Comparing Home Releases Cover Arts

[JeanGreyForever]

Honestly, there are so many covers here that I really like.

The Diamond Edition cover would have been perfect if they retained Briar Rose on the cover rather than Aurora in her redesign princess dress of all things. The Best Buy Exclusive slipcover is stunning and I love its variations including the Widescreen VHS and the Best Buy Exclusive Diamond Edition Steelbook. That steelbook in particularly I adore because of how it replicates the storybook design from the film. Wish Snow White, Cinderella, and even Pinocchio got similar covers.

I actually really like the Masterpiece VHS cover a lot too because I grew up with that one. It's so different from the usual covers we get for the film and I like the pastel color background and "the castle in the sky," even if both of things things don't reflect the final film. The classic VHS cover is really nice as well because the warm, rich colors are more reflective of the film and I like how it utilizes the staircase that leads to the throne room. That scene doesn't show up much in the covers or marketing in general.

The Special Edition DVD is just okay but I never liked how off-model both characters were. The Platinum Edition cover was better off in that regard and a real improvement but it sorta comes across as generic, maybe because of how often this image has been used over the years.

As for the UK releases, I really like the VHS cover for the same reasons that universALLove said. It's so colorful and it's so refreshing to have a scene that isn't the kiss in the tower bedroom. I really love the throne room in the movie so it's always nice to see more of that. The UK DVD cover is just okay. I like the composition but the original John Alvin artwork for the 90s theatrical re-release is far superior. The DVD cover has garish colors and looks way too cartoony for my taste.

[DisneyBluLife]

Sleeping Beauty is really the only film I've kept track of covers for, as it has always been my favorite! I'd rank them as follows:

1. Widescreen Edition VHS/Best Buy Exclusive Diamond Edition - I put these together because they are the same image. As a big Maleficent fan, obviously I'm predisposed to this because she's the focus of the cover. Aside from that, I appreciate how epic the image is, how small Phillip and Aurora are in contract to the towering Maleficent. It's beautifully drawn and dramatically colored. Nothing has topped this for me so far.

2. UK 2003 Collectors Edition - Easily the most beautiful and simplistic cover. The drama it brings! I appreciate how they held back from cluttering it up, and really let the beauty of the artwork shine.

3. US Classic (Black Diamond) VHS - Again I appreciate the simplicity. I also recall this VHS from my youth as one I'd see at the library or at friend's houses, and I always thought Maleficent looked so cool at the top of the stairs. I think it's an effective composition. Downside is that Phillip's face is weirdly proportioned.

4. Masterpiece VHS - This one is straight up nostalgia for me. It was the first time I was able to own the movie as a kid. I remember spending hours watching it again and again. It also brings to mind the behind-the-scenes feature after the film, which I had completely memorized... as a kindergartner.... I also feel like it's a unique composition that is dissimilar to any other cover for the film. It includes many characters without any of them floating from nowhere.

5. Best Buy Exclusive Platinum Edition - Pretty basic, but at least the majority of the cover is referencing the way the story book looks in the film, and the small circle includes the artwork from my favorite cover. No points for effort or creativity, but at least they picked good artwork to re-use.

6. Best Buy Exclusive Signature Edition - I haven't seen this in person, but from the photo I think it looks good! Again it's not over-complicated, and the characters look good with each other. If I saw this on sale, I'd be pretty tempted to get it.

7. UK Classic VHS - Pretty good composition! Different than other covers, which is a plus. My main complaint with it, is that it doesn't really represent the film stylistically from a visual standpoint. Sure the characters are present, but the way it's drawn and colored makes look more like a cheaper 80s move (a la Swan Princess or Happily Ever After) than the visual masterpiece it represents.

8. Taget Exclusive Signature Edition - I will say I appreciate the concept of this. So incredibly different than any of the others, and they actually used new art for Phillip! It does kind of trip up in its execution though. The use of Aurora really brings the whole thing down, though I understand why they did it.

9. Diamond Edition Blu Ray - Does not represent the film very much (makes it look much more like an animated version of Maleficent) but it is a unique concept. Plus it uses Marc Davis illustrations, so points for that! I do prefer the alternate version with the Briar Rose outfit though. I don't really like the trend of putting Aurora in pink when she's in blue for a majority (like 98%) of the time.

10. Platinum Edition Blu Ray/DVD - I put these together because its the same image with a slightly different color scheme. It's fairly basic and unexciting, but it's at least an improvement from the Special Edition DVD (which I'll get to). Considering that it is the same concept but upgraded, I can't be too mad at it.

11. Diamond Edition DVD - Clunkily put together and most of the characters are off model. The arrangement of the characters is awkward. Upside is I like the color scheme (minus Aurora's pink dress) and the Maleficent artwork they used. Odd having fairy and dragon Maleficent the same size.

12. Special Edition DVD - I get what they were going for, but boy is this underwhelming. Aurora and Phillip look ugly (her hair is SO yellow), and the proportion of Phillip and Dragon Maleficent at the bottom is way off. Overall they've done so much better than this.

13. Signature Collection Blu Ray - The epitome of laziness. A film full of beautiful images and iconic moments, and THAT is the best you can come up with?? Yikes. As someone who has purchased the film every time it has been released, this cover alone has made me completely disinterested in seeking it out. While I praised simplicity in my higher-ranked covers, this one is simplicity done wrong. I honestly can't imagine this took more than an hour to create.

What about this cover?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sleeping-Beaut ... B00005U1X9

[Disney's Divinity]

The Platinum’s BestBuy exclusive is my favorite, of course. Not a perfect kissing shot, but better than the rest aside from the Widescreen. Seeing them continually struggle to re-create the kissing scene makes me laugh. The only cover they managed to get it right was the Widescreen Edition; it’s also got the best Maleficent, too, imo. That cover is my favorite—so I naturally love the Diamond’s BestBuy exclusive that re-used it. The standard Diamond cover is next-best, and it’s the only back-to-back cover using the villain / protagonist that turned out good, imo. I do like the Signature’s BestBuy exclusive, too. The colors / arrangement are striking, although the dragon fire should be green. The Masterpiece VHS is the one I grew up with and it definitely makes me nostalgic. I have a fondness for it even if Aurora’s face and body look odd and corpse-like—her hair looks great though. The Signature’s Target exclusive is…inoffensive. Although again the fire should be green. That seems like a very basic thing to get wrong.

The standard Signature cover is just… No. I hate the first VHS cover and the Platinum covers.

The first cover you posted universALLove looks similar to a Cinderella cover. It is nice though. The second one reminds me of the silhouette posters for the ‘90s films, particularly B&tB’s.

UK DVD of Sleeping Beauty
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sleeping-Beaut ... B00005U1X9

Oooh, I like this one, too!

Sleeping Beauty is really the only film I've kept track of covers for, as it has always been my favorite!

Sleeping Beauty is my sister’s favorite animated film, too. I love the Widescreen cover, too.

[D82]

There's also this VHS cover from Spain:




My favorite is the Platinum Edition Blu-ray. I like its composition and how the characters are drawn in it, especially Aurora. The Platinum DVD is almost exactly identical, but I've just noticed that the background of the Blu-ray is blue instead of purple as in the DVD, and I prefer it in blue. My second favorite is the Spanish VHS I just posted. It's the one I had as a child/teenager, but curiously enough, I didn't like it much back then. However, now comparing it with the other covers, I see that it's actually quite well drawn, especially Aurora and Philip. Then I think I'd choose the UK VHS with the couple dancing. I like that it's different than the others and is not badly drawn either. Though the three fairies are in an odd size there, they're not in their real size but not in their miniaturized form either. I also like the two Best Buy Exclusives. The first because it replicates the storybook from the movie, and the second especially for its composition. The UK DVD DisneyBluLife shared is not bad either, even though you can't see the dragon's face well because of the logo.

There are some others that could've been among my favorites if not for some details I dislike like, for instance, the Classics VHS. I remember it from my childhood, but I didn't remember Philip was so horribly drawn in it. It ruins the entire cover for me. It's a shame, because I really like its simplicity and how the elements are distributed. Also, Maleficent looks a bit like a ghost in it, but that's a minor complaint. The 2003 Collector's Edition DVD from the UK is also quite beautiful, but again Prince Phillip is poorly drawn in it, and as JeanGreyForever pointed out, the original John Alvin theatrical poster is far superior. Finally, the Signature Target Exclusive presents quite a cool point of view of the battle between Phillip and Maleficent as a dragon, but like lord-of-sith, I don't like Aurora there in the background.

As for my least favorites, the worst one is definitely the Signature Collection Blu-ray. I also hate the Diamond Edition Blu-ray, because I don't like that they wanted to imitate the live-action Maleficent with it, but it's actually not that bad and the characters at least are on-model there. The UK version with Briar Rose is much better, though. There are some that are quite badly drawn like the Special Edition DVD and the Diamond Edition DVD.

I don't really like the trend of putting Aurora in pink when she's in blue for a majority (like 98%) of the time.

I don't like that either. I've always been team Merryweather and, like you say, the dress is blue most of the time in the movie. And I especially hate that, like they do with Cinderella and her dress, they do it to match the Disney Princess brand version of the character.

But about the Peter Pan Diamond with digital copy, I always thought it was that something was making Peter Pan's shadow as big as it is in the same way our shadows can get huge and cover large walls and such depending on where we are and where the light is coming from, and Tinker Bell is just very far away in front of the clock, very far in the foreground.

You're right, small things can cast big shadows too depending on their distance to the light, but that cover still doesn't make sense to me. If Peter was inside the clock (considering it's the real Big Ben and not the replica in the Darling's home) then maybe, but I think he's supposed to be outside, because Tinker Bell is probably meant to be looking at him. And if he is in front of the clock, he would need to have a very powerful source of light behind him to cast such a dark shadow, considering the clock has its own light that comes from the inside. Anyway, I think there's no use discussing the logic of it, I think Marce82 is right and we are not meant to take that cover literally.

[rodis]

Although I grew up with the UK VHS cover of them dancing, it's not one of my favorites.

I like the Classics VHS a lot. I remember as a little kid in the 80s our video library had a poster of that image and I was in awe by the magnitude and beauty of it. very nostalgic.

The masterpiece VHS is pretty but Aurora's face is totally off.

Best buy and Target Signature blu rays are quite lovely too.

[Disney Duster]

There are so, so many amazing and beautiful covers for this film! My favorite is the Widescreen one (which is also the Laserdisc one). Like lord-of-sith said, it is amazing and cool how there is this drama of the huge, imposing evil power of Maleficent over the mere mortal heroes kissing below, but it is that kiss which defeats her power. My second favorite is the Platinum Edition Best Buy Exclusive because it is that same image held in a very, very beautiful rendition of the storybook from the film. I bought that Exclusive just to be able to open it like it's the actual storybook and the movie will magically unfold from it! My third favorite is the Masterpiece VHS. Soooo much nostalgia. I had first seen Sleeping Beauty when I was very young, but only through rentals at my aunt and cousin's house. Me and my cousin had "pink and blue fights" (I was blue!), but one day we went to rent it from the library and they no longer had it. I'm guessing it must have been that awful Classics VHS one which I hate because Phillip is terribly drawn and Aurora's bed is mysteriously floating midway on the stairs to the throne room. I'm sorry but wtf? And I hate the colors even if I like the idea of her in purple, but hate that shade. Anyway, the film was finally gonna come out to buy again, and it had that very original composition and just cool-looking cover of the Masterpiece Edition, and I saw it in ads long before it was finally released, and I drew that cover over and over over the summer till it was released in fall. My fourth favorite cover is the UK Collector's Edition, though I wish they had a better drawing and better colors for Aurora and Phillip.

I don't like the Platinum because of how boringly positioned or drawn or something about it is to me. I prefer the US Special Edition because of how Aurora and Phillip and Phillip and the dragon are all more horizontal. I don't like the Diamond Edition Blu-ray because it makes it look like Maleficent hates Aurora or they are rivals or something. I don't like the Diamond Edition DVD or UK Walt Disney Classics DVD because they basically have the same bad composition and image choices. I don't like the UK Classics VHS at all, I guess too crowded and badly drawn and colored for me. I don't like the Spain VHS, terrible composition. The Signature Edition Best Buy Exclusive is nice but not that great. The Signature Edition Target Exclusive is somewhat cool but loses points for re-using art and the awful choice of giant Aurora in the background. And the Signature Edition Blu-ray is the worst, laziest excuse for a cover they may have ever made.

D82, I thought it might be possible for Peter Pan to be floating in front of Big Ben but cast that big shadow, but I don't know enough about light and shadow to know if it's impossible or not.

[universALLove]

Here is the Zavvi exclusive Mondo Steelbook...



I like how it depicts the “Now you shall deal with me oh Prince and all the powers of hell” transformation scene, it’s one of the most iconic and memorable from the film. I like how Maleficent’s cloak and thorn vines combine as well as the flames and vines, it really embodies the transformation scene well with Maleficent’s growth from the bottom of the cover all the way to the top, engulfing the characters, similar to her growth in the actual scene and I like the little castle detail in the centre with the Dragon and Aurora and Phillip underneath. It also looks as if the vine path has been cut leading to victory but the castle is guarded by the Dragon. It makes a change for Aurora to be in her Briar Rose outfit again as that is what she wears when her and Philip first meet. The font fits the film well and the silhouettes of the three good fairies is a nice touch too, it’s a way of getting them on the cover subtly without plonking them on there for the sake of including all main characters. The only thing I was unsure of is the placement of the sword. On the one hand it’s sweet that Philip is protecting/guarding Aurora with the sword of truth, from the powers and elements of evil (Maleficent, the thorns, the Dragon), however it looks like he’s about to cut her throat and when I very first saw it, I thought Aurora was holding the sword and she reminded me of Princess Eilonwy too.

[DisneyBluLife]

Zavvi Mondo Steelbook of Alice in Wonderland and Pinocchio.
https://www.zavvi.com/blu-ray/pinocchio ... 11645.html

https://www.zavvi.com/blu-ray/alice-in- ... 32361.html

[JeanGreyForever]

There's also this VHS cover from Spain:

Oh wow, that's absolutely stunning! Thank you for sharing that, because I've never seen it before. I like how different it looks from the rest of the covers even though it reuses the same kiss image. The purple coloring and the closeup of the castle makes for a nice change of scenery because it feels like we're actually looking into the castle rather than the usual faraway exterior shot. Also love how Maleficent is still looming above the background but for once, in a different pose. She looks positively batlike here.

Here is the Zavvi exclusive Mondo Steelbook...



I like how it depicts the “Now you shall deal with me oh Prince and all the powers of hell” transformation scene, it’s one of the most iconic and memorable from the film. I like how Maleficent’s cloak and thorn vines combine as well as the flames and vines, it really embodies the transformation scene well with Maleficent’s growth from the bottom of the cover all the way to the top, engulfing the characters, similar to her growth in the actual scene and I like the little castle detail in the centre with the Dragon and Aurora and Phillip underneath. It also looks as if the vine path has been cut leading to victory but the castle is guarded by the Dragon. It makes a change for Aurora to be in her Briar Rose outfit again as that is what she wears when her and Philip first meet. The font fits the film well and the silhouettes of the three good fairies is a nice touch too, it’s a way of getting them on the cover subtly without plonking them on there for the sake of including all main characters. The only thing I was unsure of is the placement of the sword. On the one hand it’s sweet that Philip is protecting/guarding Aurora with the sword of truth, from the powers and elements of evil (Maleficent, the thorns, the Dragon), however it looks like he’s about to cut her throat and when I very first saw it, I thought Aurora was holding the sword and she reminded me of Princess Eilonwy too.

Completely forgot about this! It's absolutely stunning and my favorite of the Mondo art covers so far. The image is so gothic and fantastical at the same time for all the reasons you said.

[Disney Duster]

I never thought Maleficent was doing her dragon transformation on that Mondo cover. I'm not sure she actually is. Sorry guys, but I actually do not like the cover that much, mainly because Aurora and Phillip are drawn so poorly, but also necause it doesn't make sense to me that Aurora as Briar Rose was awake and being protected by Phillip from Maleficent at any time in the movie.

[DisneyBluLife]

So many covers of Sleeping Beauty with the "Kissing to awake the princess" scene, but Snow White has a scene like that too and it is never on a cover.

[universALLove]

I actually do not like the cover that much, mainly because Aurora and Phillip are drawn so poorly

Google Disney Mondo Posters, they’re all highly stylised which is why they might not look exactly how they should to you or “poorly drawn” as you put it.

Ariel doesn’t look like herself here compared to in the film...




However, Peter and Hook look more like they do in the film here then they do on some of the home release covers...

So many covers of Sleeping Beauty with the "Kissing to awake the princess" scene, but Snow White has a scene like that too and it is never on a cover.

I know what you mean, it’s probably intentional to differentiate the two. Plus Sleeping Beauty has “sleeping” in the title so they always include the kiss scene whereas Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs tends to focus on just that, her and the dwarfs. Also she’s awake through more of her movie than Aurora

There's also this VHS cover from Spain:

Oh wow, that's absolutely stunning! Thank you for sharing that, because I've never seen it before. I like how different it looks from the rest of the covers even though it reuses the same kiss image. The purple coloring and the closeup of the castle makes for a nice change of scenery because it feels like we're actually looking into the castle rather than the usual faraway exterior shot. Also love how Maleficent is still looming above the background but for once, in a different pose. She looks positively batlike here.

I like it too, it’s pretty and like you, I haven’t seen this one before either. Some of the images are the same as the UK VHS (which I prefer overall) but both are nice covers.

[Disney Duster]

Google Disney Mondo Posters, they’re all highly stylised which is why they might not look exactly how they should to you or “poorly drawn” as you put it.

It's not that they just look different, they look poorly drawn. Ariel is also poorly drawn on that cover. I see what you mean about stylization, but it has even been noticed Phillip's arm and that sword are in a bad position. But the whole drawing of them is bad.

[Farerb]

The Platinum Edition is my favorite. I'm surprised most don't like it. I also like the Diamond with Briar Rose.
The worst one is probably the Signature Collection. The graphic designer didn't give a damn and it shows.
Ironically I own both.

[Disney Duster]

I wanted to say again how much I love this thread. Thank you so much, farerb! It's so fun! I love reading everyone's comments. I read everyone's posts and opinions in this thread. I am glad so many of us have nostalgia for the Sleeping Beauty Masterpiece Edition, and love the Widescreen Edition/Laserdisc/Diamond Best Buy cover. I am glad you like the UK Special Edition lord-of-sith, JeanGreyForever, and D82, and agree that, yes, the John Alvin poster is even better.

My most anticipated next covers are The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Sadly, those are going to be the only ones I'm super interested in out of the rest.

[JeanGreyForever]

So far we've been in the Walt era and most of these films are some of the most popular and have had various home video releases thanks to the Platinum/Diamond/Signature Edition lines plus exclusives. But only 101 Dalmatians and The Jungle Book really fit that criteria now until the Big Four of the Renaissance which is ages away. The Dark Age films don't have nearly as many re-releases so covers will get more scarce especially by the 80s.

[lord-of-sith]

What about this cover?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sleeping-Beaut ... B00005U1X9

Meh it's alright. The placement of the title and how it covers the dragon is inexcusable though.

Here's my ranking with the newest additions in the thread:


1. Widescreen Edition VHS/Best Buy Exclusive Diamond Edition
2. UK 2003 Collectors Edition
*3. Zavvi Exclusive Mondo Steelbook - So wildly different from any of the others. I appreciate how different it is! Very spooky. The art style sets it apart and gives it a new sense of sophistication. To me this seems like a criterion collection cover for the movie.
*4. Spain VHS - Very cool! I like the color scheme and the arrangement is great. To me this is an upgraded version of the UK classic VHS. I really like it.
5. US Classic (Black Diamond) VHS
6. Masterpiece VHS
7. Best Buy Exclusive Platinum Edition
8. Best Buy Exclusive Signature Edition
9. UK Classic VHS
10. Taget Exclusive Signature Edition
11. Diamond Edition Blu Ray
12. Platinum Edition Blu Ray/DVD
*13. 2002 Region 2 DVD
14. Diamond Edition DVD
15. Special Edition DVD
16. Signature Collection Blu Ray

[Vlad]

Snow White and Cinderella both had great looking covers for all releases. I can't say the same for Sleeping Beauty sadly. In its case, it's very difficult to reproduce the artistic style on the cover. It can be almost impossible if Eyvind Earle is not involved. But in any case, my favorites are: The Masterpiece VHS (Widescreen edition), both the 2003 UK Collector's Edition and single disc edition, the Platinum Edition, the Diamond Edition, and the Signature Target and BestBuy editions (not in this particular order, though).

[Disney's Divinity]

Following lord-of-sith's lead, here's my own list:

1. Platinum Best Buy Exclusive
2. Diamond Best Buy Exclusive
3. Widescreen Edition
4. Diamond Edition Standard Blu-ray
5. Signature BestBuy Exclusive
6. Diamond Edition UK's Alternate Cover (with Briar Rose instead of the pink dress) ~ I believe the Briar Rose version was the first picture released, because I remember talking about it here before the U.S. ended up with the altered pink dress cover. I wish I could combine aspects of the two versions. I prefer Maleficent's side to show her fortress like here and the castle to be more in shadow than lit up the way it is on the US version. I used to prefer Aurora in her Briar Rose outfit, but the pink is striking with all the other colors going on. The UK's logo is better, and you can see more of Maleficent's horns on it, too.
7. Zavvi Mondo cover
8. Signature Target Exclusive
9. The UK DVD cover DisneyBluLife posted. ~ The kiss / Aurora's hair are perfect.
10. Masterpiece VHS ~ I like the arrangement, which almost looks like a stage, even if some of the colors off. Aurora's head/face is the biggest drawback, although the hair looks good. My favorite part is the castle at the top above the logo.
11. Special Edition ~ It sort of looks like a pop-up book in a way. I still love the trees at the top, although Aurora's hair looks like spaghetti in this one.
12. Diamond Edition DVD
13. UK VHS universALLove posted.
14. Signature Standard Blu-ray
15. Platinum Standard Blu-ray
16. Platinum DVD ~ This one sort of feels like it's trying to imitate the UK DVD cover DisneyBluLife had posted, except it's very poor, like the cover for a coloring book.
17. Classics VHS ~ Eh... No love for this one. I like the stairwell and Aurora is perfect, but Maleficent doesn't look too great and Phillip looks like a monkey.
18. Spain's cover D82 posted.
19. UK 2003 Collector's Edition universALLove posted. ~ I'd have liked this more if it was darker and Phillip wasn't there. Just Aurora on her "death" bed similar to the vision during Maleficent's curse in the coronation scene and Maleficent's eyes gleaming in the shadows at the top.

EDIT: I've been changing a bit here and there to my post every few minutes. You know, what I’m most amazed at is that none of the covers really use the spindle wheel—that would be a perfect thing to be focused on on a cover.

[universALLove]

You know, what I’m most amazed at is that none of the covers really use the spindle wheel—that would be a perfect thing to be focused on on a cover.

Like this (even though it’s fan made)?