Info: James Bond - Laserdisc Preservations: 1962-1971 — Page 11

I still find it hard to believe compressing from HD to SD would change actual colours. Otherwise, how to Criterion make director-approved transfers?

Yeah, I think it has more to do with studio tinkering than flaws in SD transfers. Look at Live and Let Die and the disaster its DVD is, while the blu looks... well, much better but not perfect.

How do the LDs compare to the DVDs in terms of colours, aspect ratios, etc?

The UEs give the correct ratios (Except that Goldeneye is cropped and so is the opening teaser of AVTAK) like the majority of the LDs. They pale in the sound category. Detail is exceptional on the UEs. Sometimes I feel like things are too cleaned up. (especially on original effects shots). The colors on the UEs ranged from okay to great to what the heck to desaturated (YOLT!). I've gotten two from the 89 LD series and the colors are spot on like I remember from childhood. (And YOLT has the rich saturation back!)

The HD to SD thing was just a theory I came up with. I don't think the studio would have tampered with these color wise.

Im glad they gave us the original mono on the UEs and BDs.

Which LDs do you recommend?

This is what I have gathered in Bond LD knowledge over the past couple of months:

The general consensus on this thread is that the Connery films are best in the Connery Collection volumes (I and II) because they were pressed a few years after the 1989 series. These can be had for around $10 each on ebay (I just received Vol. I for around $7) The first three were initially available on Criterion but despite originally having banned commentaries the transfers have paled in comparison to others.

For OHMSS through Licence to Kill your only option is pretty much the 89 series with a couple exceptions.These can be had for around $5-10 each. Also, make sure that it says Deluxe letter-box edition on the top because an earlier run of fullscreen transfers uses the exact same artwork.

Goldfinger and Thunderball had deluxe box set releases in the mid 90's and those are tough to beat. They edge out the Connery Collection transfers. (they do cost more than the others-I'd check the others first.)

Dr. No, FRWL, Goldfinger, Thunderball, The Spy Who Loved Me, and Moonraker all had THX certified releases in 1998. These are the last Bond catalog title releases on LD in the US and are extremely rare. They all resemble their initial THX DVD and Special Edition DVD counterparts.

Licence to Kill was initially released on Fox LD as a 2disc Letterbox LD. I have this and it isn't bad, but it is prone to rot and is not the uncut version. It was later repressed as part of the MGM series and this one does not rot like the Fox. For an uncut LD I think you have to find a particular German or Japanese one.

Goldeneye and Tomorrow Never Dies were released on seperate Dolby Digital and DTS versions. The only difference between the two is that the Dolby LD has 5.1 @384kbp/s and the DTS has the full 1565kbp/s DTS 5.1. If you have a DTS capable setup then that one is the way to go definitely. the dolbys go for around $5 and the DTS go for around $30-50. Both feature the original theatrical soundmixes and not the remixed ones found on the UEs.

Finally, The World is Not Enough was released on LD in Japan. It has a Dolby EX 5.1 track.

Whew!

So in short I'd guess I would recommend going for the title you are most interested in first as a test. The best place to start otherwise is one of the Connery collections and a few of the 89 series. This won't set you back too much and they pop up on ebay very often.

Thanks for that very helpful post. How do I check if something is a 1989 series on eBay?

Also, what is this talk I keep hearing about "original theatrical sound mixes"? What is the proof for this?

Ages ago, I once heard someone say the DTS on GE and TND is better than the DVD but that does not imply a different sound mix altogether. That could just be down to bitrates, for example. Thats all I know of this supposed phenomenon.

1989's look like this:

It is reputed that GE and TND have their original mixes on LD. I don't know this for sure. The mix on the UE of GE has been changed. (different LFE levels etc.)

Thanka again man. Now I know what to look for :)

Besides the banned commentaries, are there any exclusive extras on the LDs at all? Also, is the Japanese 25th anniversary celebration LD in English?

No prob.

Some isolated scores but I think that's it.

I don't know about the Japanese LD, but that special is on one of the UEs.

Isolated scores, huh. I know LALD had a music-only track, but I think some early Connery ones only had Music and FX tracks.

Got my camera working. It's slightly darker in-person, but the flesh tones are definitely there unlike on the UE DVD.

Very interesting! Thanks for posting that.

Lol, whats with the missing "On" from the title and the 'H' from "HD"?! :D

Wow, the color looks much improved. And it isn't purplish!

You guys might find this auction interesting.

http://cgi.ebay.com/16mm-Film-HER-MAJESTYS-SECRET-SERVICE-James-Bond-/270676803410?pt=US_Film&hash=item3f05983f52

If only I could afford it...it looked pretty good. Reminds me of a 16mm of FRWL that popped up earlier this year. That went for over $800 :(

Id only pay $800 for a Bond film reel if it was an uncut print before the BBFC got their hands on it! But sadly they no longer exist. As is common with 60s films, cuts were often made to the negatives and thus persist in all versions worldwide.

Precisely. One of a few bad cuts in the early Bonds!

I am quite interested for On Her Majesty's Secret Service, GoldenEye, You Only Live Twice, The Living Daylights, A View to a Kill, Octopussy and The Spy Who Loved Me.

My collection has all of James Bond of currently released Blu-ray. What changes do these titles have on Laserdisc?

ChainsawAsh said:

I guess we'll always have to live with the jump cut at the end of From Russia with Love...

What cut?

Isn't there a jump cut with the music? Not necessarily the footage, but the audio...

I hate the cut at the end of "Thunderball" even more.