jpg)
DVD art:
(http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTk3MjUyMzMyOF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNjM4Nzk0MQ@@._V1._SY317_CR5,0,214,317_.jpg)
Quote from: crackers on July 14, 2011, 02:32:40 PM
Quote from: DCA on July 11, 2011, 07:32:43 PM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BaDlBbsHL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
likewise...no idea who she is...(although she looks a bit like one of the actresses)
I like this artwork, as I've not see this film I don't know if it has any reference to the movie, but I like it all the same.
yes it's quite good isn't it. there's no relevance to the movie though, there's no actual woman with lizard skin. the title is actually a quote from a line in the movie.
Quote from: diamondwaspvenom on July 13, 2011, 08:59:19 AM
Comparing the original poster art to DVD artwork of Friday the 13th part VII:
Original art:
(http://ragingminotaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/friday_the_13th_part_vii_1988.jpg)
Comment: Simplistic yet spooky.
DVD art:
(http://www.horrordvds.com/reviews/a-m/f13th7/f13th7_fl.jpg)
Comment: It's just a picture of Jason. Lame.
The newer "special editions" are awesome with their lenticular covers.
Found an interesting link in relation to this topic:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14065082 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14065082)
Cool:
(http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq64/voltron_014/ieatyourskincover.jpg)
Not Cool:
(http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq64/voltron_014/eat20cover.jpg)
^The bottom one is an alpha video cover isn't it? You can see that they made it a mile away without their logo being on it!
Oh I need help :bouncegiggle:
From Beyond:
Original:
(http://www.horrorphile.net/images/from-beyond-movie-poster1.jpg)
DVD:
(http://www.horrorphile.net/images/from-beyond-dvd-cover-art1.jpg)
I thought the DVD was a remake or something when I first saw it on the shelf at Best Buy, lol.
I like the artwork better than the s**tty rubber monster personally, it is a bad movie too...worse than I was expecting.
Quote from: Used Meathook on July 31, 2011, 01:51:10 PM
From Beyond:
Original:
(http://www.horrorphile.net/images/from-beyond-movie-poster1.jpg)
DVD:
(http://www.horrorphile.net/images/from-beyond-dvd-cover-art1.jpg)
I thought the DVD was a remake or something when I first saw it on the shelf at Best Buy, lol.
What the ??? The DVD artwork is far worse than the movie. What a shame. I take it back, the movie was good, not great, but good.
Later,
John
It's not a "TERRIBLE" change to DVD but I loved the original VHS for Alligator
(http://www.movieposterdb.com/posters/11_03/1980/80354/l_80354_b3facd3a.jpg)
vs. the DVD release
(http://www.devildead.com/covers/covers/alligator80boxz1hires.jpg)
I love everything from the creepy but cheap Alligator as well as the 1950's style font on the title (despite being from 1980)
Quote from: SaintMort on August 08, 2011, 10:53:43 PM
It's not a "TERRIBLE" change to DVD but I loved the original VHS for Alligator
(http://www.movieposterdb.com/posters/11_03/1980/80354/l_80354_b3facd3a.jpg)
vs. the DVD release
(http://www.devildead.com/covers/covers/alligator80boxz1hires.jpg)
I love everything from the creepy but cheap Alligator as well as the 1950's style font on the title (despite being from 1980)
The first picture is down for hot linking :(
Later,
John
Quote from: voltron on July 26, 2011, 03:11:49 PM
Cool:
(http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq64/voltron_014/ieatyourskincover.jpg)
Not Cool:
(http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq64/voltron_014/eat20cover.jpg)
The DVD cover looks like a Modonna video. :cheers: