GoldenEye Blu-ray?

[Taipan]

Originally Posted by slaughinghouse

MGM is out of bankruptcy and is preparing to make The Hobbit and Bond 23.

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=5654

I'd expect the rest of the Bond Blus before the end of 2012, if not earlier. That is, if the Mayans don't get us....

Good, good! Thanks or the update slaughinghouse.

[Riddler95]

The cropping on the Goldeneye Ultimate Edition DVD from 2006 was disappointing.

The older Special Edition DVD from 1999, did have the full 2.35:1 image, but it suffered from major compression and does not look as good the current Ultimate Edition DVD.

I have heard that MGM gave Lowry a print that was going to be used for a Pan & Scan version on Goldeneye. Therefore cropping had already been done.

Even though the picture was cropped, I thought that the Ultimate Edition DVD was a very big improvement in picture & sound quality over the older Special Edition DVD. The colors were better, there was more detail, the sharpness was better, and all the artifacts were gone.

Since the transfers used for the James Bond Blu-Rays come from the same source that was used for the Ultimate Edition DVDs, Goldeneye would still be cropped even on Blu-Ray.

The only way to fix the problem is to once again restore the movie in HD. That would mean MGM would have to give Lowry a different print of Goldeneye that has the full 2.35:1 image.

It would be nice if they did, then the Blu-Ray would have the full image, then for those who are don't need a Blu-Ray, MGM could set up a Replacement Disc program for the Ultimate Edition DVD version.

[bone crusher]

GoldenEye will be a day one buy for me whenever it comes out.

[PointZero]

It's really sad to read this about the Goldeneye transfer, as it was one of the first Bond movies I saw and as such holds a special place in my movie memories. And I would think MGM would start releasing Bonds around Christmas 2011, slowly trickling them out up to the release of Bond 23.

[Jezza]

Originally Posted by Riddler95

The cropping on the Goldeneye Ultimate Edition DVD from 2006 was disappointing.

The older Special Edition DVD from 1999, did have the full 2.35:1 image, but it suffered from major compression and does not look as good the current Ultimate Edition DVD.

I have heard that MGM gave Lowry a print that was going to be used for a Pan & Scan version on Goldeneye. Therefore cropping had already been done.

Even though the picture was cropped, I thought that the Ultimate Edition DVD was a very big improvement in picture & sound quality over the older Special Edition DVD. The colors were better, there was more detail, the sharpness was better, and all the artifacts were gone.

Since the transfers used for the James Bond Blu-Rays come from the same source that was used for the Ultimate Edition DVDs, Goldeneye would still be cropped even on Blu-Ray.

The only way to fix the problem is to once again restore the movie in HD. That would mean MGM would have to give Lowry a different print of Goldeneye that has the full 2.35:1 image.

It would be nice if they did, then the Blu-Ray would have the full image, then for those who are don't need a Blu-Ray, MGM could set up a Replacement Disc program for the Ultimate Edition DVD version.

I'm not sure how much truth is in the report that Lowry were handed over an already cropped print. I have a feeling though it may have been accidentaly cropped when transfered to DVD, meaning a restored print exsists without the cropping and when put onto Blu-ray it will be uncropped. It's just a thought though, because I don't see why MGM would hand over a cropped version.

Even if it was cropped when being restored, a new restoration could occur for the Blu-ray because of this, epsecially now since MGM have new owners and even some of the Blu-ray releases have had a little bit of tweaking here and there, such as colour timing, so it suits Blu-ray better.

But I wouldn't expect a disc replacement program for the DVD, because it's been almost 5 years since it came out on the UE DVD and 6 if it came out next year, so many would have gone past caring about it and it wouldn't be worth the effort on MGM's part.

[madrobert82]

Originally Posted by fgomike

I wouldn't expect to see this on Blu at least until the next Bond movie is ready for release. Earliest I could see it would be 4th Q of 2012. I would love to be wrong though. Goldeneye is my favorite of the Brosnan Bonds and had one of the better villains (IMO)

...from my perspective Le Chiffre is the best villain in all Bond movies!!

[Lyle_JP]

Originally Posted by Time Lord

I'm not sure how much truth is in the report that Lowry were handed over an already cropped print. I have a feeling though it may have been accidentaly cropped when transfered to DVD, meaning a restored print exsists without the cropping and when put onto Blu-ray it will be uncropped. It's just a thought though, because I don't see why MGM would hand over a cropped version.

Well, it's not just the cropping. The title sequence has all of the text in completely different places than on the original laserdisc and DVD. The older versions have the titles near the edge of the image; the new UE has nearly all the titles squeezed close to the center of the image. So clearly there were differences in this print.

[Jezza]

Originally Posted by Lyle_JP

Well, it's not just the cropping. The title sequence has all of the text in completely different places than on the original laserdisc and DVD. The older versions have the titles near the edge of the image; the new UE has nearly all the titles squeezed close to the center of the image. So clearly there were differences in this print.

I hadn't noticed that, but I still can't see why MGM would crop it in the first place.

[nametag]

Were any of the other ones cropped on DVD? Moreover, the ones that are in 1.66:1 - were they cropped originally on the UE DVDs? Because The BDs thus far have all been in the correct ratio and I don't understand why Goldeneye would be the only one cropped back in 2006 or whenever (is it the only one in 2.35:1?) I'd still be pretty surprised if the BD was cropped, hardly any ratios are messed with these days, and being a Bond release, it'd be pretty high profile and people would be pissed.

Also I'm assuming it was definitely cropped and not open matte?

[kemcha]

I think we're going to end up seeing all new releases of the Bond films with different packaging. They haven't announced any further releases because their debt is still there and they don't have the money to pay for the costs for a Blu-ray transfers on the remaining films. They barely got the funds to produce the next Bond movie and The Hobbit.

They still have a lot of debt and these two movies, if they are successful, might be enough to get more investors to help the struggling studio out.

I just refuse to buy any Bond Blu-ray until they start announcing more releases of the films. I like the original Bond movies better than the newer ones. If they cannot release the entire catalog, I don't want to own half the series. I'm a completist. Either release them all or not at all.

[nametag]

Originally Posted by kemcha

I think we're going to end up seeing all new releases of the Bond films with different packaging. They haven't announced any further releases because their debt is still there and they don't have the money to pay for the costs for a Blu-ray transfers on the remaining films. They barely got the funds to produce the next Bond movie and The Hobbit.

They still have a lot of debt and these two movies, if they are successful, might be enough to get more investors to help the struggling studio out.

I just refuse to buy any Bond Blu-ray until they start announcing more releases of the films. I like the original Bond movies better than the newer ones. If they cannot release the entire catalog, I don't want to own half the series. I'm a completist. Either release them all or not at all.

Pretty sure many people have said that the transfers for all the films have already been made by Lowry. So it shouldn't cost them that much, they just have to like... print the discs and stuff. I do hope the artwork style hasn't changed.

It's mainly Goldeneye and OHMSS I'm waiting for.... when it comes to this series, I'm not a completist, you'd never get me to watch Quantum of Solace again so I wouldn't see the point in buying it...

[Lyle_JP]

Originally Posted by nametag

Were any of the other ones cropped on DVD?

The opening shot of A View to a Kill is very obviously cropped, but I don't believe the rest of the film is affected.

[kemcha]

I thought I was the only one who really enjoyed On Her Majesty's Secret Service. While it wasn't as flashy or flamboyant as Sean Connery, Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan, I thought the movie was very well done. It remains one of my top favorites.

Far as the series goes, I'm a completist, as far as the James Bond movies are concerned. While I do own Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace on Blu-ray, I've always considered the classic Bond movies of better quality and better substance. The Sean Connery films remain my favorite films as I've always been a Connery fan when it comes to James Bond.

It's just sad that the series still hasn't been completed on Blu-ray. It's funny because Star Wars will be released in its entirety at the end of this year and James Bond started its run long before Star Wars did.

[Jezza]

Originally Posted by kemcha

I thought I was the only one who really enjoyed On Her Majesty's Secret Service. While it wasn't as flashy or flamboyant as Sean Connery, Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan, I thought the movie was very well done. It remains one of my top favorites.

Far as the series goes, I'm a completist, as far as the James Bond movies are concerned. While I do own Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace on Blu-ray, I've always considered the classic Bond movies of better quality and better substance. The Sean Connery films remain my favorite films as I've always been a Connery fan when it comes to James Bond.

It's just sad that the series still hasn't been completed on Blu-ray. It's funny because Star Wars will be released in its entirety at the end of this year and James Bond started its run long before Star Wars did.

I'd say the opposite, because I think Daniel Craig is a much more human Bond and more believable as a character, and also the plots are too. Some of the plots of the original films were a little far fectched, even some the best Bond films, so I think you don't always believe in it, and this is coming from the biggest Bond fan imaginable and am a total completist.

I'm also glad Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have done away with the gadgets, because everyone knows that spys don't really use all these flashy toys, so by eliminating it brings the series back down to a realistic and very real approach.

[chip75]

I grabbed some screen caps of the two Goldeneye DVD releases. I learnt two things I hate my computer and the Title sequence looks different. The girl on the right doesn't even seem present on the new UE. The caps with the bars down the side are the SE the others UE.

PDVD_000.jpg

PDVD_003.jpg

PDVD_001.jpg

PDVD_002.jpg

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Time Lord

I'm also glad Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have done away with the gadgets, because everyone knows that spys don't really use all these flashy toys, so by eliminating it brings the series back down to a realistic and very real approach.

There's always a fine balance between Bond films and Bond books, a lot of the gadgets have become everyday items now. But there should always be a fantasy element, leave realism for other films. Bond is special and unique he's not a superhero or Superman as Timothy Dalton once said he needs to bleed. But he should remain a fantasy figure. He was always faceless in the books so readers could put themselves in his place that's why his description by Flemming was vague.

I loved bits of Brosnan's films but they never quite nailed it and Craig had a misfire with QoS so hopefully they'll turn it round next time and get the balance right.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by chip75

[Show spoiler]There's always a fine balance between Bond films and Bond books, a lot of the gadgets have become everyday items now. But there should always be a fantasy element, leave realism for other films. Bond is special and unique he's not a superhero or Superman as Timothy Dalton once said he needs to bleed. But he should remain a fantasy figure. He was always faceless in the books so readers could put themselves in his place that's why his description by Flemming was vague.

I loved bits of Brosnan's films but they never quite nailed it and Craig had a misfire with QoS so hopefully they'll turn it round next time and get the balance right.

In your opinion.

[lefty23]

Originally Posted by nametag

It's mainly Goldeneye and OHMSS I'm waiting for.... when it comes to this series, I'm not a completist, you'd never get me to watch Quantum of Solace again so I wouldn't see the point in buying it...

Yeah, seems a lot of people feel this way about QOS. While I prefer Casino Royale, i don't see why QOS gets so much hate. I thought it was a pretty good entry into the series and I thought the opera scene was one of the best moments out of all of the bond films.

I feel about the same way towards OHMSS as you do about QOS, but I think most people have at least 1 or 2 bond films they don't really care for.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

In your opinion.

What else am I going to write? I still love 'em all though.

Edit: Sorry mate I didn't see you're little blue guy winking... wait that sounds weird.

[Tech-UK]

Chip, thanks for the screen caps . It's fairly clear, that the PQ is an improvement in the UE release.