Criterion New Year's Doodle 2019

[Pepsi]

Does the tree itself signify something?

Nuri Bilge Ceylan: The Wild Pear Tree ?

[bertrampotts]

In regards to Spike Lee, I find it interesting that Kino isn't doing a release of 25th Hour, even though they are releasing Summer of Sam; after all, Disney actually released both of these on Blu-ray already. So why would Kino pass on one and not the other? When was the last non-Anderson Disney owned film added to the Criterion Collection?

Summer of Sam was previously released on Region A Blu-Ray??

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

Does the tree itself signify something?

Nuri Bilge Ceylan: The Wild Pear Tree ?

Cinema Guild has that for the U.S.

[domino harvey]

In regards to Spike Lee, I find it interesting that Kino isn't doing a release of 25th Hour, even though they are releasing Summer of Sam; after all, Disney actually released both of these on Blu-ray already. So why would Kino pass on one and not the other? When was the last non-Anderson Disney owned film added to the Criterion Collection?

Summer of Sam was previously released on Region A Blu-Ray??

Yes, as a double feature with Miracle at St Anna

[What A Disgrace]

I doubt Criterion can do At Eternity's Gate since CBS Films has a distribution deal with Lionsgate. (Inside Llweyn Davis wasn't affected as the deal only applies to post-2014 titles.)

"Criterion is probably not releasing a Julian Schnabel movie" is the best thing to come out of this newsletter clue.

[CSM126]

Does the tree going past the edge of the sky mean anything? Just noticed it and now it’s bugging me.

[J M Powell]

tree with alive owl and alive worm in it and "s" balloon = Tree of Life re-upgrade with "s"eventeen newly discovered versions of the film

[Noiradelic]

Of course Criterion would leap at the chance to put out Citizen Kane however many extras the current edition has. But I don't see WB parting with it yet. Criterion just released Ambersons, and Kane's a whole different magnitude of fame.

[Drucker]

To me, once they released Strangelove, in an identical variation on an existing release, it showed anything could be on the table. I get that Warners is a different, probably tougher studio, but Criterion already has plenty of extras ready to go. I think it's very possible.

[Minkin]

My S/O finally took a gander at the New Year's Clue and deduced the following:

The S balloon must be filled with Helium. Helium's abbreviation = He. S + He = She with Ursula Andress / or the Merian C. Cooper film!

I know it has to be The Heiress, but I like the above far better.
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As to the mystery of the Tree and some of the other drawing's riddles; I'll just declare that every guess is currently correct, but whichever film gets announced that has an obvious relatable tree / 19 stars / board game in it .... whoever guessed that film will be the winner and receive a hearty hand-clasp. I'll put in my ticket for Quince Tree Sun.
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And finally, I think I might have the answer for the clock face:

Janus owned - Nine Days of One Year (1962) - Mikhail Romm

This makes sense - as a previous clock face used the time to hint at 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days.

[artfilmfan]

And finally, I think I might have the answer for the clock face:

Janus owned - Nine Days of One Year (1962) - Mikhail Romm

This makes sense - as a previous clock face used the time to hint at 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days.

Here's hoping that it's the correct answer. It's a wonderful film. I have the RUSCICO DVD, but would be happy to upgrade to Blu-ray.

[DeprongMori]

Interesting that The Heiress (1947), an adaptation of Henry James’ Washington Square by William Wyler, should enter the collection the same year as Agnieszka Holland (for Europa, Europa), as she also did an adaptation of Washington Square, fifty years after Wyler, in 1997.

Coincidence, or are we potentially looking at another multi-take box like The Killers or The Lower Depths?

[KJones77]

Interesting that The Heiress (1947), an adaptation of Henry James’ Washington Square by William Wyler, should enter the collection the same year as Agnieszka Holland (for Europa, Europa), as she also did an adaptation of Washington Square, fifty years after Wyler, in 1997.

Coincidence, or are we potentially looking at another multi-take box like The Killers or The Lower Depths?

Coincidence. Washington Square just came out three days ago from Kino Lorber.

[FrauBlucher]

Of course Criterion would leap at the chance to put out Citizen Kane however many extras the current edition has. But I don't see WB parting with it yet. Criterion just released Ambersons, and Kane's a whole different magnitude of fame.

Why? I don't think you can use the logic from 5,10,15 years back. Plus, I think fame is exactly the reason WB will license to Criterion.

This makes the most sense to me about the current state in regards to Kane....

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Criterion got both Citizen Kane and King Kong '33 licensed from WB at some point, though I don't see this clue having any solid hint toward either aside from the sled being a double clue for Bamboozled and CK. But here's my logic - as RKO films, WB has more limited worldwide rights to these two films than other catalog titles. They've already done the best Blu-ray releases they could probably muster, and aside from a 4K release for each I don't see WB returning to them again. Right now WB isn't exactly rushing to put 70+ year-old black and white films on UHD, either, especially ones they do not hold world rights to. So, in my view, this all adds up to Criterion getting the chance to be the final say on a Blu-ray release for these classic Laserdisc titles, if not in 2019 then perhaps in 2020. All total guesswork, of course.

[Morbii]

Regarding the tree: are we sure it’s not just a prop, like the chairs?

[Roscoe]

Regarding the tree: are we sure it’s not just a prop, like the chairs?

Maybe, but it's such a prominent tree, it takes up a lot of space in the image and doesn't really do much beside hold up the owl/worm and the swing for the clock.

[Morbii]

The sled, too.

All of which accounts for at least 4 clues, and all of which couldn’t hurt from being on a tree.

I’m just spitballin’...

[Omensetter]

The time has to swing from something in order to give us Swing Time. It's probably just a tree.

We'll find out soon, I'm sure; last year, all of April's titles came from New Year drawing, four of May's, two of June's, with Empress and Tree of Life finishing off the summer.

[Buttery Jeb]

So I showed the doodle to a friend who was pretty well versed in Criterion releases. He mentioned that the angel looked a lot like Meryl Streep, and thought the clue might be for Albert Brooks’ Defending Your Life.

Just throwing that out there.

[Rayon Vert]

He mentioned that the angel looked a lot like Meryl Streep

Angels in America?

[Never Cursed]

She isn't the Angel though, and that isn't really what Emma Thompson looks like in the series if I recall

[Dansu Dansu Dansu]

I personally thought the angel looked a bit like Faye Dunaway with those cheekbones. Other than some amusing coincidences on IMDb, though, I can’t think of a match. Probably just a generic angel.

Now for a less reasonable thought. I wasn’t going to post this, but since I’m already typing and the tree is still being discussed: what if the owl and the worm are individual clues as well as a joint one? Hedwig is magical, and owl feathers are sometimes referred to as flutes, so, The Magic Flute. The worm is on a tree, which gives us Wormwood. I know it’s unlikely being Netflix and all, but Morris is obviously a Criterion favorite. Further down the warren, “Snowy Owl” is the name of CIA hacking software, Hedwig is a Snowy Owl, and just look at how that CIA owl is eyeing his precariously placed victim.

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

I personally thought the angel looked a bit like Faye Dunaway with those cheekbones. Other than some amusing coincidences on IMDb, though, I can’t think of a match. Probably just a generic angel.

Why won't anyone listen, It's Cate Blanchett with a ring above her head. Do I have to draw a picture for you fucking people??

[aox]

There are trees in Fishing With John. I'm really excited for this upgrade.

[mteller]

owl feathers are sometimes referred to as flutes

Welp, I think we've hit a new low.