James Bond on Blu-ray/4K

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  • RC7RC7
    edited November 2013 Posts: 10,512
    Samuel001 wrote:
    The 50th Anniversary DVDs are the same as the Ultimate editions, from 2006, much better picture and sound than the Special editions, which are from the late 90's.

    They were actually released in 2000 (I'm nitpicking). They were released individually at first, followed by the boxset release. I remember buying them all individually at around £20 a time, which was very expensive. The only previous releases in the UK were GE and TND which cost me about £25 each, again very expensive.

    Not to sound like a prick, but anyone who hasn't bought the Blu-Ray boxset, and can afford it, is an idiot. Even if you can't afford it, it's worth saving. For the price, it's more than a bargain and I would highly recommend busting your nuts to get it. The quality, particularly regards the early Connery's, is exemplary. Get buying people.

  • edited November 2013 Posts: 11,189
    When the blu ray collection came out last year I had made the decision to upgrade only my favourite
    Murdock wrote:
    I mistakenly bought the 50th Anniversary DVD set thinking it was the Bluray Set. There are no special features, but the quality of the videos themselves are that of Bluray's so I'm happy.

    I have to confess I too did that last year :-S

    Although I do have several on Blu Ray including DN, FRWL, TB, GE, CR and SF.

    Personally I think most of them are perfectly fine on DVD. I'd say the early Connery's, GE, CR and SF are MUST's for Blu Ray though (although I suspect OHMSS and MR are good too).
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 2,598
    Why are the early Connery's so good on blue ray as opposed to the others? Is it just because the Connery films are so old that there's a bigger contrast between the blue rays and the old school versions?
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 11,189
    Bounine wrote:
    Why are the early Connery's so good on blue ray as opposed to the others? Is it just because the Connery films are so old that there's a bigger contrast between the blue rays and the old school versions?

    They're more colourful than a lot of the subsequent films photography-wise.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited November 2013 Posts: 13,355
    Bounine wrote:
    Why are the early Connery's so good on blue ray as opposed to the others? Is it just because the Connery films are so old that there's a bigger contrast between the blue rays and the old school versions?

    That's one of the reasons. They all nearly look as great as each other. Like they were shot yesterday.
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 5,767
    Samuel001 wrote:
    The 50th Anniversary DVDs are the same as the Ultimate editions, from 2006, much better picture and sound than the Special editions, which are from the late 90's.
    I´m being obsolete because we´re speaking mainly about br, but I must object nonetheless. The UE may have a sharper picture, but light and colours are pretty f****ed up on many films, they´re much too dark and lack the colour buquet the SE offers.

  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    I wouldn't argue with that @boldfinger. Better quality of picture, I should have said, not colour, something the Blu-rays on the whole, correct.
  • That's a good point, I agree. The TB Ultimate Edition I like, but I think FRWL and OHMSS were too dark for my tastes. I think the MR space station exterior is hidden in the shadows too much, which may be more realistic but not what I remembered.
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 2,598
    Well, if the light is messed up on the Ultimate Editions which are supposed to be the same as the 50th Anniversary Collection DVD's which I was thinking about buying, then maybe I shouldn't get them.

    I was told yesterday that you can't hook up a blue ray player to a laptop because the HDMI ports on both the laptop and the blue ray player are outs. Two people previously told me that I could do this. So, unless I buy a whole new laptop that plays blue rays then the Bond blue's just aren't an option for me unfortunately.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    I wasn't even aware that they made laptops that can run Blu-rays.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,959
    I wasn't even aware that they made laptops that can run Blu-rays.

    That they do. I'm still upset I spent a grand on a MacBook Pro and it doesn't play blu-rays.
  • Bounine wrote:
    Why are the early Connery's so good on blue ray as opposed to the others? Is it just because the Connery films are so old that there's a bigger contrast between the blue rays and the old school versions?

    It might also have to do with the film stock used at the time. I am not an expert on these matters but I did read once that film stock in the 1970s and 1980s was far inferior to film stock used during the 1960s. So this might well be one of the reasons that the Connery Bonds look better on blu than the later ones during the 1970s and 1980s.

  • Posts: 2,598
    Well, the chap in the video store told me that DVD and blue rays look the same on laptops because the screens aren't 1080p. I think there may be a few laptops out there now with 1080p screens but if there are, there aren't many.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Bounine wrote:
    Why are the early Connery's so good on blue ray as opposed to the others? Is it just because the Connery films are so old that there's a bigger contrast between the blue rays and the old school versions?

    It might also have to do with the film stock used at the time. I am not an expert on these matters but I did read once that film stock in the 1970s and 1980s was far inferior to film stock used during the 1960s. So this might well be one of the reasons that the Connery Bonds look better on blu than the later ones during the 1970s and 1980s.
    And because they're the bloody Connery films. If I was on the restoration team I'd make sure the most time and effort was spent on those early films, especially DN and FRWL, which look absolutely breathtaking in the format might I say.
  • Posts: 1,497
    I have a question for those who own the box-sets. Do you find that having all 23 Bond films at your finger tips diminishing your appreciation of the films? I've never owned the complete collection, and try to space out the time before viewings at least by a few months. My fear with owning the set, though very tempting, is that I would watch the movies all the time and grow tired of them. I like watching Bond films as an event - preferably in a theatre, or over vacation when I can really soak them in. I'm sure it's different for each person. What are your thoughts? At the price the Blu-Ray set is going for now, I'm really tempted to pull the trigger and get it...
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    JBFan626 wrote:
    My fear with owning the set, though very tempting, is that I would watch the movies all the time and grow tired of them.

    I've watched at least one a week, sometimes as many as seven a week for about 25 years. I never get bored of them. I guess it depends if you're one of those people who can handle repeat viewings. My better half doesn't like watching films for years at a time. I'll sometimes watch the same film two or three times in a week. When I was a kid I'd watch some Bond movies three/four times in a row while I sat drawing comics.

  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,959
    @RC7 stated it wonderfully, it just depends. The deal on FoxConnect ends Saturday, and $100 for all 23 films on blu-ray is too good to pass up. I say take advantage of it. That way, not only do you own all of the films, but the control to watch them is at your fingertips.

    I used to watch the same Bond film four or five times a day/week when I was a kid, but now, I've grown to let my anticipation for one build up, I'll watch it, then I spread out the other over a period of weeks/months. I want to get into watching more of them weekly. I own all 23 films separately, and it doesn't really ever bother me. I'm just glad that I own them.
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 2,598
    Bounine wrote:
    Why are the early Connery's so good on blue ray as opposed to the others? Is it just because the Connery films are so old that there's a bigger contrast between the blue rays and the old school versions?

    It might also have to do with the film stock used at the time. I am not an expert on these matters but I did read once that film stock in the 1970s and 1980s was far inferior to film stock used during the 1960s. So this might well be one of the reasons that the Connery Bonds look better on blu than the later ones during the 1970s and 1980s.

    And because they're the bloody Connery films. If I was on the restoration team I'd make sure the most time and effort was spent on those early films, especially DN and FRWL, which look absolutely breathtaking in the format might I say.


    Everyone has their favourite Bond films and have different ideas obviously as to what makes a good Bond flick. By this rationale, the restoration team should make sure the that the quality is the same on all of them...even the Brosnan instalments. ;)

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Bounine wrote:
    Bounine wrote:
    Why are the early Connery's so good on blue ray as opposed to the others? Is it just because the Connery films are so old that there's a bigger contrast between the blue rays and the old school versions?

    It might also have to do with the film stock used at the time. I am not an expert on these matters but I did read once that film stock in the 1970s and 1980s was far inferior to film stock used during the 1960s. So this might well be one of the reasons that the Connery Bonds look better on blu than the later ones during the 1970s and 1980s.

    And because they're the bloody Connery films. If I was on the restoration team I'd make sure the most time and effort was spent on those early films, especially DN and FRWL, which look absolutely breathtaking in the format might I say.


    Everyone has their favourite Bond films and have different ideas obviously as to what makes a good Bond flick. By this rationale, the restoration team should make sure the that the quality is the same on all of them...even the Brosnan instalments. ;)

    In a perfect world maybe, but we aren't living in one. I have heard that gems like the Connery films look tip top in the format, while others in the franchise seem to display much less restorative care.
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 2,598
    JBFan626 wrote:
    I have a question for those who own the box-sets. Do you find that having all 23 Bond films at your finger tips diminishing your appreciation of the films? I've never owned the complete collection, and try to space out the time before viewings at least by a few months. My fear with owning the set, though very tempting, is that I would watch the movies all the time and grow tired of them. I like watching Bond films as an event - preferably in a theatre, or over vacation when I can really soak them in. I'm sure it's different for each person. What are your thoughts? At the price the Blu-Ray set is going for now, I'm really tempted to pull the trigger and get it...

    This is a very good point and the reason that I went a year without watching a single Bond film a few years ago as I was starting to get sick of them as I am again now. Still, there are many movies out there that lend themselves to repeated viewings including the Bond films so I do like to own the films.

    To this day I still only own the Bond flicks on VHS, with the exception of SF and NSNA that I have on DVD (I have CR on DVD but no longer watch it as it gets messed up in the scene where Bond is in M's apartment. Maybe it just needs to be professionally cleaned though). Characters, dialogue and story are more important to me than picture quality although having said that I have gone so long now without watching the Bond films with a better quality picture albeit I have hired out the odd Bond DVD from the video store in the past. In terms of box sets, I want to get the first six original Star Trek films, the original Pink Panther movies with Peter Sellers and maybe the Die Hard films too, although I don't really care about owing the latest one. :) I haven't seen these films anywhere near as often as the Bond movies though so I will hold off buying the Bond DVD's or Blue Rays for at least another year.
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 2,598
    Bounine wrote:
    Bounine wrote:
    Why are the early Connery's so good on blue ray as opposed to the others? Is it just because the Connery films are so old that there's a bigger contrast between the blue rays and the old school versions?

    It might also have to do with the film stock used at the time. I am not an expert on these matters but I did read once that film stock in the 1970s and 1980s was far inferior to film stock used during the 1960s. So this might well be one of the reasons that the Connery Bonds look better on blu than the later ones during the 1970s and 1980s.

    And because they're the bloody Connery films. If I was on the restoration team I'd make sure the most time and effort was spent on those early films, especially DN and FRWL, which look absolutely breathtaking in the format might I say.


    Everyone has their favourite Bond films and have different ideas obviously as to what makes a good Bond flick. By this rationale, the restoration team should make sure the that the quality is the same on all of them...even the Brosnan instalments. ;)

    In a perfect world maybe, but we aren't living in one. I have heard that gems like the Connery films look tip top in the format, while others in the franchise seem to display much less restorative care.

    That's pretty bad really. It's not acceptable to think that they're not putting in an equal amount of effort on all of them. I love the Roger Moore ones too and these also feature some good exterior shots of beautiful locations unlike the Brosnan movies.

  • edited November 2013 Posts: 2,598
    RC7 wrote:
    JBFan626 wrote:
    My fear with owning the set, though very tempting, is that I would watch the movies all the time and grow tired of them.

    I've watched at least one a week, sometimes as many as seven a week for about 25 years. I never get bored of them. I guess it depends if you're one of those people who can handle repeat viewings. My better half doesn't like watching films for years at a time. I'll sometimes watch the same film two or three times in a week. When I was a kid I'd watch some Bond movies three/four times in a row while I sat drawing comics.

    Damn! You have me beat on that one!

    I'll watch YOLT, LALD, TLD, LTK and maybe SF again, then take a break from watching any of them for a while again.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Bounine wrote:
    Bounine wrote:
    Bounine wrote:
    Why are the early Connery's so good on blue ray as opposed to the others? Is it just because the Connery films are so old that there's a bigger contrast between the blue rays and the old school versions?

    It might also have to do with the film stock used at the time. I am not an expert on these matters but I did read once that film stock in the 1970s and 1980s was far inferior to film stock used during the 1960s. So this might well be one of the reasons that the Connery Bonds look better on blu than the later ones during the 1970s and 1980s.

    And because they're the bloody Connery films. If I was on the restoration team I'd make sure the most time and effort was spent on those early films, especially DN and FRWL, which look absolutely breathtaking in the format might I say.


    Everyone has their favourite Bond films and have different ideas obviously as to what makes a good Bond flick. By this rationale, the restoration team should make sure the that the quality is the same on all of them...even the Brosnan instalments. ;)

    In a perfect world maybe, but we aren't living in one. I have heard that gems like the Connery films look tip top in the format, while others in the franchise seem to display much less restorative care.

    That's pretty bad really. It's not acceptable to think that they're not putting in an equal amount of effort on all of them. I love the Roger Moore ones too and these also feature some good exterior shots of beautiful locations unlike the Brosnan movies.

    Of course, what some have apparently disguised as a lack of hard work on restoring some of the films could in fact be something else entirely. The 60s films look brilliant not only for the great restoration, but also because they are the oldest and therefore the big differences in picture quality are much more noticeable, while the more recently made Brosnan films wouldn't show the same amount of improvement because of that factor.
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    JBFan626 wrote:
    I have a question for those who own the box-sets. Do you find that having all 23 Bond films at your finger tips diminishing your appreciation of the films?
    Not at all. On the contrary, it's great to be able to watch a particular film when the mood strikes.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,959
    pachazo wrote:
    JBFan626 wrote:
    I have a question for those who own the box-sets. Do you find that having all 23 Bond films at your finger tips diminishing your appreciation of the films?
    Not at all. On the contrary, it's great to be able to watch a particular film when the mood strikes.

    It's better to have it and not want to watch it than to not have it and want to watch it.
  • Posts: 1,497
    Creasy47 wrote:
    pachazo wrote:
    JBFan626 wrote:
    I have a question for those who own the box-sets. Do you find that having all 23 Bond films at your finger tips diminishing your appreciation of the films?
    Not at all. On the contrary, it's great to be able to watch a particular film when the mood strikes.

    It's better to have it and not want to watch it than to not have it and want to watch it.

    Yeah, this makes sense. It's always when the Bond films are available for free streaming on Netflix, that I am never in the mood to watch them, but when I have a craving to watch something like say, FYEO, I don't have it.

    I think I'll wait until Cyber Monday to see if I can scoop up a copy for a bargain.

  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,959
    @JBFan626, you can pick it up for $100 on Fox Connect right now. It's the set with DN To SF. One of the better deals you'll find.

    It's also on gohastings.com for $113 used, and with a 30% off coupon that'll place it at roughly $80, but it's sold out so you'd have to keep your eyes peeled for when/if it restocks. So many great deals are going on there right now, but pretty much everything is sold out right now.
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 5,767
    JBFan626 wrote:
    I have a question for those who own the box-sets. Do you find that having all 23 Bond films at your finger tips diminishing your appreciation of the films?
    Quite the opposite, in fact. Once I had the box set, I discovered that even those films I used to dislike offer very likeable qualities.

  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    I think that everyone who is a Bond-fan should at least own a few of the films, just for the sake of it :)
  • Posts: 2,598
    boldfinger wrote:
    JBFan626 wrote:
    I have a question for those who own the box-sets. Do you find that having all 23 Bond films at your finger tips diminishing your appreciation of the films?
    Quite the opposite, in fact. Once I had the box set, I discovered that even those films I used to dislike offer very likeable qualities.

    Out of curiosity, which films do you dislike and why did you decide they offered likeable qualities once you owned the box set?
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