From Russia With Love (1963) - Blu-ray Forum

zen007 · 10-11-2022, 01:25 AM

From Russia With Love continues to enthrall 007 film fans even today. Based on the book of the same name by Ian Fleming, the film has minor variances from the book such as the Russian SMERSH changed to the now famous SPECTRE.

While the plot is straightforward, what makes this film intriguing are the locations and the interplay among its characters. For e.g. it has Karim Bey, a good-hearted man with certain vices, who helps Bond out. Similar versions are Draco in On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Columbo in For Your Eyes Only. And then there are Rosa Klebb, Red Grant, and the chess wizard Kronsteen, along with the man with the cat - Blofeld, whose face remains hidden (it is Anthony Dawson, the Professor Dent of Dr. No, returning to the franchise, and voiced by Eric Pohlmann). Last but not least the likable Tatiana Romanova. Sylvia Trench returns for a cameo.

However, the key character is Istanbul as the location and the setting on the train (can be seen as a sort of train adventure film as well). This element gives it a period Bond film look. If one were to make a period Bond film today, it would probably be like From Russia With Love.

What about the negatives? If I have to mention something, I would point at the segment between when Bond gets off the train and gets to Venice. The boat and the helicopter chase sequences have not aged as well as liked but the good spin to it is that it is a skippable (or cuttable) segment. When Bond gets to Venice, the film brings the intrigue, its strength, back.

Overall, this is among the best of Bond adventures. The film also has a bit of a Hitchcock feel to it. It gets ranked among the best films, especially in its genre, by various magazines/critics.

How do you rate this film? ... As a potential new direction, would you prefer the Bond franchise make a few period Bond films rooted in the 50s-60s that are closely based on Ian Fleming's books?

Winslow Leach · 10-11-2022, 02:30 AM

Another perfect Bond film. I'd like to see future installments incorporate more Fleming into their plots. If not a straight-up adaptation of a novel, then certainly take scenes or plot devices from the books, a la FOR YOUR EYES ONLY or LICENCE TO KILL (which both borrow from the novel LIVE AND LET DIE).

zen007 · 10-11-2022, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winslow Leach

Another perfect Bond film. I'd like to see future installments incorporate more Fleming into their plots. If not a straight-up adaptation of a novel, then certainly take scenes or plot devices from the books, a la FOR YOUR EYES ONLY or LICENCE TO KILL (which both borrow from the novel LIVE AND LET DIE).

Yeah,

FYEO is an adaption of Fleming's short stories - "For Your Eyes Only" and "Risico". Bond and Melina being dragged in water is from the book "Live and Let Die".

LTK mixes various parts of Fleming's books. The torture of Leiter is from the book "Live and Let Die". Bond working for Sanchez is from the book "The Man with the Golden Gun". Milton Krest is from the short story "The Hildebrand Rarity".

For more on books and films -> Thread

Lee A Stewart · 10-11-2022, 06:28 AM

I have a soft spot for FRWL simply because I visited Istanbul while my mother worked for Air France back in 1967. We spent 6 days there. Stayed at the Hilton. Went to all the mosques, the bazzar, all the highlights the city offered. Interesting that one item stands out - their beer. It had no fizz. Served ice cold though. Though I was 16 at the time, I could pass for 21 as I had reached my full height of 6 feet. When we traveled, we never drank the water and back in the late 1960s bottled water was very rare. So we drank beer or Coca Cola. LOL - used it to brush my teeth with it.

zen007 · 10-12-2022, 04:22 AM

FRWL was released on October 10, 1963 ... On its 60th anniversary next year, I hope we get to see its 4K HDR version released, along with that of Dr. No!

Dunemoon · 10-12-2022, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zen007

FRWL was released on October 10, 1963 ... On its 60th anniversary next year, I hope we get to see its 4K HDR version released, along with that of Dr. No!

A disc 4K would be nice but the digital 4K is decent.

zen007 · 10-12-2022, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dunemoon

A disc 4K would be nice but the digital 4K is decent.

Right now I am mostly happy with the GoldenEye 4K digital. Most of the others probably can be improved.

Dunemoon · 10-12-2022, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zen007

Right now I am mostly happy with the GoldenEye 4K digital. Most of the others probably can be improved.

Indeed. I can’t see 4K discs happening if the next Bond is fundamentally changed though. The studio wouldn’t want to have the legacy Bonds compete with the current one. Those problematic films will be relegated to streaming.

It’s telling that the 60th Anniversary didn’t even warrant a box set. Even the young people here can’t figure out the plot of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

Why would they buy a disc?

zen007 · 10-13-2022, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dunemoon

It’s telling that the 60th Anniversary didn’t even warrant a box set.

If the current 4K digital-only transfers, many of which are closer to the respective blu-rays, are released on UHD discs, the PQ improvements would not be too significant (GE could turn out to be an exception as its 4K SDR transfer appears to have been worked on). Yes, the audio would benefit relative to the digital.

To release the films in 4K HDR, the negatives would ideally need to be rescanned (using the latest scanning technology) and redone accordingly. Therefore, a whole box set (excluding Craig films which are already available in 4K HDR/DV and where some of the films only saw marginal benefits over blu-rays) would be a big project in the short term. Focusing on a few titles initially is probably a better bet. In the long term, other titles can be launched.

Talking about selected titles: FRWL (60th in 2023) and GF (60th in 2024) would be in demand. DRNO (60th in 2022) can be added to the mix to complete the initial set.

OHMSS can have an interesting transfer if a bleach bypass process is used to give it a relatively monochromatic look. Maybe TLD too. Criterion did it with 1984, which looks more impressive with the bleach bypass:

LALD can benefit from HDR as it has bright colors (red-orange in Solitaire's dresses for e.g. can potentially pop).

Rzzzz · 10-12-2022, 05:00 AM

The fight on the train between Connery and Shaw kicks some serious ass....

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10-11-2022, 02:30 AM	#2
Winslow Leach Blu-ray Guru Member since:Feb 2020 Location:Connecticut 4K collection:30 Blu-ray collection:271 DVD collection:96	Another perfect Bond film. I'd like to see future installments incorporate more Fleming into their plots. If not a straight-up adaptation of a novel, then certainly take scenes or plot devices from the books, a la FOR YOUR EYES ONLY or LICENCE TO KILL (which both borrow from the novel LIVE AND LET DIE).

10-11-2022, 06:28 AM	#4
Lee A Stewart Blu-ray Baron Member since:Jan 2019 Location:Albuquerque, NM	I have a soft spot for FRWL simply because I visited Istanbul while my mother worked for Air France back in 1967. We spent 6 days there. Stayed at the Hilton. Went to all the mosques, the bazzar, all the highlights the city offered. Interesting that one item stands out - their beer. It had no fizz. Served ice cold though. Though I was 16 at the time, I could pass for 21 as I had reached my full height of 6 feet. When we traveled, we never drank the water and back in the late 1960s bottled water was very rare. So we drank beer or Coca Cola. LOL - used it to brush my teeth with it.

10-12-2022, 04:22 AM	#5
zen007 Power Member Member since:Oct 2019 Location:Canada Trading Score:1	FRWL was released on October 10, 1963 ... On its 60th anniversary next year, I hope we get to see its 4K HDR version released, along with that of Dr. No!

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