STUDIO: MGM
RELEASE DATE: October 21, 2008
STARRING: Various
WRITTEN BY: Various
DIRECTED BY: Various
FEATURES: Too Many to Count

Six 007 Movies Now on Blu-Ray - Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Thunderball, For Your Eyes Only, Live and Let Die, and Die Another Day

"Blu-Ray was made for Bond!" That clever marketing hook may be debatable but the inauguration of 007 on the format starting with six (really, seven if you count the fact that Sony is releasing a special edition of Casino Royale next week too) of Bond's classic adventures on Blu-Ray is undeniably one of the biggest releases of the season. No Goldfinger? Blu-Ray wasn't made for Bond until that movie is on the format. I should make clear that I'm a Bond nut. I grew up watching them repeatedly, falling in love with the Roger Moore era, just because those were the ones in theaters when I was young, and eventually enjoying most of the series. Like most Bond fans, I have the excellent four box sets that were released two years ago with all of the wonderful special features and gorgeous transfers that I spent literally days enjoying. So, what's different on Blu-Ray? Is it worth the upgrade as Bond fans get more and more psyched for Quantum of Solace? (As if it were possible to be MORE psyched for that movie.) Sadly, this is a release just for the hardcore Bond nut or fans dying to see 007 in true high definition. Everyone else who already has the box sets can wait until the whole series is available on the format.

First, the good. The picture on all six movies - and, yes, I checked them all out, is very good. It's not flawless. I have to admit a bit of a letdown, especially with the quality of transfer of the earlier films that looks nearly identical to upconverted versions of the ones from the box set. The picture, especially on the three Connery flicks, doesn't pop like I was hoping that it would. They look very good, but they did two years ago too. The audio tracks however are the most noticeable improvement and the main reason to upgrade. Just hearing "Live and Let Die" in DTS HD 5.1 Master Lossless Audio is nearly worth the purchase price alone.

Beyond that, I feel like that MGM has missed a great opportunity. They could have remastered and upgraded all of the Bond films with new special features and gorgeous packaging and finally organized them logically (by star, era, even villain, instead of the random pattern MGM seems to like). The choice of these six pics feels like someone randomly plucking their personal favorite Bonds, just transferring everything from the last release, polishing up the technical specs and expecting people to upgrade. The real problem is the bar set by the lats standard releases of 007. The box sets that hit stores when Casino Royale was about to hit theaters were absolutely stunning. These are merely enjoyable.

Do I love being able to have Bond on Blu-Ray? Of course. Every hardcore fan does. Would I have been much happier to replace my old box sets with the upgraded versions instead of having to now have a standard AND BD version of not even what I would consider the best six Bond movies on my shelf? You betcha. But I'm still torn. If you don't own any of these Bond movies, Blu-Ray is, of course, the way to go and they're simply spectacular releases, filled with special features (details of which you'll find below) and perfectly transferred. But are they that different from what us Bond-aholics already own? Not enough to merit an upgrade with all of the other incredible BD releases hitting the market this season.

Unless somehow these actually ARE your six favorite Bond movies, I would wait off on getting them all until the eventual Blu-Ray box sets hit the market. The ones to pick up? Thunderball is a beauty. It's Connery at his most suave and smooth and one of my personal favorites. Neither of the Moore movies included - Live and Let Die and For Your Eyes Only - are spectacular but if I had to pick, I would go with the latter. Actually, forget the Moore movies (and you can definitely forget the overrated Die Another Day, one my least favorite 007 adventures) and just get the three Connery flicks. They'll tide you over until MGM Blu-Ray gives George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton some love too. Details on the special features, movie by movie...

Disc Specific Special Features:

Dr. No

“The Complete Special Features Library: Mission Dossier” - Audio Commentary Featuring Director Terence Young and Members of the Cast and Crew

Audio Commentary Featuring Sir Roger Moore

“Ministry of Propaganda” - Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery and Radio Communications From Russia With Love

“Ministry of Propaganda” - Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery and Radio Communications

-- Brian Tallerico

       

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