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Criterion Designs
The most exciting names in design and illustration today apply their talents to some of the most important and influential films of all time. This volume gathers highlights from designs commissioned by the Criterion Collection, featuring covers, supplemental art, and never-before-seen sketches and concept art plus a gallery of every Criterion cover since the collection’s first laserdisc in 1984. From avant-garde experiments to big-budget blockbusters, cult favorites to the towering classics of world cinema, the depth and breadth of what film can be is on display in these striking images. Whether painstakingly faithful re-creations or bold re-imaginings, the stunningly diverse designs collected here offer new ways for cinephiles and design aficionados alike to engage with the world’s greatest filmmakers.
306 pages, Hardcover
First published November 25, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 5, 2018
There's a reason why when I hear the word Criterion, I immediately think quality, it's because I don't know of any organization that manages to produce such beautiful editions of works of art. And this success is entirely connected to the artwork that goes into the individual films. This book collects just a few of the covers out of the hundreds of Criterion films, providing alongside them small background notes about the production of each cover and companion art work.
This book should not be a resource to a few hipsters like me who brag about their Criterion Collection while drinking coffee and listening to their Tangerine Dream records on vinyl. Although if you are that dude like me, be you and rock you. This collection is for anyone who possesses an appreciation for art work because every page of this book is a beautiful demonstration of the craft of the incredible artists who have made to covers of such films as Eraserhead, Lady Snowblood, The Bitter Tears of Petra VonKant, and Fantastic Planet the wonders that they are.
This book exemplifies the concern and conviction of the Criterion collection, and we're luckier for having it.
This book should not be a resource to a few hipsters like me who brag about their Criterion Collection while drinking coffee and listening to their Tangerine Dream records on vinyl. Although if you are that dude like me, be you and rock you. This collection is for anyone who possesses an appreciation for art work because every page of this book is a beautiful demonstration of the craft of the incredible artists who have made to covers of such films as Eraserhead, Lady Snowblood, The Bitter Tears of Petra VonKant, and Fantastic Planet the wonders that they are.
This book exemplifies the concern and conviction of the Criterion collection, and we're luckier for having it.
March 16, 2019
Hell yea...you big beautiful sexy book!
February 4, 2018
Almost every movie release from The Criterion Collection is an absolute labour of love. From the meticulous extras to the personality of the packaging, it’s clear these people respect and adore every film they touch; not out of curatorial snobbishness, but out of a warm, giddy eagerness to get it right.
This is most clear of all in the artwork of their DVD and Blu-ray covers: each a wonderful work of art in its own right; each going against the commercial mould; each a unique and massive undertaking with no clear financial gain.
This beautiful, no-expense-spared art book guides us through years of cover designs, each specially commissioned from a different artist, each aiming - often over repeated attempts - to capture the elusive feeling of a film through image, layout and typography.
The fact that I hadn’t seen 90% of the movies in here barely mattered. I still spent many happy hours poring over the details. There’s something truly joyful about seeing great artists from one medium respect great artists of another - and hearing from the people in between who delight in bringing them together.
This is most clear of all in the artwork of their DVD and Blu-ray covers: each a wonderful work of art in its own right; each going against the commercial mould; each a unique and massive undertaking with no clear financial gain.
This beautiful, no-expense-spared art book guides us through years of cover designs, each specially commissioned from a different artist, each aiming - often over repeated attempts - to capture the elusive feeling of a film through image, layout and typography.
The fact that I hadn’t seen 90% of the movies in here barely mattered. I still spent many happy hours poring over the details. There’s something truly joyful about seeing great artists from one medium respect great artists of another - and hearing from the people in between who delight in bringing them together.
December 13, 2016
I can't praise this book enough. It is gorgeous, a total delight!
As an artist and video director and writer, I love this book because it is all about who I am! It has stunning large color images of covers of dozens and dozens of DVDs in the Criterion collection of classic movies, and descriptions of how the various artists came up with their illustrations.
I especially treasure this large format coffee table book because I found it in an unopened mailing box in the house of my brother a few days after he unexpectedly passed away at his home in New Jersey at the end of January 2016. He was planning to visit my mother and me in Florida in February, and said he would be bringing me a belated birthday present. I like to think maybe he got this for me. To David, wherever your soul is now, I love you and miss you!
As an artist and video director and writer, I love this book because it is all about who I am! It has stunning large color images of covers of dozens and dozens of DVDs in the Criterion collection of classic movies, and descriptions of how the various artists came up with their illustrations.
I especially treasure this large format coffee table book because I found it in an unopened mailing box in the house of my brother a few days after he unexpectedly passed away at his home in New Jersey at the end of January 2016. He was planning to visit my mother and me in Florida in February, and said he would be bringing me a belated birthday present. I like to think maybe he got this for me. To David, wherever your soul is now, I love you and miss you!
November 30, 2015
In my opinion, the artwork is, hands down, one of the best parts of Criterion releases (and a major reason to buy them instead of just watching them on Hulu). If you share that opinion, then this book is a must buy. The Criterion artwork has never looked better. It's gorgeously rendered in large, full color pages. While not every release is covered (that would require a much larger volume), plenty are and they're spectacular.
A must own for fans of The Criterion Collection, films in general, or just good art
A must own for fans of The Criterion Collection, films in general, or just good art
January 2, 2015
An essential for every cinephile, this art book is simply gorgeous. When you're used to seeing them only on packaging, it's wonderful finding the covers blown up on each page (the fold-out pages are even more special). It may be a quick read but it's recommended to slowly take in each image, as each cover is an invitation to something new or an old favorite. I can't wait until the next installment, but hopefully it won't take another 30 years!
July 9, 2017
Gorgeous coffee table book that offers a curated sampling of the cover art of select Criterion Collection DVDs. Reproductions are fantastic; each entry offers a short paragraph offering some insight into graphic decision-making. It's enough to give readers a taste of the artistic process without really getting into the artistic process. It's not a history of graphic design at the company unfortunately, but at least that is stated right in the intro. A shame that the complete laserdisc and DVD covers collected at the end of the book could not have been larger.
August 7, 2025
Truly one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. I keep that PDF on me.
September 26, 2016
A handsome hardcover volume celebrating 30 years of Criterion Films and their strikingly designed laserdisc/DVD/blu-ray covers. It was fascinating to read about some of the design choices and see behind-the-scenes material like rough sketches and alternate designs. I guess I haven't been paying attention lately since I was surprised to discover that a bunch of the covers were designed by comics folks including Darwyn Cooke, Seth, Dan Clowes. Jillian Tamaki, and Adrian Tomine to name a few. I was also pleased to see some of the work of Sam Smith (who I first learned of through his stint as touring drummer for Ben Folds) including his brilliant and iconic poster for Hausu.
December 28, 2014
An small, but worthy peak into the execution and styles chosen for the varying array of beautiful Criterion covers, all of which have been executed with subtle on the nose depiction. The empty space throughout the book showcases more of the book's value on being a thing more than the value on the information behind many of the covers which don't get past a one sentence blurb.
August 30, 2015
I wish it went more in depth.
October 19, 2016
Loved all the cover iterations, but wished there was more than just one paragraph summaries.
January 15, 2017
A great gallery of The Criterion Collection's cover artwork, with insights on the production and what elements were considered in the making of these designs.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews