James Bond Blu ray Collection - Volumes 1 & 2 (1 Viewer)

[Brent Avery]

Alright,so I only managed to get Volume 2. I had to make a decision as I did not expect to see them at this point, and I only had enough cash for one. So here it is, Volume 2. I will be watching them over our Thanksgiving long weekend so I hope the picture quality is up to par. Here are a few shots. Only a little over a week to go (officially!).
















The first picture shows the black card board "book" that slides out of the slip cover, and the bottom photo is the clear plastic protectice sleeve - it is open at the top and bottom - a little push and shove and out comes the slip cover. Nice to know some of my money went somewhere.

 

[RickER]

Why...i hate that book!
I want to be able to put my Bond movies in production order, not some arbitrary weak film with a strong film method.

But let us know how they look, if you can Brent.

Thanks for taking the time to post the pics too!

 

[cafink]

I, too, dislike the case. In the case of the 007 films, I purchased the DVD box sets, but split the individual movies up and stored each one in alphabetical order along with the rest of my DVDs. I'd like to be able to do the same with Blu-ray, but this configuration makes it impossible.

 

[RickER]

I just went to Amazon, and cancelled my order of the 2 box sets, and placed an order for the individual releases. They SEEM to be in slim Blu-ray cases. It cost a little more, but i loath cardboard pages for DVD/CD/Blu-ray releases.
I had also done the same thing with the Planet of the Apes box. Just ordered the individual discs.

 

[troy evans]

I think they look pretty nice. These pics took me from a "might" to a "definate" buy. Thanks Brent.

 

[John H Ross]

Wow, I don't like that box either - I'd assumed the sets would simply consist of an outer box wrapped around the regular plastic cases. I'll be picking each movie up separately.

I'm most intrigued to know if any of the COCK-UPS from the previous UEs have been fixed, but none of the more controversial titles are in this set.

 

[Zack Gibbs]

I like the book design but the inability to ultimately put the films in production order is downright moronic.

 

[Joe_G]

Did you order them all individually or get the amazon 6-pk bundle? In case anyone doesn't know, amazon now has a 6pk bundle for these as well for $112. I had the volumes ordered, but cancelled when I heard of this bundle over at avsfoum. That, and I had a gut feeling that the box sets wouldn't have the films in individual cases.

 

[MattFini]

Can someone post a link to the Amazon 6-pack bundle.

I have the two volumes on order, but I am cancelling them as well. Those sets are lousy and the inability to put them in release order is inexcusable. No way will I buy them like that.

I tried locating the bundle on Amazon but couldn't find it.

 

[RickER]

I did the individual releases. The only bundle i could find was the Vol. 1 and 2, and thats what i cancelled after i saw the cardboard books. I was hoping, like others here, that the boxes were housing individual Blu-slim cases. Glad i found out before i got them.

But yea, Joe, if you have a link to a 6 volume bundle, that isnt in a book, id be all over it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I did as well. Also, you save $31.75 buying them in the bundle versus purchasing them individually.

James Bond Blu-ray Collection Six-Pack

 

[Joe_G]

Here's the link:

Amazon.com: James Bond Blu-ray Collection Six-Pack (Dr. No / Die Another Day / Live and Let Die / For Your Eyes Only / From Russia with Love / Thunderball) (Amazon.com Exclusive) [Blu-ray]: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan: Movies & TV

The description says that this is a 6pk. I'm praying that indeed it is that, like how they did National Treasure and Kill Bill. BUT, they have the volume packaging as the artwork.: I have this on order but haven't inquired as to whether or not the films have indiviual cases and are just bundled or if the volume sets are bundled. I'm gonna chance it unless I find out they're the volumes, then I'll cancel and re-order the titles individually.

 

[Chris S]

I would almost guarantee you that it will be the two volume packs and not the individual titles.

 

[RickER]

Yep, i feel the same. Thats what i HAD on order, but cancelled after seeing the pics in the first post.
Yea, i could print out art online and make my own chronological collection. But, by the time i bought more cases, paper, printer ink, and of course my time, id use that $30 of savings.

To me its almost, but not quite as bad as putting Godfather II in a set before I or III, or Star Wars 4,5, and 1 in a set, and 2,3 and 6 in another.
Some of these movies do build on one another, not quite the same as Godfather or Star Wars. I just want to be able to put them in an order i see fit for a movie series. And that would be production order.

Besides, to me its cheap cardboard, that wont last 5 or 10 years without splitting at the bend.

 

[Dave Moritz]

Nice pictures Brent, but I think I will stick with the seperate releases so I can organize them in order of release date under James Bond in my HD library.

Hey Brent,

Have you had the chance to watch any of the movies yet?

If so what is your impression so far?

 

[Carter of Mars]

Are the mono tracks included on From Russia with Love and Thunderball?

 

[John H Ross]

Doesn't ANYBODY know yet if Lowry has made any corrections to the problematic UE masters of Goldeneye, OHMSS, Live And Let Die (which is in this first batch!) and A View To A Kill in advance of their BD releases?

Re: This set - have the colour changes made to the opening titles sequence on Live And Let Die now been corrected?

EDIT:

Oh, according to this review (and comments) http://whathifi.com/blogs/discs_and_...with-love.aspx Lowry have gone back to the original camera negatives and restored these movies from scratch - again! So assuming they haven't made a whole NEW set of errors some of the original problems should be fixed. This does open a new can of worms however, and that is the age-old issue of subtitles.

Going back to Live And Let Die... has the opening subtitle leading into the United Nations building been changed at all, or is it exactly how it was in the theatrical version and all subsequent DVD releases?

 

[Brent Avery]

If any of you have any suggestions about what to perhaps look for with these BD transfers please let me know and I will try and look for them. I watched From Russia With Love last night on a 42" LCD 1080 set ( Toshiba ) and since I am not very familiar with any of these films on a technical level I did notice it was framed at 1:66. I assume this is the correct OAR. As for the picture itself - I thought it looked quite good. Excellent detail and colors - It was like watching a new film for the first time since I was constantly amazed at what the new 1080 transfer was revealing in the background! There did not seem to be any evidence of film grain yet it looked very natural. I have yet to see how many of the Special Features are in HD - the back of the cover implies they are.

The sound track was quite decent as well, clear and fairly dynamic. I mean, when you consider it's age I think it turned out well. Surrounds were not used very much from what I could hear but the presentation from the front was excellent with the sub giving a bit of depth - nothing outstanding, understandably. I can't see myself ever watching Bond in SD again. As the BD versions are released I will give the SDs to a friend. Still, until I see it on the larger screen along with Thunderball and For Your eyes Only I cannot really judge their overall quality, everything is much sharper on a smaller set so hopefully this will still be the case at 128". Am I asking too much?

 

[Carter of Mars]

Thunderball was the first Bond picture to be shot in Panavision. Are you sure it was really 1.66:1? That would be the ratio for From Russia With Love. Thunderball should be 2.35:1.

 

[Douglas Monce]

Blu-ray has the ability to have player generated subtitles that exactly match the look of the original burned in titles. The Godfather is a good example of what is possible. I didn't even know they were player generated until I accidentally turned them off.

Doug