James Bond: Ultimate Red Triple Agent Collection [DVD] [2006] [1962]

I am one of those people that bought all of the Bond films individually on DVD when they were released back in 2002. They are good discs in themselves and sat proudly on my shelf. Then I read about this collection and the work that had been done by Lowry Digital in restoring the films and got excited. After much soul searching I decided to bite the bullet and buy this new set and sell my old copies on eBay. Boy am I glad I did! The quality of these new releases is nothing short of stunning. Starting with Dr No, the remastered image is simply sublime with not a speck of dirt and colours vibrant and lush. You really could believe that this is a movie which was made only yesterday. The first 9 Bond movies have benefited the most from the restoration process due to their age, so once you reach 'The Spy Who Loved Me', whilst still showing an improvement in picture, there isn't the same remarkable difference in quality. I was happy to see that my personal favourite, 'The Living Daylights', still looks considerably better/sharper than the older version and the inclusion of a DTS soundtrack on all the films really makes a difference when watching with a good sound system. It is true that all of the extras from the previous discs are included here, but there are additional new features for each of the films. In some cases these are minor extras, in others they are more considerable (Roger Moore has recorded individual commentaries for each of his 7 films and they are a joy to listen too). So.. is this worth £200? Yes I think it is. The case the DVD's come in is very nice and not in the least bit 'tatty'; buying them as a set is certainly cheaper than getting them all individually; and to think this is the best these movies will ever look, to watch them in any other way is just a crime.

I had a few of the individual Bond dvds, but I sold them on ebay earlier this year, and the James Bond Collection has been sitting in my amazon basket ever since. Took the plunge last week and am not disappointed.So far I've watched Dr No and From Russia With Love, the picture and sound quality is great. I must admit that when Bond films are on the BBC or ITV over X-Mas or on Bank Holidays I take them for granted and don't watch them or only catch bits and pieces.With this set you can watch them at your leisure, and then go back and watch all the extras, if you want.Ofcourse any Bond DVD collection is never going to be complete and I'm sure that in years to come the DVD format will become outdated, but if you want to enjoy all the Bond films to date NOW, then you can't go wrong with this collection. However, if I had the previous collection I would probably stick with that.

Like many Bond fans I had to think twice about upgrading my Special Edition Bond collection to the Ultimate Edition. I finally decided to take the plunge last week after watching a poor print of "You Only Live Twice" on ITV4 and then realising my SE version wasn't much better! The UE attache case arrived yesterday and it is is simply sublime. Forget about the packaging, the newly restored picture and soundtrack on each film is worth the £200 fee alone. I have previewed the start of the first 6 Bond movies and all are brilliantly presented. In addion, I also watched the documentary about the restoration process and I have to agree with Lowry that the early films "look set in the 60's and not made in the 60's". I may have a 50" plasma and a nice cinema sound set-up but you would notice the difference on a PSP screen - the difference is that astonishing! You have a licence to buy with confidence.

Yes, the people who restored this series did an excellent job...but I have to ask...Why is the "blood" missing from the water after Largo's henchman is thrown into the swimming pool of sharks in "Thunderball"? And if you are going to go to all the time and effort of restoring a film why did you not digitally remove the safety wire tied to George Lazaby's ankle that kept him from going over the cliff near the end of the ski chase escape from Piz Gloria in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"?And while we are on the subject...the song "California Girls" used in the pre-credits sequence of "A View To A Kill" was dumb when the film was released - it is more so now. It takes away from a great action sequence. Why don't you remove it?

Just received the ultimate collection today and all i can say is WOW! - I was liturally sat with my Jaw wide open when i saw how clear the picture was on Doctor No. The picture was crystal clear just as it advertised, and the special features are amazing, deleted scenes that I didnt know even existed and everything a bond fan wants, you can even watch the opening titles in (textless mode) which means you get rid of the text on them and you can just watch the pictures. I would advise any bond fan to purchase the ultimate editions as soon as possible so you dont miss out!!

I stay in South Africa and i just received this package in mint condition today. The whole set is just too amazing for words. If you owned the previous set like me, i suggest that you sell yours. There is a huge improvement in the picture and sound quality and is definitely worth the upgrade. These movies now look and sound like they were made yesterday. The dts sound adds a whole new dimension to these movies. Also for Bond enthusiasts, there are new documentaries. This is a must have for any dvd collector. Donot hesitate, order now from amazon.co.uk, and you won't be dissapointed. Currently not available on region 1.

Well wanted these for a while as I’ve always loved the James Bond films.On arrival today I was gutted to find the disc really scratched and Dr No feature film was missing leaving only bonus features disc in the case.Contacted seller and hopefully will replace the film.I’ll ypdate this review once I’ve had contact from the seller

I use a PS3 as my Blu-ray player. I had no problems starting these disc, using the bonus features, nor did I have any problems while viewing the video, your results may vary. If you have problems, check your manual for instructions on updating your firmware.This is Volume 1 and 2 wrapped together, it is nothing "special" the only thing special is the lower price.When I ordered this, I was not expecting what I got. I thought the movies were in standard blu-ray cases and put in a box, but I was wrong.When you get your movies, you have a nice 007 plastic slipcase, when you take that off you have the box (which you see in the image) and inside is a very nice "book" that houses your discs.Each movie is presented on 1 disc, and each volume has 3 movies.I own the James Bond Ultimate DVD collection. I'm going to assume you may own that version as well, and want to know if the blu-ray is worth the upgrade or not (these movies are over 40-50 years old mind you).When I got the ultimate dvd collection last year, I was shocked at the quality of Dr NO. This is a very old movie, and it looked better than some blu-rays I owned (and this was on DVD!), the same is true for these blu-rays.Dr No Looks better than the majority of blu-rays I own. Every scene is sharp. No scene looks soft, or bad. The restoration done on these has to be seen to be believed.When you watch the blu-rays some of the bonus features explain the process behind the remastering (which is very interesting).I must warn you. If you're the type who likes to watch trailers (of the film you're about to watch) prior to watching the movie, do not do so here. As they are almost all full of spoilers. Think of the trailer as a recap, and rejoice in the over the top trailers of back in the day.Now on to rating the specifics.Video Quality5/5 Easy. Top Notch. Each scene is so vibrant, so sharp, you will be soo furious with other blu-rays sitting on your shelf, because they wont look half as good as Dr No. (even modern movies shot last year)Audio Quality4/5. This is tough to rate really, some of the movies were filmed in mono (and we get the mono track, which as with the dvds, I much prefer), but here we also have a surround mix to go along with it. Obviously this is not going to be as good as any modern movie soundtrack, but it is as good as the movies have ever sounded. Also I must comment, the only part of these movies that make you aware that the movie was indeed shot back in the 60's is the audio. The gun shots and other special effects are.... weak by today's standards, but it is faithful to the source, and that's all that matters.Supplements5/5 When the ultimate collection was made, we got the movie, then a disc full of extras. Thanks to the power of blu-ray, we have all those extras and the movie on the same disc. All this is seamless.Packaging5/5. If you read some of my reviews on other "sets" I really hound studios. I have wasted 100's of dollars on "gift sets" that are rendered useless when they arrive due to scratching, broke discs, stuff falling out, luckily that is NOT the case here.The design that houses the discs are similar to the way they are presented on Battlestar Galatica Season 1 (on HD-DVD) (only these actually work, and have none of the issues that set did). Meaning you open up the wonderful book (vibrant, and full of color, I will be posting pictures tomorrow) and the discs look as though they are floating on the case. The best way to get them off is to "twist them".I really like the packing, its like a really fancy case, it exudes style. I personally love Volume 1 more, the blue is soo suave.Value4/5Ok, I can understand a LOT of work went into making these videos. But the hardwork was already done when you remastered the video from the negatives to make the ultimate dvd sets a few years back. Those videos came with 5 movies, with the bonuses, and now you can buy 2 of those volumes for the price of one of these (which only contains 3 movies per box). Or all 4 for the price of these 2 volumes (20 movies versus 6) all of which are basically the same.Now, I'll admit, the quality is better, and the packaging is amazing. But you have to ask yourself. Would you prefer having the whole set on DVD or 6 movies on Blu-Ray. (as it amounts to the same price)At this rate the price for the whole set will run you around 350 dollars (with amazons VERY LOW price) not retail, retail would be 550 and that's for 18 total. I guess you can guess they will triple dip Casino Royale, and make the set a close 700 dollars. I hope they start either dropping the price, or adding a movie or 2 per set.With all that said, would I buy this set again? Sadly, yes. They are just too good. And the packaging is something that has to be seen to be believed.If you're choosing, should I buy the single blu-ray releases, or get the box sets. I would say buy the box sets (and save yourself some serious money and buy this "collection" on amazon) The boxes are amazing, and the quality is very high, and it is cheaper to buy 1 volume than 3 discs (though I'm sure there might be some movies you do not want, but if you want the whole collection, its cheaper to just buy them all now)Last, but NOT least, you get another bonus, that is not advertised, free tickets to the new Bond movie (actually each box has 2 tickets, so you get 4 if you buy this set) that's 40 dollars in value there.If you own the DVD's and want to know, should I buy the blu-rays, or just keep watching my ultimate series upconverted, that's harder to say, if the money is no problem, you will enjoy the new set. If you're buying this for your boyfriend or husband, he will love the packaging (I do) as it looks very nice.When volume 3, and 4 come out on blu-ray will I buy them? Without hesitation. Just be sure to give me Goldeneye.Oh, if the only versions of Bond you own, are not from the Ultimate Collection DVD sets, these blu-rays are going to be night and day for you, as they have been painstakingly remastered from the original negatives (the film that was actually used in the camera) and all flaws have been removed, making these movies as good or better than the latest big budget blockbuster.If you're new to Bond, and not sure if you want to invest in this series, be sure to take a look at Casino Royale (Two-Disc Collector's Edition + BD Live) [Blu-ray], It is one of my favorite movies by far, and easily a favorite bond film. (also highly recommended prior to watching the new QOS movie, which you get tickets for when you buy this set)

Über die Filme selber brauche ich wohl nichts mehr zu erzählen, den die sind natürlich spitze, auch wenn eins, zwei Bondfilme leicht "schwächeln". Das Bonusmaterial ist auch Top und ohne wirkliche Markel.Der Koffer ist von aussen her recht ansprechend und hochwertig gemacht, sogar das Zahlenschloss ist funktionstüchtig und kann nach belieben eingestellt werden, also nicht das standartmässige 000, sondern das standgemässe 007 ist einstellbar.Von innen schwächelt die Box allerdings etwas, wie ja eigentlich schon zu genüge rezesiert worden ist.- Da die DVDs schräg (~50°) im Koffer liegen, stossen die ersten zwei beim zumachen leicht an den Deckel. Wenn man also nicht aufpasst und den Deckel öfters zufallen lässt, hat man die Verpackungen schnell beschädigt. Wenn man den Koffer langsam und behutsam schliesst, sollte man keine Probleme bekommen. Fünf Millimeter mehr Platz hätten Wunder bewirkt...- DigiPacks wirken meiner Meinung nach immer etwas billig, da wären Amarays passender gewesen, diese sind zusätzlich nicht so empfindlich gegen Kratzer und Stösse, bzw. können bei Bedarf ausgewechselt werden.- Dadurch das die DVDs schräg im Koffer liegen kann es passieren, dass man beim herausnehmen den Schuber in der Hand hat, aber das Innenleben im Koffer bleibt. Man muss sie also richtig anpacken bei rausholen.- Was sehr schade ist, dass man den damals schon in Planung gewesenen 21. Teil nicht im Koffer unterbringen kann. 1,5 cm mehr Platz und man könnte Teil 21 und 22 unterbringen. Aber ob man die Bondfilme ab dem 21. oder ab den 23. neber den Koffer stellt spielt eigentlich keine Rolle, den es ist ziehmlich sicher, dass irgendwann der 30. rauskommt...- Auch ist sehr schade, dass bei den alten Filmen keine originale Tonspur auf den DVDs ist.Kleinere Dinge, die aber nicht wirklich ein Markel sind...- Auch dass der alte "Casino Royale" und "Sag niemals Nie" nicht drinne sind, ist halb so wild - es sind nunmal keine offiziellen Teile.- Die Postkarten mit den Postermotiven hätten mir lieber mit den deutschen Motiven, als den englischen gefallen, aber auch das ist halb so wild.- Das billig gedruckte Zertifikat ohne Limitierungsnummer hätte man sich sonst wo hinschieben können. Dadurch, dass in ein paar Jahren bestimmt wieder so eine Box erscheint, ist es sowieso hinfällig.Der Koffer kam vorbildlichst verpackt bei mir an - zwei Kartons und zwei Luftpolstertaschen schützten den Koffer perfekt.Da bei mir die DigiPacks alle nochmals einzeln eingepackt worden waren, musste ich kein einzigstes nachkleben, wie bei denen, die die Box am Anfang gekauft haben.Alles in allen eine grossartige Veröffentlichung, mit ein paar kleinen Mängeln, aber einem noch grossartigerem Preis von "nur" 199,97 €. Wer die Box nicht hat und die Filme will, sollte zuschlagen - sehr viel billiger wird sie wohl kaum noch.Wer seine Sammlung gerade auf Blu-Ray umstellt, sollte vielleicht noch fünf Jahre warten - Wer weiß was dann rauskommt...Auf jeden Fall hätte ich lieber noch 30-50 € mehr ausgegeben, wenn die Mängel beseitigt gewesen wären. Die fünf Sterne vergebe ich aber trotzdem, da der Preis einfach unwiederstehlich ist. Wer der Koffer 50€ teurer wären es nur vier gewesen.

Après visionnage des 3 premiers films,je reste sans voix devant la qualité de la restoration.Contraste profond,couleurs chaudes et lumineuses,j'ai cherché en vain le moindre scratch ou la plus petite poussière,rien de rien,une merveille et quelques gros plans de Sean ds Docteur No absolument sublimes de relief.Vs pouvez jeter vos précédentes copies,et que dire de la présentation en mallette??? Pratique et esthétique,à se procurer impérativement et souhaiter que toutes les restorations futures soient faites par Lowry Digital.EPOUSTOUFLANT....

Let me first state that I was completely unaware of the problems with playing these movies until I browsed through the Amazon reviews. It is disturbing to constantly hear of people who paid good money for their expensive players not being able to fully enjoy movies that are expected to play on them. However, I have not experienced any problems playing a Bluray movie ever and this review is only discussing my personal experience with this specific package._____________________________________________THE GOOD:- Incredible video quality, better than what the audience saw on release date on some of the older movies.- Lots of extras, most of them worth watching or listening to.- Beautiful packaging.THE NOT SO GOOD:- The sound restoration not as good as the video.- Some of the 'extras' sections would benefit from a 'play all' option.- The boxes could be a bit slimmer.- May require upgrades on certain players._____________________________________________The overall impression is of quality, inside and out. The 2 boxes could be a little smaller but the packaging is exquisite. There's a transparent plastic slide cover over a solid cardboard box holding a small binder on which the individual movie disks are pages. Each movie comes on one disk, holding the movie itself and in incredible amount of extras.The menu interface is well organized and there's is even some humor in labeling. For example, the option that plays the movie is labeled 'The Mission' while the historic promotional material is found under 'The Propaganda'. Depending on which section you may be, menu options branch into further sub-menus.The extras are numerous and, for the most part interesting. The Dr. No disk, for example, has a very informative HD documentary on the restoration process and we get to learn who did what, why and how. Then, we see 1962 trailers, a contemporary documentary on the making of the movie, a 1960's interview with a gun specialist discussing the various James Bond handguns, even radio commercials.The sound options include the original sound which, in the older releases is 'mono' but all movies have surround 5.1 as the default. The sound wasn't upgraded and improved to the degree that the picture was but, it's understandable. Going from mono to 5.1 surround would be the equivalent of upgrading from black and white to full-color 3-D in the world of images. The area where some of the older installments show their age is the sound.When it comes to the pictures, the best that I can say is that you've got to see it to believe it. The restoration of the older movies started with the actual original negative, which is the one copy that's almost never touched. Once the copy was digitized as a 4000 lines resolution digital copy (Bluray is 1080) every frame was reprocessed to eliminate any possible defects from 'dirty optics', such as the proverbial hair that we sometimes see on the older movies to scratches, bad exposure, color brilliance. The restorers' goal for the end result, and this concerns the video only, not the sound quality, was to deliver what would appear to be a contemporary movie with a 60's or 70's theme rather than a 60's or 70's movies. In my view, they succeeded.My overall rating is a solid five-stars. Just about everything in this release is superlative: the physical packaging, the interface design, the extras, the video quality. The sound is not so good on the older movies but, given the state of sound restoration technologies, I did not feel compel to remove a star because the old movies sounded more or less like they did on release date.Please note that and I am not factoring in player issues because, sooner or later, those are going to be addressed.

Seit drei Tagen bin ich nun also stolzer Besitzer der James Bond Ultimate Edition und ich muss sagen, dass sich das Geld auf jeden Fall gelohnt hat. Ein Muss für jeden James Bond Fan. Die Filme sind alle digital bearbeitet worden und das Ergebnis kann sich nicht nur sehen lassen, sondern es ist wirklich beeindruckend. Durch die sehr zeitintensive digitale Bearbeitung aller Filme, sind nun sogar die alten Filme mit Sean Connery in einer senstionellen Bild- und auch Tonqualität zu genießen. Die Verarbeitung der Pappschachteln scheint jedoch wirklich nicht die Allerbeste zu sein, aber mich stört das nicht, da man die Filme auch ohne die Pappschachteln in den Koffer legen kann, da sie sich auch noch in einem bedruckten Hard-Case befinden. Auch die zweite DVD zu jedem Film ist sehr interessant gemacht und man erfährt viel über den jeweiligen Film und über den Charakter James Bond. Wer also alle James Bond Filme in höchster Qualität irgendwann mal als sein Eigen nennen möchte, der sollte zu dieser Box greifen, denn sie ist auch noch recht preiswert, da man 40 DVD's, das jeweilige Kinoplakat auf Postkartengröße und ein Heftchen zu jedem Film erhält. Wer jedoch hingeht und sich die Filme alle einzeln kauft, der wird auf jeden Fall mehr ausgeben müssen. Der Preis von 245 Euro ist mehr als fair und die Lieferung erfolgt durch Amazon wie immer recht schnell. (sonntags bestellt, dienstags da)