James Bond: The Ultimate Collection (1962-2012) + Volume Collections

[Werdsniper2]

Seeing that this set is basically a little over $2 per movie, this has got to be a no brainer, right? I don't own any Bond movies at all. Is there something I should know about PQ/AQ or disc issues before buying it? I usually don't mind reading through a thread but the amount of replies on this one is staggering.

The only film I'd have to purchase separately is No Time to Die, correct?

[THXWow]

It’s fine and that’s correct. If you’re super completionist the bigger box has a longer documentary but that’s about it. No digital copies in this set.

[erixon20]

Originally Posted by Werdsniper2

Seeing that this set is basically a little over $2 per movie, this has got to be a no brainer, right? I don't own any Bond movies at all. Is there something I should know about PQ/AQ or disc issues before buying it? I usually don't mind reading through a thread but the amount of replies on this one is staggering.

The only film I'd have to purchase separately is No Time to Die, correct?

Yes, you are correct.

[Mikezilla3k]

Originally Posted by Werdsniper2

Seeing that this set is basically a little over $2 per movie, this has got to be a no brainer, right? I don't own any Bond movies at all. Is there something I should know about PQ/AQ or disc issues before buying it? I usually don't mind reading through a thread but the amount of replies on this one is staggering.

The only film I'd have to purchase separately is No Time to Die, correct?

Only issue is Goldeneye having extremely bad DNR. Still a good deal for the others though.

And yes, only separate one is No Time To Die. There's also Never Say Never but it's not considered an "official" Bond film since it wasn't from EON Productions so it's up to you whether or not you want to include it.

[sfmarine]

I had anticipated a 4K set last year for the 60th. According to Camel this is the second time the box set has dropped to $55. Quite a deal if you don’t care about codes or 4K. I’ll still wait to see what happens.

[Dunemoon]

Originally Posted by Mikezilla3k

Only issue is Goldeneye having extremely bad DNR. Still a good deal for the others though.

And yes, only separate one is No Time To Die. There's also Never Say Never but it's not considered an "official" Bond film since it wasn't from EON Productions so it's up to you whether or not you want to include it.

NSNA was more of a Bond film than the entire Craig era.

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by Dunemoon

NSNA was more of a Bond film than the entire Craig era.

Bro, come on.

[Dunemoon]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

Bro, come on.

40 years ago I enjoyed two new Bond films in the cinema. Both were entertaining but only one had Connery.

[captainsolo]

Originally Posted by Werdsniper2

Seeing that this set is basically a little over $2 per movie, this has got to be a no brainer, right? I don't own any Bond movies at all. Is there something I should know about PQ/AQ or disc issues before buying it? I usually don't mind reading through a thread but the amount of replies on this one is staggering.

The only film I'd have to purchase separately is No Time to Die, correct?

Sadly for the original films it's the best you can do of available releases but keep in mind there are still significant baked in issues as many are still using the DVD era Lowry Digital video masters and MiCasa studios audio remixes. The US BDs have an "original" audio option which usually is a lossy poor quality sounding original mix option, occasionally a decent lossy 2.0 track or sometimes a folddown of the 5.1 remix.

The only film of the original series that seems to have used a newer scan on its BD is The Spy Who Loved Me. Aside from some color timing issues it's the only BD that I'm relatively happy with. (Though it has a 5.1 remix and neither original audio option present.)
The Brosnan films all sound very good as they should but none of their video transfers will wow you. Also, Goldeneye reverted to an older master as the Lowry DVD was crud-and so the BD looks crummy.

Basically just get the BDs as cheaply as you can and watch with the original audio option for DN through to LTK. Then if you're a die hard fan it helps to have older releases for better audio or less screwed with picture.

[JRcanReid]

Thanks, captainsolo. I have to say it's a very tempting price right now for someone who owns no James Bonds. And if it's my small price to pay to get them working on a proper 4k set...

(it's funny, I've seen the vast majority of the Bond movies in the theater from TSWLM to the present, but I just never got around to buying any of them.)

[travisbickle]

I'm almost tempted to buy even though I own all of the separate releases (various editions).

I like the uniformity and could use the shelf space...

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by Mikezilla3k

Only issue is Goldeneye having extremely bad DNR. Still a good deal for the others though.

And yes, only separate one is No Time To Die. There's also Never Say Never but it's not considered an "official" Bond film since it wasn't from EON Productions so it's up to you whether or not you want to include it.

They definitely remastered Goldeneye. It's not a grain festival or anything, but it's nothing like the original disc. The original disc is in Predator territory. Goldeneye is definitely a new Blu-ray.

And the only movies not included are Casino Royale 54, CR 67, Never Say Never Again, and NTTD.

While 54 is in the public domain and online for free, 67 and NSNA will easily run you over $100 for the pair, which is obscene.

[The Hornets]

Originally Posted by Shane Rollins

They definitely remastered Goldeneye. It's not a grain festival or anything, but it's nothing like the original disc. The original disc is in Predator territory. Goldeneye is definitely a new Blu-ray.

And the only movies not included are Casino Royale 54, CR 67, Never Say Never Again, and NTTD.

While 54 is in the public domain and online for free, 67 and NSNA will easily run you over $100 for the pair, which is obscene.

Casino Royale (1967) was re-released a few years ago in the U.K. by Final Cut. Has all the old extras and even has the original audio which IIRC wasn’t on the original U.K. release.

Now very cheap only £10 on Amazon U.K. and the database entry here claims it’s region free.



NSNA could have been bought years back very cheaply. Remember paid well under £10 importing from Germany as the U.K. release was censored under our animal cruelty laws (when the horse jumps into the sea from the castle, was a real horse).

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by captainsolo

Sadly for the original films it's the best you can do of available releases but keep in mind there are still significant baked in issues as many are still using the DVD era Lowry Digital video masters and MiCasa studios audio remixes. The US BDs have an "original" audio option which usually is a lossy poor quality sounding original mix option, occasionally a decent lossy 2.0 track or sometimes a folddown of the 5.1 remix.

The only film of the original series that seems to have used a newer scan on its BD is The Spy Who Loved Me. Aside from some color timing issues it's the only BD that I'm relatively happy with. (Though it has a 5.1 remix and neither original audio option present.)
The Brosnan films all sound very good as they should but none of their video transfers will wow you. Also, Goldeneye reverted to an older master as the Lowry DVD was crud-and so the BD looks crummy.

Basically just get the BDs as cheaply as you can and watch with the original audio option for DN through to LTK. Then if you're a die hard fan it helps to have older releases for better audio or less screwed with picture.

Everything from Dr. No to Die Another Day has the same Lowry 4K restorations done in the mid 2000s, with the same Mi Casa soundtracks that we all hate. The only Lowry/Mi Casa movies with the correct soundtracks are the Brosnan films.

While yes, Goldeneye was remastered, that doesn't change the fact that the set mostly sucks.

[Shane Rollins]

At this point with this set at $55 (slightly over $2 per movie), this is definitely burning off old stock. Considering MGM can't afford to properly redo these all at once, and just dropping the old transfers on a 4K wouldn't work (no one would buy them because they'd suck), ideally someone like Kino would do the films one at a time, so they can actually focus on getting them right. Aside from the Criterion features (which will never get licensed or released by anyone ever), every single feature can and should be licensed.

They could get more money for them, and then drop the complete set later. I'd pay into that, assuming we got all new masters on the films.

[captainsolo]

Thunderball is a different master than the UE DVD and reverts to the MGM 1990's stereo remix.
YOLT-OHMSS-DAF and a few others are also different masters that could be from a 4K workflow but have the massive boosted contrast issue.
Spy is the only one that looks good outside of the color timing qualms I have.

These were done under Fox's Blu-ray department so there's no way of knowing what work they may have done. To make it all ultra confusing they kept all the 2006 UE Lowry credits on the end of each film.

Goldeneye reverted to seemingly a master (sadly one that is DNRd and crummy looking seen with modern eyes) very similar in color/contrast/visual appearance to the original one made for the letterboxed Laserdiscs and original DVDs as the Lowry handled UE master was a cropped version of the film and had very altered color timing. The broadcast version of the Lowry master is HD and still cropped with some color tweaks but is FILLED with visible grain making it an oddity in the transfer history of GE.

[captainsolo]

Originally Posted by JRcanReid

Thanks, captainsolo. I have to say it's a very tempting price right now for someone who owns no James Bonds. And if it's my small price to pay to get them working on a proper 4k set...

(it's funny, I've seen the vast majority of the Bond movies in the theater from TSWLM to the present, but I just never got around to buying any of them.)

You should definitely go for it while cheap as it's all there is and is at least better than the UE DVDs. The Brosnan films have good audio on their BDs and TND-TWINE-DAD look okay.

For me the Bond BDs of the original 20 that look okay and don't have a gigantic visual issue:
TSWLM, TND, TWINE, DAD (though the digitally desaturated opening still looks iffy)
That's it. The Lowry handled ones from video masters are basically 1080p bumps of their UE DVDs but weren't as manipulated as the ones Lowry supposedly did 4K negative scans of.

That's why the 80's films will look okay but are obviously severely dated masters vs the horrible treatment of say Dr. No.

[stonesfan129]

Went back to the Ultimate Edition DVDs. A few of the earlier films have vertical scratches on a number of shots. I didn't care for some of the wonky 5.1 remixes. And the contrast seems really boosted. GoldenEye is especially bad with the DNR.

[Benoit Blanc]

Am I the only one curious as to why there hasn't been a repackage of the complete set with No Time to Die added? 25's a nicer number than 24.

Also curious as to why Amazon Prime in the UK has 24 official movies, plus the 2 non-official ones, but again, no No Time to Die.

[roccog94]

Originally Posted by Benoit Blanc

Am I the only one curious as to why there hasn't been a repackage of the complete set with No Time to Die added? 25's a nicer number than 24.

Also curious as to why Amazon Prime in the UK has 24 official movies, plus the 2 non-official ones, but again, no No Time to Die.

I'd guess it has something to do with Universal having home video distribution rights for "No Time to Die". It'd require them to work with other studios that have rights to the other films to add it.