Slipcovers have always been an important thing to a collector who wants a complete blu-ray. Some blus don't come with that and some come with really nice ones. Here are some of my favorites from 2017.
976-Evil (1989)
Here is a release that came out of nowhere. With Sony licensing a lot of their catalog titles to companies like Twilight Time and Mill Creek, it was interesting that they would hang onto this film to release just in time for Halloween. The slip is designed to look like the VHS did back in the day, down to the Columbia Pictures Home Video logo at the bottom. While the film isn't all that great, the slip definitely is.
Ghost in the Shell (2017) (Target Exclusive)
While many found this live-action adaptation of the popular manga and anime series, I loved the film. I found it to be visually stunning and a fun watch. This Target exclusive not only contains the bonus disc that the sticker on the front of the packaging describes, but this is an exclusive slip as well. This slip is based on the film's theatrical poster and is a very attractive slip with the letters on the front being raised up a bit. The slip is also shiny as well.
Heat (1995)
Heat is one of my all-time favorite films and I was excited when this was released earlier in the year. While the remastering of the picture and the new special features are all great, it is this slip that looks great. I like slips that don't jump and announce that they are here and this slip does just that. I love the darkness of the slip with just L.A. down at the bottom. Give me a slip like this over a "floating heads" slip any day of the week.
Rawhead Rex (1986)
No one would have ever guessed that 2017 would be the year that someone released Rawhead Rex onto blu-ray. The film, which is a mediocre monster movie at best, is not a film that is loved, or even liked, by many. I bought the film because I am a Clive Barker completist and don't regret the purchase one bit. I love this slip box from Kino Lorber. It tells you way more about what you are getting into than the film's theatrical poster did. The slip box just looks really nice next to other blu-rays. It has an authority to it that not many slips nor covers can ever have.
Shin Godzilla (2016)
Shin Godzilla was one of my very favorite films from 2016 and it roared onto blu-ray with this beauty of a slip. The blackness of not only Godzilla but also the rest of the packaging is amazing. Godzilla himself is even raised to give you some extra added goodness to this slip. I wish that Funimation had put as much thought into the special features as they did with this slip. Had they, this would have been a contender for Blu-ray of the Year. It gets on the list for Slip of the Year, but it could have had both.
Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
Scream Factory commissions out great outwork and this is no exception. Artist Joel Robinson has done a fantastic job of capturing the spirit of the film as well as telling a potential buyer all they need to know about the film. The colors used on this slip are just beautiful and the level of detail is just amazing. I wish that I had gotten the Limited Edition version that came with the poster and the NECA figure of Billy. Oh well, at least the slip is great.
Slaughter High (1986)
I find that the Vestron Collector's Series is an overblown mess of a line that has only had 12 releases in the past two years. This line is produced by Lionsgate, who is one of the biggest film companies out there and they can't keep up the pace with the smaller companies like Scream Factory or Arrow Video who release at least four blu-rays a month, yet they have money to burn. I could get in deeper with my dislike over how this line is handled, but we are here to talk about slips. I will say that Vestron at least gives us quality slips. If the film is a single release then we get the film's theatrical poster, which is fine by me as the poster is the best thing about the film. Their slips are also foil based so they are shiny and stand out from the crowd. Now if only they could do a regular release schedule and lower the prices on their releases as well.
Slither (2006)
This Justin Osbourn artwork is one of the best that Scream Factory released this year. The artwork gives us a glimpse at some of the very best scenes from the film and does so with a confidence that few artists have. I am not usually one for the "floating heads" artwork, but there is something about this piece that draws me in. I don't know. Maybe it could be the fact that it stands out from the other commissioned artwork pieces that have seen the light of day in 2017 or the fact that it is just a beautiful piece. I don't know, but I do love it.
Tales from the Hood (1995)
You have no idea how excited I was when this blu-ray was announced. I couldn't believe that I would be able to own a beautiful copy of this incredibly underrated horror anthology on blu-ray. I got even more excited when I saw the commissioned artwork that had been done for the release. Holy shit is that gorgeous! Joel Robinson, who created the artwork, was seen a bit eariler on this list for his work on Silent Night, Deadly Night and I have to say that the man is batting 1000. I haven't seen a piece of artwork that he has done that I didn't love. He captures the spirit of the film here and this would make a great piece to hang on the wall.
Warlock Collection (1991-1999)
Steven Morris, an artist I am not familiar with, did this artwork and I love it. I did not love it, or even like it, at first. I thought that the artwork was too cluttered and busy. Over time I grew to love it and see what Morris was doing with this piece. I do think that this is the best cover art that Vestron Video has done to date and hope that they commission Morris to do more for them in the future.
So there are my favorite slipcovers of 2017. I am sure that 2018 will bring us some really great covers and we can talk about them around this time next year.
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