James Bond Blu-ray Collection Three-Pack, Vol. 4?? - Page 10

Agreed. It's just hard to have to wait another 2 years. The last James Bond blu releases were in March of 2009. It's frustrating to know that the work is done for the blu rays too and that Fox and MGM are sitting on them for a date when they can market them. 

 

I understand the business aspect of marketing, but as a fan it's frustrating to wait on these 9 titles to be released. 

Even more frustrating is that there is no guarantee that the next releases will be the 9 films missing from Blu-ray now. A release of blu-rays after such a long time could start with the franchise's best sellers, many of which are already out - Goldfinger, etc. There's also no guarantee future releases will be in the same type of packaging to match what we have.

 

No sense in asking the studios to assuage our concerns; they likely don't know themselves what form their blu-ray releases will take yet.

Isn't that pretty much exactly what happened when the James Bond films were released on DVD?  There was an initial batch of titles, but it didn't include all the films.  When MGM finally got around to revisiting the series, they basically started over (this was the "special edition" series) without regard for which films they'd already released.

 

It is also not just MGM/Fox.  Eon Productions has a say in the release of the films also.  They are really taking a wait and see attitude with what happens.  Even though the MGM board has gone forward with the bankruptcy and have given their approval to Spyglass, Carl Icahn and Lionsgate are still trying for a merger and will be throwing roadblocks for the next several months.
 

I really hope we have some news early next year, even if they will not be released until 2012 with Bond 23. 

 

I really think MGM's best move at this point would be to put out a full box set of all of the films (both released on bd and the other 9). I would gladly rebuy what I have to obtain the other 9 films. 

 

The wait continues for James Bond blu ray fans... 

 

They never should have waited in the first place. They should have put them out and they could have repackaged them all with the release of the new film. At this point depending on the MGM situation it would be nice to have all the OCN's rescanned at 4K and new masters made for the remaining 2K films.   

It's that time of year that I like to watch On Her Majesty's Secret Service because of the Holiday section of the film. Too bad we can't enjoy it in HD this year. 

 

 

 

Me too! I always go back to the original SE from 2000, with the correct colours and sound-mix that were so botched on the UE version...

 

The Bond BDs were part of the reason I upgraded to HD in the first place - I'm anxiously waiting for the rest; I just hope it doesn't take too much longer. I would have thought they would be guaranteed money-spinners for whoever released them. Oh well....

SyFy Network had a Bond marathon over Thanksgiving and aired OHMSS. Did either of you happen to see the airing of the HD version of OHMSS on SyFy? 

I chose to not have cable, so I missed it! Oh well.

 

Afraid not. I live in Australia, so no SyFy HD for me! An HD Bond marathon on cable sounds amazing, but BD is my only hope...

I did. Its the same version that is available in HD on iTunes except Syfy pan and scanned its original aspect ratio in order to make it fill the entire HDTV screen.
 

A possible good sign? At least this means we're one step closer to the remaining Bond BDs...

 

http://bit.ly/edfJfn

 

 

That's too bad they pan and scanned them. I believe MGM HD also aired a few of the Roger Moore films on Thanksgiving too. 

Boy let's sure hope so. At least it should get Bond 23 going... 

 

I really hope we don't have to wait until 2012 for the other 9. However I think that is what may happen due to the 50th anniversary of Dr. No and Bond 23 release. 

More possible good news here: http://goo.gl/TPXdL

 

Like you though Tim, I really hope we don't have to wait until November '12 for the BDs....

I would bet the studio will make us wait another 1.5 years

for the Blu-ray releases.

 

That has been their gameplan to date.

Unfortunately, my bet is that we'll get half of the remaining films around the time of Bond 23's theatrical release, and the rest around the time of its home video release.

Nick,

 

I think that's exactly what should be expected.

 

Just hope the design of the box and artwork is not

revamped.  I would prefer the new sets to match the

existing ones.

Do you guys think that with such an extended wait time between the last BD release and the anticipated 2012 release of the next Bond film, they could simply revamp a totally new set of BD's? New art, possibly new contents and make it a larger box set? Perhaps for less money?

Given how nice the Alien set is and the new Star Wars sets coming, these box sets are inclusive of the entire run of films and lower the cost. However I acknowledge that this is Bond, with 22 films. Not really expecting a new set to include more films then before. But it is possible they could fit more films in a box and release less boxes.

 

Just thinking out loud. But I am expecting a double dip of the BD's! I triple dipped on the DVD's (Not including the early 1997 DVD individual releases of Dr. No, Goldfinger and From Russia With love, etc) I am betting they will do it! Just expecting the worst!

 

I do hope they come out before 2012 too.

Now that Eon and MGM are working together, I would not be surprised to start seeing the rest of the Bonds coming out in Blu.  Eon still has some control of the franchise and while MGM was up for sale and in bankruptcy they just put the hold on everything, not wanting to be tied up in any kind of battle and needed to see some light at the end of the tunnel. 

Just read this article. Pretty interesting that the Fox agreement with MGM DVD distribution expires in September!! 

 

I would look for MGM to continue to hold off on the last 9 Bonds until a new agreement is signed. I wonder if a new studio may come on board as well? I'm guessing the other films will not arrive on blu ray until Bond 23 is released in theaters. 

 

http://www.mi6.co.uk/news/index.php?itemid=9211&t=mi6&s=news

 

It really could go a lot of ways I think. If a new studio is handling the blu ray distribution it could mean a lot more changes in terms of extras, etc too. 

 

It's really hard to wait for the last 9 films on blu ray. 

Paramount has dropped out and Sony Pictures is close to landing distribution rights to MGM's James Bond franchise again, and specifically for the next untitled Bond #23, even though several studios are still very much in the hunt.  MGM wants to make an overall deal for worldwide theatrical and home entertainment distribution of not just Bond but also MGM's new product as well as its library of films.

 

I guess we are close to knowing what will happen to the rest of the titles.   Eon is also in agreement with Sony handling the Bond films due to the good relationship they had during the past two films.   MGM wanted to make an overall deal for worldwide theatrical and home entertainment distribution of not just Bond but also MGM's new product as well as its library of films.MGM wanted to make an overall deal for worldwide theatrical and home entertainment distribution of not just Bond but also MGM's new product as well as its library of films. MGM wanted to make an overall deal for worldwide theatrical and home entertainment distribution of not just Bond but also MGM's new product as well as its library of films. MGM wanted to make an overall deal for worldwide theatrical and home entertainment distribution of not just Bond but also MGM's new product as well as its library of f 

As with many other people - what about MGM's "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad World" ????

What I am waiting on is what kind of agreement will MGM have with Sony or another company concerning their library films.  Will they continue releasing the number of Blu-ray titles, for Sony has not put out the number MGM/Fox has.  Will MGM junk their MOD program with Fox, which should end this fall anyway with the end of their contract, and be included with Columbia Classics, if so it should be a much better program.  I am just glad that Paramount dropped out of the negotiations, however while the trade says its Sony, it also says that Warner and Fox are still in the hunt.

 

Oh there are so many questions. 

 

And I agree with "What About These Titles?"

It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World - Restored Premiere Version

The Alamo - Restored Premiere Version

Exodus - Just a decent Blu-ray for goodness sakes

Hallelujah Trail - Same as above

The Great Escape - Should be a great Blu-ray title

Hawaii - Restored Premiere Version

 

But I am not going to hold my breath, for MGM still has a long way to go.

Woah! I was wondering why I kept reading the same sentence a few times!

I saw something I wanted to mention that sort if confused me about MGM. I'm a fan of This Old House on PBS. This year, their second home rennovation of the season is a 1933 Spanish Colonial home located in Silver Lake, Los Angeles. A first for the series. The home owner works for Sony Animation Studios. The crew of TOH, took a tour of the studio and said it was the former MGM studio. While the host wasn't giving a super detailed history of the studio, I wondered and looked it up on wikipedia. If I read it right, Sony bought Columbia Pictures in 1969 and eventually the MGM studios in the 90's. Those studios are also where Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune is taped. But they toured the animation studio where the home owner manages the group that did Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. That part was very cool to see! So it would seem this former MGM studio division was where they used to do animation ages ago?

Anyway, it got me thinking, does Sony not already own MGM? I guess not and in this case, Sony Animation just owns a former MGM building. I'll have to do more reading. At any rate, it makes sense if Sony took over MGM.

Just get the blu rays out!

Think I have said this many times before....

 

Our best hope for a proper restoration of 

It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World would

be if Warner acquired the MGM library.

 

All of you are aware of the amount of 

quality work that studio has been putting

into restorations.

 

All great titles, but I also want West Side Story, The Miracle Worker, Witness for the Prosecution, Women in Love, Inherit the Wind, and too many others to name.

 

 

I worked at Sony for a while in the mid 90s, and yes it is the former MGM lot. A buddy of mine was the head of the art department at Sony at the time, and my first day there he took me on a tour. At one point we got to what he described as the largest “sound stage” in the world. (the 007 stage is NOT a sound stages as it is not sound proofed or dampened.)

 

Anyway we walked over to the corner of the stage, and he pulled up some of the plywood on the floor, and there was some thing yellow panted on the cement. He said, that’s whats left of the Yellow Brick Road. Apparently munchkin land was the only set that ever took up the whole stage.

 

Of course today there is nothing left of the backlot where all those amazing outdoor sets were. That land was all sold off in the early 1970’s, but the stages are still there.

 

In answer to the second question, it’s my understanding that Sony owned about 20% of MGM about 5 years ago, but as of its emergence from bankruptcy, MGM is now owned by Spyglass Entertainment.

 

Doug

 

Thanks for the insight Douglas! It would be cool to see the stages preserved, especially that portion of The Yellow Brick Road. I always appreciate you insider info.