Ok, so time for me to rate TJB.... none of them are terrible, but none of them are great either. Why is Mowgli off model in every single cover? And D82, have you been going through my notes???
So here we go:
1) DMC Exclusive. Simple... wonderful background and scale. Represents the movie well, showing the relationship between Mowgli and Balloo, but the slight threat from Kaa in the corner. Balloo is a little off... I get a 3/4 view is more interesting for his face, but it makes no sense here. He should be in profile, looking directly at Mowgli.
2) Classic VHS: This is a toss up between my number 1 and number 2. This a great example of a cover that features a lot of characters, but they all make sense in the space. Someone sat down and thought this one out before they drew it; they didn't just slap on characters randomly. It also captures the tone of the film very well: playful. Why, oh why is Mowgli off model???
3) Japanese VHS: less points for recycling a poster, extra points for picking a good poster to recycle. Balloo looks GREAT here. Mowgli ALMOST does.
4) UK Platinum collector: a little too simplistic, well executed. It's trying to make this one look a little too refined, and this movie is very down-to-earth.
5) Diamond Edition dvd: shame about this one. If they had just had Mowgli and Balloo it would have been pretty good. I especially like the depth in the background. But did some executive demand more characters at the last minute and they just slapped the villains in the front?? They look terrible. They kill the whole composition.
6) Platinum edition: a little cluttered. Mowgli looks high, and like he is not making eye contact with Balloo. And look at the way they are holding hands!! Awkward.... almost as awkward as that tiny Bagheera. There is just too much going on in this cover.
7) Diamond Edition blu: hate that oval. none of the characters look right, and because of the lack of space + number of characters... it just looks like a clutter.
UK Platinum: same as the American one, but now everything is cluttered and the added background looks pretty bad. Doesn't feel like jungle, just feels like leaves.
9) UK Diamond Steelbook: oh, I have seen this one before. The characters look terrible in this one, except for Shere Khan, who looks ok. And where is Bagheera?? You have every minor character but not one of the major ones? The background looks really nice, but I feel like the characters don't match stylistically or lighting wise.
I won't even bother with the Zavvi. I don't think these pieces were intended to be covers.
I actually don't mind the ovals, it's everything else I usually hate about the Diamond covers. They look like the covers for coloring books rather than Blu-ray/DVDs.
Maybe somebody else who was here from that time will be able to find the image.
