Whedonesque : Comments on 7715 : Buffy "Chosen Collection" Box Art.

Ugh! I really do not like that! Its tackier than my mother's choice of shirts in winter! I much preferred the R2 bozset cover design.

Apocalypse | August 30, 19:27 CET

Its tackier than my mother's choice of shirts in winter!

Now that should be put on a t-shirt. Also, maybe it's just the spuffy in me but I don't like that Spike is smaller than Angel. Once again, that's just me.

[ edited by MySerenity on 2005-08-30 17:30 ]

MySerenity | August 30, 19:29 CET

It's a chocolate box. How utterly underwhelming.

Simon | August 30, 19:30 CET

I like the "pencil sketch" effect on the images, but wish they had featured the entire cast. And why brick red?

Willowy | August 30, 19:54 CET

The Canadian MSRP of $350 is outrageous. A simple currency translation at today's rate from US MSRP of $200 to CDN gives $240 CDN, which would typically translate into a retail price of anywhere from $259 to $289 tops. Anyway, I sent an email to the guys at TVshowsonDVD to ask Fox. I'll try to scare up an email here.

Drifter | August 30, 20:09 CET

Blood red, Willowy, blood red!! :~P

I agree they should have put the whole cast on there, or just Buffy. Now we just get into a 'shipper' thing, like Buffy the show was just about the men Buffy loved. Blah.

Rogue Slayer | August 30, 20:10 CET

Does this set have all the same extras as each season had? Does anyone know? I know there's an extra feature with Joss but what else?

ruthless1 | August 30, 20:16 CET

Have to add my voice to the chorus of discontent. Given that this is probably the only "Complete Collection" BtVS that many of us will buy, they could have just put a teensy bit more effort into the design and artwork.

Pencil sketch concept is great, as Willowy says, but how about - to throw out just one quick idea - a pencil sketch of the *entire* cast of characters, covering all four sides of the box - like one of those Marvel Universe crowd scenes, giving the fans hours, um, minutes of entertainment trying to spot their favs? (Obviously, I don't mean every cameo role, but every character who had some lines, including, e.g., Jesse, Sunday, Jinx . . .) That might have been a fitting way to release such a collection. This just seems hurried and, dare I say, cheap. It's not like they're going to lose money on it.

And, yeah, Drifter, that Canadian price is ludicrous, especially given the deeply discounted Amazon US price.

SoddingNancyTribe | August 30, 20:20 CET

Hate the artwork. Rogue Slayer, you're right. Everybody or just Buffy. This makes it look like a romance novel. They should have ripped off the Point Pleasant DVD art. Buffy's face came dripping out of water, too, in Prophesy Girl. Would have been better than this hooey.

jaynelovesvera | August 30, 20:25 CET

I actually like the art because it's simple, but it is a shame that the whole cast isn't on it. It should be a picture of Buffy large in front, and behind her Willow, Giles and Xander. But oh, well...it's only a cover to me.

I'm trying to get my friend to buy it because this is the best deal she'll ever get. And then I want her to trade it to me for my complete set, so I can have it. Hee.

ruthless1, I believe it's the exact same content only with an extra disk that has a Joss documentary. There's also a letter from Joss and (I think) a list of Joss' favorite episodes. But if I'm wrong, somebody please tell me.

[ edited by electricspacegirl on 2005-08-30 18:26 ]

electricspacegirl | August 30, 20:25 CET

SNT, that really does sound a brilliant idea for a cover. A lot better than the current one.

Apocalypse | August 30, 20:32 CET

I've been looking so forward to this, and I must agree, the box art is strongly underwhelming. But, we can't see the other sides of the box, so maybe there are lovely pencil sketches of other characters on the other two sides that we don't see....one can hope. Not thrilled with the red/white contrast and I do like the R2 art better, but I will definitely buy this. Wish they showed more pics of the box art, including the discs and the inside layout...

SaltyGoodness | August 30, 20:37 CET

With SNT on the cover.

like Buffy the show was just about the men Buffy loved

This could potentially spawn a pretty in-depth discussion as the men Buffy loved at various points told you a LOT about where she was at and what she was really feeling. I don't have enough time to do it justice :)

ETA: would love to know how the discs are packed -- anyone know?

[ edited by zeitgeist on 2005-08-30 18:45 ]

zeitgeist | August 30, 20:44 CET

SaltyGoodness, I'm sure they'll release more pictures of the box art in time. This is only the first one.

electricspacegirl | August 30, 20:48 CET

I would have the entire box be a deep, bloody, velvety red with only the "B" on the top and maybe on one side.. I think that would be enough to remind you what's in it.

bloodflowers | August 30, 20:51 CET

Very poor looking.

Zamm | August 30, 20:52 CET

You're right, esg, it just feels like I've been waiting so long for this and I am impatient! I want it now! :) Tired of having to rely on netflix for all of my Buffy fixes....

Oh, bloodflowers, if only you could have designed it! I do like the pencil sketches though. Hoping for more..

SaltyGoodness | August 30, 20:55 CET

With SNT on the cover.

Yes! SNT should be on the cover! ;)

electricspacegirl | August 30, 20:55 CET

Forget about SMG....have SNT!

Apocalypse | August 30, 21:02 CET

Yes! SNT should be on the cover! ;)

Now, now, that's not what I meant, but then you knew that :) The Marvel crowd of characters would've been a great thing to do on this box.

zeitgeist | August 30, 21:12 CET

Well, I'm feeling generous, so I'll settle for SNT and SMG on the cover. Preferably in some kind of ~~hot and heavy~~ romantic pose.

SoddingNancyTribe | August 30, 21:17 CET

How do you look with the shirt off? We got lots of no-shirt Spike when things heated up.

brownishcoat | August 30, 21:19 CET

That's true, but I don't think it was the only thing that defined Buffy as a character. Nor does it reflect the other important characters who made more of a contribution to the show than either Angel or Spike over the years. Not in terms of quality, because I did really love both those characters, but Xander or Willow for example played just as big a role in the show every season, whereas Spike was absent for season one and most of season three, and Angel was only on Buffy as a regular for two seasons.

I agree that a nice picture of Buffy, Angel, Spike, Willow, Xander, Giles, Anya, Tara, Oz, Cordelia, Riley and Dawn would have been more aesthically pleasing and a better representation of the cast and show as a whole.

I'm kinda pissed about the whole Buffy boxsets thing. I diligently collected each seperate season of Buffy as it came out, and in the end I end up missing out on the bonus disc. I don't have anywhere near enough money to splash out on a fancy box set, and even though I would really like the bonus disc and the letter from Joss, I just can't afford it. I would have missed out on hours on entertainment had I waited, but I don't like to miss out though I was supporting the show throughout its run.

Although my only consolation is that the Buffy region 2 season boxsets look way better than the region 1 versions, and either of the entire series boxsets. It's just a shame the season one doesn't match the other sets.

Razor | August 30, 21:31 CET

It's bad, but still not as bad as that awful final "Serenity" poster. (Yes, I still am hating that thing.)

I liked bloodflower's idea of just the Buffy-font "B." That and nothing else. Now that would have been killer.

rbt | August 30, 22:03 CET

I think they should've made it look like the Serenity poster (ducks rotten fruit thrown by bobtaylor) :) But instead of River and Mal, SMG and SNT. Now THAT I would buy ;D

zeitgeist | August 30, 22:33 CET

Why does the UK always get better looking box sets that we do?

killinj | August 30, 22:37 CET

I rather it just look like the Vampyr Book and nothing else... And inside would be many volumes resembling those that Giles would have. Eh no? Ok... I'll keep thinking and trying.

RIPWesley | August 30, 22:37 CET

zeitgeist, thanks for the laugh!!! (and for the record, I actually like the Serenity poster... :)

SaltyGoodness | August 30, 23:05 CET

I like the Serenity poster, too, I'm just taunting bobtaylor, 'cause its fun :)

zeitgeist | August 30, 23:08 CET

Underwhelming.

Nancy Boy hair Gel | August 30, 23:18 CET

How about if the boxset would look like the box which contained all the voices in Hush. Apart from being better looking and being sort of an injoke for fans (who are the only ones being this after all), there is also the symbolic idea of the Buffy DVD's actually symbolizing the voices of the characters and everybody in the Buffyverse.

Have I missed something or is it new that there is also a new region 2 complete DVD box set coming (the original being sold out for ages)? I tried looking at amazon.co.uk for the old boxart and they only advertise a new set (no art available) to be released October 31. Just 39 discs though.

Celebithil | August 30, 23:33 CET

Razor - You could do what I'm considering... sell the old Buffy DVDs on eBay to defray the cost of the new set. Say each old set sells for an average of $15 for a total of $105 (that's just a guess, btw), that's only an extra $35 for the new set.

I'd like to know more info about that documentary, before I go through all that trouble though. A half hour isn't really worth it, but 2 hours would be.

I don't remember the R2 set design. Anyone have a link?

And yeah, why do they always get better designs than us??

Joss' bitch | August 30, 23:45 CET

My dvds are like my babies, I can't turn them in for new shinier ones (in an ugly box).

MySerenity | August 30, 23:52 CET

Region 2 Box pic from the Amazon UK listing.

zeitgeist | August 30, 23:55 CET

Hmm... that's.... how do I put it. Kinda lame, huh?

I was imagining some mirabolant design. Fox Brazil never got to release season 4 ~ 7, but at least they were planning to tweak with the designs for season 1~3 boxes.
I never saw them in store, but I did see a promo, of those re-release with an old book design, like they were something from a library. I'll try to find the pic and post it here.

[ edited by Numfar PTB on 2005-08-30 22:14 ]

Numfar PTB | August 31, 00:03 CET

Joss' bitch- I would maybe consider it, but I do really like the packaging of the region 2 boxsets. It's just a shame that if I want the bonus disc, I would have to sacrifice the nice packaging, and vice versa.

Does anyone know more details on what the bonus disc will contain?

Razor | August 31, 00:11 CET

I really expected more. This just looks so... I don't know, plain? Cheap? I already have all 7 seasons on DVD, but when I was imagining a box that looked more like the R2 set, I had every intention of buying this as well. I thought it would look great on display, and I could use it as my backup set. But this is just so ugly - no way I'm buying it. So disappointing.

callie | August 31, 00:22 CET

My dvds are like my babies, I can't turn them in for new shinier ones (in an ugly box).

Yeah, that's part of the dilemma.

I imagine the new documentary will eventually show up on the internet, so we could still see it without getting the new set. But still... Ugh. Good thing I have some time to ~~waffle back and forth~~ contemplate what to do.

zeitgeist: Thanks!
Yeah that is nicer. Hmph. Although I do kinda wonder about the Celtic knotwork. Pretty but not particularly Buffy related.

Joss' bitch | August 31, 00:27 CET

For Joss' bitch (tee hee!) and to add to zeitgeists post, a kind non-member named Alan once gave me this link .
to some great photos of the complete R2 box set, including the inside art. Very cool. (hope I did the linky thing right this time!)

SaltyGoodness | August 31, 00:28 CET

Ah, right on! Thanks, SaltyGoodness for the linkage.

zeitgeist | August 31, 01:10 CET

Amen, bobtaylor, amen.

Still ordered 2 boxes. That's an outstanding deal. We tend to wear out some of the DVDs, and these will be a really nice backup.

Chris inVirginia | August 31, 01:40 CET

I want to get these but am I right in saying that the R1 DVDs are not widescreen?

Jackal | August 31, 01:43 CET

Salty Goodness, that link is full of salty goodness. Thank you.

jaynelovesvera | August 31, 01:57 CET

Salty Goodness, that link is over flowing with salty goodness, indeed...thanks so much for posting!

Chris inVirginia | August 31, 02:21 CET

Jackal -- you are correct. According to Joss, they weren't set up and shot as widescreen -- Joss comments. Mind you there is much debate on this ever ongoing (for example, or opposing view --the opposing has an interesting story example where 16x9 or 1.78:1 alters the scene) as it appears to have been shot open matte to allow for it to be shown in widescreen.

BBC2 and UK DVD Buffy viewers have been enjoying widescreen versions of episodes since the start of series four. This is because Fox supply international broadcasters with master tapes sourced from the original 70mm film stock the series is shot on.

[ edited by zeitgeist on 2005-08-31 00:47 ]

zeitgeist | August 31, 02:27 CET

Thanks, Zeitgeist. Now I'm torn between R2 (which I already have but will need replacing before long) and the R1 non-widescreen edition. (I also have a morbid curiosity to watch the episodes without te 4% speed-up.)

Jackal | August 31, 02:39 CET

Aw, thanks. My pleasure! The real thanks should go to Alan for the great pics!

SaltyGoodness | August 31, 02:52 CET

WTF lmao.

Who the heck makes these, anyway? I could do a hell of a better job without even giving it much effort. Joss should sue.

Christopher | August 31, 03:12 CET

I have two complete individual season-sets of both BtVS and AtS (still in their shrinkwrap, *blush*), but I won't be buying the 1-7 set just for the documentary - I figure that, in a few years, when all of it is re-released onto BluRay (or HD-DVD) for our widescreens, we'll get even more extras, more commentary ... perhaps a restoration of the montage for "The Gift" to its rightful place, and Joss might even have the time (and clout) by then to "lay down the law" all the way down to the box art.

Ocular | August 31, 03:18 CET

More photos of the box set, with a pic of characters other than Spike and Angel! But unfortunately, they aren't on the outside.

electricspacegirl | August 31, 03:21 CET

Well, adam_tvs and esg posted the extra pictures link at the same time. I've added it to the thread description.

Unfortunately, it's no real improvement. It still looks naff.

SoddingNancyTribe | August 31, 03:23 CET

Thanks, esg. No Joyce, Anya or Tara? A series about female empowerment with pics of 5 men but only 3 women in the group shot?

jaynelovesvera | August 31, 03:27 CET

Also disappointed in this but kind of glad because I already own all 7 seasons and was tempted to buy this too. If it had looked absolutely fantastic I would've wanted it!! And I've said this in another post but I think the ultimate Buffy DVD box should be a crypt or a casket!!

Now, I think this should have had pictures of Buffy (of course, Willow, Giles and Xander. Buffy's picture could've been slightly bigger with Willow, Giles and Xander a bit in the background and a bit smaller or Buffy in the center of the other three and them all the same size. Then maybe photos of the remaining main people. I love Spike and Angel but neither was a regular cast member for the majority of the show (and yes I know ASH wasn't the whole time either but he was still a very important part of the initial group). Then on the inside of the box we could have pictures of the main characters with other significant characters - like Willow w/Tara, Buffy w/Joyce, Angel, Spike (or a shot of Spike & Dru) & Dawn etc.

It would be nice for those of us who already own all the seasons to be able to purchase separately a disc with the extra content on it. I know that is highly unlikely because that is part of the sales pitch to try and get people to re-buy everything but it would be nice for us fans to have that option.

But I do think the deal is a good one and even though the packaging leaves a lot to be desired we all know it still has that salty goodness insides and that's what really counts!

Firefly Flanatic | August 31, 03:29 CET

Was posting when the pictures of the interior were posted and am still disappointed. It looks too crowded with all those characters in that one shot. Still think it should've been Buffy in the foreground with Giles, Xander and Willow in the background because they were the core four.

Firefly Flanatic | August 31, 03:31 CET

Why are people wondering if this is widescreen? I'm sure it isn't. Joss has said many times that BtVS is square, he shot it square, and it will always be square (except for OMWF).

I heard that they letterboxed it in Europe, but this is a R1 release.

Willowy | August 31, 03:35 CET

I loved the widescreen epis. You get to see James' 'coverings' from certain episodes, and also you get to see a lot of things that weren't meant to be on screen, like technical set stuff. Funny!

Rogue Slayer | August 31, 03:45 CET

I think I'd be tempted to buy this more, if Fox changed just a few things...

-New menus: yes, some of the original menus were nice, but I'd like for the set to have matching menus.
-New transfers: at least for the first two seasons, where the original DVDs don't have particularly good transfers.
-New commentary: it'd be really nice if we could get more commentaries. Even commentaries on older episodes, by newer writers... (I'd love to hear the Ultimate Drew's comments on some of the older episodes)... and definitely some more Joss commentaries on pivitol episodes (Becoming, Graduation Day)

Then I'd be buying these without a doubt... right now, there's some doubt.

Knuckleball | August 31, 04:03 CET

i like the inside, especially the disc packaging, so that you dont have to fold out all the way to hell just to get to the sason premiere or season finale.

Only problem is that I can see these breaking very easily.

I've already sold my season 6 and season 4 in anticipation to save up to buy it, so I'll do it anyway.

Xander | August 31, 04:07 CET

Add my voice to the 'decidely underwhelmed' crowd. Really weak effort, there. Though, if you're so inclined to snap you up the brand spanking new set, how about considering donating your older, individual seasons to your local library, a la the folks at Whedonverse.org? Spread the Jossian Joy to whole cities at a time, while making room on your shelves for the inevitable commemorative edition DVDs of Serenity: the Trilogy...

barest_smidgen | August 31, 05:17 CET

HaHaHa! I like that idea barest_smidgen!!!

WheelsOfJoy | August 31, 05:54 CET

Once again, Riley gets no respect from the people in the Fox marketing department. And what did he ever do to them? Also, I notice a distinct lack of Dawn and Tara in that group photo. I'll let Joyce and Jenny Calendar go because they never really made the opening credits, but come on: that group photo is obviously a collage made up of a bunch of different promo shots. It can't be that hard to work everybody in there.

Jack Gladney | August 31, 05:55 CET

Actually, I think that's a season three cast photo, chopped up and a different Buffy thrown in the middle and a Spike in the back. Juding by where they placed the photo, I don't think they could've fit Riley on there... or Dawn... or Tara...

Knuckleball | August 31, 06:01 CET

Very weak art. My take on what I would have done, since everyone else is giving theirs:

Side #1: The Core Four (Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles)

Side #2: The Cavalry (Cordelia, Angel, Riley, Oz, Dawn, Spike, Anya, Tara, Joyce)

Side #3: The Villains (Master, Drusilla, Angelus, Mayor Wilkins, Adam, Glory, Warren, Dark Willow, Caleb, Ubie the Ubervamp, maybe with a shadowy picture of the First in the background)

Side #4: The Supporting Players (Take your pick, really. Faith, Jonathan, Andrew, Forrest, Graham, Darla, Wesley, Jenny Calendar, Harmony, the First Slayer, Robin Wood, D'Hoffryn, Amy Madison, a couple Potentials, other notable multi-episode characters...as well as some of the best-known minor characters, like a demon from Hush. Obviously, this side would be crowded.)

And on top, the ever-famous "B."

The bottom of this set, since I'm doing the artwork and it's my fantasy, would include a secret button that, when pressed, would actually transport the owner of the set to Sunnydale, California...where I'm sure he or she would last about five seconds.

[EDIT]: Except, of course, for SNT, who would survive due to his passionate and intimate relationship with the Slayer. Me, on the other hand...I'd be sliding down the gullet of Angelus before you could say "Peaches."

[ edited by BAFfler on 2005-08-31 04:22 ]

BAFfler | August 31, 06:11 CET

Where's the love for the other admin's and mod's of this site? SNT this and SNT that, I want some Simon this and Caroline that, etc. C'mon now! ;)

RIPWesley | August 31, 08:06 CET

SaltyGoodness - Yay! Somebody likes my new screen name! (Used to be plain ol' "Tamara.") Whee!

And that was an awesome link! Now I know what is meant by a "book" style DVD box.

adam_tvs - I agree 100%; it's definately a seaon 3 photo with a couple changes made. It wasn't even done that well! Hell, there are many fans who could have done a better job.

I wonder of the Letter from Joss is the same as the one in the R2 set.

Joss' bitch | August 31, 10:32 CET

Bearing in mind that we pay about double the price, I would hope that the R2 box would be prettier... ;)

Impossible | August 31, 13:51 CET

how about considering donating your older, individual seasons to your local library, a la the folks at Whedonverse.org?

I was thinking exactly this when trying to decide whether to shell out for it.

SNT this and SNT that, I want some Simon this and Caroline that, etc. C'mon now!

Stick around, I've personally tried to drag Simon and Caroline into things like this before and will again :) SNT's just the one whose been playing along the most lately :P

zeitgeist | August 31, 17:38 CET

I don't like the cover, as you said, everybody or just Buffy.
And I don´t like the box too, looks very uncomfortable.
I hope the Blu-Ray version improve this.

Veronica Mars fans managed to change the cover, we should do the same!

And don't bash your R1 sets.
I don't know how they're inside, but R2 covers are just lame. R1 had better covers.

[ edited by Angel TheVampire on 2005-09-01 00:04 ]

Angel TheVampire | September 01, 01:55 CET

August 30 2005