Info: James Bond - Laserdisc Preservations: 1962-1971 — Page 22

dvdmike said:

It does, I checked it, the HDTV version is still the best

 I didn't know there was an HDTV rip that wasn't the cropped UE version.

 "I think those corrected SE's don't actually exist..."

Yeah, I don't either.

 "The UE is on all DVD releases, and has correct contrast mostly, but with revisionist color timing that ruins some sequences. TSWLM BD is an all new non-Lowry master. But the color is not fully correct either. No original audio too."

Thank you for the information... that's great to know.  I think I'll go ahead and pick up the UE of OHMSS just so I have a clean copy without so much contrast boosting... I like the Blu-ray but it's a little too bright.  The SE DVD has the shadows and sunsets just the way I like them, not to mention the great colors.  OHMSS is my favorite Bond film and I bought those SE box sets back when they came out so I'm used to that version.  A couple of years ago, the film aired in HD on the Universal HD Channel in the U.S.  It was cropped to 1.85:1 to fill a 16x9 display but it looked really good.  I imagine it was pretty close to the UE specs as it was super clean but not blown out.  The detail was rather amazing.

Yep. What you likely saw was an HD version made from files that were pre-tinkering for the DVD format. This is what would have been utilized for the BD with some massaging for the new disc, hence to contrast boost. That's also why DAF is now timed so coldly.

The OHMSS SE disc and LD are what the film has always looked like. At least on these old discs you get some inkling of 60's Technicolor.

The GE HDTV version typically found is 720p and does indeed look great, save for the cropping and color timing. The amount of visible grain is massive, it's tight and dense and near gone on the official BD. However there's a slight error in my version, in the meeting with Bond and Zukovsky.

'60s Technicolor Rocks.  I have a new appreciation for my SE box sets... watched Thunderball last night and everybody's tan.  I dare say Thunderball may boast the best looking Bond babes of the '60s.  In fact it's no contest.  Auger, Paluzzi, Beswick and Peters... good lord.

Ah. Scratch that, I forgot they had finally put it on disc. Only took them roughly 15 years. ;)

I know I posted in the DTS thread, but again fantastic news. Many of us have wanted to hear these tracks for ages.

TND is essentially the best overall surround mix I have ever heard theatrically. Tons of stuff going on in the soundfield and in the surrounds. I'm almost 100% positive it was a DTS theater.

Okay since the DTS track has surfaced here's an idea for a Goldeneye restoration.

Use the 720p UE master HDTV rip as a basis which as-is is immeasurably superior to the BD. It does have the revisionist color timing (not as bad as the UE DVD) and cropping in addition to a redone title sequence. What we could try to do is marry the cropped information from the DNR riddled master and the re-timed HDTV cap. The crop stays petty solid and doesn't move so what it will essentially look like is a projector with the edges of the image running off of the screen and slightly out of focus. But this way we can have an HD image that matches the theatrical, maintains grain and doesn't lose the cropped material. Drop in the original titles sequence and the DTS track and it's set.

Wouldn't the SE DVD look better than the BD?

Actually, now that I re-read, you only said "DNR riddled master" and nothing about Blus.

I'm pretty sure that the studio simply reused the old SE/LD master source files for the new BD. It looks pretty much the same and reveals all the old enhancements but is re-buried in new DNR to cover that up.

I am interested in getting a copy of OHMSS with the original audio and the Commentary track.  Should i get the screwed up SE dvd or just get the blu ray?

I ideally would like to get the laserdisc but it does not  have the Peter Hunt commentary track.

Get the laserdisc and play the commentary from the DVD at the same time.

captainsolo said:

Okay since the DTS track has surfaced here's an idea for a Goldeneye restoration.

Use the 720p UE master HDTV rip as a basis which as-is is immeasurably superior to the BD. It does have the revisionist color timing (not as bad as the UE DVD) and cropping in addition to a redone title sequence. What we could try to do is marry the cropped information from the DNR riddled master and the re-timed HDTV cap. The crop stays petty solid and doesn't move so what it will essentially look like is a projector with the edges of the image running off of the screen and slightly out of focus. But this way we can have an HD image that matches the theatrical, maintains grain and doesn't lose the cropped material. Drop in the original titles sequence and the DTS track and it's set.

Do you mean to add the cropped sections back in, so the HDTV rip in the middle and the Cropped bit from the DNR master composited on?

singhcr said:

I just won a 007 LD lot that has TLD, OHMSS, and Octopussy with digital sound. The others have analog sound but I'll see how they compare. I plan on synching these with the BD video. I'll share them if I am successful.

 

 

Awesome. I look forward to hearing it.