James Bond on BluRay

[Schnoogs]

Anyone pick these up?

I opted to pick them individually instead of the box sets.

I bought Dr. No, Thunderball and For Your Eyes Only.

All three look and sound fantastic...although obviously Dr. No and Thunderball show their age and the limitations of the film stock used at the time.

For Your Eyes Only looks incredible...I cannot wait for the rest to come out.

[Generation ABXY]

Anyone pick these up?

I opted to pick them individually instead of the box sets.

I bought Dr. No, Thunderball and For Your Eyes Only.

All three look and sound fantastic...although obviously Dr. No and Thunderball show their age and the limitations of the film stock used at the time.

For Your Eyes Only looks incredible...I cannot wait for the rest to come out.

I saw them the other day and got all excited...until I saw the price. Even for Bond, I still find Blu-ray to be a bit too much. Mind you, I wouldn't have bought it anyway, as I have the DVD set - and I got a great deal on that, so it may have also jaded me in that respect. :D

Great set, though!

[biosc1]

I've been following the reviews on High Def Digest...very tempting...very very tempting...I have to go in and pick up Casino Royale and The Hulk, so I may toss in an older Bond movie just because I grew up loving them all! (yes, even Living Daylights ;))

[Krispy]

Good transfers all around. Here are some screens (see if you can pick the movie, I won't make it hard ;) ):

Screen 1 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/9ae31a15682491)
Screen 2 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/8149ed15707513)
Screen 3 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/c3b51215708923)
Screen 4 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/8e8daf15883525)
Screen 5 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/9650c415881897)

[Schnoogs]

I got mine for 19.99 each which is a steal if you ask me...great movies....great transfers.

[Schnoogs]

I(yes, even Living Daylights ;))

The Living Daylights kicked serious ass...10x better than all of the Brosnan movies minus GoldenEye

[biosc1]

Good transfers all around. Here are some screens (see if you can pick the movie, I won't make it hard ;) ):

Screen 1 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/9ae31a15682491)
Screen 2 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/8149ed15707513)
Screen 3 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/c3b51215708923)
Screen 4 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/8e8daf15883525)
Screen 5 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/9650c415881897)

My wallet hates you.

The Living Daylights kicked serious ass...10x better than all of the Brosnan movies minus GoldenEye

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person who enjoyed Dalton as 007.

[Generation ABXY]

Good transfers all around. Here are some screens (see if you can pick the movie, I won't make it hard ;) ):

Screen 1 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/9ae31a15682491)
Screen 2 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/8149ed15707513)
Screen 3 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/c3b51215708923)
Screen 4 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/8e8daf15883525)
Screen 5 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/9650c415881897)

Are those much better than the DVD set? It doesn't seem to be, but I'll go ahead and pop in mine tomorrow, just to be sure...that, and I'll take any excuse to watch From Russia with Love again. :D

[KamaItachi]

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person who enjoyed Dalton as 007.

I think out of all of the Bonds, his movies have aged the most/worst, with the pouty 80's vibe to them and terrible hair. But he was a good Bond the sort've guy you'd hate to cross, which was something the ever smarmy Moore just didn't bring to the role.

[Krispy]

Are those much better than the DVD set? It doesn't seem to be, but I'll go ahead and pop in mine tomorrow, just to be sure...that, and I'll take any excuse to watch From Russia with Love again. :D

Are.... you serious?

I mean sure it doesn't have 1080p worth of unique pixels (look at the size of the grain) but it has at minimum 720p. I can do some resize comparisons if you need :D.

[Schnoogs]

Are those much better than the DVD set? It doesn't seem to be, but I'll go ahead and pop in mine tomorrow, just to be sure...that, and I'll take any excuse to watch From Russia with Love again. :D

BLASPHEMY!!!!

they look waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better.

[Krispy]

For examples of shitty blurays, I submit House of Flying Daggers (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=14815400) and Point Blank (http://comparescreenshots.slicx.com/comparison/944/picture:1).

[Stmfuller]

It's good to hear that the movies look nice. I'd seen a review stating that the transfer wasn't very good on some of the movies. The Bond franchasie is one of my favorite all-time series and own all the Bond movies on DVD (last released set).

However, the problem with blu-ray is that despite the expense it just doesn't seem like a big enough upgrade in all aspects. I mean, seriously I have zero intention on upgrading just about any of my dvds to blu-ray (well, maybe the 5th elements and batman begins). Even worse, I have a tough time seeing how a move from the 50s 60s 70s 80s and some 90s movies are going to look any better than they do on DVD, which is why I have a "no old movie" clause in my house when it comes to Blu-Rays. I only buy blu-rays of moves where I'm sure the upgrade is worthwhile.

[biosc1]

For examples of shitty blurays, I submit House of Flying Daggers (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=14815400) and Point Blank (http://comparescreenshots.slicx.com/comparison/944/picture:1).

Don't forget Full Metal Jacket! (http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/54/fullmetaljacket.html)

Or a list of other crappy quality ones...along with great ones (http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/reviews_video.html) :)

It's good to hear that the movies look nice. I'd seen a review stating that the transfer wasn't very good on some of the movies. The Bond franchasie is one of my favorite all-time series and own all the Bond movies on DVD (last released set).

However, the problem with blu-ray is that despite the expense it just doesn't seem like a big enough upgrade in all aspects. I mean, seriously I have zero intention on upgrading just about any of my dvds to blu-ray (well, maybe the 5th elements and batman begins). Even worse, I have a tough time seeing how a move from the 50s 60s 70s 80s and some 90s movies are going to look any better than they do on DVD, which is why I have a "no old movie" clause in my house when it comes to Blu-Rays. I only buy blu-rays of moves where I'm sure the upgrade is worthwhile.

I agree...I will only buy a Blu-Ray of an older movie where, a) I don't own it already and, b) I know it's a great transfer as is the case of movies such as Casablanca.

Almost all new movies look better on Blu-Ray than SD-DVD...but that doesn't mean there isn't the occasional screwed up transfer.

[Wilkz07]

will probably just get Goldeneye and Casino Royale (though royale was already on bluray).

[Schnoogs]

It's good to hear that the movies look nice. I'd seen a review stating that the transfer wasn't very good on some of the movies. The Bond franchasie is one of my favorite all-time series and own all the Bond movies on DVD (last released set).

However, the problem with blu-ray is that despite the expense it just doesn't seem like a big enough upgrade in all aspects. I mean, seriously I have zero intention on upgrading just about any of my dvds to blu-ray (well, maybe the 5th elements and batman begins). Even worse, I have a tough time seeing how a move from the 50s 60s 70s 80s and some 90s movies are going to look any better than they do on DVD, which is why I have a "no old movie" clause in my house when it comes to Blu-Rays. I only buy blu-rays of moves where I'm sure the upgrade is worthwhile.

Wow....you really owe it to yourself to do some research...its the older movies that benefit the most from a restoration and 1080p master.

You will see depth and detail in the old film stock that you would never have thought could exist.

[Generation ABXY]

I can do some resize comparisons if you need :D.

If you want to spend the time, that'd be great. If you guys say they are much better, though, I'm willing to believe you; it has been a little while since I've watched 'em, and I have a pretty bad memory at that. :)

[Krispy]

That Full Metal Jacket release was a ten year old 1080i they had in storage. They redid the transfer... eventually. Anyways, I wouldn't trust HDdigest, they are often times talking out of their asses. For example, they commend Fox for their transfer of Point Blank. Hah!

Wow....you really owe it to yourself to do some research...its the older movies that benefit the most from a restoration and 1080p master.

You will see depth and detail in the old film stock that you would never have thought could exist.

To be fair, all film gains a nice benefit from restoration but the old film isn't going to have 1080p of unique details pretty much ever although a nice transfer will have clear film grain. For example, The Adventures of Robin Hood 1938 (http://www.imagebam.com/image/7e753713558177) as opposed to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (http://www.imagebam.com/image/221e9f9229236). If you downscaled the later to 720p and back up you wouldn't see a difference. Anyhow, it is still worth it.

[Stmfuller]

Wow....you really owe it to yourself to do some research...its the older movies that benefit the most from a restoration and 1080p master.

You will see depth and detail in the old film stock that you would never have thought could exist.I always like a new master of a flick, but converting it to 1080p can't help in every situation. Some of these movies are just plain, made for SD TV and there's nothing that's going to change that.

I liken it to when I saw fantasia 2000 in IMAX
all of the new stuff looked incredible (although personally didn't think Disney used the format very well), but the upscaled version of the sorcerer's apprentice looked terrible and really exposed the flaws in the older print. Put it on a regular screen or a SDTV and it's fine. Why? because older movies weren't designed for that kind of definition. I only watch newer movies on Blu-Ray because film makers are taking advantage of the format now.

[Schnoogs]

To be fair, all film gains a nice benefit from restoration but the old film isn't going to have 1080p of unique details pretty much ever although a nice transfer will have clear film grain.

Not sure what you're basing that off of...older film stock still has detail far in excess of 1080p...what hurts most of the time is it's age. Some of the older movies actually used film formats much larger than todays movies...70mm, etc

[Krispy]

Some of these movies are just plain, made for SD TV and there's nothing that's going to change that.

Why? because older movies weren't designed for that kind of definition.

Wha? Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. These movies were made for projection and will always have more definition than what an SD TV can show. Always. I can't stress that enough, if you can't see the difference the fault is in you or your television. Using IMAX is a bad example because you are taking a movie that only has something in the range of 720p to 1080p of unique information and displaying it on a screen hundreds of feet large. IMAX normally uses 2k or 4k resolutions so hopefully you can see where the comparison would fail.

Not sure what you're basing that off of...older film stock still has detail far in excess of 1080p...what hurts most of the time is it's age. Some of the older movies actually used film formats much larger than todays movies...70mm, etc

Sure you can continue to capture grain in larger definition but at some point you just aren't capturing anymore unique pixels. There just won't be any increased definition to the picture although you may increase complexity.

[Schnoogs]

Sure you can continue to capture grain in larger definition but at some point you just aren't capturing anymore unique pixels. There just won't be any increased definition to the picture although you may increase complexity.

I understand how film works and 35mm and 70mm are far in excess of 1080p...4000p is what I've heard from experts.

[Stmfuller]

I'm renting adam west's batman on blu-ray...so I'll be able to confirm if what you say is true young friends.

[Schnoogs]

I'm renting adam west's batman on blu-ray...so I'll be able to confirm if what you say is true young friends.

Confirm what exactly? Television shows used lower resolution video. Hardly indicative of what a major motion picture is going to look like from the same era.

[Stmfuller]

Confirm what exactly? Television shows used lower resolution video. Hardly indicative of what a major motion picture is going to look like from the same era.

my wrongness. obviously. I'll keep an open mind on most things...it's cool man.

[Krispy]

I understand how film works and 35mm and 70mm are far in excess of 1080p...4000p is what I've heard from experts.

Yeah, I've heard this argument a million times. I mean, what can a man do against the word of an expert? I'll tell you what. You get me a 4k transfer of Vertigo, I'll resize it to 1080 and back up to 4k and then we can test to see if there is any psychovisual difference. :D

[Schnoogs]

Yeah, I've heard this argument a million times. I mean, what can a man do against the word of an expert? I'll tell you what. You get me a 4k transfer of Vertigo, I'll resize it to 1080 and back up to 4k and then we can test to see if there is any psychovisual difference. :D

On a real movie theater screen? Sure...I'll take that challange any day of the week. Thats why move theaters with DLP projectors use projectors and source material far in excess of 1080p.

Whether you can tell the difference on a 40" LCD doesn't change the fact that old movies are every bit as detailed on as a modern movie. It's just too bad the film ages, etc.

[Johan]

All three look and sound fantastic...although obviously Dr. No and Thunderball show their age and the limitations of the film stock used at the time.

Is it technically difficult and/or expensive to remaster older films to get them at least closer to HD? I know nothing about the technical side of it, but I'm quite curious. It seems like it would be a real technical challenge.

Well, after reading the thread, it seems to have been discussed to some extent. Thanks!

[Krispy]

On a real movie theater screen? Sure...I'll take that challange any day of the week. Thats why move theaters with DLP projectors use projectors and source material far in excess of 1080p.

Whether you can tell the difference on a 40" LCD doesn't change the fact that old movies are every bit as detailed on as a modern movie. It's just too bad the film ages, etc.

It is true, they use 2k for DLP projection with ridiculous amounts of bitrate (500GB movies) but those are new movies we are talking that are scanned at 4-8k just for postprocessing. Maybe a little demonstration will help. Here is a screenshot comparison from Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was filmed on 70mm film mind you, downscaled to 720p and back up to 1080p (http://comparescreenshots.slicx.com/comparison/1536). If you can see a difference I commend you and if you think I'm playing a trick... well I guess all I can say is try it yourself -- spline64 it to 1280x720 and back up to 1920x1088 (Blurays use 1088 for mod16 compression, the SAR displays it back properly). I can pick out other movies that will react the same and I guess my point is if one can't tell the difference between the same film upscaled from 720p to 1080p and the native 1080p then a 4k transfer is going to be a waste of time, energy, and space. Then again you can do what the experts do, blame the transfer engineers for not getting all of those unique visual elements out the film ;).

Is it technically difficult and/or expensive to remaster older films to get them at least closer to HD? I know nothing about the technical side of it, but I'm quite curious. It seems like it would be a real technical challenge.

Yeah it takes a lot of time and money. It is analogous to postprocessing on modern films, you scan it in to a digital medium, but the colors don't look the way they should, and there might be some dust and scratches on the original stock so you send it down to an engineering team to digitally clean it up and make all of the corrections the director wants. You can tell when a Bluray gets this treatment or not. For example, The Godfather looks beautiful on Bluray with absolutely no blemishes... A Fistfull of Dollars not so much (but then that gives it the girtty western feel too)! A studio can easily overdo it too. You may have heard of something called Digital Noise Reduction (DNR). Warner just loves to destroy their movies with it :(.

[biosc1]

Is it technically difficult and/or expensive to remaster older films to get them at least closer to HD? I know nothing about the technical side of it, but I'm quite curious. It seems like it would be a real technical challenge.

Well, after reading the thread, it seems to have been discussed to some extent. Thanks!

A lot of companies put a lot of money into scanning the original negatives and digitally cleaning them up before releasing them on Blu-Ray or even SD-DVD.

[Maskatron]

Confirm what exactly? Television shows used lower resolution video. Hardly indicative of what a major motion picture is going to look like from the same era.

This is only true of a specific era of television (the '90s mostly) where filmed shows were filmed on film but then edited on low res video (Buffy, ST:NG, X-Files, etc.). But older shows like Batman were always edited with film (it was filmed and printed in 35mm (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059968/technical)) so there are higher definition masters that would benefit from a Blu-Ray release.

Of course video shows like Threes Company or All in The Family wouldn't benefit much, except if you've ever noticed on a lot of TV DVD sets, the episodes are compressed as hell to fit them on less DVDs. Some TV show sets I own look like absolute shit (Larry Sanders, Action!). Blu-Ray can help in this regard.

[biosc1]

Go here now (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showthread.php?t=2477)!

[Generation ABXY]

Go here now (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showthread.php?t=2477)!

Oh, very nice!

Ah, if only I hadn't already bought it on DVD...and, you know, had some money right now. :eek:

[biosc1]

Yah, thankfully today was pay day...bought it (along with Baraka on Blu-Ray). No games for me in the next couple of weeks...I just spent my "allowance" :)