Headshots cover done right! (1 Viewer)

[PaulP]

The Bits got the cover for The Life of David Gale (release date TBA), and I think this is one of the best covers as far as headshot covers go. Witness:

 

[Doug Schiller]

A nice twist on the floating heads that so many designers are locked on, but still, it is a floating head cover.
It is just as uninspiring as the 1,000 others.

Damn you Wes Craven for bringing this evil upon us (I'm assuming Scream was the first, I'm sure someone will correct me).

Doug

 

[Chad R]

I'm not sure if Scream was the first floating head cover, but I'm pretty sure Wes Craven didn't design it.

 

[Doug Schiller]

Yes, but he sure had some say in the matter.

Doug

 

[Ryan B]

Everyone around here seems to hate these "floating head" covers. I can understand why. The original theater poster art is, in most cases, far more artistic.

The "noggin" covers are here to stay however. I can see their value while I am browsing the stacks of DVDs at BB or some other retailer. Seeing the actors "in character" helps to instantly bring the movie to mind, whereas an abstract image does not (I have to pause and think about it). When there are thousands of movies on the shelves, every second counts.

Movie posters are designed to be mysterious and abstract and are aimed at folks who haven't seen the movie yet. DVD covers are designed for folks who are assumed to have seen the movie (or at least to have heard enough about it through the media to destroy most of the mystery).

No doubt this is reflected in DVD sales and that is why the noggin covers aren't going to go away. Personally, I could care less, since I only see the spines in my DVD cabinet.

Back on topic, this cover looks fine to me.

 

[PaulP]

I just thought it was the most "artistic" headshot cover I've ever seen...

 

[Jeff Kleist]

See, that's where reversible covers work well

Sell the noggins to J6P, put the poster art on the other side, marketing is happy, we're happy

 

[Doug Schiller]

Someone here many years ago had a great idea that the studios are sure to ignore.
The original artwork should be included as an insert on every film. This way Schlockbuster can have their Airplane '77 headshots all over the rental cover and purist can insert the original poster.

Seems too easy doesn't it?

Doug

 

[Ryan B]

Reversable covers sound like a great compromise. My point was that Noggin covers make it easy (for J6P's like me) to quickly & easily parse the movies on the retailer's shelf (especially while the wife is waiting impatiently).

 

[Tom Rags]

Great cover, but too bad the movie was a shlock-fest

However PaulP, your original point is a very good one.

 

[PaulP]

Was it that bad? I read some reviews, but I'll have to get it anyway because of my compulsive Kevin Spacey fetish

 

[Dan Rudolph]

The ending invalidates whatever point the movie had. Ebert explains it pretty well here (spoilers). For a less thorough explanation, without spoilers, see his review and note that he gave it the incredibly rare zero-star rating.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

Rotten Tomatoes gives it an 18% rating.
Reviews counted: 129
Fresh: 23 Rotten: 106

See the Rotten Tomatoes rating for The Life Of David Gale

So, yes, it probably is that bad (it hasn't made it to NZ yet, so I haven't seen it.)