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JAMES BOND ULTIMATE COLLECTION (1 Viewer)

Jim-M

Second Unit
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Dave,
Die Another Day is the only UE DVD that doesn't carry over the special features from the SE. In general, the new transfers are far superior to the SEs, especially the Connery films and OHMSS. The restoration on some of the older ones such as Dr. No and Goldfinger are spectacular. Here's the Clif Notes version on some of the issues people have noticed in the UE collection:
- Goldeneye and A View To A Kill have different framing than the SEs. The aspect ratio is the same, but they are zoomed in. Some people think it's abominable while others don't think it has ruined anything.
- Title sequence of Live And Let Die is very orangeish.
- Color of the opening beach scene in OHMSS is more blue than before.

For me, any issues with these are easily overwhelmed by the improvement in the other 98% of the content.
 

Ray H

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To be fair about the Live and Let Die titles, the problem is with the first 45 seconds of the sequence (until it turns blue).
 

Dave Scarpa

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Thanks Jim for giving me the rundown, I'm gonna wait to get them cheap, but I will probably pick them up
 

Viper

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Joe Fisk
What's up with these new single disc releases? I only see about 5 movies so far. When the hell is TWINE or Tomorrow Never Dies gonna be rereleased? I own all the Bond movies on tape, and there's only 4 or 5 I want on DVD. Needless to say, I don't fancy spending the money on the whole friggin set. I picked up Goldeneye and Goldfinger for $7.37 each at Sam's Club today.
 

Ray H

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Didn't you already figure out that MGM/Fox will never release any Bond movies unless it's done in a fairly random and meaningless wave type fashion?
 

Dave Scarpa

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I just don't understand why the films were'nt presented in order on these sets. It would make sense not to mix era's and Bonds, I don't get Sony.

I'm hoping we'll get some good deals on these when Casino Royale gets released next month
 

James Bond

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It makes perfect sense. They are maximizing their profit. If it was released in sets by actors, then there will be more people who buy the Connery era then the Moore Era (just an example) But because they mix it up, you have to buy all 4 sets to get the Connery's. They make more money this way. It's just not the way we want it.
 

Douglas Monce

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I thought Lowry's statement was pretty clear, the changes were made at the behest of the producers of the films. What more could he say? After all WE aren't Lowry's customer, the producers of the movie are.
 

brioni

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I don’t see how, a fair few of the filmmakers are 12 foot under ground.

And I don’t think we can put all the changes under the ‘deliberate umbrella’ either. one mistake was found and corrected but there’s still the possibility of more, like the missing camera shake in AVTAK perhaps.

Their work ethic comes across in a way that they appear to be very pro-active in suggesting alterations and changes to customers. Using all their restoration experience, it looks very much like the studio or producers have been given some encouragement, some food for thought and then they authorised and rejected proposals as they saw fit. Either way for studio execs to be giving permission to unnecessary colour scheme changes is completely disrespectful to the original source and film makers.

I hope MGM do respond but I suspect it will be a whitewash based on their response of the OHMSS SE a few years ago. As with that occasion, we can only hope that by kicking up a fuss now will help to rectify the issues in the future.
 

JonZ

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I didnt know these were available seperately. I just got License to Kill, Spy who Loved Me and Goldfinger at CC for $25.
 

Douglas Monce

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First of all "studio execs" would not be working with Lowry on these films, because the studio doesn't own these films. They are owned by Eon productions. MGM would have no say in how any of this is done.

This means that Michael Wilson or Barbara Broccoli or both would be supervising these projects. Michael Wilson has been a writer/producer of these films starting with Moonraker in 1979, and has been working in some production position or another on the Bond films since Goldfinger. If anyone knows the history of these films and what they should look like I would think he would.

BTW The only directors of the Bond films who are no longer with us are Terence Young and Peter Hunt. And frankly in Young's day the producers would have more do to with the finished product than the director. It is a shame that Hunt is no longer around, because he would know better than anyone what the early films should look like.

Doug
 

JonZ

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"Anything remarkable about the cases? Boxset versions were slims with booklets"

Nah. This is it. From Amazon.
 

John H Ross

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Okay, so who do you think was responsible for the mistake in Thunderball (that was corrected)? Or the colouring problem in YOLT (that was corrected)? And don't you think it's something of a co-incidence that the producer of the UEs of A View To A Kill and GE - which happen to share the same "issues" - just happens to be the same person?
 

brioni

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No. Prior to TSWLM, he was a visitor to the set and did a cameo at best. So maybe the current producers did supervise all the restorations, it doesn’t make it alright that creative changes were applied and as it happens for the worse. You wouldn’t be as happy if they removed Lazenby’s cigarette in the OHMSS PTS. Or maybe you would as long as it was done on Michael G Wilson’s say so. :rolleyes
 

Douglas Monce

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Well Michael Wilson and his family own the films so they can do whatever they want to them. MGM or rather Sony at this point probably did pick up the tab for this project, but that doesn't change the fact that MGM/Sony doesn't own the films. They only have distribution rights.

Frankly I don't know if the color and framing changes made to these films are correct or not and you don't either. For all I know the SE DVDs were wrong. I do recall seeing Live and Let Die when it first aired on TV and thinking the titles were very orange, but that was MANY years ago and I have no idea just how orange that "very orange" was.

Clearly some changes were made after the R2 versions were released. I would think that if they thought there were other problems those would have been fixed at that time, but they weren't.

The point is your assuming these changes are wrong. They may or may not be.
 

rich_d

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Yes and you're assuming that since they made changes they corrected ALL problems. As they didn't do it the right way the first time, what makes you think they got any more competent/careful in the past few months?

Have they acknowledged that there are problems or have they made changes without acknowledging them?

And what does that exactly make them?

Meanwhile, another problem to add to the list. Perhaps it's already been mentioned but I don't remember reading about it.

That problem is that the Shirley Bassey title song of MOONRAKER is messed up in the DTS and 5.1 audio tracks. Both those versions put ALL VOCALS to the rear speakers ONLY. The original audio sounds fine. I should note that this is on my disc and yes I checked some other Bond DTS title tracks and they have been fine. So, it's not my equipment. Perhaps someone can confirm this problem with their disc.

What pro could have listened to this and not have noticed? I mean this is HUGELY apparent.
 

Citizen87645

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Not on my copy. There are no vocals in the center channel, but vocals are grounded in the right and left channels with support in the surrounds
 

Mark-P

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Absolutely not the case. The DD5.1 and DTS are an interesting mix of the Shirley Bassey Moonraker vocal, but not how you state it. The vocals are predominately in the right and left Front channels and lightly in the right rear channel. There is no vocal in the center or left rear channel. It's not a mistake just an unusual choice by the remix guy.
 

Citizen87645

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Cameron Yee
Plus I think many would prefer the implementation of a phantom center over a center channel vocal.
 

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