Criterion Collection Covers

The Criterion Collection commissions original artwork for every film release. Cover designs have become collectible objects in their own right, regardless of the movie inside. Each cover is designed by a different artist, with styles ranging from photographic collage to hand-drawn illustration to bold typographic compositions. What they all share is a commitment to interpretation rather than promotion. A Criterion cover isn't trying to sell you the film. It's trying to capture the mood after you've already seen it, and that distinction changes everything about the design approach. I keep my Criterion Blu-rays on a shelf in my room. The spines create a visual rhythm that no other home media collection can match, with each artist's palette sitting next to something completely different. Consistency comes from the format: the black border, the Criterion C logo, and the spine numbering system. Within those constraints, the design freedom is enormous. My favorite cover is probably their release of In the Mood for Love, which uses a cropped still of Maggie Cheung's hand against a wallpaper pattern in deep reds and greens. It tells you nothing about the plot but communicates the film's atmosphere of longing and proximity perfectly.