Top 10 Favorite Criterion Covers

So for those of you who do not know, The Criterion Collection is, well, here is their mission statement:

Since 1984, the Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, has been dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. Over the years, as we moved from laserdisc to DVD, Blu-ray disc, and online streaming, we’ve seen a lot of things change, but one thing has remained constant: our commitment to publishing the defining moments of cinema for a wider and wider audience. The foundation of the collection is the work of such masters of cinema as Renoir, Godard, Kurosawa, Cocteau, Fellini, Bergman, Tarkovsky, Hitchcock, Fuller, Lean, Kubrick, Lang, Sturges, Dreyer, Eisenstein, Ozu, Sirk, Buñuel, Powell and Pressburger. Each film is presented uncut, in its original aspect ratio, as its maker intended it to be seen. Every time we start work on a film, we track down the best available film elements in the world, use state-of-the-art telecine equipment and a select few colorists capable of meeting our rigorous standards, then take time during the film-to-video digital transfer to create the most pristine possible image and sound. Whenever possible, we work with directors and cinematographers to ensure that the look of our releases does justice to their intentions. Our supplements enable viewers to appreciate Criterion films in context, through audio commentaries by filmmakers and scholars, restored director’s cuts, deleted scenes, documentaries, shooting scripts, early shorts, and storyboards. To date, more than 150 filmmakers have made our library of Director Approved DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and laserdiscs the most significant archive of contemporary filmmaking available to the home viewer.

So for an American cinephile, the Criterion releases of films are the best version available for home viewing.  As stated above, they offer the best possible video quality, in the correct aspect ration, and offer plenty of supplemental content.  Their releases aren't cheap, but they are worth the price.  Most of the films in the collection are only available in the U.S. through them.  Criterion films also have fantastic cover art.  So here is a list of my top ten favorite Criterion covers. 

10. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998): Directed by Terry Gilliam

This film is pretty nuts and I'm pretty certain I have little idea as to what happened in it.  The cover does a great job of recreating the craziness of the film.  Since you (and me) probably want to see this film more than once, owning the Criterion release is a great idea.

9. The Ice Storm (1997): Directed by Ang Lee

I have not seen this film, nor do I have any idea what it is about.  But the cover sure does look pretty doesn't it?  I'm a huge fan of Lee's Brokeback Mountain and I enjoyed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, so I will probably give this one a watch at some point.

8. House (1977): Directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi

Rumor has it that this movie is really crazy.  The cover itself looks pretty ridiculous.  I know nothing about the film other than it is a crazy Japanese horror movie, which is all I need to know going in.  Of the four movies on this list that I have not seen, this is the one I need to see the most.  

7. The Night Porter (1974): Directed by Liliana Cavani

Yup.

6. Repulsion (1965): Directed by Roman Polanski

I now realize that there are a decent number of crazy movies on this list.  Repulsion is the first in Polanski's apartment trilogy, the other two being Rosemary's Baby and The Tenant.  The cover is simple, but effective in representing the psychological state of the main character.

5. Walkabout (1971): Directed by Nicolas Roeg

Again, haven't seen it and I don't have a clue what it's about, but look at that cover!  It's SO striking!  I do know that the director, Nicolas Roeg, was first a cinematography, which lends to the visual strength of the film.  The screenshots that I have seen are gorgeous. 

4. Salò: or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975): Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini

This is the last of the crazy films on this list and I think (since I haven't seen one of them) this may be the craziest.  It is certainly crazy in its own "unique" way.  This film is constantly ranked as one of the most disturbing films ever made and the cover acts as a nice warning.

3. The Seventh Seal (1957): Directed by Ingmar Bergman

This film contains some of the most powerful images of black and white cinematography and this cover does a good job at capturing the weight of these images.  The cover is simple and beautiful, showing the knight's face partly covered in shadow, symbolizing his inner struggle in the film.

2. Seven Samurai (1954): Directed by Akira Kurosawa

I believe Seven Samurai was the first Criterion film I ever saw, and I remember looking at it and being a tad confused as to why it was so fancy.  The cover, here, is taken from the image of the Samurai's banner in the film.  The six circles represent each of the "true" samurai and the triangle...well, you will just have to see for yourself.  

1. The Thin Red Line (1998): Directed by Terrence Malick

I was in awe the first moment I saw this cover.  The actual image itself is beautiful, with the dull green hills, the shaded backs of the soldiers, the explosions in the distance, all against the blue-gray sky.  Then there is the thin red vertical line running down the cover making it look like the inside of a book (the film was adapted from a novel).  Another great cover to a Malick film is the one for Days of Heaven.