112 replies to this topic

[dinovelvet]

Thanks for the pics, you know, these look better than I thought they might. I will have to decide if I want these or not, after looking at the outrageous cost of importing the R2 set.

[Double-0-7]

The way they are releasing this is truly bizarre. I don't mind the slim line cases. But I would imagine most people would find it bizarre to have their Bond films all out of order on their shelf. (or maybe I'm just anal!)

It's obvious why they are doing this... but still ridiculously poorly thought out.

I kept my SEs in the boxes, but I reordered them to put Dr No first in box#1 so I'd know right where to find my evening movie. It took me forever to put them all back into the right boxes when I was preparing them for sale last week. I don't know how many times I double-checked them since they all looked wrong to me grouped in that way!

[DLibrasnow]

Yes it is a nice looking set and in case anyone is wondering why there is the DVD case for Never Say Never Again in there, that's to provide some sense of scale for those who don't know what a slimcase is.


What "fold-out cardboard crap" are you refering to Double-0-7? There's nothing cardboard that folds out in the pics.

[doublenoughtspy]

Thanks for the pics Darren.

Do the booklets give any indication that they might be different than a Region 2 booklet?

When these get traded in at stores and sold invididually on the secondary market - I'm betting the booklets will become the first thing that gets lost or not included.

[Double-0-7]

The second pic - 'open case' looks like the folded piece of cardboard with two plastic hubs that one of my kid's movie came in. It slid into a plastic covered sleeve of some sort for storage. That is the one I was asking about.

[Mike00spy]

Are the boxes made with some thick material, or is it flimsy cardboard?

[DLibrasnow]

Thanks for the pics Darren.

Do the booklets give any indication that they might be different than a Region 2 booklet?

When these get traded in at stores and sold invididually on the secondary market - I'm betting the booklets will become the first thing that gets lost or not included.

You're welcome Charles.
No...there's nothing in the couple of booklets I looked over that indicate that they are unique to Region 1.
I am guessing you are correct on the booklets being the first thing to get lost. They are just kind of there sitting alongside the slimcases.

The second pic - 'open case' looks like the folded piece of cardboard with two plastic hubs that one of my kid's movie came in. It slid into a plastic covered sleeve of some sort for storage. That is the one I was asking about.

No...that is one the slimcases laid open to show that the two discs are facing each other. Of to the side are a couple of the other slimcases.

Are the boxes made with some thick material, or is it flimsy cardboard?

It's thick material, just like the boxes for normal boxsets...similar in thickness and sturdy-ness as the Special Edition boxes.

[zencat]

I could maybe -- maybe -- look past the nasty cheap thin cases and the booklets shoved in there like that if the freakin' movies where in order. Looking at Amazon reviews, it appears quite a few people are pissed about the random order as well. No doubt the movies and extras are terrific, but how they're packaging and selling these in the U.S. is a rip.

[DLibrasnow]

I could maybe -- maybe -- look past the nasty cheap thin cases and the booklets shoved in there like that if the freakin' movies where in order. Looking at Amazon reviews, it appears quite a few people are pissed about the random order as well. No doubt the movies and extras are terrific, but how they're packaging and selling these in the U.S. is a rip.

Come on John, tell us how you really feel

I do agree with you about the order being all messed up. Of course you know the reason why...they want people to buy all four volumes.

Personally speaking if it was up to me I would ignore the Pierce Brosnan 007 movies altogether and collect the Moore movies (largely for the commentaries) and the Connery movies (for the restorations).

[Righty007]

Here are the pictures courtesy of DLibrasnow.

I somehow just deleted the poll results. Here's a new one.

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•  UE_SizeComparison2.jpg   26.71KB   85 downloads
•  UE_SizeComparison.jpg   32.05KB   46 downloads
•  UE_OpenCase.jpg   24.39KB   49 downloads
•  UE___Vol1and2.jpg   38.25KB   51 downloads
•  UE___cases.jpg   24.02KB   59 downloads

[Qwerty]

Thanks for the pics.

[DLibrasnow]

Thanks for the pics.

No problem Devin.

Sorry about the poor resolution. I figured the fastest way to get the photos online was to use my cellphone camera.

[Publius]

Thanks for the pics and info, everyone.

I guess I'm still basically indifferent about the packaging, but I have to agree with what seems to be the consensus and say that the out-of-order grouping is still what really ticks me off. Release them individually, and then I'll buy the ones that I want at the pace that I want (or at least entice me with a chronological ordering or a complete box set). Otherwise, I'll stick with VHS.

[Righty007]

Otherwise, I'll stick with VHS.

LOL! That's old school.

[Qwerty]

The booklets really do look pointless just being thrown in there.

If only they hadn't printed the names of the films on eaxh box. Some Bond fans actually like to keep these things in order.

[Double-0-7]

The booklets really do look pointless just being thrown in there.

If only they hadn't printed the names of the films on eaxh box. Some Bond fans actually like to keep these things in order.

Mine may end up with an extra cover over the boxes - either a 007 logo, or a list of the movies in the proper order. That was a nice difference with the SEs, the ends of the box didn't have the movies listed, so they handled the reorder more easily.

Edited by Double-0-7, 26 October 2006 - 02:25 AM.

[DLibrasnow]

Mine may end up with an extra cover over the boxes - either a 007 logo, or a list of the movies in the proper order. That was a nice difference with the SEs, the ends of the box didn't have the movies listed, so they handled the reorder more easily.

I suppose you could just put them in order anyway. Discard the outer casing altogether just leaving the cases in the inner sleeve so you can still tell which movie is which.

[DLibrasnow]

Here's a look at some of the collectible booklets, along with their corresponding slimcases.

Attached Files

•  UEBooklets.jpg   31.02KB   130 downloads

[RazorBlade]

I want the attache case! That would look so cool. Guess I'll have to op for the UK editions.

[Bon-san]

Thanks much, Darren, for all the pictures. Very helpful. Personally, I'm not much bummed about the slim cases. They look ok, and save space. I do think the out-of-order business is very, very lame, though. But I purchased the SE's in the three out-of-order collections and have now rearranged them to be in proper order. But the SE collection outer boxes did not list the films contained therein. My understanding is the UE boxes do. And that can frustrate the obsessive-compulsive features of our personalities.

In any event, I'm not gutted by this. I just want a look and listen at the restorations and the new features. Hopefully Santa Claus will be good to me.

[Scaramanga_68]

Greetings everyone, I'm new to the boards here and thought I would pipe in with my two cents on the whole DVD fiasco. I was thinking that I would pick up the box sets on Boxing Day (usually big sales in Toronto) and just sell off the movies I don't want, those being the Daltons and Brosnans. But the fact that they're slimline cases means that it'll probably pretty hard to unload them as they'll be seen as parts of the boxes. Even if I did decide to keep them all the whole loose booklet thing is just plain awful! You're pretty much stuck storing them in the lame, out of sequence, boxes they come in. I think there is hope however if we can be patient...

The Godafther set originally came out only in a box with slimline cases. But once they had milked all they could out of it they got around to releasing the films individually (for those that didn't want the third film) in normal keep cases. So if this whole box set bungle has annoyed the heck out of you like it has me, just wait it out. I know that'll be hard but I'm prepared to take a stand on this one. Normally packaging isn't too much of a big deal for me in deciding whether I'll make the purchase or not but this particular situation has just been handled so poorly!

Cheers,
Dave

[DLibrasnow]

Thanks much, Darren, for all the pictures. Very helpful. Personally, I'm not much bummed about the slim cases. They look ok, and save space. I do think the out-of-order business is very, very lame, though. But I purchased the SE's in the three out-of-order collections and have now rearranged them to be in proper order. But the SE collection outer boxes did not list the films contained therein. My understanding is the UE boxes do.

The boxes do list the movies that they contain...probably for the casual consumer so they know which movies they are buying more than anything else.

The SE cases were open-ended on one side so the consumer could see the DVDs inside, but these are contained in an inner "sleeve" so there is no way to see the DVDs themselves (probably less easy to steal the DVDs that way too).

But in the end there is nothing to stop the Bond fan from displaying the movies in the inner sleeves and rearranging them in order when they have the complete collection. I know that I plan on doing that!

[Mike00spy]

If you dont mind answering another question, I was wondering what is exactly contained in those booklets. Anything interesting?

[Loomis]

I could maybe -- maybe -- look past the nasty cheap thin cases and the booklets shoved in there like that if the freakin' movies where in order. Looking at Amazon reviews, it appears quite a few people are pissed about the random order as well. No doubt the movies and extras are terrific, but how they're packaging and selling these in the U.S. is a rip.

Rest assured, the movies and extras are terrific, and I think you'll love the MOONRAKER transfer (that film's one of your favourites, right?). Heck, I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be staring wide-eyed at my TV screen absolutely blown away by DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, of all movies (nope, that one's never been high on my Best Bond Films list), thanks to the incredible image and sound quality.

Okay, not all of the UEs are quite so staggering to look at and listen to, buy when they're good they're so good that you won't regret a single penny (cent).

It's funny, though, there's a sort of "the grass is always greener" feeling I have looking from this side of the pond at these UE collections you folks are raising hell over. For some reason, I think it'd be quite cool to have four (or is it five?) separate box sets, and the random order business is stupid-and-therefore-strangely-cool, rather like having Dench in CASINO ROYALE.

[Swollen Ostrich]

Can someone who actually has their hands on the US set verify that the original sound mixes are included and that the burned in subtitles are actually there?

Or, better yet, any chance of getting some hi-res views of the back of the cases, so we can see what features are listed?

Edited by Swollen Ostrich, 26 October 2006 - 03:15 PM.

[Syndicate]

QUOTE(Atomic Agent @ 25 October 2006 - 16:57)

And if the price is still what was quoted earlier on ($80+), with slim cases?!!!... seems a bit too pricey for me.


Best Buy's regular price at $69.99 it is already on their web site which is the same as the in store price, not the list price that is set for the DVD market. That is where their sales will go from how much off of $69.99 on the week of Nov 7. Other stores that DO NOT use the list price set for the DVD market are Circuit City, Costco and Frys. The Stores that do use the use the list price that is set for the DVD market as their regular price, are Borders, FYE, Suncoast and Virgian Mega Stores. So they will have their sales price of how much off of $89.99.

Anyone have any guess on what the sales price will be for each of the box sets form those stores when it comes out?

Edited by Syndicate, 26 October 2006 - 03:54 PM.

[Atomic Agent]

I could maybe -- maybe -- look past the nasty cheap thin cases and the booklets shoved in there like that if the freakin' movies where in order. Looking at Amazon reviews, it appears quite a few people are pissed about the random order as well. No doubt the movies and extras are terrific, but how they're packaging and selling these in the U.S. is a rip.

I suppose this is what I was trying to say originally. I'm a bit of a perfectionist with my collections, and I like the way the thicker cases look. Having seen the pictures, I will say that they don't look bad, but still cheap. And I still do not agree with the out of order-boxed-set-only-you-must-buy-all deal.
As far as the George Lucas thing, I work at a vintage toy store that deals mainly with Star Wars, and time after time I have watched Star Wars fans being faced with crappy DVD releases with extra CGI, and never allowed to buy just the original films (until just recently). They complain and complain and complain, and then go out and hand over the cash. Every time. Even the new DVD's with the original films (as they first were presented) have the original movies as a 'bonus feature', as well as presented in truely hideous cover "art". But all of that is a rant for another place.

All I'm saying is, if you don't like it, you don't have to buy it just because its Bond. I'm sure the special features are great, but the way they're being released, alone, is enough to put your foot down and let them know that they haven't done things correctly. The more that don't give in, the bigger the chance of the company making a change.

But that won't happen. So maybe I should just shut up and let them rake in the cash for sub-par merchandise.

[DLibrasnow]

If you dont mind answering another question, I was wondering what is exactly contained in those booklets. Anything interesting?

They are at home, but I will look into those. The brief scan I took seems to indicate that they start of talking about the context of the times the movie was released in and end talking about the work done by Lowry.

Rest assured, the movies and extras are terrific, and I think you'll love the MOONRAKER transfer (that film's one of your favourites, right?). Heck, I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be staring wide-eyed at my TV screen absolutely blown away by DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, of all movies (nope, that one's never been high on my Best Bond Films list), thanks to the incredible image and sound quality.

I agree with you Loomis. I was watching the Ultimate Edition for The Spy Who Loved Me last night and was simply blown away by some of the scenes. In some ways it was like seeing it for the first time. I also had the Roger Moore commentary on and never realized that the sailor in the opening seconds is Jeremy Bulloch (sp?) who would go on to play parts in other Bond movies. I really enjoyed the Moore commentary and some of his anecdotes.

[Loomis]

Yeah, TSWLM is another fantastic transfer, and another film that was never that much of a favourite of mine that but became a terrific watch thanks to the UE treatment.

Along with TWSLM and MOONRAKER, DR. NO, THUNDERBALL and LTK are all superb on the image and sound front.

[Problem Eliminator]

"This never happened to the other regions."

Thanks much for the pics DLib. Very nice of you to do that and set all of our hearts aflutter .

I don't have any major gripe about this R1 packaging except that the booklets are haphazardly thrown in the box and not put in the corresponding cases (impossible with dual disc slims). This is the biggest head-scratching element of the whole thing for me.

Slim cases I don't mind. They are a modern, space saving way to store discs and I like it-- for a set as great in number as this anyway. Upon first hearing the news, I feared they would be the cheesy "clear" slims that TV seasons are relegated to. At least these appear to be made of the black plastic standard to the majority of "normal" DVD cases- including the SE's.

A main reason I won't lose sleep over any of these packaging concerns is that I store my Bond DVD collections in zipper DVD binders for easy portability of the whole lot (including booklets). I have my current SE's in a 20-disc binder with one slim CD case in the back for the DAD second disc. I already have a 40-disc binder ready so I can do the same with the UE's.

For those worried about the "out of order" packaging of the discs affecting display, I say just take 'em all out of the boxes and put them in order on your shelf. Set the boxes around your house somewhere as decoration. You could also rearrange them within the given packaging and make sure that the spines face out-- rather than the side of the box that has the jumbled movie order printed on it. Only problem I can see is that the "inner tray" that seems to slide out of the box is the shape of one of those plastic magazine holders, obscuring roughly the bottom 3rd of all the discs. Thus, it could look like you're displaying 20 copies of the movie Ultimate Edition.

I'm not worried about the packaging at all. Even with its quirkiness, I still have all the SE's proudly displayed in "old school" style and I welcome this new approach as another unique installment of the series on home video. As mentioned by at least one person already, it's the content that really matters and I can not wait to get my hands on a slim case and my eyes and ears on a 3K digital scan with 5.1 DTS.

Is it November 7th yet?