MGM and Fox to relaunch James Bond DVD and Blu-Ray box sets in 2012

JamesPage

In news that will not be in any way surprising to James Bond fans, MI6 understands that MGM is planning a major DVD & Blu-Ray box set relaunch in 2012 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 007 series.

The originally planned schedule to release the entire series on Blu-Ray hit the skids in late 2009 when MGM's financial woes put everything on ice. Only a random smattering of 13 of the 22 available titles have been released in the high-definition format. Since their rescue and new found financial freedom, MGM upped their home video distribution deal with Fox in a contract that now runs until 2016.

With regular DVD and Blu-Ray sales down across the industry, due largely to the ramp up in streaming services such as Netflix, the focus for many studios is to package titles attractively and hang them on notable events such as major anniversaries.

As well as Bond reaching 50, MGM is understood to be launching a Rocky box-set in 2012 to celebrate the series' 35th anniversary.

There are no firm details available yet, but word is that Limited Edition and Gift Set options are being considered to boost sales of the Bond catalog which has been repeatedly mined for DVD releases since 1999

Virage

FInally something on the blu-ray front

DaltonCraig007

Yes, so the first 2 Blu Ray sets are worthless now? They'll release the missing 9 AND re-release the others in a special 50th anniversary set ? Don't tell me the missing 9 will have a different cover design than the other 13, almost forcing me to re-buy the Bond Blu Rays I already have...

NicNac

Every time anyone buys a dvd or a blu ray release it's guaranteed to be out of date within a few years. Because Bond is an on going series this is bound to happen.

I didn't buy the last UE series of Bond releases because I had them all on the previous release. Now I'm glad I didn't because the 50th anniversary collection will be winking at me from the shop window.

DaltonCraig007

Well they didn't even bother finishing the first Blu Ray sets they started... instead they restart a whole new Blu Ray edition...

I read here many times people wanting to buy the remaining un-released Blu Rays... Well now you also have to re-buy the ones you already had...

NicNac... I am mad because I fell for the scam... I thought they'd atleast finish the first Blu Ray series.... But Noooooo... They cancel it and start a new one...

Monsieur_Aubergine

Nice Gold box set and please please please poster artwork not the atrocious Connery holding Brosnans gun crap from the last 6 years!! :-)

NicNac

DaltonCraig007 said:

NicNac... I am mad because I fell for the scam... I thought they'd atleast finish the first Blu Ray series.... But Noooooo... They cancel it and start a new one...

Yup, that was pretty crappy. Don't know the reason behind it though?

Samuel001

I think you'll find you've now got a collectible item @DaltonCraig007 but this was always going to be the case when the releases just stopped, due to MGM's mess!

It made sense, especially with the timing to start all over again and this set may for the first time have 22 (soon 23) matching films.

The biggest surprise for me is they'll be another DVD release.

quantumofsolace

Well, if they want us to shell out for a no doubt staggeringly expensive definitive Blu-Ray box set they'd better come up with some impressive exclusive bonus material. I don't think re-re-remastered remasters that are ever so slighty sharper than the DVD's you already own umpteen times are really going to cut it.

Monsieur_Aubergine

3D versions maybe?

JBFan626

I'd like to see "extended cuts" of the films--adding back in deleted scenes. This might prove hard for the older films. But certainly for the newer films.

dragonsky

Monsieur_Aubergine said:
3D versions maybe?

3D version of DN? how they are going to do that?!

00Beast

I'd love to see a two disc DVD with the remastered version on disc one, and the original theatrical version on disc two, with deleted scenes and little known facts as bonus features.

Monsieur_Aubergine

dragonsky said:

Monsieur_Aubergine said:
3D versions maybe?

3D version of DN? how they are going to do that?!

No idea how , and it would obviously be a lot of work...in fact forget I said it...it's a rubbish idea full of pitfalls. lol I just want a really special release because this will be the very last time I buy them.....honest! :-)

KlausHergesheimer

I have actually made 3D versions of many scenes from Bond movies and they look fantastic. If I had the time I would convert a whole Bond movie to 3D. They turn out a lot better than you would expect actually. I'm sure an expert would have no problem converting any of the Bond movies to 3D and would make them look great.

bondboy007

I got a Blu-Ray player in December and have been waiting for news like this. Glad to hear it'll be here in the next year.

boldfinger

I´m curious if I at all will feel a necessity for blue-ray.
So far I´m really happy with DVD. When my old tv some day breaks down I will of course go for blue-ray, but I don´t think I will feel tempted to upgrade 23 films from DVD to BR.
Anyhow, so far the SE DVDs seem to be the versions closest to the theatrical releases :-) .

Samuel001

dragonsky said:

Monsieur_Aubergine said:
3D versions maybe?

3D version of DN? how they are going to do that?!

Using post-conversion. All films that were not shot in 3D need to have this done.

If I could have one film in 3D, Moonraker would be my choice - maybe in 2019 for it's 40th anniversary? If 3D is not dead by then.

BAIN123

No "retrofitted" 3D for Bond!!!

Ive still got a lot of the old 1996 vhs editions. Although im a huge DVD fan i never replaced most of the ones that were still working (there were a few exceptions).

I'd like to think I'll keep to my word in 2012 ;)

Creasy47

I doubt I will be re-purchasing any of my Bond blu-rays. I already have the full James Bond Collection on DVD, so I'll just be going with separate purchases next year. Still need to get on the ball and pick up GF on blu-ray, while I eagerly await the release of GE.

SJK91

Oh for God's sake!!!! Haha

I remember when I was trying to get all the special editions back in 2004...just before they all went out of print. I looked for them at every place that sold DVDs imaginable and I remember nearly every store clerk telling me: "The only James Bond films we have are Die Another Day and Never Say Never Again." Eventually I resorted to Amazon where I picked up a few cheaper Special Editions...but I remember films like OHMSS and A View to A Kill being $30 a pop at a time due to the fact they were so rare.

Most of the Bond films I have are on Special Edition DVD with the exception of Thunderball (Single Disc Ultimate), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (Double Disc Ultimate), Live and Let Die (Single Disc Ultimate) and A View to a Kill (Double Disc Ultimate). All those films were far too expensive on Amazon lol

Because I do not have a Blu-Ray player and no state of the art television, I don't feel I have to replace all my Special Editions with the Ultimate Editions...but the ultimate editions I have are impressive.

dragonsky

KlausHergesheimer said:
I have actually made 3D versions of many scenes from Bond movies and they look fantastic. If I had the time I would convert a whole Bond movie to 3D. They turn out a lot better than you would expect actually. I'm sure an expert would have no problem converting any of the Bond movies to 3D and would make them look great.

no idea how you are doing it but if you can than they can do all that for sure
if they can make 3D DVD it iwll be great

00Beast

I started buying the Bond movies in the summer of 2009. I bought a VHS copy of GoldenEye for $2.00 as my first one, and just two days later I got A View to a Kill on Special Edition DVD. After that I adventured to whatever DVD store I found and began to acquire all 22. I finished getting all 22 back in December when I bought Quantum of Solace. Man, those were some fun times! Most of my collection consists of the Special 007 Editions, except for FRWL, YOLT, OHMSS, and DAF, which I got on Ultimate Edition. I also bought several of the VHS Bond movies to tide me over until I found the others on DVD.

KlausHergesheimer

dragonsky said:

KlausHergesheimer said:
I have actually made 3D versions of many scenes from Bond movies and they look fantastic. If I had the time I would convert a whole Bond movie to 3D. They turn out a lot better than you would expect actually. I'm sure an expert would have no problem converting any of the Bond movies to 3D and would make them look great.

no idea how you are doing it but if you can than they can do all that for sure
if they can make 3D DVD it iwll be great

I might upload them to YouTube eventually and post them on here for you guys to see. You need Red/Cyan 3D glasses to view them.

Virage

3-d we have a thread for these things!!!

but it would be nice to see new extras on the Blu-rays

Monsieur_Aubergine

It's hard to top the great Inside docu's that came with the Special Edition DVDs but it would be nice to have some picture in picture features taking us behind the scenes of specific moments with archive footage not just a crew member sat in a room talking. Isolated music scores would be good and if possible some menu designs specific to the film and not the generic menus as per the the releases recently. I just hope the series gets the celebration it deserves and not a hurried money making mess that retreads everything we have heard and seen before.

Let's hope that these have been in development for sometime and that the powers that be are being considerate. Keep your eyes on bbfc for any additions over the coming months...I remember the day i saw GE listed as a 15 - all cuts waived. Exciting stuff.

Virage

Digital Copies? yes please [-O<

boldfinger

Monsieur_Aubergine said:
It's hard to top the great Inside docu's that came with the Special Edition DVDs

I agree very much.

Monsieur_Aubergine said:
Isolated music scores would be good

Now there would be a reason for me to instantly leave the house and buy a BR player.

Monsieur_Aubergine

Nice to have the support on that Boldfinger. I would also love to see a collection of world media items covering each film. Itv for instance always did a premiere special for an hour the night after the Leicester square unveiling. Would be great to get some real reaction, not just stills, from the time, as these films hit the world. A disc on it's own covering the 'Bond timeline' would be awesome.

Samuel001

Monsieur_Aubergine said:
Itv for instance always did a premiere special for an hour the night after the Leicester square unveiling. Would be great to get some real reaction, not just stills, from the time, as these films hit the world. A disc on it's own covering the 'Bond timeline' would be awesome.

I agree. The "documentary" on the Dr. No UE DVD left a lot to be desired.

00Beast

I hope all the future DVD releases will include deleted scenes. I watched a great many of them on Youtube, like the ones from AVTAK, DAF, TND, and LTK, since many of my Special Edition DVDs don't include them.

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