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

[Worth]

The new Spy transfer is great. Goldeneye isn't the Lowry one, but it looks to be an older master. View seems like the same Lowry master that was used for the last DVD set - it even has the earthquake shake stabilized out.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

And getting back to 'Goldfinger', I just scored on Ebay at a v. good price a lovely Gillette Slim Adjustable razor in mint condition (I only shave using vintage Gillette double-edge razors).

It's the exact model razor seen in 'Goldfinger' which has a tracking device hidden in its handle, which can be taken out and hidden anywhere.

When I checked the tracking device isn't there any longer ... someone must have used it already. But the shave, with a new Feather blade from Japan, was silky-smooth. Perfection.

 

[JohnMor]

And getting back to 'Goldfinger', I just scored on Ebay at a v. good price a lovely Gillette Slim Adjustable razor in mint condition (I only shave using vintage Gillette double-edge razors).

It's the exact model razor seen in 'Goldfinger' which has a tracking device hidden in its handle, which can be taken out and hidden anywhere.

When I checked the tracking device isn't there any longer ... someone must have used it already. But the shave, with a new Feather blade from Japan, was silky-smooth. Perfection.

Just make sure Mei-Lei isn't peeping at you while you shave.

 

[Oblivion138]

The new Spy transfer is great. Goldeneye isn't the Lowry one, but it looks to be an older master. View seems like the same Lowry master that was used for the last DVD set - it even has the earthquake shake stabilized out.

Yeah, Spy might actually have the single best transfer of all the pre-DI Bonds. They did a really nice job on the new master.


GoldenEye appears to be the pre-Lowry DVD master. It doesn't have the Lowry credit at the end, and doesn't have the cropping from the Lowry master. One has to wonder if MGM, having heard the complaints about the cropping, just decided to go back to their previous master. I wish they'd given it the same treatment they gave Spy instead. Because the baked-in DNR and EE on the GoldenEye BD make it really hard to watch.

And getting back to 'Goldfinger', I just scored on Ebay at a v. good price a lovely Gillette Slim Adjustable razor in mint condition (I only shave using vintage Gillette double-edge razors).

It's the exact model razor seen in 'Goldfinger' which has a tracking device hidden in its handle, which can be taken out and hidden anywhere.

When I checked the tracking device isn't there any longer ... someone must have used it already. But the shave, with a new Feather blade from Japan, was silky-smooth. Perfection.

Very nice. I myself use a 1962 model Gillette Super Speed, and import Feather blades in bulk. For my money, you can't beat a good vintage safety razor. Sadly, ever since Gillette allowed their patent to expire, the market has been flooded with cheap knock-offs that aren't nearly as good as the originals. But I digress.


I've always wanted to get a shave at a barbershop, but I've never been able to put that much trust in a barber. You never know when someone might snap. When they do, I don't want them holding a straight razor to my throat.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

I too have a Gillette Super Speed from a bit earlier -- 1952 Black Tip. Great razors. And I have 1930s short and long open comb models. And .... more.... much more. Mornings are really luxurious, using a good brush and a fab shaving soap like DR Harris Arlington!

I think every one who is so old-fashioned as to want physical media, as we do, should get into DE shaving as well!

 

[Oblivion138]

Couldn't agree more. I never could get a decent shave with any of those newfangled multi-blade things. Give me a good badger brush, the thick lather of a fine shave soap, a classic safety razor, and a double-edged blade that's keen enough to split a hair. Shaving is no longer a chore, but a treasured ritual of zen-like relaxation and reflection.

And don't even get me started on mustache wax.

 

[Osato]

Yeah, Spy might actually have the single best transfer of all the pre-DI Bonds. They did a really nice job on the new master.

GoldenEye appears to be the pre-Lowry DVD master. It doesn't have the Lowry credit at the end, and doesn't have the cropping from the Lowry master. One has to wonder if MGM, having heard the complaints about the cropping, just decided to go back to their previous master. I wish they'd given it the same treatment they gave Spy instead. Because the baked-in DNR and EE on the GoldenEye BD make it really hard to watch.




Very nice. I myself use a 1962 model Gillette Super Speed, and import Feather blades in bulk. For my money, you can't beat a good vintage safety razor. Sadly, ever since Gillette allowed their patent to expire, the market has been flooded with cheap knock-offs that aren't nearly as good as the originals. But I digress.

I've always wanted to get a shave at a barbershop, but I've never been able to put that much trust in a barber. You never know when someone might snap. When they do, I don't want them holding a straight razor to my throat.

Moonraker was one of two Moore bond films scanned at 4k. The other was live and let die. All the Connery films and ohmss were also scanned at 4k. The rest of the films were scanned at 2k.

 

[Oblivion138]

Just goes to show that an image harvest, in the end, is only as good as you make of it. Given the final results, I would take the Spy Who Loved Me transfer over any of the Connery transfers that Lowry degrained, then faux-grained, or OHMSS, which has somewhat odd color and gamma. It may only have a 2K scan as its basis, but what's on the disc simply looks much better, and more natural.

 

[Osato]

Just goes to show that an image harvest, in the end, is only as good as you make of it. Given the final results, I would take the Spy Who Loved Me transfer over any of the Connery transfers that Lowry degrained, then faux-grained, or OHMSS, which has somewhat odd color and gamma. It may only have a 2K scan as its basis, but what's on the disc simply looks much better, and more natural.

It will be interesting to see what is done for uhd 4k blu ray

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Yes, the resolution is not as important as the skill shown in the actual transfer process .. as witness the awful results for some movies in the recent Fox R & H collection, ranging from the perfection of 'Oklahoma!' and 'South Pacific' to the only middling quality of 'Carousel' to the downright awful, almost unviewable 'The King and I'.

 

[Oblivion138]

Indeed. Scanning in the highest resolution a budget will allow is never a bad thing. But that's only the first step of many in the mastering and encoding process. There are still many things that can unfortunately go wrong, or hopefully go right, once the image has been harvested from the original film elements.


Lowry are much, much better than they used to be, but their earlier work (while it can seem superficially pleasing to the eye at a glance) left much to be desired in terms of replicating the look of film. There's definitely room for improvement on all the Bond transfers sourced from Lowry's 2006 masters. That said, after years of watching truly poor home video transfers, they will do for the time being. The only Bond pic in urgent need of attention is GoldenEye.

 

[Osato]

Indeed. Scanning in the highest resolution a budget will allow is never a bad thing. But that's only the first step of many in the mastering and encoding process. There are still many things that can unfortunately go wrong, or hopefully go right, once the image has been harvested from the original film elements.

Lowry are much, much better than they used to be, but their earlier work (while it can seem superficially pleasing to the eye at a glance) left much to be desired in terms of replicating the look of film. There's definitely room for improvement on all the Bond transfers sourced from Lowry's 2006 masters. That said, after years of watching truly poor home video transfers, they will do for the time being. The only Bond pic in urgent need of attention is GoldenEye.

It will be interesting to see if MGM and Fox will pony up some money to upgrade transfers and extras or just continue reissuing the current transfers.
It was encouraging that the did address several of the Lowry transfers for blu Ray.

 

[JoshZ]

A view to a kill, spy who loved me and goldeneye had new transfers for blu Ray.
I wonder what MGM and fox will do for uhd blu Ray.


Moonraker was one of two Moore bond films scanned at 4k. The other was live and let die. All the Connery films and ohmss were also scanned at 4k. The rest of the films were scanned at 2k.

The only Bond film to get a new transfer for Blu-ray was The Spy Who Loved Me, which was given a new 4k scan.


A View to a Kill was an old DVD master. GoldenEye was a very old DVD master that looks really terrible.


Back in 2006, Lowry Digital performed 4k scans of all the Connery movies, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Live and Let Die, and Moonraker. The rest of the movies were either scanned at 2k or merely had some digital cleanup performed on MGM's existing DVD masters.


The new 4k scan on The Spy Who Loved Me was (I believe) performed by Fox, not by Lowry.

 

[Osato]

The only Bond film to get a new transfer for Blu-ray was The Spy Who Loved Me, which was given a new 4k scan.

A View to a Kill was an old DVD master. GoldenEye was a very old DVD master that looks really terrible.

Back in 2006, Lowry Digital performed 4k scans of all the Connery movies, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Live and Let Die, and Moonraker. The rest of the movies were either scanned at 2k or merely had some digital cleanup performed on MGM's existing DVD masters.

The new 4k scan on The Spy Who Loved Me was (I believe) performed by Fox, not by Lowry.

Good to know. Remember the days when they Would tell us what they were doing? Interviews etc?

 

[Bryan Tuck]

I've watched Goldfinger more times than any other movie. I think that the current Blu-ray nails it as far as picture, sound quality, and extras are concerned.

Aside from the original mono track fading out too early, it's great. I wish that didn't irk me so much, but it's just strange.

 

[Osato]

I’m off to see Goldfinger this evening in Atlanta at the Plaza theater.

https://m.facebook.com/PlazaAtlanta/photos/a.379266803159/10156636842208160/?type=3&source=48

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Nice to revisit this old thread again. And to re-read
"The James Bond film series is a pop cultural achievement like no other. As I posted on a different Home Theatre Forum James Bond thread, I even like the James Bond movies I don't like" from David Matychuk -- as well as the shaving asides.

 

[Osato]

Hoping we see the Goldfinger UHd Blu Ray this year or early 2020 as well!!

 

[Reed Grele]

Philippine Airlines has most of the Bond films available to watch on the back of the seat monitors. I was in the economy section and couldn't help but notice that 3 or 4 passengers seated in front of me were watching Goldfinger at one point or other during the 16 hour direct flight from JFK to Manila. It was the first Bond film that totally blew me away when I saw it in the summer of '65. I'm so pleased that it continues to entertain millions over 50 years later. If any film gets me off the bleachers and into UHD 4K.... It'll be this one.

 

[Matt Hough]

Goldfinger has always been my favorite Bond, as a kid and as an adult. The mania for Bond was so wild when it was released that 007 was just about all any of us could talk about. And that's when UA wisely began reissuing the first two Bonds in double feature pairings with themselves first and then later with Goldfinger and Thunderball.

It would be fun to speculate on how much those early films have made back their costs so many times over.