James Bond
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 1962 | 110 min | Rated PG | Region A (locked) | Oct 21, 2008
In the film that launched the James Bond saga, Agent 007 (Sean Connery) battles the mysterious Dr. No, a
scientific genius bent on destroying the U.S. space program. As the countdown to disaster begins, Bond must
travel to...
James Bond
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 1963 | 110 min | Rated G | Region A (locked) | Oct 21, 2008
Secret agent James Bond battles the all-enveloping tentacles of an international
crime syndicate called SPECTRE. The organization's mad plan for world supremacy
unfolds with the icy efficiency of a chessmaster's complex...
James Bond
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 1965 | 130 min | Rated G | Region A (locked) | Oct 21, 2008
In a bold and deadly scheme, the evil SPECTRE organization hijacks a NATO plane and seizes two atomic
warheads, each capable of killing millions of innocent people. As the world is held hostage by the threat of a
nuclear...
James Bond
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 1973 | 121 min | Rated PG | Region A (locked) | Oct 21, 2008
James Bond battles the forces of black magic in this high-octane adventure that hurtles him from the streets of
New York City to Louisiana's bayou country. With charm, wit and deadly assurance, Roger Moore steps in as
Agent...
James Bond
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 1981 | 127 min | Rated PG | Region A (locked) | Oct 21, 2008
Roger Moore makes his fifth appearance as 007 in this, the twelfth Bond film. In this outing, the renowned
British double agent must locate a weapons system known as ATAC, which controls Great Britain's submarines,
after it...
James Bond
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 2002 | 133 min | Rated PG-13 | Region A (locked) | Oct 21, 2008
When his top-secret mission is sabotaged, James Bond finds himself captured by the enemy,
abandoned by M16 and stripped of his 00-license. Determined to get revenge, Bond goes head-to-head with a
sultry spy, a frosty agent...
Does a more iconic film character than James Bond exist? The well dressed, well mannered
womanizing martini drinker has spawned more sequels than an other film franchise in history; his
popularity is greater today than it was in the early 1960s when Dr. No signaled Bond's
arrival into popular film culture. I recently read an article that mentioned that James Bond and his
code name 007 have a 97% world-wide awareness among consumers. That's a pretty startling
statistic that would have most corporations salivating in envy. Considering the character's humble
origins as the subject of a series of pulp novels from English writer Sir Ian Fleming, Bond seems to
appeal to men, regardless of nationality, and women, in spite of his philandering ways. As Britain's
most famous export, Bond serves as the United Kingdom's ambassador to film. On the eve of the
Blu-ray release of Quantum of Solace as well as the second wave of Bond classics, there's
no time like the present to review Bond's initial releases on Blu-ray. Featuring Dr. No,
Live and Let Die, Die Another Day, For Your Eyes Only, From Russia
with Love and Thunderball this collection serves as the perfect introduction to the
world's most famous spy, while giving Bond fans an amazing opportunity to see 007 in the
unprecedented beauty of Blu-ray.
Dr. No:
When a British MI6 signal station in Jamaica goes silent, Her Majesty's Secret Service
deploys James Bond (Sean Connery) to investigate the problem. Bond arrives in Jamaica to
discover a complete infiltration of English intelligence networks by a ring of unknown agents.
He'll team up with American CIA agent Felix Leiter (Jack Lord) and a host of Jamaican
operatives to investigate the problem and uncover the mysteries of Crab Key - - an island
off the coast that is shrouded in secrecy. Crab Key is the home base of the evil Dr. No
(Joseph Wiseman), a deranged scientist with a nefarious plan to crash US rockets. Once
Bond infiltrates Crab Key, he'll encounter the beautiful Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) who
has her own score to settle with Dr. No.
Dr. No is a tremendously entertaining film. You can watch in it a variety of ways: as
a throwback to the 60s spy genre, as the genesis for James Bond on film and as a cultural
snapshot of the sexism and freewheeling attitude of the early 60s. Bond is the ultimate
man's man. He kills the bad guys with suave efficiency, woos the ladies with ease and
manages to redefine cool in just about every scene. The James Bond of the films is a bit of
a different animal that that of the original books. It's in this sense that Sean Connery made
his portrayal so iconic. Connery embodies the very essence of James Bond's cool character.
His millionaire tastes in clothing, automobiles and food and drink defined the swinging
sixties' ideal that matched the world written about in Playboy magazine each month. While
some might find this attitude archaic, it still succeeds in fulfilling just about every male
fantasy imaginable.
Those entering the world of Dr. No as first time Bond viewers should be forewarned
that the action contained within is nothing like what we experience in modern day cinema.
The film might even come across as a little cheesy. It's easy to chuckle at the projected
backgrounds in all the driving scenes, the silly special effects featuring giant fish and the
overly choreographed fight scenes. For me, it all just adds to the charm of the picture.
Dr. No is all about style and character. Bond's witty one-liners are fantastic and his
interactions with the women in the film are akin to him being their knight in shining armor.
When he isn't killing them, of course. Dr. No is also the rare Bond entry in that the
entire film is extremely playful. Even the inclusion of a reggae version of "Three Blind Mice"
on the film's soundtrack adds to the cheerful tone. In watching Dr. No on Blu-ray, I
was reminded that the film is pure cheeseball enjoyment. I don't think I stopped smiling
during the entire movie. Bond fans rejoice!
Live and Let Die
When James Bond is dispatched to the United States to investigate the deaths of three MI6
agents, he encounters a shadowy underground figure by the name of Mr. Big (Yaphet
Kotto). Big has a mysterious connection to Dr. Kananga, the dictator of a small Caribbean
island and the subject of the dead MI6 agents' investigation. Bond will, again, work with his
CIA counterpart, Felix Leiter (David Hedison) as he traverses the unfamiliar American
landscape. A lucky encounter with psychic tarot card reader, Solitaire (Jane Seymour),
emboldens Bond's quest to foil Kananga's diabolical scheme to distribute tons of Heroin
around the world. Kananga's ruthless henchmen, Tee Hee Johnson (Julius Harris) and
voodoo doctor Baron Samedi (Geoffrey Holder), on the other hand, have other plans for
Bond.
Live and Let Die was the first of the Bond films that focused on more common
criminals and less on world domination. It's a throwaway episode that remains enjoyable in
its execution, but never achieves the grandeur of Mr. Connery's previous efforts. 1973 was
the height of the Blaxploitation era and Live and Let Die revels, from beginning to
end, in its nuances. Bond has always been a symbol of the times -- a sexist alpha male
during the Connery era, a rouge who was at odds with political correctness during the
Pierce Brosnan years and an unaffected and brutal killing machine in the series' latest
incarnation with Daniel Craig. Unfortunately for Moore, he's the Bond who wore leisure
suits, battled killer pimps and fought off voodoo attacks. It's all pretty silly, of course, and
Moore tackles the roll with a smirk and a sly sense of absurdity. His sense of the Bond
character seems to reside in an overwhelming devil may care attitude. Moore's Bond has
always struck me as being lighthearted with a reluctant propensity for violence, whereas
Connery's Bond was a serious man with a quick wit who had no qualms about killing. There
are as many opinions as to what makes the best Bond as there are Bond fans. I was
raised on the Roger Moore films, so I do have fond memories of seeing them whilst growing
up. However, in the shadow of what Connery and Craig have achieved, Live and Let
Die is just a little on the soft side.
Live and Let Die does have its positives, however. Paul McCartney's exceptional title
song is one of the best in the history of the franchise. George "The Fifth Beatle" Martin
builds on themes from McCartney's opener and crafts a suspenseful and rollicking score. It's
a fantastic 1 - 2 punch and is amongst the best Bond musical experiences in the series.
Jane Seymour's Solitaire ranks as one of the most beautiful and sympathetic Bond girls of all
time while Geoffrey Holder's Baron Samedi is effectively creepy. Live and Let Die
has a lot of excellent parts that just happen to add up to a mediocre Bond adventure.
Live and Let Die will, no doubt, be enjoyed as a throwback by Bond fans. It's the
newcomers to the series that will be left wondering.
Die Another Day
Die Another Day begins with James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) being held captive by the
North Korean army after a "spectacular" hovercraft chase. It seems Bond was captured
investigating a diabolical Korean terrorist organization. Once Bond is conveniently freed, he
goes on yet another revenge mission as he attempts to find a link between the
aforementioned terrorists and the smuggling of African "Conflict Diamonds." He'll eventually
cross paths with American operative Jinx (Halle Berry) and find comfort in the arms of British
agent Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike). Bond can't get too comfortable, however, as evil
terrorist and puppy hater Colonel Moon (Will Yun Lee) has disguised himself as British
billionaire Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens) and threatens to destroy the world with a horrific
space weapon. Yes, Folks, giant frinkin' space lasers.
This movie makes me mad. James Bond has been morphed from a suave secret agent into
some sort of Arnold Schwarzenegger nightmare-machine who exists to exact revenge and
kill everything in site. The action sequences are ludicrous: Bond races hovercraft, races his
Aston Martin on a sheet of ice, dodges laser fire from a satellite, the list goes on. The
gadgets are unbelievably idiotic. Invisible Aston Martin? Really? Are we really making
James Bond into science fiction now? Is that what the audience craves? Moonraker
was bad enough, do we really need this? To add insult to injury, Halle Berry is downright
terrible in the film. She plays an action scene as though she is mimicking someone in the
distance who is trying to help her move more effectively. She looks extremely awkward as
she stumbles her way through action choreography and generally has a confused look on
her face throughout the film.
Don't try to find any semblance of a plot in Die Another Day because you'll exhaust
yourself looking for it. The film exists as a framework for the many, many action sequences.
The climax of the film, which takes place on a military transport plane that is caught in a
laser blast from space, ranks as one of the most elaborate and ridiculous Bond set pieces in
the history of the franchise. The one casualty of this idiotic movie turned out to be Pierce
Brosnan. He did nothing wrong other than starring in a bad movie and he was rewarded by
Eon productions by firing him from the role and launching a search for his eventual
replacement. It was a classless thing to do and Brosnan didn't deserve it. It's a shame
that the last Bond film he'll be remembered for is this mess of a movie. Brosnan was well on
his way to becoming the definitive James Bond. Fortunately, there are several other
films that came before Die Another Day that are a much more fitting testament to
his great work as James Bond.
For Your Eyes Only
For Your Eyes Only begins by quickly cutting ties with past Bond adventures and moving
the character into a new direction. Notorious SPECTRE mastermind, Blofeld (John Hollis), makes
an ill-fated attempt on Bond's (Roger Moore) life, only to find himself at the bottom of a
smokestack. This short prologue sets into motion a very different Bond tale; one of international
espionage and revenge, that focuses more on personal vendettas against the backdrop of nuclear
calamity. Bond is tasked with locating a missing piece of British naval hardware called the
Automatic Targeting Attack Communicator, known as ATAC. It's been pilfered by a rival nation
and can be used to launch the Royal Navy's submarine-based nuclear missiles. Bond encounters
a young woman called Melina Havelock (Carole Bouquet) on his quest to recover the missing
system; her father having been killed while helping retrieve the ATAC, she has vowed to hunt
down and kill those responsible for his death. Together, Melina and Bond will scour the globe,
landing in Greece, Italy and the Bahamas, before coming face to face with the men responsible
for stealing ATAC and killing Melina's father.
There's no doubt that For Your Eyes Only has a much different tone than Roger Moore's
previous Bond films. He's less campy and much more serious in this go-round; there are fewer
one-liners, the film remains serious and decidedly dark. Unfortunately, Mr. Moore's less physical
presence in the role keeps him from maintaining a convincingly menacing presence; he doesn't
seem capable of being a foreboding, scary Bond. Melina's story is compelling; her quest to find
revenge is a rewarding counterpoint to Bond's more dutiful role. She breathes a much-needed
sympathetic element into the plot. Just about everything in the film works, with the exception of
Moore. One can't fault the guy for trying, though.
For Your Eyes Only is one of those films that is easy to enjoy, while managing to
disappoint. There are quite a few impressive scenes, to be sure. Many of the underwater
sequences are expertly filmed and effective, there are several exciting car chases, a nifty
snowmobile chase is always entertaining and Bond drives a kick-ass Lotus. Most of the
performances are passable and the film moves in the right direction by showing a more brutal
Bond who is unafraid to get his hands dirty. If the film's producers had continued this course, the
Bond franchise might have avoided some of the later, unfortunate Moore films, the dark and
boring Timothy Dalton years and, perhaps, might have made a faster recovery. As it stands,
For Your Eyes Only serves as an example as a move in the right direction that wasn't
quite executed as well as it could have been.
So, can I recommend For Your Eyes Only? Sure, why not; it's easily one of the best of
Roger Moore's films in the series. Is is a great Bond movie in the tradition of Goldfinger
and Casino Royale? Not a chance. Either way, For Your Eyes Only serves as an
interesting diversion in an otherwise sad time for the franchise.
From Russia with Love
The second James Bond filmed adventure finds everyone's favorite gentleman spy on a
mission to retrieve a top-secret Soviet decoding machine known as the LEKTOR. Bond
(Sean Connery) travels to Istanbul to intercept a defecting Soviet agent who possesses the
device. Little does Bond know that SPECTRE, the menacing terrorist organization hinted at
in Dr. No, has set a trap for him; they intend to exact their revenge for Bond's
involvement with the death of their comrade in arms, Dr. No. Bond will dodge SPECTRE's
assassination attempts at every turn while outwitting Russian agents, seducing the ladies
and meeting new foes with some devilishly dangerous footwear. By boat, train and plane,
Bond will take on the forces of destruction and chaos in a race across Europe, keeping the
LEKTOR out of the hands of SPECTRE.
After the relatively confined Caribbean locale of Dr. No, From Russia With
Love serves as more of a travel-log, jet-set Bond adventure. The film feels more exotic
and dangerous; Bond visits locations that must have been seldom seen in films from the
60s, giving the film a more thrilling and mysterious flavor. It's the perfect paranoid
adventure for the height of the Cold War, while still delivering Soviet characters who
manage to come across as sympathetic compared to the diabolical craziness of SPECTRE's
cadre of baddies. In From Russia With Love, we are finally introduced to the
SPECTRE organization; their leader Blofeld (Anthony Dawson), assassin Rosa Klebb (Lotte
Lenya) and the ruthless Red Grant (Robert Shaw) all amp up the villainy with their dreams of
world domination. By contrast, Bond's major love interest in the film is Russian; Daniela
Bianci's Tatiana Romanova proves to be a first rate Bond girl.
There are many notable firsts in From Russia With Love. Desmond Llewelyn makes
his first appearance as "Q" - - he'd appear in every subsequent Bond film until his death in
1999. Along with "Q" came a ton of new gadgets, including a pager, bug detector and a car
phone. Bernard Lee returns as "M", Bond's boss and the head of MI6, while the ever-
present Lois Maxwell reprises her role as Miss Moneypenny; a role she'd continue well into
the next decade. Of course, the real draw still lies with Sean Connery; he's a little more
confident as James Bond in his second outing, while still exuding a fresh excitement for the
role. From Russia With Love is his movie and he enjoys every second of it.
Perhaps the best reason to enjoy From Russia With Love all over again, aside from
Connery's great performance, comes from the inclusion of one of the series' best villains.
The amazing Robert Shaw steals every scene he occupies as Red Grant. He's Bond's first
real nemesis to appear in the films and he serves as an excellent, evil counterpoint to the
witty British agent. While From Russia With Love isn't my absolute favorite of the
Bond films, it comes pretty darn close. It's a must buy addition to any Bond fan's collection,
as well as a film that every budding Bond fan should own. From Russia With Love is
a true classic that is highly recommended.
Thunderball:
When Emilo Largo (Adolfo Celi), a nefarious agent of SPECTRE, hatches a diabolical plan to
steal a British bomber loaded with nuclear weapons and ransom NATO for $100 million
dollars in diamonds, MI6 dispatches its entire array of 00-agents to find Largo and put a
stop to his plans. James Bond (Sean Connery), always one step ahead, locates the missing
bomber in the Bahamas. There, he encounters the beautiful Domino (Claudine Auger) who
will prove to be invaluable in his eventual confrontation with Largo. Can Bond get to Largo
before SPECTRE detonates the nukes?
Thunderball pretty much has it all. Bond with a jetpack, Bond scuba diving, Bond
dodging sharks, Bond sexually harassing every woman in sight, Bond blowing things up,
great Bond one-liners and one of the best Bond girls of them all. Even the villains are some
of the best in the history of the franchise. Take for example a scene near the beginning of
the film where the members of SPECTRE meet in a secret layer in Paris. Everything about
this scene is just perfect. From Blofeld's (Anthony Dawson) booming voice to the stark,
modern look of their meeting space, this is the stuff that bore a thousand Bond parodies.
It's interesting to look back at the older Bond flicks now that the Austin Powers
movies are so well ingrained into the public consciousness. It's easy to blur the line
between the events of the parody and how the scenes originally played out.
Thunderball is routinely parodied in these movies, and scenes like the
aforementioned SPECTRE layer had me mistaking the events that were to transpire with the
events of the Austin Powers movies. I'm glad I've had the opportunity to correct
those mistakes in my memory as the original is vastly superior and more deliciously fun.
Regardless, it's hard to argue with the influence that these early Bond movies have had on
popular filmmaking.
No discussion of Thunderball would be complete without mentioning how perfectly
Sean Connery owns the James Bond character in this film. For me, Thunderball
represents the pinnacle of his depiction of the suave spy. He was exceptional in the
previous three Bond films, but there's something about his portrayal in Thunderball
that comes across as more natural - - as though Connery has embodied the role. A lot of
this probably comes from Thunderball's perfect casting across the board. Everyone
just seems in the zone and the film is infinitely better for it. The fact that we can now enjoy
the great performances, amazing set design and startling underwater photography of
Thunderball on Blu-ray is a real treat for Bond fans across the globe.
Dr. No arrives on Blu-ray in full 1080p looking pretty darn stunning. MGM has given
the movie the full AVC Mpeg-4 treatment and has preserved the film's original theatrical
aspect ratio of 1.66:1. It should be noted that the black bars on the sides of the picture are
normal and represent the correct "pillarbox" configuration for films that are presented in this
aspect ratio. So, there's no need to adjust your set. Dr. No
is, at this point, a 46 year old film, so I wasn't expecting its visual presentation to resemble
anything even close to some of Bond's more recent screen adventures. Surprisingly, the film
has held up quite well and, despite its age, Dr. No
looks refreshingly clean and pristine. MGM utilized the Lowry process to restore the film and
the results speak for themselves.
This remarkable Blu-ray presentation is satisfyingly free of any annoying digital picture
anomalies like edge enhancement, macroblocking or noise. There is a slight amount of
natural film grain present, but it is consistent with what should be present in films from the
same era. Black levels and contrast are also surprisingly strong if not quite as deep and
refined as those of newer films. Detail is also better than expected with individual grains of
sand visible in the film's many beach shots. Perhaps the best part of Dr. No's video
presentation lies in the disc's amazing color reproduction. This is a much more colorful film
that I remembered and the wide color palette of the Jamaican locations just about leaps off
of the screen. All told, I'm thrilled with Dr. No
on Blu-ray. I can't imagine the film looking any better!
Live and Let Die
Live and Let Die comes to Blu-ray looking better than ever. The film was restored
using the Lowry digital restoration process and has made the transition to 1080p , by way
of AVC Mpeg-4 encoding, in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. It's amazing to see a 35 year
old film look so completely fresh and detailed. Contrast is excellent throughout the
presentation with ample shadow details and deep blacks. Fine detail is impeccably
preserved and gives Live and Let Die a look that belies the film's actual age. Colors
are also richly saturated, with vibrant reds and blues that give the film a strikingly
flamboyant color palette. Pervious versions of the film on home video have not done justice
to the excellent photography on display in Live and Let Die.
Grain is present in levels appropriate to a film of this age. Noise never interferes nor do the
effects of any kind of noise reduction. Live and Let Die simply looks as it should.
Digital nasties don't rear their heads her either. I didn't detect a hint of edge enhancement,
haloes, macroblocking or banding. All told, this is a spectacular transfer that shows how
older films can fare well in the high definition arena if restored properly. Highly
recommended!
Die Another Day
Die Another Day makes its Blu-ray debut from MGM featuring a nice 1080p transfer
utilizing the AVC Mpeg-4 compression codec. The film's original aspect ratio of 2.40:1 has
been perfectly preserved and the Blu-ray edition is a vast improvement over the seriously
flawed DVD versions of the film that had been previously released. Previously releases had
been rife with macroblocking and abundant edge enhancement. Those issues are gone, for
the most part, on Blu-ray, but the results still leave a little to be desired.
First, the good: Die Another Day looks sharp, detailed and has excellent contrast
and black levels. As a matter of fact, the film, as a whole, is very pleasing from a visual
standpoint. Black levels were particularly impressive and color fidelity was always vivid and
accurate. Unfortunately, there is still a hint of edge enhancement that is noticeable
throughout the film. It's only occasionally distracting. This begs the question: was it
intentional? Many filmmakers are sharpening films in post-production these days. Could
Die Another Day be one of those films? I'll leave that for you to decide, but rest
assured that despite this potential flaw, Die Another Day looks pretty darn good on
Blu-ray.
For Your Eyes Only
Generally speaking, films of the early 1980s aren't revered for their fantastic image quality.
Perhaps a series of uninspiring film stocks are to blame; perhaps it's just the aesthetic of the time
that seems uninspired in retrospect. Whatever the reason, For Your Eyes Only suffers
from that same boring and bland early 80s filming stye that manages to neither inspire nor
impress. One certainly can't blame the folks at MGM; they've delivered the film in an
uncompromising manner using the AVC Mpeg-4 compression codec at full 1080p, while retaining
the film's original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1.
For Your Eyes Only looks pretty darn boring; colors are flat and washed out, black levels
and contrast are weak and detail isn't particularly impressive. There's a certain pastel quality to
the entire film that comes across as amateurish and stylistically dated. However, it's safe to say
that the film looks exactly like it should; artifacts are not an issue and the film's grain remains
intact and appropriate. What's left, is an image that while accurate, fails to impress. Chalk this
one up to style, folks.
From Russia with Love
Encoded with the AVC Mpeg-4 compression codec, framed at the film's original aspect ratio
of 1.66:1 and presented in full 1080p, From Russia With Love makes its high
definition debut in a stunning Blu-ray package of incredible quality. For a 46 year old film,
the folks over at MGM and Lowry Digital Images have done a remarkable job cleaning up the
film and removing any annoying print damage. The film looks fresh and ready for action.
Some might notice a few slight instances of edge enhancement on From Russia With
Love; fortunately, this occurs rarely and is barely noticeable. Otherwise, the transfer
features black levels and contrast fitting a picture of 60s origin, a remarkable level of detail,
vivid, if slightly dated, color reproduction and an absolute absence of additional digital
artifacts and anomalies. I've never seen From Russia With Love look anywhere
near this good; Bond fans are going to be in heaven with this excellent Blu-ray release.
Highly recommended.
Thunderball
MGM has given Thunderball the royal treatment on Blu-ray. The film was restored
using the Lowry grain reduction / restoration process and looks truly fantastic.
Thunderball is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and it's
worth noting that this is the first of the Bond films to be filmed in this widescreen format.
Unsurprisingly, MGM has opted for a Mpeg-4 / AVC high bitrate encode in full 1080p as well.
For a 43 year old film, Thunderball looks spectacular. I was amazed at the level of
detail and contrast the image displayed. There are a few flaws that are apparent from the
source, but the encoding is virtually flawless.
Thunderball displays a few anomalies befitting a film of its age. There is an
occasional amount of flicker present that comes across the lower left quarter of the picture.
In addition, there are also a few instances of lessened contrast and color density probably
resulting from damaged film elements. Make no mistake, these are very slight issues and
don't detract from the enjoyment of this 43 year old film in any way. The source is also
amazingly clean and free of any distracting compression artifacts. Ultimately,
Thunderball has probably never looked this good and it has certainly never been
presented for home viewing in anything approaching the quality of this set. Highly
recommended!
Much like the video portion of the film, Dr. No has been given a major overhaul in
the audio department as well. Presented in 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio, the movie sounds
amazing while simultaneously showing the limits of early sixties sound recording techniques.
Much of the dialogue in Dr. No has a decidedly tinny sound to it. In fact, much of the
movie has that same effect. Conversely, the film's musical score sounds like it might have
been recorded yesterday and often leaps out of the speakers with a fidelity far outpacing
that of what was recorded on location.
The sound remix on this Blu-ray edition does a fine job of working with the movie's limited
source material. There is a surprisingly large amount of directional surround activity in the
mix and the aforementioned musical score is well placed. Dialogue is also well presented
while still retaining the tinny nature of its original format. In the end, the craftsmen who
have created this high definition surround mix have done a masterful job of taking extremely
limited source material and breathing new life into it. Even the most surround-happy sound
fanatic will doubtlessly be pleased.
Live and Let Die:
Unfortunately, no level of lossless encoding can help a soundtrack that is poorly recorded.
Live and Let Die suffers from an an abundance of audio issues that this 5.1 DTS HD-
Master Audio track just can't correct. Dialogue is poorly recorded, leaving scenes sounding
muted and incomprehensible and sound effects suffer by like the were recoded inside a tin
shack. It's clear that those involved in remixing this track were hampered by bad source
material that just couldn't be improved upon. About the only bright spot in this mix is the
music. It was obviously recorded with a lot more care and attention to proper fidelity - -
exactly what one would expect from Paul McCartney and George Martin. Live and Let
Die also includes the original mono soundtrack that was featured during the film's
theatrical exhibition. It suffers from the same problems as the DTS track, but neuters the
musical score. You're probably better off sticking with the lossless track, but don't expect
for the folks at MGM to have magically turned older material that was recorded poorly into
anything even close to a modern surround track.
Die Another Day:
On the sonic front, Die Another Day is a powerhouse. The film's DTS HD Master
Audio 5.1 track is active, alive and absolutely rocking. For a film that places such an
emphasis on over-the-top action sequences, nothing but the finest sound design could have
even begun to sell this movie. Fortuantely, it delivers in spades.
Surround activity is insanely active in Die Another Day with explosions and weapons
fire ricocheting around the listening room. Low bass is also abundant with frequent
subwoofer action that will shake your entire room. Dialogue is well presented and
intelligible. Ultimately, this is a top tier audio experience that the film is totally unworthy of!
For Your Eyes Only
By the time For Your Eyes Only was released in 1981, film soundtracks had changed a
great deal from the predominantly mono affairs of the 1970s. Surround sound had found wider
use through the popularity of Star Wars, but someone apparently forgot to notify the
powers that be at EON productions. Having seen For Your Eyes Only on DVD, Laserdisc
and VHS, it was clear to me that the film needed some serious work to sound even remotely up-
to-date for this Blu-ray release. Thankfully, MGM has breathed new life into the film by
completely remixing the film's archaic soundtrack and presenting it in glorious 5.1 DTS-HD Master
Audio. The results are nothing less than astounding.
The most immediately noticeable change comes in the form of increased surround activity and
directional effects. There's a palpable sense of atmosphere in For Your Eyes Only that
hasn't been present on any previous home video release. Dialogue also benefits from this
remixing job; voices, while rooted in the center channel, manage to sound more cohesive and
free from distortion. The film's score is also presented in a manner that balances the music more
effectively with the film's many action sequences. Now, I don't think anyone is going to mistake
what is presented on this Blu-ray with a contemporary action soundtrack, but the results are so
massively improved, that I doubt anyone will complain. Highly recommended!
From Russia with Love
Much like the other classic Bond releases from MGM, From Russia With Love has
been given a spruced-up surround sound mix in lossless 5.1 DTS-Master Audio. It's an
involving
track with plenty of surround activity and excellent use of rear directional effects, but does
often show the limits of the sound recording equipment used in the 1960. Viewers will often
hear a slight hissing sound during the film's quieter moments, while many of the action
effects have a slightly metallic and clunky sound to them.
I wouldn't classify any of these issues as problems, however. From Russia With
Love is a 46 year old film at this point; there are going to be limitations to any material
of such an advanced age. I am, however, impressed with how much mileage the sound
designers were
able to squeeze out of these antiquated tracks. Dialogue is mostly intelligible, with very few
passages that sound less than ideal. The film's score is also well represented and sounds
as though it could have been recorded yesterday. While From Russia With Love
isn't going to challenge the likes of Transformers or Black Hawk Down in the
sound department, it is a remarkable remaster that provides a well-updated surround
experience. Recommended.
Thunderball
In an effort to pump up the audio for Thunderball to a level worthy of the film's
video restoration, MGM has graced the film with a superlative DTS HD-Master Audio lossless
5.1 soundtrack. Again, they've done a masterful job of making a 43 year old film feel fresh
and new. As with the video, there are times during the audio presentation where the
technology of 1965 imparts its limitations on this modern mix, but for the most part, the
experience is involving and spectacular.
Thunderball has been carefully remixed for 5.1 and the results are often
remarkable. The film's score sounds as crisp and clear as one recorded yesterday while
directional effects and surround usage is tastefully employed. Dialogue is crisp and clear,
but occasionally has a tinny and slightly muffled sound. This issue is relatively minor with
only a few passages in the film affected. Despite this one flaw, Thunderball has
been brought to Blu-ray with a teriffic sound mix that does an excellent job of updating the
film for the modern home theater. Highly recommended!
MGM has re-issued the supplemental package from their previous DVD release of Dr.
No on this Blu-ray edition. Features are presented in 480i standard definition.
Here's what's included:
-"The Complete Special Features Library: Mission Dossier" - Audio Commentary -Featuring
Director Terence Young and Members of the Cast and Crew
-"Top Level Access 007: License to Restore" – Featurette Detailing the Bond Ultimate Edition
Film Restoration Process
-"Declassified: M16 Vault" - The Guns of James Bond
-Premiere Bond
-"007 Mission Control" Interactive Guide Into the World of Dr. No
-Inside Dr. No
-Terence Young: Bond Vivant
-Dr. No 1963 Featurette
-"Ministry of Propaganda" - Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery and Radio
Communications
Having seen the majority of these special features on DVD, there weren't any real surprises
on this Blu-ray release. I particularly enjoyed the Terence Young featurette that focuses on
the director's work within the Bond franchise as well as the fun and informative the Guns of
James Bond feature. My favorite feature, however, was the "License to Restore" featurette
that documents the painstaking Lowry restoration process that was applied to the film.
Live and Let Die:
Here's what's included:
- MI6 Commentaries with John Cork, Tom Mankiewicz and Sir Roger Moore
- Inside Live and Let Die
- Bond 1973: The Lost Documentary
- Roger Moore as James Bond, Circa 1964
- Live and Let Die Conceptual Art
- On Set with Roger Moore: The Funeral Parade
- On Set with Roger Moore: Hang Gliding Lessons
- 007 Mission Control
- Theatrical Archive
- TV Broadcasts
- Radio Communication
- Image Database
While hardly breaking any new ground, Live and Let Die does feature a number of
compelling supplements that add a nice dose of period scope to the making of the film. I
was most taken by the throwback features. Listening to old Bond radio ads, seeing how
the film was advertised on TV as well as the on-set films really helps to reset one's
expectations for just what the prevailing attitudes and culture were like in the early 70s.
There's also a strange supplement, "Roger Moore as James Bond, 1964", that stands as,
frankly, an eerie bit of comedy from a low-rent British chat show. It's a strange thing to see
Roger Moore doing his best Bond at the height of Connery's popularity in the role. All three
commentary tracks are a worthwhile listen for fans of the film and, as always, I'm happy to
see the original theatrical trailers included with the set.
Die Another Day
Here's what's included:
-"The Complete Special Features Library: Mission Dossier" - Audio Commentary Featuring
Director Lee Tamahori and Producer Michael G. Wilson
-Audio Commentary Featuring Pierce Brosnan and Rosamund Pike
-"Declassified: M16 Vault" - From Script to Screen
-Shaken and Stirred on Ice
-Just Another Day
-The British Touch: Bond Arrives in London
-On Location With Peter Lamont
-007 Mission Control - Interactive Guide Into the World of Die Another Day
-MI6 DataStream
-"Ministry of Propaganda" Photo gallery
In attempt to discover whether there was a single redeeming quality to Die Another
Day, I poured through the extras included for the Blu-ray release. Unfortunately, it's
rather difficult to listen to commentaries about a film that, in my opinion, shouldn't have ever
been made. Regardless, fans of the film will likely find the Pierce Brosnan and Rosamund
Pike commentary to be the most interesting aspect of this collection. Both are candid and
often admit to some of the mistakes being made on screen. As is usually the case with me,
I was most interested in the historical features that frame Die Another Day into the
larger James Bond lexicon. Look no further than "From Script to Screen" and "Shaken and
Stirred on Ice" to whet your appetite for such features.
For Your Eyes Only
Here's what's included:
- Audio Commentary with Director John Glen
- Audio commentary with Screenwriter Michael G. Wilson
- Audio commentary with Sir Roger Moore
- Deleted Scenes
- "Bond in Greece"
- "Bond in Cortina"
- "Neptune's Journey"
- 007 Mission Control
- Mission Combat Manual
- Q Branch
- Exotic locations
- Inside For Your Eyes Only
- Animated Storyboard Sequences
- Music Video: Sheena Easton's "For Your Eyes Only"
- Theatrical archive
- TV Broadcasts
- Radio Communication
- Image Database
Despite any reservations I might have about the film itself, For Your Eyes Only
features a nice array of extras that do a great job of filling in the details of the film's
production. I enjoyed the commentaries and featurettes, but have now grown a little tired
of the focus these special editions place on gadgets. Regardless, The animated storyboard
presentations are well-done and vintage television and radio announcements prove to be
an interesting aside to the style of the early 1980s. Beyond that, much of what's contained
here will appeal to fans of the film, while not being of any particular interest to more casual
viewers.
From Russia with Love
Here's what's included:
- Feature Audio commentary Hosted by Producer John Cork, featuring Director Terence
Young and various cast and crew members
- Ian Fleming: The CBC Interview
- Ian Fleming and Raymond Chandler
- Ian Fleming on Desert Island Discs
- "Inside From Russia With Love"
- "Harry Salzman: Showman"
- Animated Storyboard Sequence
- 007 Mission Control
- Mission Combat Manual: Action Sequences
- Q branch: Gadgets
- Exotic Locations
- TV Broadcasts
- Image Database
As one of the better special features sets among the first six classic Bond films released by
MGM, From Russia With Love does an exceptional job of positioning the film within
the historical and cultural climate of the 60s. My favorite feature is a thorough commentary
track hosted by DVD producer John Cork. He's assembled a series of sound-bites and audio
clips from various members of the cast and crew, including Director Terence Young. Great
stuff! I was also particularly fond of the vintage radio and television interviews with Bond
creator Ian Fleming. Mr. Fleming was an opinionated man, never at a loss for words and
never afraid to speak his mind. The
set's animated storyboard sequence is interesting, and I found several of the more gadget
and gear related features to be entertaining. Finally, the "Inside From Russia With
Love" featurette does an exceptional job of outlining the film's production, while
featuring a ton of great vintage clips and behind the scenes exclusives. It's an
informative and well-conceived documentary that is a must-watch for any Bond fan. All told,
I'm very impressed with what's been included with From Russia With Love; MGM
should be commended for their excellent work.
Thunderball
MGM has ported over all of the extras from the most recent DVD release of
Thunderball to this new Blu-ray package. Those of you who are intimately familiar
with those extras will find nothing new with this release, but for those unfamiliar with
previous releases, there is a lot of nice material present here.
Here's what's included:
-"The Complete Special Features Library: Mission Dossier" - Audio Commentary Featuring
Terence Young and Others
-Audio Commentary Featuring Peter Hunt, John Hopkins and Others "Declassified: M16
Vault"
-The Incredible World of James Bond - Original 1965 NBC Television Special
-A Child's Guide to Blowing Up a Motor Car - 1965 Ford Promotional Film
-On Location With Ken Adam
-Bill Suitor: The Rocket Man Movies
-Thunderball Boat Show Reel
-Selling Bonds - Original 1965 Television Advertisements
-"007 Mission Control" Interactive Guide Into the World of Thunderball
-The Making of Thunderball
-The Thunderball Phenomenon
-The Secret History of Thunderball
-"Ministry of Propaganda" - Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery and Radio
Communication
While this is a very complete set of Bond-related extras, I was immediately drawn to the
original 1965 material. A Child's Guide to Blowing Up a Motorcar is just the kind of
subversive thing that was easily gotten away with back in the sixties and would be banned
immediately in this day and age. I also really enjoyed the original 1965 Thunderball
TV advertisements and Bond TV special. Aside from these great vintage pieces, we've got a
couple of slightly boring commentaries and enough info in the "Ministry of Propaganda" and
assorted featurettes to keep a Bond fanatic busy for days.
So, there you have it; MGM's initial foray in bringing James Bond to Blu-ray is a massive success.
Partnering with Lowry Digital for the set's extensive restoration, MGM has updated these legendary
films to a standard that can only be appreciated on Blu-ray disc. Dr. No, Live and Let
Die, Die Another Day, For Your Eyes Only, From Russia With Love and
Thunderball have been given the royal treatment; none of these films have ever looked or
sounded remotely as amazing as they do here. In addition, the supplements provided go into great
depth, giving the Bond franchise a much-need reveal, allowing fans to see the tireless efforts that
have made these remarkable films possible. I can't recommend this collection highly enough. If
you're a Bond fan, then you certainly don't need convincing. However, if you are new to the world
of 007, then this is the perfect opportunity to delve into one of the greatest film franchises in
history. Highly recommended!
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