I shall make no apologies for my love of Ang Lee, the Ice Storm, or my excitement about this news. The existing disc is barely even adequate.

We are all missing the big picture here though. The Fox deal has been lying dormant for nearly two years (Young Mr. Lincoln in February of 2006 was the last title). The management of Fox's home video division has changed dramatically since the previous deal was inked. Hopefully, Criterion has signed up for at least a dozen more titles with them like last time. Bring on Bigger Than Life!

Isn't the fact the Fox (or Universal) is licensing these titles to Criterion in the first place proof that they have no interest in revisiting these titles themselves?

Also, your argument, no matter how humble, that some of these current titles "already exist" on DVD doesn't negate the fact that they are often in non-anamorphic or barebones releases with less than desirable print quality. It can't be denied that Criterion's "double dips" on these titles are significant improvements on the current releases that are more than justified.

I'm not sure what the complaint is here. We're talking about couple of modern titles in a year where Criterion has introduced Eclipse, and definitely released a good deal more "obscure", cult and otherwise cinephile geared titles. I don't think an Ice Storm here or a Bottle Rocket there is going to throw a massive wrench in the release cycle or their dedication to more "important" films and directors.

Not at all - Universal re-released Dazed and Confused themselves, but presumably realised that the same crowd that made Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Criterion's most successful release of all time would probably turn out for this one too.

Also, Fox didn't use to licence out titles they'd already released themselves - even better news.

Big whoop. So they're releasing a contemporary film. Why get your underwear in a bundle. If it means more money for more Ozu, Renoir, Godard, and movies I've never heard of, then I'm up for it. With the amount of obscure films, or some never released on DVD they release, compared to what more contemporary films they release, it's cool by me to release this. Hell, there motto says it's a series of contemporary films as well, no?

I've heard good things about this myself, but haven't gotten around to seeing it. I'll rent it soon to see what's it all about.

Anyone think this come from some new Fox deal which includes The Darjeeling Limited and other films? Here's hoping!

I think Dazed is a bit of an exception. Linklater stated that he was dissatisfied with Universal's special edition efforts, and they wouldn't let him do it the way he wanted. He used his clout to insist they let Criterion do it.


Good point. Fox has treated many of their classics to top-notch editions, but I'm sure that their are several others that could use a revisit.

This all just may come down to my lack-luster enthusiasm to any of the recent studio titles that Criterion's been working on. If I felt that any of them were just as important as the non-released Janus titles or non-released studio titles then maybe I would be more likely to agree with you guys. I can understand the financial necessities to release popular films to help finance the less popular, but the recent self-congratulatory tone of their blogs posts and their bizarre excitement for these certain "money-makers" annoys me as well.

Not to be the potential bearer of bad news, but couldn't this new deal only apply to Fox Searchlight titles? The Ice Storm and Darjeeling Ltd., the only two now even semi-known titles, are both from Searchlight...probably too early to call, but something to think about, regardless.
EDIT- That potentially puts a number of other titles in the running, though (none really need it, IMO, but knows...): Boys Don't Cry, Waking Life, The Dreamers, and...well, those are the only even somewhat likely candidates, to my mind: all others are too recent/successful/high profile/unnecessary to be possibilities: Sideways, Millions, Once, and THE HOLY FUCKING GRAIL....Little Miss Sunshine!!!!!

Yeah, that Waking Life DVD was so lackluster...commentaries, short films, deleted scenes... But they negelcted to include the full un-animated version of the flick. CRITERION SAVE US.

Waking Life would be a possibility given their interest in Linklater, but the current DVD is fine.

Not likely. Searchlight is just an interior company division. They don't have a distinct home video department capable of negotiating such deals.

Shouldn't we be happy just with The Ice Storm and The Darjeeling Limited? All the other good Fox Searchlight films have excellent editions already. do we need to be charged more for an extra edition of an already great DVD?

I'm certainly curious to see how this release turns out, but it'll need to be STACKED to get a whole lot of attention. Looking at DVD Beaver, the existing transfer looks good, and includes the basic features of a budget release. Moving over to Amazon, the current list price is about $10, but you can get it for well under $4 used. The book is still in print, and again costs $10 or so new. I'm sure you could even pick up the soundtrack WITH the book and the DVD, and you'd only then get close to approximating the Criterion price point.

I certainly have no trouble with contemporary films in the collection, and I really appreciate the diversity it brings out. That said, The Ice Storm doesn't have the same status that Dazed and Confused and Fear and Loathing do, and unless this includes Lee's early student films and maybe another feature along with a huge book, I don't know that this is going to do as well as everyone is assuming.

Fair enough: just speculation on my part, but I thought it feasible that, even considering Fox Searchlight is only an interior division, that this deal could still be strictly for Searchlight titles (though I'd be ecstatic to be wrong). And I'm with Dandy Fop: The Ice Storm and The Darjeeling Ltd. are the only existing titles in Searchlight's catalogue that I could imagine (or in any way want) Criterion handling.

I guess I'm probably the only one, then, carrying a torch for Oscar and Lucinda.

As I said, IMO as well there's no need for a CC Waking Life: I just mentioned it for the Linklater connection, even though I know it would be absolutely unnecessary. As the other titles I listed attest to (Little Miss Sunshine, Sideways, et al), I don't think that Searchlight has anything else worth Criterion's time (given already existing editions, the unlikeness of licensing, etc).

I noticed Oscar and Lucinda in perusing Searchlight's titles: I suppose it's a possibility, but I just can't see it unless they really, really badly want to work with Gillian Armstrong (which is entirely possible- same goes for the cast). Always wanted to see it...caught a glimpse of the very end on TV one time and it has stuck with me ever since (though context could ruin that, I suppose).

And is also found under $5 on many online sites.

so is Days of Heaven, but that didn't stop them.

The cheapie Days of Heaven disc wasn't stacked to the gills the way the Waking Life DVD is.

guys, let's quit the petty arguing and conjecture and all agree that Criterion will release every movie

I'm sorry I speculated about the possibility of a CC Waking Life in the first place...I guess context (i.e. pointing out the uselessness of such a release in the original posting) isn't everything. It was foolish of me to put so many other possibilities out there so broadly, but I meant it more to evoke other speculation, as opposed to breeding argument and relative contempt.

Some of you must have lost sleep when they put out The Rock.

Bertolucci's "La Luna" and Altman's "H*E*A*L*T*H" would be great acquisitions for Criterion

Not really. Criterion didn't have such an obnoxious following back then.