![Thunderball (James Bond) [Blu-ray]](http://cdn.hometheaterforum.com/c/ce/50x50px-ZC-B001AQO45K-51KMHYtaM9L.jpg)
Thunderball
Release Date: Available now (original release date October 21, 2008)
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment
Packaging/Materials: Single-disc Blu-Ray case with cardstock slipcover
Year: 1965
Rating: PG
Running Time: 2h10m
MSRP: $34.98
| MAIN FEATURE | ||
| Video | 1080p high definition 16x9 2.35:1 | |
| Audio | DTS HD Master Audio: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: English Mono, Spanish Mono, French 5.1 | |
| Subtitles | English, Spanish | |
The Feature: 4/5
James Bond (Sean Connery) goes on the hunt for two atomic missiles stolen by SPECTRE, who is using them to extort 100 million pounds from the British and American governments. Fans of "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" will have fun spotting a few inspirational scenes.
Video Quality: 4.5/5
The film is correctly framed at 2.35:1 (with the exception of the window boxed title sequence), encoded in AVC and generally free of blemishes (there are occasional, faint vertical lines in the image). Grain reduction is on par with "From Russia with Love," making for a very clean image but one still filled with detail - grass and gravel and skin and cloth textures all stand out in their clarity. Black levels are very good, deep and inky with fine shadow detail and delineation. Colors also have excellent depth and richness, from the primary colors of the title sequence to the deep blues of the underwater scenes.
For those bothered by the title sequence window boxing, the textless version in "007 Mission Control" is presented at the full 2.35:1 framing with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.
Audio Quality: 4/5
Presented in 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio, the surround channels provide a nice immersive effect in support of the film score and for a few modest directional and environmental effects. Center channel dialogue is clear and intelligible, though sound effects levels can be mixed a bit high in comparison, making things a bit painful on the ears at times. Bass activity is surprisingly healthy, explosions and the deep roar of jet engines creating some nice tremors in the listening space. Overall it's a detailed and dynamic track that goes well with the impressive visuals.
Also included is the original mono track in a lossy encode. The track is not unpleasant, but is definitely edgier and less detailed than the lossless option.
Special Features: 4.5/5
All the special features from the "Ultimate Edition" DVD release have been ported over and some have been upgraded to high definition video! Though the "007 Mission Control" random access piece is merely grabbing in and out points from the feature, subsequent documentaries are now in high definition - a nice touch.
Audio Commentary by Director Terence Young and Others: John Cork of the Ian Fleming Foundation returns, following the same scripted format as the other Bond commentaries, combining pre-recorded audio interviews with bits of movie history and trivia, giving listeners plenty to take in.
Audio Commentary by Editor Peter Hunt, Screenwriter John Hopkins and Others: Cork returns as primary commentator and sometime interviewer of the primary participants, making for another focused and informative track. The commentary also includes the entirety of the alternate title song, "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" sung by Dionne Warwick.
The Incredible World of James Bond - Original 1965 NBC Television Special (50m54s): Retrospective television program hits the highlights of the three films leading up to "Thunderball" and examines the history of the character and worldwide fervor over the franchise. We've certainly seen a lot of these kinds of promotional pieces before, but it's interesting to see one that only has three films to cover. Imagine having to do one of these now!
A Child's Guide to Blowing Up A Motor Car - 1965 Ford Promotional Film (17m09s): A man takes his nephew to visit the set of "Thunderball," where they're filming a car chase scene. The framing device is kind of hokey (and the finale pretty un-PC) but it's a nice archival look behind the scenes.
On Location with Ken Adam (13m06s): Production Designer Adam comments on his location scouting footage.
Bill Suitor: The Rocket Man Movies (3m54s): Suitor talks about how he became a jet pack pilot and what it was like to fly for the film.
Thunderball Boat Show Reel (2m51s): Footage of the underwater battle re-edited (and toned down) for a boat show screening.
Selling Bonds - Original 1965 Television Commercials (2m05s): Raincoats, slacks and toy spy paraphernalia for sale at a retailer near you. Or at least they used to be.
Credits (1m15s): Production credits for the "MI6 Vault."
007 Mission Control: An interesting feature, giving random access to scenes around a particular character or theme, all in 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio and 1080p high definition 16x9 2.35:1 video. Better than skipping through the feature disc? It depends. For fans of the opening title sequence (which has a textless option at a full 2.35:1 with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio), this is an easy way to access it. And obviously users aren't meant to watch all the clips, but only access their favorites; otherwise, why not just watch the feature disc? The one departure from simple clips from the film is the "Exotic Locations" item, which is a montage of film locales with narration by Maude Adams, presented in high definition with stereo audio.
The Making of Thunderball (27m34s): Documentary covers the requisite points of "Thunderball" development, production and theatrical release. In high definition with stereo audio.
The Thunderball Phenomenon (31m04s): A closer look at the film's worldwide popluarity, merchandising and life after its theatrical release. In high definition with stereo audio.
The Secret History of Thunderball (3m56s): A quick look at the varying versions of dialogue and scenes to pop up over the years. In high definition with stereo audio.
Theatrical Trailers (8m26s): Three trailers.
TV Broadcasts (3m31s): Five television spots.
Radio Communication (5m03s): Ten promotional radio spots with an introduction.
Image Database: Large image gallery with the usual mix of promotional stills, on-set shots, and advertising materials.
"Quantum of Solace" Movie Cash: In promotion of the upcoming Bond film starring Daniel Craig, a cover sticker has a code to access an online coupon worth up to $10.50 toward the purchase of a ticket for the movie. The sticker left a fair amount of adhesive on the cardstock cover, though it was easily removed with duct tape.
Title Recap
The Feature: 4/5
Video Quality: 4.5/5
Audio Quality: 4/5
Special Features: 4.5/5
Overall Score (not an average): 4.5/5
For those who have never owned "Thunderball," the Blu-Ray release is an obvious choice, having very good audio and video to go along with a plentiful set of insightful extras, several of which are now in high definition. For previous owners of the DVD, the decision to re-purchase the title on Blu-Ray will ultimately come down to how much they enjoy the film. My personal strategy with the release of the Blu-Ray Bond films, before I knew I'd be getting them to review, was to purchase only those titles I really enjoyed, this film being one of them. I suspect, however, that hardcore fans will be looking at a wholesale upgrade for all the films if the rest of the titles are as fine as this one.
