Question on DVD covers in general.

[creamdog]

What I've been wondering for a long time, why does Disney "design" new covers for their DVD releases all the time, while they already have these great posters from their release in cinemas? I'd take the original posters for any Disney classic over the crappy stuff they use for their DVD's any time. Of course there are one or two exceptions, but posters for Aladdin, beauty and the beast, Little Mermaid to name a few, look so much better than their DVD counterparts. It's not like they are aiming for a different target audience when releasing their films in cinema or on DVD.

ps. Sorry if this has been asked before, I don't remember ever comming across it.

[gaysnappercarr]

For the longest time I've wished that Disney would print artwork on both sides of the DVD sleeve.

The front side could be the new artwork and the flipside could be the classic movie poster artwork.

[271286]

For the longest time I've wished that Disney would print artwork on both sides of the DVD sleeve.

The front side could be the new artwork and the flipside could be the classic movie poster artwork.

like a childrens version on one side and a more adult looking version on the oher side... I would love that

[Disney Duster]

Well, I for one hate it when DVD covers for movies are they same as the movie posters. I'd rather have something new. And some posters just won't work for a DVD. I movie poster is a lot longer vertically than the more square DVD cases. They usually fit a lot into their movie posters(which I love, because then you can take your time finding all the different characters and details), which would be too much for the DVD cover.

Instead, I think what would really be best would be for Disney to come up with completely new covers for their DVDs, but they wouldn't be cartoony and would be as classy as the movie posters. That's what I would like. I really like seeing new art, not the same poster I've been staring at in theaters for months.

[Lazario]

For the longest time I've wished that Disney would print artwork on both sides of the DVD sleeve. The front side could be the new artwork and the flipside could be the classic movie poster artwork.

Like a children's version on one side and a more adult looking version on the other side... I would love that

So would I.

Actually, they may really be trying to appeal to a younger age demographic. That's probably why they don't put years on any of their VHS's or DVD's - they're afraid if the new family entertainment buyers see the movies were made in the 30's, 40's, 50's... they might not buy it for their kids. Remember that discussion about people thinking people "grow out of Disney...", I imagine a lot of those kinds of people are today's American parents. The people who only buy Disney for their kids and don't really know when Disney made Snow White, Cinderella, Dumbo, Fantasia, Sleeping Beauty, Lady and the Tramp, Peter Pan, Pinocchio, and so on. I remember when my mother was starting to collect the VHS's in the mid-90's, she thought the first Disney animated classic was made in the 1950's. The first!

[rexcrk]

Personally I don't think the new artwork is that bad. The Aladdin one is very very similar to the original tape cover. I also like the look of the new Lion King cover as opposed to the VHS. But what it really comes down to is the movie INSIDE the case

[Jules]

We also have to clarify some stuff as cover art sometimes varies in different regions.

For Aladdin Platinum Edition, Region 1 and Region 2 look almost the same, in that in Region 2, instead of 'Platinum Edition' on top, you get 'Walt Disney Classics' like all the rest of the standard releases in Region 2.

For Bambi Platinum Edition, in Rg. 2, besides not having the words 'Platinum Edition' the release had completely different cover art to that of region 1. Let me demonstrate.



Region 1 Bambi


Region 2 Bambi

[TheSequelOfDisney]

For Bambi, I think that I prefer the Region 2 CoverArt better than the Region 1 CoverArt. Minus the triangle thingy and the other thingy beside the triangle thingy. Also, Atlantis: The Lost Empire Region 2 has a completely different CoverArt in Region 1. Look below:

Region 1 (Collector's Edition):



Region 2 (Collector's Edition):




I perfer the Region 2 set. It is way less crowded and looks like the Shepherd's Journal (sp?)

[DaveWadding]

I perfer the Region 2 set. It is way less crowded and looks like the Shepherd's Journal (sp?)

LOL what? There are like 3 things on the Atlantis R1 cover art. Unless you meant it was crowded by all the blue ocean, then I'm sorry.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

I perfer the Region 2 set. It is way less crowded and looks like the Shepherd's Journal (sp?)

LOL what? There are like 3 things on the Atlantis R1 cover art. Unless you meant it was crowded by all the blue ocean, then I'm sorry.

That's exactly what I meant. There is WAY too much ocean on the Region 1 DVD! Gosh, Disney, cut out some of the ocean!!!!

[Finchx0rz]

I'm a graphic designer and I think the cover is just fine. The extra ocean adds an air of mystery and makes things not so cramped.

[Kram Nebuer]

You know what's even cooler about the Region 2 DVD for Atlantis? You see how it's separated in two halves? The top half slides off the the bottom and inside is a regular DVD case with very nice artwork of the characters. They look serious and mysterious unlike Region 1's single disc cover where they look like they're thinking "Yay! Exploring is fun! Let's go find Atlantis!"

What I've been wondering for a long time, why does Disney "design" new covers for their DVD releases all the time, while they already have these great posters from their release in cinemas? I'd take the original posters for any Disney classic over the crappy stuff they use for their DVD's any time. Of course there are one or two exceptions, but posters for Aladdin, beauty and the beast, Little Mermaid to name a few, look so much better than their DVD counterparts. It's not like they are aiming for a different target audience when releasing their films in cinema or on DVD.

I think part of the reason it's new art is because the cover art is not being made by the artists and animators of the actual film. I think someone over at BVHE or something else design the DVD cover art. Also, in the case of TLM, they hire someone else to design it for them. I think at least a small lithograph or the DVD guide should include the original poster art.

Some of the more dramatic poster art look stunning, but as a kid, I would rather pick up the DVD with the more whimsical, colorful art than the more serious one. Afterall, most Disney DVD customers are usually families with children and not collectors, so that's who the money is spent for and from which it comes.

[creamdog]

Personally I don't think the new artwork is that bad. The Aladdin one is very very similar to the original tape cover. I also like the look of the new Lion King cover as opposed to the VHS. But what it really comes down to is the movie INSIDE the case

Right you are, but still, if a great movie is put in a crappy case, it kind of takes away from the experience somehow. That is the reason why I import my DVD's if I get the chance, to avoid having to buy the Dutch versions (I live in the Netherlands). You won't believe how stupid the translations of the movietitles sound in Dutch sometimes, or the description on the back. It degrades the content even more, and you do get the feeling you're buying kids stuff, in stead a beautifull piece of art. I think if Disney treated their films more like the pieces of art they really are, people (the general public) might actually open their eyes and start to see them for that, and the whole "animation is just for three year olds discussion" might not be heard so often.

I can agree with the people saying they'd like to see new art, instead of recycled stuff on the cover. If the quality of the artwork would be equal I would also prefer new stuff, but that is just not the case. Come to think of it, you see it happen all the time. Drew Struzan painted numerous wonderfull posters for the starwarsfilms, but still they put the DVD's in these photoshop collage cases that totally lack the stature of the original posters, and actually make them look cheap. While Indiana Jones does have the original posters on the DVD case. But that is a different story.

Lazario is probaly right, they might do it to attract the kids eye, rather than the adults/parent. After all, once the kids start whining they want something, there's no stopping them, is there...

I remember someone on the forum here, posting great looking custom DVD covers that approach the films more from what the collectors point of view. Can't they just hire that guy? It might even be a good idea to actually split the releases in two (but I think I've read this before here on the forum), 1 with the cheap kids-cover and no extra's, except for the games and stuff that only the kids care about, and 1 with a beautifull, respectfull cover and in-depth content for the real collectors.

[Kram Nebuer]

I remember someone on the forum here, posting great looking custom DVD covers that approach the films more from what the collectors point of view. Can't they just hire that guy? It might even be a good idea to actually split the releases in two (but I think I've read this before here on the forum), 1 with the cheap kids-cover and no extra's, except for the games and stuff that only the kids care about, and 1 with a beautifull, respectfull cover and in-depth content for the real collectors.

Yeah, that was Chernabog or Chernobog! I can't find that thread anymore though and it was oddly in the Feedback forum. They were all really good and awesome. I also liked JohnSmith or HermioneGranger (I think she changed names, I forget) custom DVD designs with the hand-drawn sketches of characters in the same way of the Tarzan CE.

Yeah, we had that conversation a lot in other threads. They used to do this since Tarzan, The Emperor's New Groove, Atlantis and some other ones had this type of release (single disce and 2-disc Collector's Edition). With the return of this kind of DVD release with The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, there is still hope!

[Lazario]

Another thing I just realized as a clue to prove Disney do these things to make these movies look younger / newer... Remember on those older VHS tapes during previews of older movies, the way they would dub over the voices of characters talking? Like on that preview for that 1997 or 1998 VHS of Peter Pan, the one with the making-of featurette after the movie ended, where Hook's voice was dubbed over. And I think some of the Lost Boys had their voices dubbed over as well. To make them seem younger or something... That was annoying. I wonder what else it could mean, if I'm wrong about this that is...

[creamdog]

Really? I never knew about that. Well, I don't think we have that problem here in the Netherlands, but I do think they replace their Dutch dubs by newer versions, especially the older films, but I'm not sure though.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

I tend to prefer "classic" poster art for most DVDs. But I guess I don't quite "relate" to what marketing people have to deal with, since I practically always know in advance what I want to buy - I'm usually not one of those the studios can "sell" to.