Appearance
If the Criterion Collection wasn’t such an elitist, foo-foo, too-cool-to-schmooze-with-the-little-people outfit, I’d call to ask who’s calling the shots on the design of their Bluray covers. The art on their Rules of the Game Bluray (due 11.15) is one of their best ever. I also think the photo used for their Fanny and Alexander Bluray is the most intriguing piece of ad art I’ve ever seen associated with this landmark Ingmar Bergman film.
Update: I checked the Criterion website and looked at all the copy I could find to see who designed the new Rules of the Game and Fanny and Alexander Bluay jacket covers, and…you know, I spent a good while snooping around and I just couldn’t find anything. I don’t have the booklet for or the Blurays of either. But thanks to David Erlich for informing that the cover artist for Rules is Edward Sorel (I obviously should have looked more closely at the bannister) and that Criterion’s marketing person “calling the shots” is Sarah Habibi.
I honestly found it difficult to pick up this info on my own. I honestly believe that Criterion is an elitist organization. I’ve admired them since Day One, but they’re always rubbed me the wrong way. I don’t like snoots, and I never will.
I’m sure Jon Mulvaney would reply to an email if you’d send one. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him drop a comment in here.
Or you could just look in the “Production Credits” section of any given Criterion Blu-ray booklet under “Art Direction.” But no. You want ACKNOWLEDGEMENT that your opinion matters to them. That’s just sad.
Exactly, Glenn. I mean, jeez, their artists and designers are some of the best known out there (like Neil Kellerhouse, who in addition to doing Criterion work, created the posters for The Social Network and The Girlfriend Experience). They’re often do blogs illustrating their design process step by step, which are often linked from Criterion’s blog page.
Only Wells would call one of the few companies that gives full credits for the people who designed their packaging, menus, etc., as “too cool to schmooze.”
Here are some
http://ericskillman.blogspot.com/2011/01/sweet-smell-of-sucess.html
http://samsmyth.blogspot.com/2010/11/process-modern-times_17.html
http://ericskillman.blogspot.com/2008/01/berlin-alexanderplatz-part-ii.html
http://samsmyth.blogspot.com/2010/11/process-modern-times_17.html
the irony here being that the RULES OF THE GAME cover is one of the only Criterion jobs to ever include the artist’s name in the work, itself.
it says “Sorel” (as in Edward) right there on the bannister. as always, Criterion’s art director Sarah Habibi of Criterion is the one “calling the shots.”
I actually inadvertently spoke to the designer of the excellent “Diabolique” cover over the internet – one of my recent faves.
Love that “Ruels of the Game” cover, though, too.
You know Jeff, time and again you rail against the poor ignorant masses who don’t appreciate great films the way you do. And then you rail against Criterion for being “an elitist, foo-foo, too-cool-to-schmooze-with-the-little-people outfit”.
You sound like those Republicans who claim to be of the people, by the people and for the people… but in actual fact, can’t stand the people.
You are either an enigma or an ignoramus.
You gotta hate those Criterion people, with what, releasing all these masterpieces of cinema in gorgeous packaging, immaculate video and audio, booklets with intruiging essays, scholarly special features and general love of film.
HOW DARE THEY???
If I come across as snooty….good. Very few outfits can claim to have done as much for cinema as Criterion, and I find it incomprehensible that anybody who claims to love cinema finds it within themselves to rail against them time and again.
Wells to O’Kenny and Erlich and others who’ve put me down: I checked the Criterion website and looked at all the copy I could to see who designed the new Rules of the Game and Fanny and Alexander Bluay jacket covers, and I spent a good while snooping around and I couldn’t find anything. I don’t have the booklet for or the Blurays of either. But thanks for the info, David Erlich, about Edward Sorel having done the art (I obviously should have looked more closely at the bannister) and Sarah Habibi.
Criterion has never been an “elitist, foo-foo, too-cool-to-schmooze-with-the-little-people, outfit. You should call them and ask.
Strangely, their people simply love and respect the cinema, and are about the best in the business.
You might even get invited to lunch.
RAH
Also, the Fanny & Alexander image is the exact same cover they’ve been using on their DVD edition that was released in 2004. Needling aside, I’m a little surprised you missed that set.
I do think it would be a great idea for them to put up the disc credits on the website as well as the printed booklet.
Isn’t calling someone elitist just another way of saying “they’re smarter than me and it pisses me off?”
Okay, let’s get really honest. This is going to sound like it’s right out of the Lee J. Cobb in Twelve Angry Men playbook, but I have it in for Criterion because I was once humiliated by a guy in their West Coast office when I set up an interview for some kind of in-house publicity position.
It was either the mid ’80s or the early ’90s…I forget which. Their office was on PCH in Santa Monica, right in front of the bluff and not far from the pier — I remember that much. A Criterion marketing (or senior publicity) woman and I had hit it off pretty well, and she suggested that I drop by the office for an interview later that day or the following morning. That was a very quick response, which told me I was doing pretty well. Anyway, I got down there and something had obviously “happened” (i.e., someone had pushed a bad button and/or sullied my rep with a negative reference) because all of a sudden the woman who’d said “come on down!” had done a total flip-flop and couldn’t see me.
Instead she sent out this malevolent yuppie creep to run interference and say that something really important had come up in her schedule…bullshit. His task was to conduct a “show” interview and and then make me go away so she didn’t have to interview me. This guy she sent to pre-interview me in the Criterion lobby — the lobby! — was a brusque, hard-eyed yuppie weasel. I loathed him and his dismissive manner instantly. On top of which I was appalled that I’d been asked to come down only to be told, “Oh, uhm…changed our mind!” At the very least I was entitled to a courtesy chat in that woman’s office.
So after I was blown off & sent packing and basically treated like I was some kind of South Central gang-banger who had somehow impersonated an eligible candidate for the job, I vowed that I would somehow pay Criterion back, even if it took 10 or 15 or 20 years. I’ve never been treated so shabbily by any prospective employer in my life. Criterion was in no way obliged to hire me, obviously, but I felt it was my due to be treated with respect. And I’ve never forgotten that horrible interception in the lobby or the eyes and the manner of that loathsome Criterion serpent. And being treated like (and feeling like) dogshit when the humiliation was over.
So that was the beginning. I’ve had similar reactions to other Criterion people since. Their basic thing is “Oh…uhm, yeah….well, we’d like to make time to speak to you or even be semi-candid with you, but we’re so cool, you see…we’re so VERY COOL and you’re only you, so can we help you with anything else?” And as unfair and unrelated as this may sound, I’ve wanted to stick it to Criterion ever since that incident in their Santa Monica office. Like I said, I’m basically Lee J. Cobb who wants to find the kid guilty because he’s angry at his own son, etc. It’s irrational. Maybe by admitting this I’ll get rid of the bad blood. I don’t know. I only know that I fundamentally loathe the Criterion Co. elitist mindset.
This as nothing to do with their DVD/Blurays or their superb transfers or any of that quality-based stuff, mind. They’re the best DVD and Bluray company in the world.
You ‘re right, they ‘re snooty. They’ve certainly given ” the Criterion treatment” to some dubious movies, presumably because the filmmaker kissed the requisite amount of ass.
honesty is always the best policy with this stuff, all the way around.
that being said, as a criterion acolyte with an irrepressible jones for their product, i absolutely wish they would make their art credits more readily available, if only so I could better appreciate their artists.
@ erniesouchak – the money they do make on less than honourable titles – Michael Bay films for example – does get funneled in to making editions of films that otherwise wouldn’t ever see the light of day.
Lately they seem to be doing more art over commerce – the last blatant “buy off” seems to be The Curious Case of Benjamin Button…but I could be wrong.
“I don’t like snoots, and I never will.”
hahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahaha
I’m always amazed at the contortions some people will go through in order to take something stupid personally, but going so far as to swear vengeance is a hilarious low point.
If they were that snooty surely they’d call it ‘La Regle du Jeu’
honesty is always the best policy with this stuff, all the way around.blognancylot livedoor blog
It would be cool if Criterion invited Jeff in and let him do a piece on them.
@erniesouchak: To my mind they’ve only made one big mistake, letting Bay into the collection with The Rock and Armageddon.
Of all the shitty obscure and foreign movies those are the worst? Please. The Rock is one of the braver movies to come out in the past 20 years. How many mainstream big budget films have to gall to openly criticize the US government for their black ops operations and their despicable treatment of soldiers? Harris is one of the most compelling villains in any movie.
It would be cool if Criterion invited Jeff in and let him do a piece on them.
@erniesouchak: To my mind they’ve only made one big mistake, letting Bay into the collection with The Rock and Armageddon.
My only problem with that Rules of the Game cover is it kinda makes me want to see what Jack Davis would have done with it.
Jeff, why couldn’t you be upfront about that? Everyone understands BLOOD GRUDGES held over a long period of time. That makes more sense than decrying “elitism” when you’re elitist yourself, although in different ways from Criterion. It is a clear case of the pot calling the kettle black. I mean, yes, we know, the kettle is black, but it doesn’t mean much coming outta the pot. But a personal feud? That’s understandable, that makes sense.
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