The James Bond franchise is the longest continually running film series in history. starting back in 1962. It has produced 22 films, with a 23rd on the way, and has grossed just over $5 billion to date making it the second highest-grossing film series of all-time behind the Harry Potter series. With the 50th Anniversary of Bond this year, MGM and 20th Century Fox have decided to release a box set that will undoubtedly rival all other box sets. The collection will include all 22 films thus far, nine of which are new to the Blu-ray format. With over 130 hours of bonus features, this is a dream come true for any hardcore Bond fan. Coming out September 25, 2012, this is one collection that shouldn’t be missed.
I was first introduced to Bond while watching Goldfinger on cable TV one night. As soon as I saw the fate of the famous girl covered in gold I became an instant fan that would go on to love each and every second of all the Bond films. Some are strong films and others are not, but to be honest, no matter how campy some of the films got I still loved them. There have been many box sets that have come and gone for the Bond series, and yet each time another version comes out, fans seem to clamor for the new features that might tell them that one thing that they didn’t already know. It’s the same for the Star Wars fans I suppose. With this new Bond box set though, most fans will no longer have to buy another. This is the definitive set that Bond fans have been waiting for and has everything you could possibly want.
The world of James Bond has a signature look, style and attitude. From the cars, the women, the villains and even the music, the Bond films stand apart. From Dr. No to Quantum of Solace, this set includes never-before-seen content from the Bond archives and much more. The bonus features are set up in a way that will make them easy to navigate. With in-depth interviews from the past to the present, all film buffs will be interested in learning about the Bond series and its influence on modern filmmaking.
Each disc has its own specific special features geared towards a particular film. Whether it be a director’s commentary with cast and crew, an original screen test or a Bond specific featurette: cars, women, gadgets, etc., most come with an animated storyboard sequence, deleted, extended and alternate scenes, the original theatrical trailer, TV and radio spots, and music videos and photo galleries. Certain films in the set have special commentaries done by the Bond actors themselves with Roger Moore doing commentaries on all seven of his films, and yes, even Moonraker. Sadly, there are no Connery commentaries.
The powers that be really took the time and energy to make these Blu-rays a thing of beauty for all the fans. They boast genuinely beautiful prints (a full Digital Frame-By-Frame Restoration) on top of all the great extras from the time. Overall, you get hundreds of hours of Bond memories, all done in snazzy high-def with glorious sound to blow you and your speakers’ socks off.
For five decades now, James Bond has been thrilling audiences’ worldwide. He is among the most famous action heroes in the world and there is no one else like him. With the enduring popularity of James Bond, one question comes to mind. Why are audiences still enamored with Bond after all this time? Is it the cars, the women, the gadgets or that people just like watching him blow-up a bunch of shit? Who can say why we love Bond, maybe it’s something as simple as nobody does it better.