54 replies to this topic

[wide of the mark]

James Bond 007 'Ultimate Edition' DVDs Reviewed

_{Transfer quality, audio, extras, and more reviewed at michaeldvd.com.au}

michaeldvd.com.au has officially reviewed 19 of the upcoming 20 james bond ultimate editions. As of yet, i've only read the DN review. Die another Day is the only one yet reviewed. not like it got much work anyway

CAUTION, THESE REVIEWS ARE CRITICAL OF ALL AUDIO VIDEO ASPECTS

heres the link

http://www.michaeldv...w...RID=0&DID=0

god help us

[Genrewriter]

Nice find. I'm really looking forward to the Moore commentaries and the deleted scenes on AVTAK and the two Dalton films.

[wide of the mark]

okay, i've read all the reviews now. I must say, the Video is probably great for dvd, but remember the scans were for next generation home theatre. meaning, the ultimate edition dvd's are useless compared to ultimate editon Blue ray that will most likely include touched up oringinal stereo and mono tracks. otherwise for current performance, i'm pleased with the reviews.

Audio does infact have some major differences between the DD and DTs mainly in the subwoofer usage and perhaps dubbing.

I think i'm just going to rent these and wait for the hddvd's (again, blue ray will lose)

EDIT

thanks Qwerty

Edited by wide of the mark, 13 July 2006 - 03:58 AM.

[TheCheat]

excellent reviews. cant wait til the winter when we will finally get these in the states.

[Qwerty]

James Bond 007 'Ultimate Edition' DVDs Reviewed

_{Transfer quality, audio, extras, and more reviewed at michaeldvd.com.au}

[Nimsworth]

I think i'm just going to rent these and wait for the hddvd's (again, blue ray will lose)

HD-DVD will win. But I'd bet my bottom dollar Bond will come out on Blu-Ray first what with Blu-Ray being developed by Sony

[Simon]

god help us

Nice find.

I think these reviewers are at the top of their game. I hadn't heard of a lot of their terms, (artefacts etc) and upon reading all their definitions, they really are there to pull these things apart.

I didn't notice too much in the way of problems on my DVDs, having said that I am watching them on a 39" 4:3 TV which will dramatically reduce the presentation but if and when I go to 42" widescreen, maybe the problems become more noticeable.

That said, I think they are positve overall.

But still not sure if I will upgrade....

[doublenoughtspy]

Enjoyable reviews from a technical aspect, but they don't seem to know about the realities of the Bond DVD business - for instance they wonder why there aren't Sean Connery commentaries.

In the OHMSS review, the reviewer wonders if the disappearing helicopter in the attack scene is new to this version.

A google or IMDB search would have turned up the fact that it isn't unique to the new DVD.

[Simon]

First I'd heard about it - time to get a bigger TV for DVD viewing.

[Aces High]

Just watched O.H.M.S.S The good news is that it is at last complete..just as in the 1996 25th anniversary box set.Also yes the disapearing helicopter in the batle scene is also there too.The picture quality is absolute perfection.The new extras are good too,Lazenby in his own words is very interesting.Also the presentation is good too with a nice foil effect slip case & a special offer to collect free 007 posters too
The bad news is the re dubbing no no non dont like the 'new' gunshot sounds..bloody awful.Although there are some rather cleaver re dubs though such as the clock chiming 2 in the safe cracking scene.Of course the comentary is as was with the annoyance of John Cork..nice fella but cannot pronounce Lazenby!!
So all in all almost a perfect transfer,just a note if anyone who's involved with the transfers for future would be rather nice to have the original United Artists logos of the time on the beginings...always fond of the cascade U A logo...right up next Thunderball...

[freemo]

Don't get me wrong, these Ultimate Editions sound pretty good, but I don't think much of the "007 Mission Control" feature (i.e. glorified clips). Seems like a lazy way of filling up the second disc to me.

[5 BONDS]

A View to a kill has bad cropping problems as seen below.

http://www.dvdtimes..../Bond14SE01.jpg
http://www.dvdtimes..../Bond14UE01.jpg

The image above is the Special edition with the Ultimate edition below that.
Take a good look at the iceberg on the left.

This is a disappointment...I will now delay from buying due to this or until they sort it out.

Edited by 5 BONDS, 15 July 2006 - 07:21 PM.

[stamper]

Actually there's seem to be a big audio in sync problem also on certains discs...

The cropping is bizarre, you usually don't crop a cinemascope movie, the frame is the frame. I suspect those Lowry guys have done it (badly) again. After mucking up Citizen Kane (which was clean, but didn't look anything at all like the original movie, in terms of lights and shadows and contrasts), I feel they were paid huge sums of money, to muck up the Bond legacy again.

Hype is good. 4K or 8K HD transferts are good. But you don't play with panels compositions and framing, unless there is a good reason for it... Add the problem of the remixing not being anywhere near the feel of the mono mixes, I say it's a TRAVESTY, those DVDs should be cancelled and or remade with all the problems fixed when they appear in region 1.

PS : the old special editions will become highly sough after collectors item, due to their having the edge on those... Get them now if you got rid of them, or keep them !

[Scottlee]

PS : the old special editions will become highly sough after collectors item, due to their having the edge on those... Get them now if you got rid of them, or keep them !

I feel like getting the Ultimate editions but I don't really have the budget atm. I offered to sell my 20 special edition versions to my brother for

[stamper]

Get the new one when they come to HD, or when prices drop... it's just too many cons vs the pros, regarding remastering, bonus, colors, audio mono missing, remixes badly made etc...

It's just like the Beatles remixing Yellow Submarine in 99 : it makes great hype, but it sucks. Stick to the original, at least, it lives and have atmosphere, something those new remixes are totally lacking, what with Cedar, and other software wiping the sound until it's dead.

I am astounded by so much sloppy work, when it comes to something as highly regarded as Bond.

[zencat]

The reviews I clicked on over at DVD Times said the new mixes do retain the "feel" of the original. Agree the original Mono mixes should have been included.

[Genrewriter]

I'm in a "wait and see" mode on these at the moment. I probably will end up getting a few but not all.

[Scottlee]

I've got to be honest, I can only really see the new Moore releases as being high priority after reading what's included in the new editions (because of the commentaries). All the others seem to have only very little added to what was already on the Special Editions.

[Genrewriter]

I'll definitely upgrade the Moore films and probably the Dalton/Brosnan quintet.

[Low Blow]

I've just laid my hands on the first discs today, and not sure whether this has been said before..

The outer packaging features raised edges around Bond and the Title and 007 logo. The B&W photo montage has a pearlesent finish. A nice suprise the finish is classy, but the design as a whole looks far too photoshopped for my liking!

[Loomis]

Now I'm tempted to just keep my old DVD's and buy the new ones individually and periodically.

Sounds like a plan. I'm certainly tempted to buy the box set (just saw a TV ad for the Ultimate Editions, BTW, and am seriously geeking out!), but picking them up in stages will feel as though I'm spending less, even if I'm actually spending more! Also, the "individually and periodically" approach will spin out the fun, and seems the best way of ensuring full VFM in terms of getting round to watching all the special features.

And if they do disappoint as much as stamper suggests, I'll be able to stop before too much damage has been done to my wallet.

I'd also definitely advise hanging on to the Special Editions. If nothing else, they'll serve as a handy guide to exactly how much better or worse the UEs are.

[Gobi-1]

My plan is to wait for the US release and reviews and see what everybody has to say. Then I'll start buying them individually. Start with the ones that get the best reviews then work my way down.

[5 BONDS]

Does anyone know if the majaority of films with burned in subtitles will have them intact and not replaced by the stupid remote activated ones plagued on the special editions?

[Goldfinger007]

You know, I'm giving these DVD's a second thought.

At first when they were announced I was like "Yes, I'll get them all", but now I think I'm not going to get all of them. I have all the movies from the special editions and some of them I don't really like or don't watch regularly (LTK, AVTAK, TLD). So I don't see the point of spending my money on the movies I don't really like.

I will probably only get the ones I truly like so I would just end up buying like 7 of them.

Edited by Goldfinger007, 16 July 2006 - 09:05 PM.

[Aces High]

Watched 'Thunderball' tonight & has to be said not what I had hoped for..sure the picture is clean & bright..but who the hell authorised the sound remixes.I experienced some tinkering on OHMSS as I said earlier but Thunderball has been totally knackered.The re-scoring of the underwater battle(highlight of the movie) has been done by a 12 year old who has never seen the movie on the big screen in a cinema..the re jigging of the harpoons is bloody awful much like the 'diet coke' machine guns in OHMSS...I would really love to get Norman Wanstals opinion on this.All the buzz & expectation value has been crushed in the bond fan veterens eyes & ears.Even the cover art for Thunderball is 'dissapointing' surely If I can be bothered to invest a large amount on original artwork & stills for my own personal collection those s****** at Sony/Columbia or whatever they are called this week can get access to it ...& USE IT!!
Not happy...I'll probernbly invest in the Roger Moore's only for the comentary but the rest ..will not be paying top

[TheCheat]

You know, I'm giving these DVD's a second thought.

At first when they were announced I was like "Yes, I'll get them all", but now I think I'm not going to get all of them. I have all the movies from the special editions and some of them I don't really like or don't watch regularly (LTK, AVTAK, TLD). So I don't see the point of spending my money on the movies I don't really like.

I will probably only get the ones I truly like so I would just end up buying like 7 of them.

same here i might buy half of the collection at the most if they are offered individually in the states

[Loomis]

Get the new one when they come to HD, or when prices drop... it's just too many cons vs the pros, regarding remastering, bonus, colors, audio mono missing, remixes badly made etc...

It's just like the Beatles remixing Yellow Submarine in 99 : it makes great hype, but it sucks. Stick to the original, at least, it lives and have atmosphere, something those new remixes are totally lacking, what with Cedar, and other software wiping the sound until it's dead.

I am astounded by so much sloppy work, when it comes to something as highly regarded as Bond.

You seem to know your stuff about this, stamper, and I'm sure you're writing from the heart, but I've just watched the Ultimate Edition DR. NO (granted, just one film) and was fair blown away - I seemed to be watching the film for the very first time. Won't comment on the sound, other than to say I had no problems with it, but the picture was phenomenal, pin-sharp with bright colours and an amazing level of detail (to the point of almost hurting the eyes on occasion, it has to be said). Now, my TV is a reasonably large widescreen affair, but nothing truly remarkable, yet the differences with the Special Edition were striking. On what little I've seen so far, I'm more than satisfied with the UE experience.

[stamper]

I was really speaking in general, I say each movie will have to be judged on it's own... AVTAK reframed is bad, for example, I also hear that some remixes are bad for OHMSS and TB... what gives ? I hope it's all fixed for region 1, and I have a feeling the menus will not be the same...

Edited by stamper, 18 July 2006 - 07:13 AM.

[LeChiffre]

Why is everyone so down on the UE's? This is the best thing to happen to Bond films since Thunderball was shot in 'Scope. The early films were great, but were disappointing in terms of sound - mono does not really suit an action film.

And all the films now have pristine visuals.

What is there not to like.

If you have something against modern technology, why not just stick to your crappy 1996 VHS copies.

[I never miss]

Well, having read all the of the above comments I must admit that I'm not as keen on buying the UE dvds as I was previously. I have the full collection SE dvds and seriously wonder if it's worth it. This may soung greedy, but I was actually a little disappointed by the amount of new extras. Some more commissioned docs by the TWINE entertainment team would've been great - we could have 5 half hours spread across the series about each Bond actor, for example. I also wanted each film to have AT LEAST two commentaries. Currently, some like OHMSS have 1, whilst FYEO has 3! Seriously, how much would it have cost to get George Lazenby in to do a commentary for OHMSS. Eon should have done it - a present to the fans, after all they know how much this film is revered by most of us.
They also should have done new half hour docs on Bond's clothes through the series, the cars, the history of product placement etc. Perhaps they are saving these for a 2012 edition DVD set.

Quick question, are the new DVDs accompanied by a booklet like the SE versions were?