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A Few Words About A few words about...™ Spectre -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Robert Harris

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There are probably as many concepts of what a "true" Bond film should be as there are people viewing them.

And while storylines may have become excessive, and action sequences doing their best to one-up the previous, the Bond films remain very much their own breed.

Whether one prefers Mr. Connery, Mr. Moore, Mr. Dalton, Mr. Bronson or Mr. Craig in the titular role, is of little import.

For Blu-ray, it's all in presentation, and Spectre, regardless of one's feelings, is a spectacular Blu-ray presentation. Shot on film, as well as data, and finished as a true 4k intermediate, Spectre is both a magnificent visual as well as aural experience. It's one of those productions that will clean the lint from one's speakers.

Is there a message? Is it mindless entertainment?

Doesn't matter. Just load it in your player and enjoy.

Can't be long before we have Spectre on UHD.

Image - 5

Audio - 5

4k Up-rez - 5*

Pass / Fail - Pass

Recommended


RAH
 

2HB

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Thanks for the review but is it possible to get some info from the horses mouth so to speak. Like many in the UK I've preordered this locally. However the film was pre cut over here to get a 12A cert in the theatre. In the US this was a PG13. Can you confirm the length of the Blu Ray and that it is being released with the same cut worldwide?
If the US have got a longer cut it will still be possible for UK buyers to cancel and reorder. Thanks.
 
P

Patrick Donahue

An enjoyable enough film, and a great disc, but as a lifelong Bond fan I couldn't help but leave the cinema feeling as though, after 24 installments, that we've seen about all we can see with the character and maybe a 10 year or so break is needed to create some genuine anticipation for the next adventure...
 
P

Patrick Donahue

Thanks for the review but is it possible to get some info from the horses mouth so to speak. Like many in the UK I've preordered this locally. However the film was pre cut over here to get a 12A cert in the theatre. In the US this was a PG13. Can you confirm the length of the Blu Ray and that it is being released with the same cut worldwide?
If the US have got a longer cut it will still be possible for UK buyers to cancel and reorder. Thanks.

If it helps, the US digital version runs 2:28:07. I saw the film theatrically in London and on Blu here in the States and everything seemed identical to me.
 

2HB

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Thanks for the reply. From all the info on the UK release that I've been able to find they have the running time at 148 minutes. Now this could be simply be approx length or it could be 7 seconds that were precut for violence in the UK. Unfortunately the BBFC doesn't clarify exactly what was cut for the 12A cert.
 
P

Patrick Donahue

I think the 148mins running time given is just rounded down. I frequent many James Bond boards and have not heard anything about there being different cuts. You should be fine.
 

2HB

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I'd assume the same to be honest. It would make things easier though if MGM had just stated in their publicity for the Blu Ray that it would have the same release in all markets unlike the original release of Casino Royale on Blu in the UK. I ended up ordering that from Australia.
 

Stephen_J_H

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Thanks for the reply. From all the info on the UK release that I've been able to find they have the running time at 148 minutes. Now this could be simply be approx length or it could be 7 seconds that were precut for violence in the UK. Unfortunately the BBFC doesn't clarify exactly what was cut for the 12A cert.
This might help [from IMDb] link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2379713/alternateversions
This filmmakers originally submitted the film to the BBFC in the UK for advice on whether the film would receive a 12A rating upon a formal submission. The BBFC informed the filmmakers that cuts would be required in two scenes before a 12A rating could be obtained. Reductions were made in one scene of violence and in another scene which shows the aftermath of a violent act. Cuts were duly made, and upon a formal submission to the BBFC, the film was passed 12A without further cuts. The two affected scenes are: (spoiler) Mr. Hinx gouging out the eyes of another Spectre agent. Aftermath of Mr. White's suicide.

While this might amount to more than seven seconds, you never know.
 

Oblivion138

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Though the absence of Roger Deakins was felt, I enjoyed this outing a bit more than Skyfall. If only because the story actually makes sense. Still a step below Casino Royale, but definitely among the best of the modern Bonds.

The US version wasn't cut at all, was it? I know Casino Royale was, and I eventually had to order the "15" rated UK release in order to get the uncut version.
 

davidmatychuk

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Finally I've seen "Spectre" for myself, on Blu-Ray. What on earth was all the moaning about? I'm a lifelong James Bond fan - I saw the "Dr. No"/"From Russia With Love" double bill as a boy - and I thought "Spectre" was absolutely first-class in every way and completely credible as a 2015 version of a Bond movie. If Daniel Craig carries on as Bond for another film, I'll greatly enjoy watching the four he's done already as preparation for seeing the new one. The Bond series has never had much of a through-line, other than the relationship between a hero and his support team, but starting with the "Casino Royale" reboot we now have a complete four-movie arc. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to moan loudly about the lack of a "Spectre" Collector's Edition on Blu-Ray.
 

CraigF

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Or my personal preference, Mr. Lazenby. :)

Hey, me two. Was the first Bond (OHMSS) I was old enough to see, and still my favorite (which is not the same as the "best"...). Since I didn't see it until '71 when it was still running in some cinemas in the UK after almost 2 years (common for popular films in smaller towns in those days), the BD is by far the best I've ever seen it.

I've always got time for another Bond flick. Spectre seems a good candidate for my first UHD combo, IDK, I don't really plan to go 4K until my plasma dies, and I suppose I could catch the UHD in its next release or the one after that and just make do with the BD only in the meantime...
 
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davidmatychuk

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Seeing "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" first-run back when I was 14 was overwhelmingly great, and I agree that the Blu-Ray is easily the best home video version available. I'm glad to see how George Lazenby has become a solid Bond World citizen and articulate elder statesman in recent years. Maybe some of the sting of how he was received in his one Bond outing has gone away, given the widespread appreciation that movie has accrued over the years, and not entirely "in spite of" Mr. Lazenby, either.
 

larryKR

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I watched SPECTRE for the first time yesterday on Blu-ray, and I found it to be a very entertaining movie. The only think I didn't like was the theme song " The Writing's On the Wall" by Sam Smith, which is dreadful to my taste in music.
 

Winston T. Boogie

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The US version wasn't cut at all, was it? I know Casino Royale was, and I eventually had to order the "15" rated UK release in order to get the uncut version.

There is more than one version of Casino Royale on blu-ray? What are the cuts on the US version of Casino Royale?
 

Neil S. Bulk

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The fight in the bathroom during the pre-titles is shorter in the US version. Also some violence is trimmed from the stairwell fight. In total it's about 21 seconds of footage. The full version of the movie is on the Australian Blu-ray, but the Vudu streaming copy in the US is the full cut as well.
 

CraigF

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There is more than one version of Casino Royale on blu-ray? What are the cuts on the US version of Casino Royale?

Probably not as important to most, but I got 3 versions just to compare the audio i.e. there are three different lossless audio versions, just had to compare being an "audio guy", luckily it's a good movie too.

Wasn't there something cut (originally?) in the UK version even, like when Bond was sitting in the chair and there was some ball-breaking going on? Anyway, as many times as I've watched CR, I don't even notice the cuts, even after reading about them...maybe I would if I had the Australian BD, usually I'm better at noticing stuff "missing" when I've had a chance for it to be there in the first place... :) I'm of mixed feeling about theatrical cuts on BD being messed with by including stuff that wasn't shown in the (local) theaters. You'd think they could go the extra 2 inches and use seamless branching, do something useful with the BD standard (instead of all the annoying and mostly useless stuff they did do).
 
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