comment #1

D.Z. says ...

From http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents :

"In news today, we're getting reports from readers that some of you are having trouble playing all of MGM and Fox's new James Bond Blu-ray Discs. Problems are being reported so far on Panasonic, Sony, Pioneer and Samsung units, but there's no real pattern emerging yet that we can see. Now, we have Panasonic's BD10, BD30 and BD50 players here at The Bits, and we're not having problems on any of them, however we've been very careful to make sure that the firmware on each is up to date. So the first thing I would suggest, if you're having troubles, is that you update your firmware. (Visit this web page which will guide you to the latest downloadable updates available for your model. You can also contact your manufacturer for update discs by mail if you're more comfortable with that, and those of you with profile 2.0 players connected to the Internet should be able to update your firmware via your player's menus.) That should take care of some of the problems. A few people are still reporting problems even after having updated their firmware, so I suspect that a couple manufacturers are going to have to issue new firmware updates to deal with the issue. Be sure to contact your manufacturer's Blu-ray tech support people right away if you're having a problem, so they can quickly address it for everyone. We'll post updates here as we learn more. "

I'm so glad BD won, aren't you?

comment #2

Pertwillaby says ...

Still one of the best Bond movies!

comment #3

btwnproductions says ...

I've been an early adopter when it comes to this stuff, but I can't help but feel that BD is the end of DVD as home video transitions to an all-computer technology, with streams replacing software. Or maybe, after owning all the Bonds in different formats (VHS, LD, DVD), I'm finally happy with what I have--the "Ultimate" SDs, or at least of this title, have glorious picture quality--and don't have the itch or the impulse to move on.

comment #4

jse33 says ...

These playback issues will be corrected with a firmware update.

DZ: remember when The Matrix dvd wouldn't play on certain players back in 1999? No technology is 100% flawless. Most discs play fine.

comment #5

frankbooth says ...

Your headline made me think they had announced that they were remaking Dr. No as Bond 23.

I'm suppose it's inevitable that they eventually will. They've already remade CR ( though the first one didn't "count") and Thunderball as Never Say Never.

There are only so many Fleming stories, and 1962 was a long time ago.

comment #6

Jake says ...

The problem with remaking Dr. No (or any of the 'official' films) is that it's still a huge moneymaker for EON. They get a lot of mileage out of repackaging the series every time a new film is released.

Another problem is that it would be hard to improve on those early Connery films- especially with a remake that would have to be politically correct. Aside from You Only Live Twice, the 60's Bonds are already relatively faithful to Fleming's originals.

Now I'm sure, eventually, all of Fleming's books will be adapted...by someone. But those versions probably won't arrive with $200 million budgets.

comment #7

frankbooth says ...

Jake,

don't remakes usually bring added attention and new DVD packaging to the originals? I skipped the remakes of Texas Chainsaw and Halloween, but they made me realize I needed library copies of the original versions. (Which reminds me, it's almost time to watch my Limited Special Edition Cundey-approved midnight-blue-filtered Halloween DVD. I'm getting chills just thinking about it. But I digress.)

I agree with the "hard to improve" comment, but that's never stopped them before.

I think it will happen, for better or worse. People will want to see those stories tied in with the Craig "Bond begins" continuity, the way audiences went to the unnecessarily remade Red Dragon because it fit into the Hopkins-as-Lecter world.

comment #8

DavidF says ...

Say what you will about George Lucas and his propensity for releasing multiple versions of Star Wars, he can learn a thing or two about double-dipping from these folks.
It's especially brilliant the way they box them so if you only love Connery you still have buy three boxes so you also have all the Dalton, Moore etc.
I'm assuming they've done the same with the Blu Ray release? Oh, well - at least they look good.

comment #9

Jake says ...

"don't remakes usually bring added attention and new DVD packaging to the originals?"

True, but we usually see it with properties that are passed from studio to studio. For example, the new Halloween boxset couldn't even include all the Halloween films.

But Bond is somewhat unique in that EON controls all the 'official' films. They had the chance to remake Live and Let Die as Bond 22. The original owed as much to blaxploitation as Fleming's book, and few would've questioned an update. The fact that they didn't suggests what their stance probably is on the issue.

After all, each new Bond film automatically brings added attention (and updated packaging) to every film in the series. EON seems to prefer adding new titles to that back catalogue over trying to revamp them.

comment #10

corey3rd says ...

You can buy the Blu-rays as individual titles. The color and detail of Dr. No took me back to watching the 35mm Technicolor print that was in my pal's collection.

They can't remake Dr. No - how can they replace the Jack Lord?

comment #11

Dan Revill says ...

The only Bond I've ever bought was the Casino Royale double disc set from a couple years ago, but I'm tempted to buy Dr. No on Blu and double dip on Casino. Maybe. I keep telling myself that I shouldn't rebuy everything I own, and I won't, but some movies demand it (L.A. Confidential springs to mind).

comment #12

Gordie Lachance says ...

The whole idea of remakes is pretty obvious and common sense-ical.

People go to movies to see famous people. Not stories, or effects, or great cinematography.

That is why, if I were making a movie, I would rather cast Will Smith in the lead than my neighbor Frank.

Roger Moore is no more famous today than my neighbor Frank, so the value of re-releasing the original movie is negated.

Not saying I agree with this.......I'm just saying.

comment #13

corey3rd says ...

Roger Moore regrets to inform your neighbor Frank that he's still famous. Thanks for your concern.

If Roger Moore knocked on random doors in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, odds are high people will say, "It's James Bond, honey!!!" Your neighbor Frank knocks on the door and people will call the police.

comment #14

Gordie Lachance says ...

Right. That's why it's been 20 years since he opened a movie. Because he's a rock star.

comment #15

corey3rd says ...

Bogart hasn't opened a movie in decades - does that make him less famous than Frank the Neighbor?

And who the hell wants to remake Octopussy, Moonraker and A View to a Kill?

Get realistic Gordie. Roger Moore does plenty of work with the United Nations helping kids around the world. Is Frank the Neighbor doing anything on that scale?

comment #16

Cadavra says ...

Actually, most of Europe was into 1.66 for non-'Scope films at that time. It's believed that it was utilized because it provided a little extra height for films that would be playing subtitled in other countries.

comment #17

hcat says ...

Never Say Never Again was a remake of Thunderball because that was the only way to get the rights away from Broccoli. There was a shared credit from writing Thunderball so one of the writers had a legal way to make a movie with Bond outside of the franchise. I think Sony tried to arrange another thunderball remake for earilier this decade for Emmerich to helm but a copyright judge shut that down at EON's request.

And Gordon, Bond has never been a star driven franchise. Connery was a nobody when he was hired, Moore and Brosnan had been tv stars and I have no idea where Lazenby or Dalton strolled in from.

comment #18

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