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

Robert Harris

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The 13th film in the series, Octopussy, featuring Roger Moore in the role of Commander Bond, was the first, I believe, to be blown up to 70mm, featuring a six track magnetic stereo mix.

The 1983 film also falls short of what might be expected for this series, and the transfer shows a lack of respect for these cash cows.

The image is pretty, with nice color, but it hardly matters, as it has been digitally sharpened. I'm presuming the cinematographer Alan Hume, who also photographed A View to Kill for the series, had problems focusing, hence the digital aid.

Also mid-level Bond, it still would have been nice to see it with a quality image.

So far in new Bond releases, we're 3 for 3 on the negative side. Not good.

Image - 3

Audio - 5

RAH
 

lukejosephchung

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HTF reviewer MattH in his work-in-progress review of the "Bond 50" box set disagrees with you on this title, Robert...in fact, he says that the video transfer on this is of near-reference quality, giving it a qualitative rating of 4.5. I'm wondering right now which assessment to believe...
 

alter filmnarr

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"Octopussy" was the first movie I watched from the collection (because it is my least favourite of the Bonds :cool: ), and I agree completely with Mr. Harris. Projected I had a very uncomfortable "digital feeling" all the time... I was very astonished, that the reviews were good so far...
 

alter filmnarr

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Robert Harris said:
The 13th film in the series, Octopussy, featuring Roger Moore in the role of Commander Bond, was the first, I believe, to be blown up to 70mm, featuring a six track magnetic stereo mix.
As far as I remember the first 70MM blow up has been "You Only Live Twice". Am I wrong?
 

john a hunter

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alter filmnarr said:
As far as I remember the first 70MM blow up has been "You Only Live Twice". Am I wrong?
I saw You Only LiveTwice at London's Odeon Leicester Sq during its premiere run. It was in 35mm optical. That does not mean of course that there was not a 70mm version somewhere but surely they would have availed themselves of that if it was available.
I think that Octopussy was the first 70 blow up.
 

alter filmnarr

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That's what the "in70mm.com" page says:
http://www.in70mm.com/library/blow_up/year/1967/index.htm
Japan...not bad!
 

DP 70

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I saw ran a 35mm 4-Track Stereo print of A Spy Who loved Me in London on release.
 

Kevin EK

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Gerhard, the third one he's referring to is Diamonds Are Forever.

I'm at this point thinking in terms of only picking up The Spy Who Loved Me and The Living Daylights on Blu out of the final nine. I already have the whole series in the UCE volumes on DVD. The Blu is just a nice bonus for me, and I have the rest of the movies I wanted already.

It's becoming quite evident that this set was put together quickly and cheaply just to get the titles out, and not in the best way possible.
 

alter filmnarr

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Thanks Kevin, but when I select the "a few words about..." Link I cannot find Mr.Harris' "DAF" review :confused:
Even the "Octopussy" thread did not appear a few minutes ago - strange... - could only find it with a "google" search.
 

Kevin EK

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I think the Diamonds Are Forever words may be out in the wider Blu-ray area.

Personally, I'm waiting for a few words about TSWLM and TLD....
 

brioni

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Robert Harris said:
I'm presuming the cinematographer Alan Hume, who also photographed A View to Kill for the series, had problems focusing, hence the digital aid.
It always felt to me that he deliberately softened/diffused some of the close-ups to make Roger Moore appear a bit younger! In a similar way to every time they flipped to the woman in TV’s Mission Impossible. One of those moments is when he meets Magda at the pool –playing a scene opposite a young, beautiful woman.
 

Jason_V

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Or the way females were filmed on the original Star Trek. Probably makes sense for Trek and M:I to use that practice since they were both Desilu shows (at least for a while), IIRC.
 

Mikey1969

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I quite like this film and was pleased with the blu-ray. Yes the image has been sharpened, but is otherwise quite impressive and a significant upgrade from the UE DVD.
 

Osato

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Kevin EK said:
Gerhard, the third one he's referring to is Diamonds Are Forever. I'm at this point thinking in terms of only picking up The Spy Who Loved Me and The Living Daylights on Blu out of the final nine. I already have the whole series in the UCE volumes on DVD. The Blu is just a nice bonus for me, and I have the rest of the movies I wanted already. It's becoming quite evident that this set was put together quickly and cheaply just to get the titles out, and not in the best way possible.
Using 2005 transfers to boot??
 

Osato

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Mikey1969 said:
I quite like this film and was pleased with the blu-ray. Yes the image has been sharpened, but is otherwise quite impressive and a significant upgrade from the UE DVD.
Agreed. I'm watching on a 50" plasma panny. Issues must be more apparent at larger sizes???
 

robbiesreels

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I just watched Octopussy, (a Bond film that keeps getting better and better,) using my Optima 25e projector on a 9 foot screen and I was very impressed with the picture, but the Moonraker blu ray still looks the best of the Roger Moore Bonds.

On a side note does anybody remember the battle of the Bonds back in 1983, between Roger Moore (Octopussy, July) and Sean Connery (Never Say Never Again, October ) and which Bond film won the box-office battle
never-say-never-again.jpg


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