James Bond

Blu-Ray Review: James Bond Continues Blu-Ray Dominance With Four New Releases

BrianTT — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:38:01 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0

CHICAGO – James Bond continues working his way into your Blu-Ray collection with the release of Volume Three of MGM’s “James Bond Blu-Ray,” which includes HD versions of “The World is Not Enough,” “Goldfinger,” and “Moonraker”. Meanwhile, the unofficial Bond adventure, Fox’s “Never Say Never Again” hits Blu-Ray at the same time. All will make worthwhile additions to 007 fans with Blu-Ray players.

In case you missed it, Volume One of “James Bond Blu-Ray” included “Die Another Day,” “Live And Let Die,” and “Dr. No”. Volume Two includes “For Your Eyes Only,” “From Russia With Love,” and “Thunderball”. Both collections were released last October. With the new volume, that’s nine official Bond movies on Blu-Ray. In other words, there will be more volumes in the future.

James Bond Blu-Ray: Volume Three was released on Blu-Ray on March 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: MGM

I’m not sure how I feel about the trickling of Bond movies on to HD. Why not just release them all? And if you’re going to do them sporadically, could you at least follow the same model as the beautiful standard DVD sets that us Bond fans already own? There were four glorious standard DVD sets released when “Casino Royale” hit theaters and all good Bond fans now have a mix of standard sets and Blu-Ray sets because they’re not being released in the same order. It’s annoying.

But the release pattern is the only possible complaint about these gorgeously mastered Blu-Ray releases. The movies all look and sound amazing and all of the special features have been imported from the last release. “Never Say Never Again” doesn’t have the same “wow factor” to the special features, but if you’re going to own all of the Bond movies, you should probably include it.

Personally, I was raised on Bond movies and when I first heard about Blu-Ray, much less actually owned a player, I knew they would be an essential part of my collection. All the “James Bond Blu-Ray” volumes are going to be highly recommended.

Official synopsis, technical details, and special features information follow.

The World is Not Enough was released on Blu-Ray on March 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: MGM

“The World is Not Enough” stars Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle, Denise Richards, Robbie Coltrane, and Judi Dench. It was written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Bruce Feirstein and directed by Michael Apted.

“The World is Not Enough is an exhilarating but sophisticated, action-packed adventure. Pierce Brosnan returns as Bond, charged to protect a gorgeous billionaire heiress (Sophie Marceau) from the ruthless hands of a nuclear-obsessed terrorist, Renard (Robert Carlyle), who wants control of the world’s petroleum supply.”

“The World is Not Enough” is presented in 1080P with lossless audio. Special features include an audio commentary by director Michael Apted, an audio commentary by Peter Lamont, David Arnold, and Vic Armstrong, “James Bond Down River,” deleted, extended, and alternate scenes with introductions by director Michael Apted, “Creating an Icon: Making the Teaser Trailer, “Alternate Angle/Expanded Angle Scene: The Thames Boat Chase,” “Bond Cocktail,” Hong Kong Press Conference, “007 Mission Control: Interactive Guide Into the World of The World is Not Enough,” “The Making of The World is Not Enough” Featurette, Tribute to Desmond Llewelyn, “The World is Not Enough” Music Video by Garbage, “The Secrets of 007: Alternative Video Options,” the original theatrical trailer, and an image database.

Goldfinger was released on Blu-Ray on March 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: MGM

“Goldfinger” stars Sean Connery, Gert Frobe, Shirley Eaton, and Honor Blackman. It was written by Richard Maibaum and Paul Dehn and directed by Guy Hamilton.

“From the opening bomb blast outside a steamy nightclub to a last-minute escape from the president’s personal jet, James Bond’s third screen adventure is an exhilarating, pulse-pounding thrill ride! Sean Connery returns as Agent 007 and faces off with a maniacal villain bent on destroying all the gold in Fort Knox - and obliterating the world economy!”

“Goldfinger” is presented in 1080P with lossless audio. Special features include an audio commentary by director Guy Hamilton, an audio commentary featuring members of the cast and crew, “Sean Connery from the Set of Goldfinger,” screen tests, “On Tour with the Aston Martin DB5,” Honor Blackman open-ended interview, “The Making of Goldfinger,” “007 Mission Control: Interactive Guide Into the World of Goldfinger,” “The Goldfinger Phenomenon,” “Original Publicity,” original theatrical trailer, TV spots, & radio communications, and an image database.

Moonraker was released on Blu-Ray on March 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: MGM

“Moonraker” stars Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, Michael Lionsdale, Richard Kiel, and Corinne Clery. It was written by Christopher Wood and directed by Lewis Gilbert.

“James Bond blasts into orbit in this pulse-pounding adventure that takes him from Venice to Rio de Janeiro and to outer space! Roger Moore stars for the fourth time as Agent 007 and joins forces with NASA scientist Holly Goodhead (Lois Chiles) to prevent a power-mad industrialist (Michael Lonsdale) from destroying all human life on Earth.”

“Moonraker” is presented in 1080P with lossless audio. Special features include an audio commentary by Sir Roger Moore, an audio commentary by director Lewis Gilbert and members of the cast and crew, “Bond ‘79,” Circus footage, Cable Car alternative storyboards, “007 in Rio,” Ken Adams’s Production Films, “Learning to Freefall,” skydiving storyboards, original theatrical trailer, “007 Mission Control: Interactive Guide into the World of Moonraker,” “Inside Moonraker - An Original Documentary,” and an image database.

Never Say Never Again was released on Blu-Ray on March 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: Fox

“Never Say Never Again” stars Sean Connery, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Max Von Sydow, Barbara Carrera, Kim Basinger, Bernie Casey, Alec McCowen, and Edward Fox. It was written by Lorenzo Semple, Jr. and directed by Irvin Kershner.

“Sean Connery is back for his final performances as agent James Bond in this high-velocity action thriller…and now you can experience it as never before with this explosively entertaining Collector’s Edition with an all-new audio commentary and three never-before-seen featurettes! Agent 007 is hurled into a pulse-pounding race to save the world from armageddon when two atomic warheads are hijacked by the evil SPECTRE organization!”

“Never Say Never Again” is presented in 1080P with an English 5.1 DTS Master Audio track. Special features include a commentary by director Irvin Kershner and James Bond historian Steven Jay Rubin, “The Big Gamble,” “Sean is Back,” “The Girls of Never Say never Again,” the theatrical trailer, and a photo gallery.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Quantum of Solace’ Offers Action Ride, Average Blu-Ray

BrianTT — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:38:56 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – “Quantum of Solace,” the second Daniel Craig 007 movie after the earthquake to the franchise that was the brilliant “Casino Royale,” didn’t make quite the same waves in the action genre and left a few viewers dissatisfied but it still makes for a better-than-average action movie rental. Sadly, MGM continues to struggle a bit in the HD revolution, releasing a so-so Blu-Ray that won’t help the viewers who felt let down by the film in theaters.

If “Casino Royale” was the rock ‘n’ roll set that we knew this classic character was still capable of producing with the right star, script, and production team, “Quantum of Solace” is the encore. It may not be as purely satisfying, but it still rocks in its own way.

Quantum of Solace will be released on Blu-Ray on March 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: MGM/Fox

“Quantum” is the first James Bond film to pick up immediately after the end of the film that came before it. Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) has died and James (Daniel Craig) is following the trail she left behind. It leads her to another sexy woman looking for vengeance named Camille (Olga Kurylenko) and into the path of the nefarious Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), the head of the Quantum organization.

The villain and the Bond girl aren’t as interesting as “Casino” and director Marc Forster doesn’t know how to handle this material as deftly as Martin Campbell, but is it fair to compare “Quantum of Solace” to arguably the best Bond film ever made (and, by extension, one of the best action movies overall)? No, “Quantum” isn’t as good as “Casino Royale,” but neither are most action movies.

Quantum of Solace will be released on Blu-Ray on March 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: MGM/Fox

And “Quantum of Solace” IS better than at least three Pierce Brosnan Bond movies, both Timothy Dalton movies, and most of the Roger Moore missions. It’s a brutal action-fest that is missing something because it’s naturally all final act - being a continuation of the last film - but it’s still incredibly well-made. The first fifteen minutes alone make it worth a rental. For anyone who calls themselves a serious Bond fan, they make it worth a purchase.

As for the Blu-Ray, I’ve reviewed many in recent days - this is a crowded time of year - and MGM/Fox keep producing titles that look a little flatter than some of their competitors. There’s no problem with the detail, but the gorgeous scenery of “Quantum of Solace” doesn’t pop like you hope it would.

The audio is okay, but not as mind-blowing as it should be. Just before watching the opening scene of “Quantum of Solace,” I watched the “action” opening of “Bolt”. It sounded better mixed than this English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. That’s not right. It’s not that “QoS” sounds bad. It doesn’t. But it’s not going to blow you away like it should.

And the same “good enough” judgment extends to the special features. There’s a cool music video and two great featurettes - one on the locations and one about often-unheralded crew members - but no commentary and no deleted scenes. It reeks of material being held back for a special edition timed to the next theatrical Bond. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Special features

Music Video: “Another Way to Die” by Jack White & Alicia Keys (4:30)

Hey, look, a music video. Are there any channels that still play these things? This is actually a great clip blending the style of the opening with Alicia and Jack kicking rock and roll ass. I know the theme song has been divisive. Personally, I dig the attempt to blend bluesy lyrics, solid guitar riffs, the classic Bond theme, and one of the best voices in soul. Unlike most music videos on Blu-Ray, I’ll probably watch this one again. If a channel like, oh I don’t know, MTV had actually played it, the song might have been a bigger hit.

Quantum of Solace will be released on Blu-Ray on March 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: MGM/Fox

“Bond On Location” (24:45)

That shots of Bond in the suit with the gun that became so associated with the film and is featured as its cover was actually shot in a Chilean desert. Bond movies, especially lately, don’t do much on-set. “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace” have gorgeous photography around the world. Location is essential to this piece and this is a great featurette detailing why and the decisions that were made in picking them.

“Start of Shooting” (2:54)

A brief piece about pre-production, concept, and the start of shooting for “Quantum” in early 2008.

“On Location” (3:14)

Overkill after the “Bond On Location” featurette about moving locations in March.

“Olga Kurylenko and the Boat Chase” (2:14)

A self-explanatory look at one of the most crucial scenes in the film that was shot in April. It’s here that you realize that these mini-featurettes are merely chronological, brief, behind-the-scenes pieces that should have just been incorporated into one longer piece. Typical Fox/MGM in that there’s no Play All and they’re all too brief.

“Director Marc Forster” (2:45)

About bringing on the new guy. They’re all real proud of him.

“The Music” (2:36)

Self-explanatory bit about recording and conceiving the score with composer David Arnold.

“Crew Files” (45:30)

A stunning amount of material profiling individual crew members and their role on the film one at a time. Profiles include Michael G. Wilson, James Grant (Location Manager), Ana Endara (Extras Casting), Ben Cooke (Stuntman), and many, many more. This is actually a great feature that allows access to people who don’t often get the credit they deserve but are just as much a part of the fabric of the piece as those who do.

The set is rounded out by two trailers but no commentary or deleted scenes.

‘Quantum of Solace’ is released by Sony Pictures Home Video and stars Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Giancarlo Giannini, Jeffrey Wright, and Judi Dench. It was written by Paul Haggis and Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and directed by Marc Forster. It will be released on March 24th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

List of Top Seven James Bond Gadgets

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:59:26 -0700

CHICAGO – With “Quantum of Solace” opening today starring Daniel Craig, Gemma Arterton, Judi Dench and Olga Kurylenko, Jeff Bayer’s The Scorecard Review (a partner with HollywoodChicago.com) has published its list of the top seven James Bond gadgets.

Olga Kurylenko in “Quantum of Solace”.
Image credit: Susie Allnutt

Who would James Bond be without his cool gadgets? Sure, he would still be a great spy with a license to kill, but would there be 22 movies about the man?

Bond fans remember the old films when Q would introduce some new gadgets with each new installment. While Q may be missing in the latest films, Bond still has some slick tools. While even some of Bond’s adversaries dabble in gadgetry, this list will be strictly MI6.

Bond (Daniel Craig) shields Camille (Olga Kurylenko) in “Quantum of Solace” and fires at a fuel cell as flames engulf Medrano’s suite at Perla De Las Dunas.
Image credit: Karen Ballard

With “Quantum of Solace” opening today, it’s a great time to look back at some of the past Bond films and the gadgets he uses to dispose of henchmen, save himself and ultimately save the world.

Read The Scorecard Review’s top seven James Bond gadgets.

In the Forums: ‘The Dark Knight,’ ‘Public Enemies’ in Chicago, ‘Iron Man,’ James Bond Secrets

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:19:29 -0600

CHICAGO – In this edition of In the Forums, we bring you news from our discussion boards about “The Dark Knight” continuing to heat up with its comprehensive viral marketing campaign, Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale turning heads in Chicago from local filming, new production stills for the hotly anticipated “Iron Man” film with Robert Downey Jr. and news about the unveiling of new James Bond secrets.

“The Dark Knight” celebrates April Fool’s Day with enthusiasts in style.

Read our full coverage here!
(Photo credit: IMDb)

“Public Enemies” is live and loud on the Chicago scene.

Read our full coverage here!
(Chicago Tribune photo by John Smierciak)

“The Dark Knight” viral marketing phones have been ringing off the hook.

Read our full coverage here!
(Photo credit: IMDb)

New “Iron Man” photos with a Paramount watermark have mysteriously surfaced online.

See them all here!
(Photo credit: Superhero Hype!)

A second Joker phone for “The Dark Knight” viral marketing has been snagged in Chicago and in cities across the U.S.

Read and see our photos here!
(Photo credit: IMDb)

James Bond revealing his own secrets? No, but an author will in a new book.

Get the full scoop here!
(Photo by Keith Hamshere on Nov. 17, 2002)

What’s the purpose, by the way, for this In the Forums package? While our discussion forums are an unfettered venting ground for all of our readers, we also originate a wide array of must-read news there from other trusted, high-quality entertainment publications.

For those of you who don’t frequent our forums and for those of you who typically read us via RSS or our daily mailing, the purpose of this package is to bring the news we’re publishing in our forums front and center into our news section, RSS feed and daily mailing.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Principal Photography For Untitled James Bond Film No. 22 to Begin on Jan. 3, 2008

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:26:40 -0700

Principal photography for untitled James Bond film No. 22 will begin in the United Kingdom on Jan. 3, 2008 at Pinewood Studios, according to the comprehensive James Bond Web site MI6.

Daniel Craig for the 22nd James Bond film.
Photo credit: MI6
In its Dec. 30 report, MI6 cites an interview with James Bond film No. 22 director Marc Forster as published with Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung. The Jan. 3 start date for the film is one day earlier than previously stated by star Daniel Craig.

You don’t have to dig too far back through the HollywoodChicago.com archives to find a few local hits on this director. Forster’s 2007 film “The Kite Runner” was a 2007 hit at the Chicago International Film Festival and we photographed him on Oct. 4, 2007.

“The Kite Runner” director Marc Forster at the
Chicago International Film Festival on Oct. 4, 2007.
Photo by Evan O’Donnell/HollywoodChicago.com
Though an official title for the film hasn’t yet been announced, IMDb lists the film under the generic title “Bond 22” while various reports cite the rumored title “007”.

Marc Forster is the director of the 22nd James Bond film.
Photo credit: MI6
Indeed, Forster in this interview delves into how the next film in the massive franchise is a quest into 007’s inner self. He said:

When [James] Bond began in the [Sean] Connery days, travel was a luxury not everyone could afford. Today, the world has become smaller.

If Bond goes to a beach with palm trees, it’s almost banal now. The only interesting trip remains the journey inward deep into the psyche.

As for the business of Bond, Forster goes on to admit:

Financially, there are limits – even on a Bond film.

As for additional casting beyond Craig, MI6 says “British actress Gemma Arterton may have indeed secured a role” in the film. MI6 says it is unlikely, though, that her role will be as the major Bond girl.

Gemma Arterton “may have indeed landed” a role
in the 22nd James Bond film, according to MI6.
Photo credit: Sarah Dunn

Gemma Arterton
Photo credit: Gemma-Arterton.net
Produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, the film is slated to hit theaters on Nov. 7, 2008.

Marc Forster is the director of the 22nd James Bond film.
Photo credit: MI6
For background, MI6 adds:

Foreign [filming locations will include] Italy, Panama, Austria and Bolivia. Paul Haggis completed the script based on a first-draft screenplay developed by regular scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade.

The story will be a direct continuation of the events of “Casino Royale”. It is British actor Daniel Craig’s second outing as James Bond following his debut [James Bond] film “Casino Royale,” [which was released on] Nov. 16, 2006.

Dame Judi Dench and Giancarlo Giannini will also reprise their roles. Mathieu Amalric and Anatole Taubman will play villains.

8:49 p.m. update on Jan. 24, 2008: The film now has its official title: “Quantum of Solace,” which Variety says is derived from a short story published as part of a collection by Bond creator Ian Fleming in 1960.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com