2018 New Years Drawing

[Bressonaire]

They are shooting a film in the water. Could the guy on the raft be Woody Allen?

I have to say that the drawing of the guy in the boat looks to me like Woody Allen too. There was a new restoration of Annie Hall that recently came out, but I can't see the clue as being for any particular film. However, I wonder if the three dots in the balloon signify "Fill in the blank." Is it possible Criterion has struck a deal to release some of Allen's films?

[CSM126]

If MGM wouldn’t let Arrow produce their own Annie Hall disc, I doubt they’d let Criterion do it. Also, if you’re willing to pay Criterion prices for discs that would, inevitably, have zero special features you might as well buy Twilight Time’s Allen releases.

[domino harvey]

Well, Annie Hall is on Filmstruck right now

[Ishmael]

And Annie Hall used to be a Criterion laserdisc, so it's something they'd most likely want to release again if they could.

[Roscoe]

Nice about SCARLET EMPRESS -- I was hoping against hope it was some kind of reference to INHERENT VICE.

[KJones77]

If The Thin Man, The Awful Truth, and Bringing Up Baby, are correct guesses, could a Skippy the Dog box-set be around the corner? /s

(I'd 100% buy it though)

[Ribs]

The clue isn't for a Criterion release - it's just titles streaming from Filmtruck. It's not Woody Allen.

I expect that Arrow are the likely home for the 4K Manhattan and Annie Hall restorations (in both the UK and US), probably bundled together as an LE with a 150-page book or something like that. Considering signs are good that Criterion let Take the Money and Run lapse, they seem to just not really have much idea what to do with Allen's restrictions whereas Arrow have established a formula Allen's apparently happy with.

[FrauBlucher]

I do think the vice in itself is a clue.

[FrauBlucher]

Skeleton could be Dead Man?

I think it symbolizes the death of physical media.

Thank you Nick Redman

[swo17]

And Annie Hall used to be a Criterion laserdisc, so it's something they'd most likely want to release again if they could.

Did it have any extras?

[Luke M]

Tree of Life possibly The Fountain?

[CSM126]

The mirrored design of the tree reminded me of the poster for Tideland, but somehow I don’t see Criterion releasing that, no matter how much they like Terry Gilliam.

[Bressonaire]

If MGM wouldn’t let Arrow produce their own Annie Hall disc, I doubt they’d let Criterion do it. Also, if you’re willing to pay Criterion prices for discs that would, inevitably, have zero special features you might as well buy Twilight Time’s Allen releases.

I don't know the history of when the Twilight Time releases came out, but people change their minds. Allen turned 82 on Dec. 1, and he is surely thinking about his legacy. Moreover, his name has recently been dragged into the sexual harassment scandals (somewhat unfairly, I think: friends here in New York who have worked on his films say that when Soon-yi visited the set it was clear that she wields the power in that relationship; the issues of his children are more complicated, but there's reason for suspicion there too). Either he or his wife may now look favorably on a deal with Criterion for sterling editions of his best work. Even if he doesn't participate himself, he may be willing to encourage others do so.

[Morbii]

Tree of Life possibly The Fountain?

It reminded me of The Fountain too, but I thought Tree of Life has been a certainty for like a year now, no?

[Calvin]

If MGM wouldn’t let Arrow produce their own Annie Hall disc, I doubt they’d let Criterion do it. Also, if you’re willing to pay Criterion prices for discs that would, inevitably, have zero special features you might as well buy Twilight Time’s Allen releases.

I don't know the history of when the Twilight Time releases came out, but people change their minds. Allen turned 82 on Dec. 1, and he is surely thinking about his legacy. Moreover, his name has recently been dragged into the sexual harassment scandals (somewhat unfairly, I think: friends here in New York who have worked on his films say that when Soon-yi visited the set it was clear that she wields the power in that relationship; the issues of his children are more complicated, but there's reason for suspicion there too). Either he or his wife may now look favorably on a deal with Criterion for sterling editions of his best work. Even if he doesn't participate himself, he may be willing to encourage others do so.

The Arrow releases just came out over the past 15 months, and Allen had to approve everything. He wouldn't allow any extras, other than written content that I believe he also had to approve.

I expect that Arrow are the likely home for the 4K Manhattan and Annie Hall restorations (in both the UK and US), probably bundled together as an LE with a 150-page book or something like that. Considering signs are good that Criterion let Take the Money and Run lapse, they seem to just not really have much idea what to do with Allen's restrictions whereas Arrow have established a formula Allen's apparently happy with.

Both of the restorations were already done by the time Arrow's box sets were released, weren't they? I'd be happy to be wrong, but MGM not allowing Arrow to press their own discs of Annie Hall and Manhattan only makes sense if either they were planning to release the restorations themselves (unlikely) or if they'd licensed the restorations exclusively to another third party i.e. Criterion.

[Ribs]

The Annie Hall restoration has only just went into release. We know from Kino that someone outbid them for the two restorations as a set, which suggests to me that means it happened earlier this year given the Annie Hall restoration not being done yet. Giving two new restorations their own release is a vastly different thing then making it a LE exclusive thrown into a box, considering that Arrow was allowed to do that for The Apartment and Fish Called Wanda. It’s a little weird to do it again so relatively soon after the boxes, but I think almost every individual facet suggests Arrow as a more likely home than Criterion for these titles.

[dwk]

Since the river is all an ad for FilmStruck, I assume the man in the raft is John Pierson

[kcota17]

They are shooting a film in the water. Could the guy on the raft be Woody Allen?

I have to say that the drawing of the guy in the boat looks to me like Woody Allen too. There was a new restoration of Annie Hall that recently came out, but I can't see the clue as being for any particular film. However, I wonder if the three dots in the balloon signify "Fill in the blank." Is it possible Criterion has struck a deal to release some of Allen's films?

It’s a guy thinking “what to watch?”

[Ishmael]

And Annie Hall used to be a Criterion laserdisc, so it's something they'd most likely want to release again if they could.

Did it have any extras?

Nope, just an essay on the back of the jacket.

[ptatler]

I'm going to be a jerk and point out that the skeleton is very simian looking. Or it was just a rush job on the part of the artist.

I'll add to the "bummed about the Film(s)truck/streaming clue" chorus. Seems especially pointless since none of what it's alluding to is new for 2018. I'd be more excited if there was some clue hinting at a return to dual format.

Complaining aside, I'd be psyched if LANCELOT DU LAC or EL SUR arrive in 2018.

[zedz]

The Annie Hall restoration has only just went into release. We know from Kino that someone outbid them for the two restorations as a set, which suggests to me that means it happened earlier this year given the Annie Hall restoration not being done yet. Giving two new restorations their own release is a vastly different thing then making it a LE exclusive thrown into a box, considering that Arrow was allowed to do that for The Apartment and Fish Called Wanda. It’s a little weird to do it again so relatively soon after the boxes, but I think almost every individual facet suggests Arrow as a more likely home than Criterion for these titles.

I am not Woody Allen, but maybe Criterion could bend the no extras rule by packaging the films with a separate disc of films about Allen, such as Barbara Kopple’s documentary and Godard’s Meeting WA?

[knives]

The Godard has to be an extra for King Lear, no?

[swo17]

I'll add to the "bummed about the Film(s)truck/streaming clue" chorus. Seems especially pointless since none of what it's alluding to is new for 2018. I'd be more excited if there was some clue hinting at a return to dual format.

Why Won't Criterion Draw Hints Like I Want?

[zedz]

The Godard has to be an extra for King Lear, no?

Only if Criterion eventually releases it.

[Swift]

They are shooting a film in the water. Could the guy on the raft be Woody Allen?

I have to say that the drawing of the guy in the boat looks to me like Woody Allen too. There was a new restoration of Annie Hall that recently came out, but I can't see the clue as being for any particular film. However, I wonder if the three dots in the balloon signify "Fill in the blank." Is it possible Criterion has struck a deal to release some of Allen's films?

It’s a guy thinking “what to watch?”

The three dots representing his kevyip.