tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6878517206010926230.post2427799503478725777..comments2024-03-23T06:34:33.003-04:00Comments on NIXPIX - BLU-RAY, 4K and DVD Reviews: THE ULTIMATE JAMES BOND COLLECTION: Blu-ray (UA/Eon/MGM/Columbia 1962-2015) MGM/Fox Home VideoNick Zegarachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09653420010211280432noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6878517206010926230.post-16506522810274030652021-04-23T08:12:12.555-04:002021-04-23T08:12:12.555-04:00There is no 4K collection of the classic Bonds, as...There is no 4K collection of the classic Bonds, as yet. There is a 4K of the Daniel Craig movies, but Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace are using older transfers, merely bumped to a 4K signal, not a true 4K scan. Half the Bonds in this set I've reviewed were not given their due by Fox when they were released to 1080p. So, new 4K scans would have to be approved from original camera negatives in order to properly ready ALL the Bonds for a 4K release. Remember, 4K is meaningless unless the OCN is scanned in at true 4K resolution. Don't be fooled by studios that merely pitch and dump content on the market in the latest format, but don't do the actual 'heavy lifting' to provide a true representation of what that format is capable of. <br /><br />In the infancy of Blu-ray, too many titles were being bumped to 1080p from 720p scans done ages before, with predictably 'less' than optimal results. Some are still using this standard today. The proper way to achieve optimal quality on both formats would be to do an actual 4K scan, then dumb down that scan to 1080p for a Blu-ray release and also release an actual native 4K to 4K Blu-ray. Time and money, folks. That's what it takes. Not a lot of studios are willing to put in that much effort, alas. Nick Zegarachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09653420010211280432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6878517206010926230.post-67104681196814257832021-04-22T21:22:25.737-04:002021-04-22T21:22:25.737-04:00Is there a 4K collection set? I heard David Zarit...Is there a 4K collection set? I heard David Zaritsky mention it but from what I see available there is just Blu-Ray. He mentioned that it looks even better than Blu-Ray.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04334381334952563765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6878517206010926230.post-58331323811171311732021-04-11T10:56:45.138-04:002021-04-11T10:56:45.138-04:00There is no 'best' collection, unfortunate...There is no 'best' collection, unfortunately. The Bond movies became the victim of changing regimes and standards at Fox Home Video. So, while certain movies in the franchise were given a ground-up remastering effort culled from Lowry Digital files, and with considerable upgrades made to their extra features, properly framed on Blu-ray in hi-def, others were merely slapped to disc in whatever condition they were in without a true, full remastering effort. The quality on all the Bond box set release is identical. <br /><br />So, whatever set you buy, you're getting the same stuff regurgitated in different packaging. If packaging is your thing, I prefer the 50th anniversary 'gold packaging'. But even this doesn't pay Bond the respect or homage it's due. I would love to work on a redesign set for Fox, where a handsome booklet to cover production history with high gloss image reproductions and essay content were also included, together, perhaps, with mini model cast-iron cars of all the famous rides Bond has used in his movies, a 007 cocktail shaker, and coasters, and even a Bond-ology mixed drinks manual. I mean, a truly comprehensive Bond set, with video upgrades made to ALL the existing transfers and extras. Will that happen? <br /><br />I seriously doubt it. Like the rest of the Fox library, the Bond films now fall under the custodianship of the Walt Disney Company, and Bond is decidedly not in keeping with their 'family franchise' mentality. Any studio that would digitally scrub cigarettes from its past cartoon classics, ban its own Song of the South, and release ONLY a theatrical cut of Bedknobs and Broomsticks to hi-def (when the more comprehensive director's cut was already made available on DVD) isn't exactly a forward thinking company to cherish the laissez faire sexual mores and attitudes of our Mr. Bond! Regrets. Nick Zegarachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09653420010211280432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6878517206010926230.post-32792774433269803432021-04-10T13:03:01.307-04:002021-04-10T13:03:01.307-04:00What is the best Bond Blu-Ray collection to date. ...What is the best Bond Blu-Ray collection to date. I’m mainly interested in the highest video and audio quality of the movies and not so much concerned with the the extras and behind the scenes footage. Thanks.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04334381334952563765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6878517206010926230.post-68512791979527318972015-09-13T10:51:37.316-04:002015-09-13T10:51:37.316-04:00There is a bonus disc containing the aforementione...There is a bonus disc containing the aforementioned and yes, they are in HD. The featurettes are, I suspect very recently produced as a tie-in to the upcoming Spectre movie; featuring insight from Bond writers, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. 'The Shadow of SPECTRE' is a sort of pseudo-doc which pretends to take the organization of SPECTRE seriously (as though it exists), while, 'The Story So Far' is summation of Daniel Craig's tenure as Bond. Exactly, why Craig rates such an honor before Sean Connery or Roger Moore is, again, and frankly, beyond me. But it's in keeping with our present-day navel-gazing to honor only those artists who are presently in the spotlight, while quietly forgetting the past ever existed. Nick Zegarachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09653420010211280432noreply@blogger.com