Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #69781 in DVD
- Released on: 2007-02-06
- Rating: R (Restricted)
- Formats: Closed-captioned, Subtitled, NTSC, Widescreen
- Original language: English
- Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
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The World Is Not Enough:Bond 5.0, Pierce Brosnan, undercuts his usually suave persona with a darker, more brutal edge largely absent since Sean Connery departed. Equally tantalizing are our initial glimpses of Bond's nemesis du jour, Renard (Robert Carlyle), and imminent love interest, Elektra King (Sophie Marceau), both atypically complex characters cast with seemingly shrewd choices, and directed by the capable Michael Apted. The story's focus on post-Soviet geopolitics likewise starts off on a savvy note, before being overtaken by increasingly Byzantine plot twists, hidden motives, and reversals of loyalty superheated by relentless (if intermittently perfunctory) action sequences.--Sam Sutherland 
Diamonds Are Forever: Sean Connery retired from the 007 franchise after You Only Live Twice but was lured back for one last official appearance as James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever. Goldfinger director Guy Hamilton keeps the film zipping along gamely from one entertaining set piece to another, including a terrific car chase in a parking lot, a battle with a pair of bikini-clad killer gymnasts named Bambi and Thumper, and a deadly game with a bizarre pair of fey, sardonic killers who dispatch their victims with elaborate invention. Connery retired again after this one but he returned once more, for Never Say Never Again 15 years later. --Sean Axmaker 
The Living Daylights: Timothy Dalton made his 007 debut in the lean, mean mode of Sean Connery, doing away with the pun-filled camp of Roger Moore's final outings. This James Bond is ruthless, tough, and romantic. The Living Daylights, set during the thaw of the cold war, begins with the defection of Russian KGB General Koskov (Jeroen Krabb) and his revelation of a Soviet plot to eliminate Britain's secret agent force. Assigned to eliminate Koskov's Soviet boss (John Rhys-Davies), Bond uncovers a conspiracy involving Koskov and an American arms dealer (Joe Don Baker). Veteran series director John Glen's action scenes have never been better--especially the show-stopping mid-air battle on the net of a speeding cargo plane--and he returns the series to the smart, rough, high-energy adventures that made the Bond reputation. --Sean Axmaker 
A View to a Kill: Roger Moore's last outing as James Bond is evidence enough that it was time to pass the torch to another actor. Beset by crummy action (an out-of-control fire engine?) and featuring a fading Moore still trying to prop up his mannered idea of style, the film is largely interesting for Christopher Walken's quirky performance as a sort-of supervillain who wants to take out California's Silicon Valley. Grace Jones has a spookily interesting presence as a lethal associate of Walken's (and who, in the best Bond tradition, has sex with 007 before trying to kill him later), and Patrick Macnee (Steed!) has a warm if brief bit. Even directed by John Glen, who brought some crackle to the Moore years in the Bond franchise, this is a very slight effort. -- Tom Keogh 
Die Another Day: The 20th James Bond adventure, Die Another Day succeeds on three important fronts: it avoids comparison to Austin Powers by keeping its cheesy humor in check, allows Halle Berry to be sexy and worthy of a spinoff franchise, and keeps pace with the technical wizardry that modern action films demand. Pierce Brosnan is paired with American agent Jinx (Berry) in chasing a genetically altered North Korean villain (Rick Yune) armed with a satellite capable of destroying just about anything. John Cleese and Judi Dench reprise their recurring roles (as "Q" and "M," respectively); they're accompanied by weapons-laden sports cars, a hokey cameo by Madonna (who sings the techno-pulsed theme song), and enough double-entendres to keep Bond-philes adequately shaken and stirred. Die Another Day makes you welcome the familiar end-credits promise: James Bond will return. --Jeff Shannon 
The Spy Who Loved Me: The best of the James Bond adventures starring Roger Moore as tuxedoed Agent 007, this globe-trotting thriller introduced the steel-toothed Jaws (played by seven-foot-two-inch-tall actor Richard Kiel) as one of the most memorable and indestructible Bond villains. Jaws is so tenacious, in fact, that Moore looks genuinely frightened, and that adds to the abundant fun. This time Bond teams up with yet another lovely Russian agent (Barbara Bach) to track a pair of nuclear submarines that the nefarious Stromberg (Curt Jürgens) plans to use in his plot to start World War III. The Spy Who Loved Me is a galaxy away from the suave Sean Connery exploits of the 1960s, but the film works perfectly as grandiose entertainment. From cavernous undersea lairs to the vast horizons of Egypt, this Bond thriller keeps its tongue firmly in cheek with a plot tailor-made for daredevil escapism. --Jeff Shannon 
License to Kill: Timothy Dalton's second and last shot at playing James Bond isn't nearly as much fun as his debut, two years earlier, in the 1987 The Living Daylights. This time Bond gets mad after a close friend (David Hedison) from the intelligence sector is assassinated on his wedding day, and 007 goes undercover to link the murder to an international drug cartel. Robert Davi makes an interesting adversary, but as with most of the Bond films in the '70s, '80s, and '90s--and especially since the end of the cold war--one has to wonder why we should still care about these lesser villains and their unimaginative crimes. Still, Dalton did manage in his short time with the character to make 007 his own, which neither Roger Moore did nor Pierce Brosnan did. --Tom Keogh 
Goldeneye: The 18th James Bond adventure was a runaway box-office success when released in 1995, thanks to the arrival of Pierce Brosnan as the fifth actor (following the departure of Timothy Dalton) to play the suave, danger-loving Agent 007. This James Bond is a bit more vulnerable and psychologically complex--and just a shade more politically correct--but he's still a formally attired playboy at heart, with a lovely Russian beauty (Izabella Scorupco) as his sexy ally against a cadre of renegade Russians bent on--what else?--global domination. All in all, this action-packed Bond adventure provided a much-needed boost the long-running movie series, revitalizing the 007 franchise for the turn of the millennium. --Jeff Shannon
Live and Let Die: Roger Moore was introduced as James Bond in this 1973 action movie featuring secret agent 007. This film marks a deviation from the more character-driven stories of the Connery years, a deliberate shift to plastic action (multiple chases, bravura stunts) that made the franchise more of a comic book or machine. If that's not depressing enough, there's even a good British director on board, Guy Hamilton (Force 10 from Navarone). The story finds Bond taking on an international drug dealer (Yaphet Kotto), and while that may be superficially relevant, it isn't exactly the same as fighting supervillains on the order of Goldfinger. --Tom Keogh
For Your Eyes Only: After a ship sunk off the coast of Albania, the world's superpowers begin a feverish search for its valuable lost cargo: the powerful ATAC system, which will give its bearer unlimited control over Polaris nuclear submarines. As Bond joins the search, he suspects the suave Kristatos (Julian Glover) of seizing the device. The competition between nations grows more deadly by the moment, but Bond finds an ally in the beautiful Melina Havelock (Caroline Bouquet), who blames Kristatos for the death of her parents. The non-stop action includes automobile chases, thrilling underwater battles, and even a breathtaking tour over razor-sharp coral reefs. But all of this is merely a prelude to 007's cliffhanging assault of a magnificent mountaintop fortress. -- Robert Lynch From Russia with Love: Directed with consummate skill by Terence Young, the second James Bond spy thriller is considered by many fans to be the best of them all. Certainly Sean Connery was never better as the dashing Agent 007, whose latest mission takes him to Istanbul to retrieve a top-secret Russian decoding machine. His efforts are thwarted when he gets romantically distracted by a sexy Russian double agent (Daniela Bianchi), and is tracked by a lovely assassin (Lotte Lenya) with switchblade shoes, and by a crazed killer (Robert Shaw), who clashes with Bond during the film's dazzling climax aboard the Orient Express. From Russia with Love is classic James Bond, before the gadgets, pyrotechnics, and Roger Moore steered the movies away from the more realistic tone of the books by Ian Fleming. --Jeff Shannon
On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Australian model George Lazenby took up the mantle of the world's most suave secret agent when Sean Connery retired as James Bond (although Connery returned in Diamonds Are Forever before leaving the role to Roger Moore). In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 007 leaves the Service to privately pursue his SPECTRE nemesis Blofeld (played this time by Telly Savalas), whose latest master plan involves a threat to the world's crops by agricultural sterilization. Lazenby hasn't the intensity of Connery but he has fun with his quips and even lampoons the Bond image in a playful pre-credits sequence. Former editor Peter Hunt makes a strong directorial debut, deftly handling the elaborate action sequences with a kinetic finesse. --Sean Axmaker 
Dr. No: Released in 1962, this first James Bond movie remains one of the best, and serves as an entertaining reminder that the Bond series began (in keeping with Ian Fleming's novels) with a surprising lack of gadgetry and big-budget fireworks. In his first adventure James Bond is called to Jamaica where a colleague and secretary have been mysteriously killed. With an American CIA agent (Jack Lord, pre-Hawaii Five-O), they discover that the nefarious Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman) is scheming to blackmail the U.S. government with a device capable of deflecting and destroying U.S. rockets launched from Cape Canaveral. Of course, Bond takes time off from his exploits to enjoy the company of a few gorgeous women, including the bikini-clad Ursula Andress. This is Bond at his purest, kicking off a series of movies that shows no sign of slowing down. --Jeff Shannon
You Only Live Twice: The film boasts the best of the Bond title songs (this one sung on a dreamy track by Nancy Sinatra), but the movie itself is one of the weaker ones of the Sean Connery phase of the 007 franchise. The story concerns an effort by the evil organization SPECTRE to start a world war, but the not-so-super villain behind the plot is the awfully civilized Donald Pleasence. The thin script is by Roald Dahl (shouldn't we have expected a better Bond nemesis from the creator of mad genius Willy Wonka?), and direction is by British veteran Lewis Gilbert (Alfie). But the movie can't hold a candle to Dr. No, From Russia with Love, or Goldfinger. --Tom Keogh
Octopussy: Roger Moore was nearing the end of his reign as James Bond when he made Octopussy, and he looks a little worn out. But the movie itself infuses some new blood into the old franchise, with a frisky pace and a pair of sturdy villains. Maud Adams--who'd also been in the Bond outing The Man with the Golden Gun--plays the improbably named Octopussy, while old smoothie Louis Jourdan is her crafty partner in crime. Two Bond films were actually released in 1983 within a few months of each other, as Octopussy was followed by Sean Connery's comeback in Never Say Never Again. The success of both pictures proved that there was still plenty of mileage left in the old license to kill, though Moore had one more workout--A View to a Kill--before hanging it up. And that title? The franchise had already used up the titles to Ian Fleming's novels, so Octopussy was taken from a lesser-known Fleming short story. -- Robert Horton Tomorrow Never Dies: Pierce Brosnan returns for his second stint as James Bond (after GoldenEye), and he's doing it in high style with an invigorating cast of costars. It's only appropriate that a Bond film from 1997 would find Agent 007 pitted against a media mogul (Jonathan Pryce) who's going to start a global war (beginning with stolen nuclear missiles aimed at China) to create attention-grabbing headlines for his latest multimedia news channel. It's the information age run amok, and Bond must team up with a lovely and lethal agent from the Chinese External Security Force (played by Honk Kong action star Michelle Yeoh) to foil the madman's plot of global domination. Luckily for Bond, the villain's wife (Teri Hatcher) is one of his former lovers and 007 finds ample opportunity to exploit the connection. Armed with the usual array of gadgets (including a remote-controlled BMW), Brosnan settles into his role with acceptable flair, and the dynamic Yeoh provides a perfect balance to the sexism that once threatened to turn Bond into a politically incorrect anachronism. He's still Bond, to be sure, but he's saving the world with a bit more sophisticated finesse. --Jeff Shannon
Moonraker: This was the first James Bond adventure produced after the success of Star Wars, so it jumped on the sci-fi bandwagon by combining the suave appeal of Agent 007 (once again played by Roger Moore) with enough high-tech hardware and special effects to make Luke Skywalker want to join Her Majesty's Secret Service. This time Bond is up against a criminal industrialist named Drax (Michel Lonsdale) who wants to control the world from his orbiting space station. Bond thwarts this maniacal Neo-Hitler's scheme with the help of a beautiful, sleek-figured scientist (played by Lois Chiles with all the vitality of a department-store mannequin). Despite Moore's passive performance (which Pauline Kael described as "like an office manager who is turning into dead wood but hanging on to collect his pension"), Moonraker had no problem attracting an appreciative audience, and there are even a few renegade Bond-philes who consider it one of their favorites. --Sean Axmaker
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
184 of 193 people found the following review helpful.
By Christopher Derer
This review is designed to assist individuals who are on the fence about upgrading from the previously released Special Edition (SE) DVDs to the Ultimate Edition (UE) DVDs. I do not profess to be an audiophile or videophile, so I won't be bandying about terminology like compression and low-end frequency loss (I'm trying to help you, not impress you). On the other hand, I do comprehend technical terms and realize the importance of presentation and quality; however, this information is for the benefit of the average consumer.
Like so many others, the first thought that came to mind following the announcement of the UE DVD project was 'corporate greed.' My perspective has since changed considerably. In the wake of Sony's acquisition of MGM/UA, there is no doubt that the new parent company is looking to exploit the series for maximum profit. But at least Sony has the resources to do it right.
My waning interest in the Bond series was reinvigorated with the release of "Casino Royale" in 2006, an exceptional reboot which compensates for the disappointing Brosnan era. Given that event, I wanted to revisit the older films, only to discover that the SE DVDs looked less than impressive on a contemporary LCD television. At that point, I wondered if the UE DVDs might live up to the marketing hype.
I always read product reviews on this website to help guide my purchases. I'm equally amused and annoyed by hardcore technophiles who point out 'mistakes' in the UE DVDs - 'Felix Leiter's pants are the wrong color,' 'reverb on the gunshot ricochet is too heavy,' etc. I'm quite certain that none of these amateur critics have ever been employed by EON Productions, United Artists, or MGM, and have never seen an original master film print. Thus they are not credible reference sources for interpreting the artistic vision of the filmmakers. While no one is perfect, I am convinced that the professionals at Lowry/DTS Digital Images went above and beyond to ensure that the finished products accurately reflect how the films should properly appear and sound.
Another factor to bear in mind is that everyone's home theater setup is different, thus audio and video reproduction may vary considerably. Very few of those 'expert' reviewers describe their home theater configurations; however I expect that they all have high-end equipment with optimized settings. I also assume that none of them suffer from color blindness, hearing loss, or any other condition that might invalidate their comments. The average Joe can't distinguish between cerulean and cobalt, and doesn't have a basement that resembles the local Cineplex. For the record, I am viewing the films using a Samsung DVD R-120 directly connected to a Samsung LNR328W 32 inch LCD HDTV using Monster component cables, with sound directly output to Bose Cinemate speakers (2.1 channel stereo).
IMAGE: The clarity, color tones, and level of detail are truly amazing, with the restoration giving an almost three dimensional effect to the picture. There is no absolutely no visible film damage or anomalies such as dust, scratches, hairs, etc. like that which plagued all previous releases. It's like watching a new print, only better.
SOUND: While I don't have 5.1 channel surround sound, the Dolby Digital stereo output is just as revelatory as the restored image. Although I can't comment on surround sound effects and DTS output quality, I can say that the soundtrack (music, dialogue, and effects) is properly balanced for the first time on any video release. I find myself fully hearing and completely understanding many lines of dialogue for the first time. The stereo remixing on the earlier films is subtle but contributes exceptionally to the viewing experience. However, if you prefer the original mono soundtrack, that is an option in the setup menu.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Almost all of the special features available on the SE DVDs have been transferred over to the UE DVDs ("Die Another Day" being the exception), and are joined by new content. Some of the new material is fascinating (period interviews and footage), while other segments are less than enthralling (storyboard sequences). I've not listened to any of Roger Moore's running commentaries, but I rarely watch any DVD in that manner. In short, the original behind-the-scenes documentaries carried over from the SE DVDs still make for the most enlightening viewing.
PACKAGING: It doesn't take a high-paid marketing executive to figure out that if the films were released in four chronologically ordered box sets, the first two boxes would substantially outsell the latter two: this explains why the series was jumbled around. Considering that serious fans will want the entire series anyway, this frequently documented complaint seems petty. Regarding the storage devices (boxes and cases), I often read gripes that the individual movies can't be sequenced into the proper order because the boxes have the film titles printed on the spines. Again, this is a trivial grievance. Reviewers are split over the slimline double-disc cases, some preferring the space-saving measure, while others finding them cheap-looking and not as presentable (I agree with both sides). Because the cases can't hold the accompanying booklets, that paperwork is deposited into one side of the box. I've always found those booklets to be superfluous anyway, and they're not included with the single disc releases.
TECHNICAL ISSUES: Some reviewers have reported experiencing freezing and pixeling during playback of some discs, beyond the usual shift between disc layers. May I suggest that it is not a defective DVD, but rather performance issues with one's player. I had similar problems with "O.H.M.S.S." and other non-UE discs played on my Samsung, however the discs played fine on another unit or my PC.
Since the start of the home video market, the Bond films have been released in nearly every format: VHS (through CBS/FOX and then MGM/UA), Laserdisc, RCA SelectaVision (remember that one?), Pioneer VCD, and DVD (initial releases were THX in cardboard snap cases). To play devil's advocate for a moment, the specifications of Lowry's restoration and digital transfer process will allow for full 1080p high definition versions of each film. So expect yet another massive reissue campaign within the next three years or so to capitalize on the next generation optical disc format. Currently, there exists a competition between Sony's Blu-ray disc and Toshiba's HD DVD - a market struggle somewhat comparable to the VHS vs. Betamax battle of the early 1980s. To be honest, I don't know how much better the picture can get - with a decent LCD screen and an up-converting DVD player, the average viewer will be more than satisfied with the UE DVDs.
By the end of 2007, each film will be available for individual purchase as a single disc releases with no additional features (except cast and crew commentaries as a secondary audio track). However, the box set bundle is a better deal, from both financial and entertainment perspectives. But if you still need additional convincing (as I did), buy the single disc "Goldfinger" for ten bucks - I was sold on the box sets even before the opening titles started.
UPDATE (March 16, 2007): Just purchased a Sony DVPNS75H upscaling DVD player. There are no playback issues like those experienced with the Samsung DVD R-120. In fact, the picture is slightly better. Haven't tried the HDMI link, but the progressive scan output through component cables is beautiful. A word to the wise - any 'defective' discs you have may be just fine, however it could be time to upgrade your player. One more note - the player has this neat screen saver feature which displays a still frame from the menu along with the title of the film when you stop playback (many recent DVDs are encoded with this function).
UPDATE (April 10, 2007): Having watched half the series in chronological order, I finally found a quality issue worth reporting - excessive edge enhancement (artificial image sharpening) during the first half of "The Spy Who Loved Me." The effect is characterized by the presence of black or white outlines around objects (like a halo), predominantly in medium and long shots. The effect is less obvious during the second half of the film. Thinking that I might have been tired while viewing, I perused endless posts on discussion boards dedicated to the UE DVDs to confirm. It's distracting and disappointing, but the UE is still preferable to the SE. Also worth noting is that the frame is cropped on the transfers of "A View To A Kill" and "Goldeneye." No integral image data is lost and the average viewer probably won't notice.
Having read all those online threads, I'm amazed over how purists emphatically debate details, but even after digesting such intense scrutinies, I abide by my own evaluation of the UE DVDs - you WILL be impressed.
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful.
By Patrick Selitrenny
The Ultimate Bond Collection is sure must in any Bond fan collection, or even in any Action Movie collection.
Not only do we get all the movies, and I mean all 20 of them, in a fully digitally restored image, but also in full Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound, not forgetting the DTS system also included...
Can you imagine watching Dr. No or Goldfinger in this manner? Or even Live and Let Die or The Man with the Golden Gun this way?
Simply spectacular.
Although there are some differences in the special features included here, compared to those offered in the equivalent Special Editions, which I would keep just for this reason, if you, like me still have them, instead of simply discard them from your shelves.
Also, the accompanying booklets are nice, but not as colorful as their Special Edition counterparts.
But as far as the main content, which after all are the DVDs, the Ultimate Collection is light years away from their previous releases.
Unless you want to wait until the entire collection is once again re-released, and this time on HD-DVD, which I sincerely doubt, I don't think they will give more impact to the movies themselves (you will still have to wait a couple of years, before the HD-DVD revolution truly takes in the hearts and minds of people - besides, there are even newer developments... so don't hold your breath for this).
The only two negative points here are just minor ones.
One is the everlasting question about the final scene in "From Russia with Love", on the Venice canals, in which James Bond (Sean Connery) and Tanja Romanova (Daniela Bianchi) are scrutinizing the secret "blue" movie taken by the Russians in the Hotel room in Istanbul, earlier in the movie, when Bond meets Tanja for the first time.
The full scene included some additional comments which were cut at the time, due to censorship problems. But today we are all grown-ups and therefore I would have appreciated, if they had it reintegrated as it seemed to be in the intentions of the Producers.
But then again, who knows, maybe the material was lost in the meanwhile (although I doubt it, because on at least on a videotape release I used to own from England, the entire scene was shown, unfortunately I don't have it anymore).
The second point is that they left Madonna's videoclip of her song for "Die Another Day", together with the "Making Of" of the same, out of this DVD release.
So, if you still own the Special Edition of "Die Another Day", do not get rid of it as yet, unless of course, you don't really care for that particular videoclip.
That's all.
The DTS soundtrack is a plus in this collection. If you own a DTS capable DVD player, put it on and you will experience these movies as you never have before, it is far better than the just conventional Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound also included.
What can I add beyond all of this? Absolutely nothing.
If you have appreciated the Special Editions, you will absolutely be overjoyed in having the Ultimate Edition.
It is well worth the money.
Bravo Sony, you are doing an exceptionally good job!
22 of 25 people found the following review helpful.
By Nathan Redmond
What else is there to say about these DVDs, other than if you hate blonde Bond as much as I do (yeah, I hate Daniel Craig-- deal with it, fanboys), pick up these DVDs and leave it at that. Everything good from the initial DVD releases (including the excellent "Inside (movie title)" docs) is here, plus a few scattered new features. But the obvious selling point of these discs is the vastly improved picture and sound quality. While purists may complain about the 5.1 tracks, most of the original mono and stereo tracks are included, and the first three films get faithful remixes anyway. There are a few exceptions, though. For example, Live and Let Die does not include the original mono audio, but does have a small amount of added sound effects. The ratio of added sound in this movie, however, is not as large as, say, Thunderball (whose 5.1 track in the original DVD looks like nothing compared to this one), or dare I say it, The Man with the Golden Gun, whose original sound mix feels rushed and incomplete (that track is included with the DVD, so you can hear how rushed it sounds).
Like I said, the first three films get faithful 5.1 mixes, which are simply a matter of adding LFE and a lot of directional effects. Most of the other mono-to-5.1 mixes have added sound for extra punch, and all of the stereo-to-5.1 mixes are faithful as well. Some corrections to audio are made, such as removing reverb from alarm noises preceding the glass factory fight in Moonraker, and a lot of music fixes in The Man with the Golden Gun. All in all, good sounding.
Of course, the picture quality has to be seen to be believed. There's a documentary called "Licence to Restore" on the second disc of Dr. No, demonstrating numerous fixes to the picture, including the removal of annoying strobe lights in The Man with the Golden Gun. The Connery films look absolutely spectacular. Lazenby's one film has some minor color correction issues (the snow in the climcatic Piz Gloria fight scene looks reddish), but also looks excellent. The early Moore films have some flaws, but are still excellent. Everything afterwards is almost reference-quality. Example: I was perplexed that all but one film (Die Another Day) would be restored. I thought, "Why bother with the recent films?" Well, it turns out, a huge blemish on the picture at one point in GoldenEye (right after Bond says, "The very words I live by") was removed, and footage originally cut from Licence to Kill to get a PG-13 rating was reinstated.
All in all, well worth waiting four years for a proper release of Bond films on DVD. Any self-respecting Bond fan should ditch their old sets and get these now; you won't regret it.
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