Customer Reviews

James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 3 (GoldenEye / Live and Let Die / For Your Eyes Only / From Russia With Love / On Her Majesty's Secret Service)

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Volume 3 of the recently released Bond DVD sets is without a doubt the best of the 4. Each film in this set ranks among the better to best Bond pictures ever. No lame duds such as Die Another Die or Moonraker are included, just very solid installments. GoldenEye is the crown jewel of the set for me personally, as it was the first one I saw as a child, thus becoming my favorite. From Russia With Love is my second favorite Bond film, not just in this set, but period. Connery never bettered his preformance in this film and Robert Shaw as Red Grant is simply one of the greatest Bond villians ever. The plots of both these films push them to the head of the pack as they are interesting, exciting, and actually make sense, unlike say The World is not Enough. Live and Let Die marked Roger Moore's debut as Bond and I believe this to be his second best turn in the role. The Spy Who Loved Me (not included in this set, would be his best I believe) However, Live and Let Die as well as For Your Eyes Only are stellar Moore films. He was best in these earlier additions. His last two just didnt cut it for me, the man was too old. However in these two he is in top form, just like the films themselves. And finally, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is another grand achievment in the Bond universe. It shows a side of Bond that was not shown again until this year's Casino Royale. Bond is in love, and actually becomes a married man. Its a very realistic and exciting film with Telly Savalis as the infamous Blofeld. George Lazenby delivers a respectable preformance as Bond. Its actually suprising that he didn't do a second film because he does very well in the role. I cant say enough good about this particular set. Its just simply great and the extra material goes a long way in supporting that. It may be awhile before I own all the sets, but I'm in no rush at all as I enjoy Volume 3. 10 out of 10 for this set.

This set is easily the best of the Bond sets to be released. First there's Goldeneye, which is almost univerally accepted as Brosnan's best Bond film. Not only did it revitalize the series and set up Bond for his post-Cold War adventures, but it also proved that the generic Bond formula could be reworked to great effect. Plus, it introduced Dame Judi Dench as M. Live and Let Die, For Your Eyes Only, and From Russia With Love are all fine Bond fare, but the other bookend of this set is another gem. On Her Majesty's Secret Service is well known for many things, but perhaps it is most loved for being George Lazenby's only go at the iconic figure. Some love it simply because they hate Lazenby's portrayal and they are grateful that his first Bond film was also his last. I, along with many other fans, love it because Lazenby is actually a rather good Bond, and the movie itself is quite entertaining regardless of who plays the title character (it's definitely one of the most serious Bond films ever made). All in all, this set is probably the most balanced of the four releases, as each film is an important entry in the Bond universe to some extent.

I've also reviewed the first two volumes but I honestly believe that Volume Three is the best. I plan on getting them all and have the entire series for the first time in my life but, if I had to pick a single best volume, it would be this one.

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE has the most solid Cold War story of all the films and everyone is firing on all pistons. Connery IS Bond in this one, making the character his own, and Robert Shaw and Lotte Lenya as the villians are among the best.
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE is George Lazenby's only film and it remains a controversial entry in the series. Myself, I loved it. Diana Rigg is awesome, the photography and editing are great, and the story feels like it has more meat on its bones than any other film.
(These first two films probably come closest to the Ian Fleming novels).

LIVE AND LET DIE is Moore's first appearance as Bond. It has a hit Paul McCartney & Wings song and a 19-year-old Jane Seymour, along with a very charismatic villian in Yaphet Kotto. The boat chase is still thrilling and Sheriff J.W. Pepper is still hilarious.
GOLDENEYE is Brosnan's first appearance as Bond and remains his best film. Wonderful use of Russian locales, particularly the "graveyard" of Communist statues, and the deadliest Bond girl since Pussy Galore.

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY was an attempt to get back to better stories after the overblown epics of the Seventies.

So, as far as I'm concerned, there isn't a bad one in the lot. Like I said, I plan on getting them all--but this one looks like the best.
Enjoy!

Before buying this collection, I was very skeptical. Being a long time James Bond fan, I invested plenty of money in the best VHS version of all these films. When DVD came out, I re-bought about half of the collection again. I must admit that the DVD releases of these films are some of the most disappointing DVDs in my collection.

My major complaints about the ORIGINAL DVD RELEASES were:
1.) Audio Mix -- The first release of the Bond DVDs featured only the original 2 channel audio mixes. The result was a disaster. The spoken dialog was BURIED under the soundtrack... resulting in me having to dive for the remote every five minutes. On top of the poor dialog / score mixing, the audio lacked definition and served as a constant distraction from watching the movie. There were no distinct lows, or distinct highs, just a lot of bland sounding audio.

2.) Picture Quality -- I suppose I couldn't complain too too much about this one. Given the age of many of these movies, I accepted the washed-out, often grainy image as nothing more than a symptom of the era the movie was made.

All in all, poor audio and poor picture makes for a pretty crappy experience. After having been disappointed by the first couple Bond DVDs I bought, I gave up on the collection. It was with this in mind that the announcement of the newly remastered series left me very skeptical.

The major criticism of this DVD set is that it is another ploy by MGM/UA to drain more money from every Bond fan's wallet. In the past, I had avoided these pathetic attempts at getting me to constantly upgrade versions of things I already owned.

However, let me tell you, this collection DOES NOT DISAPPOINT. The talk about the upgraded audio and video is NOT hype. Painstaking efforts were taken to re-scan the original prints of each film frame-by-frame. Once scanned, the image was digitally enhanced from the original prints. I was amazed at the richness and depth of color this process produced. During most parts, these movies look like they could have been filmed last year. Different color pigments are more noticeable, skin color and tone looks more lifelike, and the special effects look sharper. All in all, one couldn't ask for anything more from the picture quality of these versions. I have yet to a scene where I felt it could have been retouched better.

If the image quality isn't enough to make this collection worth buying, the new 5.1 DTS mixes seal the deal. Gone are the days of me fidgeting with volume during every other scene! The balance between dialog, ambient sounds, and score is perfect. I never would have imagined that movies made in the 60's and 70's could sound so good. Unlike the previous DVDs, these Ultimate Edition DVDs utilize my home theater to its maximum potential. Explosions rumble through my sub and the dialog comes clearly through my center channel; every word is audible. I own other DVDs from films made over the last couple of years that wish they could sound this good! Utilizing the DTS is a MUST!

Finally, while I consider myself fairly discriminating when it comes to audio and video clarity, I am by no means an audio or videophile. So, I don't think you need a $25,000 home theater setup to enjoy the enhancements these DVDs offer. I wrote this review based off of the following hardware:
32" Winbook 720p LCD HDTV
Up-converting Samsung DVD Player (connected via DVI)
Sony 7.1 (7x100w) Surround Receiver
Matching 5.1 MTX Surround Sound Speaker System

Hopefully, this will help clear up some confusion or doubt as to the value this collection offers.

Just got my hands on the first 2 sets of this release, I had high hopes but this is ridiculous: you get music you didn't know existed , sounds you'd never heard before (was there a creak in M's door on FRWL before ?). It's hard to believe they didn't re-record the complete soundtracks. Even the new films look greatly improved which I just didn't expect.
You can't call yourself a Bond fan and stick to your old DVD set. Double-dipping has never been this good !

Here we are at the third boxed set in this series and one of the best. It's got four exceptional movies and one that... well, has a great theme song.

You can get these movies seperately in single-disc form, or you can do what I did and buy this collection! Not only do you get all the movies in pristine new transfers, along with 5.1 surround, but you also get a second disc for each movie loaded with more extras than you can imagine. Behind-the-scenes stuff, rare outtakes, radio ads, trailers, etc. It's pretty comprehensive for each movie.

As for the movies themselves, "GoldenEye", "For Your Eyes Only" and "From Russia with Love" are part of the great staples in any James Bond collection. For me, though, the real gem is "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", which is far better than most people would credit (I'd say the second-best of the original Bond movies, behind only "Goldfinger"). George Lazenby makes a perfectly fine James Bond, and had he chosen to stay on to continue the role past this film, I think he would've been second only to Connery. As it is, he turns in a great performance in a vastly underrated film.

As for the not-so-great film in the bunch, "Live and Let Die"... yeah, not a lot I can say in favor of it. Great theme song, but still. Who would've thought there'd be a James Bond blaxploitation film?

This set gets five stars for the movies and five for the extras! What a great set. Buy it! :)

The question to ask yourself is this: are these sets worth the money?

The answer really depends on what kind of fan you are. These sets seem to be aimed at the fans of the James Bond series as a whole (not toward any specific actor or decade). If you've never purchased a James Bond DVD before and are a fan of most of the films, this is an easy purchase.

If you already own some or all of the previous releases, does this release necessitate a purchase? This depends on what you are looking for in a DVD release of this series. If you are looking for more extras, you may want to think twice. This new release contains most of the same extras as the original release. The new extras are nice, but if the most informative stuff (commentaries and documentaries) are exactly the same as the previous release.

If you are looking for upgraded picture and sound quality, then buy these sets now. The upgrades are extremely impressive, with each film looking like it was filmed yesterday. The sound improvements aren't quite as impressive, but are still an upgrade to some of the mono tracks for the older films.

What about a HD version coming in the future? Well that all depends on how what you think the fate of the HD format will be. If you think it's going to stick around for a good long time, then skip this set and wait for an HD version. If you think that HD will be the Laserdisc of it's time and will replaced all too quickly by direct downloads to your TV, than go ahead and indulge in this set now.

The packaging is also a plus for collectors. The slimpack packaging takes up less room and the boxes are fairly attractive. I'm not too crazy about the new cover art (I wish they had used the old poster art), but it's a minor thing. The menus are interesting, but I think I enjoyed the old DVD menus more.

With that said, I purchased all four sets. For the picture and sound upgrade and that fact that I can get all 20 films for a good price makes it an easy purchase. Sure I have my favorite films of the bunch, but I enjoy the documentaries and commentaries on all the movies. Besides what makes a "good" Bond film is really subjective.

That said... here are my opinions of the films included in Set 3.
From Russia with Love:
Based on one of the best Ian Flemming novels, this film is one of the best of the Connery era. Sean Connery delivers an excellent performance as James Bond. Robert Shaw and Daniela Bianchi cover the roles of villain and damsel perfectly. The film is more of an espionage thriller than a straight action movie. It moves a bit slowly, but it drives the tension higher and higher. A great score by John Barry and solid direction by Terrance Young make this a must see for fans of classic 007 adventures. 4 out of 5 stars.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service:
George Lazenby picks up where Sean Connery left off. I thought he filled the shows nicely. This is one of the best stories of the 60's era Bond films. It takes a bit for the thriller part of the story to kick in, but that's because of the love story that needs to be told in the first portion of the movie. The result is one of the best constructed and executed Bond films of the 60's. Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas do great jobs with their characters. John Barry is back for his best early Bond score. The camerawork, action scenes and climax to the film are top notch. If it weren't for some horrible one liners, and a bit of clunkiness in the script in general, this film would be perfect. Otherwise, it's pretty darn close. 5 out of 5 stars.

Live and Let Die:
Roger Moore's first turn as Bond and he pulls it off rather nicely. He's got a great supporting cast with Yaphet Kotto and Jane Seymore. The real problem with this movie is the lazy and tired execution. Like almost all the early 70's Bond films this movie creates no urgency. Director Guy Hamilton lets the film meander from scene to scene, without a drop of tension to be had. Add to that the annoying Sheriff Pepper and you've got a movie that doesn't hold my interest very well. The funky score is pure 70's and will delight or horrify you. This one has potential, but it ended up blowing it. Not the worst Bond film, but one of the weaker ones in my book. 1 out of 5

For Your Eyes Only:
The first Bond movie of the 80's and it's a good one. Roger is back, looking a little more weathered, and playing the part a little more serious. It works wonders. The stakes are raised and director John Glen keeps the action and tension moving quickly and with great effect. Caroline Bouquet heats up the screen as the revenge seeking Melina, and you've got a dangerous pair of shady characters played by Topol and Julian Glover. A score by Bill Conti is a strange disco meets light FM mix. Some will love it, others will be laughing at it. The great cast, excellent camera work and tight plot make this one of my favorite Bond adventures and got the 80's off to a great start. 5 out of 5 stars.

Goldeneye:
Pierce Brosnan was the new Bond of the 90's and his debut is probably my favorite of his Bond films. Pierce captures elements of all the previous actors to tackle the part and rolls them into one super spy. A great supporting cast featuring Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen and Sean Bean rises to the occasion. This movie fuses explosive fun with a hard edge. Martin Campbell's direction makes it all look very easy. An electronic score by Eric Serra has been vilified to death; I find it a refreshing change that suits the movie. My only complaint is the weakness of the villains plot. That is easily glossed over, because this is one of the most solidly entertaining Bond films ever. It showed that Pierce had plenty of potential, if only the scripts had gotten better after this one. 5 out of 5 stars.

I actually also have the previous dvd special editions collections.
I bought all 4 ultimate collection volumes, because I am a bond fan period. This ultimate collection is well worth the money because of the effort spent by Lowry to restore the video and audio to pristine condition. Also if you have bought the previous collection releases, you will realize that the ultimate collection is still slightly cheaper. I actually prefer Connery & Brosnan over the other actors playing Bond, but I wouldn't split up this set because of the different lead actor; as the movies are a complete set to me. All the Connery's Bond movies are restored to superb condition, and is a pure joy to watch. If you have all 4 volumes, don't complain who is a better bond and better actor - just enjoy the 20 bond movies made over a period of 40 years, with currently the best video and audio possible and watch 007 at his best.

I, for one, have no objection to this new packaging of the beautifully remastered films and their lavish extras. This series is like the old joke about pizza (and sex)--even when it's not-so-good, it's still pretty good. These films are such a big, big part of our culture--all of them. All the actors playing Bond. The whole shebang. I appreciate that there are those out there who only want certain titles--and they should be available that way--but I say, "Bring 'em all on!" I'm loving this collection!

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE is one of the best in the series. So is ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, with a solid George Lazenby and wonderful Diana Rigg. LIVE AND LET DIE has always been a problem for me (it's racist and badly dated), but Paul McCartney and Wings gave it a great song. FOR YOUR EYES ONLY is one of the strongest, most dramatic entries, and Moore's personal best. GOLDENEYE is very good, with a good plot and an unusually good cast, and Brosnan is a great new Bond.

This series had some of the best selections - particularly Live and Let Die, one of my favorites because of the boat scenes and the southern deputy. For Your Eyes only also was one of my favorites. Roger Moore's great one liners make the story more interesting. Golden Eye, Pierce Brosnan's first was by far his best. Very cool. Her Majesty's Secret Service was touching - it showed that Bond could be devoted to one person but the ending was inevitable or there would be no more need for Bond stories. Roger Moore was probably my favorite Bond character because of his sense of humor. It was good to see Ian Fleming's history as well!