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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

directed by Guy Hamilton
UK 1964

This film scintillates with wit, and crackles with energy and pace. Sean Connery excels in the role of Bond as the deadly charmer, whose smoothness covers something rather sinister. Gert Frobe is wonderful as the looney mittel-European Goldfinger; completely assured that what he is doing is going to work. This film has in it a refreshing air of escapism and fun, and a sense of charm and chic sadly lacking from modem action movies.

Excerpt from Edinburgh University Film Society located HERE

***

Vintage Bond from the moment our hero pops up out of the sea under a bobbing seagull attached to his frogman's suit which, having duly accomplished his explosive mission, he strips off to reveal an impeccable white dinner-jacket underneath. Ken Adam's sets, capped by the marvelous Fort Knox fantasy, are superb; and although Blackman's Pussy Galore is less than might be desired, there is suitably outsized villainy from Froebe and Sakata. Paul Dehn had a hand in the script, doubtless accounting for the unusually high incidence of wit in a script pleasantly laced with diabolic fantasy (from Eaton's demise by gold paint to Connery's near-emasculation by laser beam).

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 17th, 1964

Reviews                                                                            More Reviews                                                                        DVD Reviews

 

Comparison: 

MGM (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. MGM (Remastered - single edition) - Region 1,3 - NTSC vs. MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray

 

1) MGM (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT

2) MGM (Remastered - single edition) - Region 1,3 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray RIGHT

 

 Box Covers

Distribution

MGM (Special Edition)

Region 1 - NTSC

MGM (Remastered - single disc)

Region 1,3 - NTSC

MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray

Runtime 1:49:52 1:49:48 1:50:01.177

Video

1.78:1 cropped

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 4.76 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.56 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

Disc Size: 44,578,127,998 bytes

Feature Size: 29,449,961,472 bytes

Average Bitrate: 35.69 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate : MGM - Special Edition

Bitrate: MGM (remastered)

Bitrate:

MGM Blu-ray

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) English (DTS), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 1.0), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 5.1) DTS-HD Master Audio English 2900 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2900 kbps / 24-bit
(DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DUbs: Dolby Digital Audio French 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 224 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps
Commentaries: Dolby Digital Audio English 224 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 224 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 224 kbps
Subtitles English, French, None English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Korean, Thai, None English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Korean, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: MGM

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Edition Details:
• Commentary by: director Guy Hamilton Dolby Digital 1.0,the cast and crew Dolby Digital 1.0
• Original Radio Interviews With Sean Connery
• Documentaries: The Making of Goldfinger & The Goldfinger Phenomenon
• Original publicity featurette
• Behind-the scenes still gallery featuring hundreds of images
• Collectible "Making Of" booklet

DVD Release Date: October 22nd, 2002
Keep case

Chapters 32

Release Information:
Studio: MGM
 

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.66:1

Edition Details:
• Commentaries by: director Guy Hamilton Dolby Digital 1.0,the cast and crew Dolby Digital 1.0

 

DVD Release Date: February 6th, 2007
Keep Case

Chapters 32

 

Release Information:
Studio: MGM
 

 

Disc Size: 44,578,127,998 bytes

Feature Size: 29,449,961,472 bytes

Average Bitrate: 35.69 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC

 

Edition Details:
• Commentaries by: director Guy Hamilton Dolby Digital 1.0,the cast and crew Dolby Digital 1.0

• Original Radio Interviews With Sean Connery

• Sean Connery From the Set of Goldfinger

• Screen Tests (5:39, 4:31 in HD)

• On Tour with the Aston Martin DB5 (11:43 in HD 1:78)

• Honor Blackman open-ended interview
• Documentaries: The Making of Goldfinger
(26:00 in HD 1:78) & The Goldfinger Phenomenon (29:14 in HD 1:78)

• 007 Mission Control: Interactive Guide into the World of Goldfinger
• Original publicity featurette

•  Original theatrical trailer (3:08 in HD), TV Spots and radio communications
• Image database

 

Blu-ray Release Date: March 24th, 2009
Standard Blu-ray case

Chapters 32

 

 

Comments:
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray - March 09': After the brilliant looking Blu-rays of From Russia with Love and Thunderball my expectations were quite high for another Connery/Bond classic; Goldfinger. The most noticeable improvement was in the color rendering. Everything achieves a higher level of brilliance and detail in the 1.66:1 maintained aspect ratio image. Skin tones especially seem more correct losing their orangey hue being replaced by a fleshier, at times redder, tone. While the colors are tighter - detail in close-ups also looks impressive beside the SD DVDs. Visually everything appears superior in 1080P dual-layered Blu-ray but perhaps not quite the same level of improvement as From Russia with Love. Technically it has no faults I could discern with a strong bitrate and the feature taking up almost 30 Gig of space.

Audio gets an HD bump too - the DTS-HD Master track sounds great in the action sequences (car chase, planes, finale) and the score - which produces the Bond theme and extra music as notably crisp and clear.  Separation wasn't demonstrative and the track wouldn't be described as aggressive but it seems a bit more dynamic than the DTS of the 'Remastered' DVD.

While I don't own the 2-disc remastered edition supplements are probably duplicated but the Blu-ray has a few, including the 'Goldfinger character' screen tests plus 3 documentaries in HD (and widescreen). The commentaries are still there (also available on the single disc) and there really is a lot of additional vintage clips, trailers, TV spots and such. Suffice to say the Honor Blackman open-ended interview, On Tour with the Aston Martin DB5 and 2 documentaries: The Making of Goldfinger (26:00 in HD 1:78) & The Goldfinger Phenomenon (29:14 in HD 1:78) give fans plenty to educate on production, Connery and the continued evolution of the James Bond franchise.

Goldfinger on Blu-ray comes in various packages - none of which would alter the balance of the image, audio or extras. Amazon is offering an 'Exclusive Steelbook Edition' HERE for a buck more - presumably in a steel case package. There is also the James Bond Blu-ray Collection Three-Pack, Vol. 3 (Moonraker, The World is Not Enough and Goldfinger) HERE. It appears as though you would save a few dollars as opposed to buying the three separately. Personally, I am appreciative that they are available individually.

Many fan's favorite Bond entry - looking and sounding better than ever. What's not to love and endorse? Keep'em coming MGM!      

***

The new remastered MGM is superior in just about every area - from the important original aspect ratio of 1.66:1 (SE was in 1.78 - slightly cropped) to the color scheme which appears more correct to my eye (although I am unsure of its theatrical correctness). The new remastered release is smoother (cleaner), less artifacts, has more information in the frame - the image quality towers above the old Special Edition. Audio - the new remastered gives a DTS, 5.1 or original mono track as options. The bumps sounded quite buoyant. Even the subs are more complete. Note two errors in the SE - it IS 'FIns' Brandy (not 'fine') and in the second example the famous line DOES include Mr. Bond's name. The new subtitles are extremely bulky though.

Being the single edition release only the 2 old commentaries remain with the other supplements being available on the two-disc package - not sold separately at this time but only in the James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 1 packaged with The Man with the Golden Gun / Goldfinger / The World Is Not Enough / Diamonds Are Forever and The Living Daylights.

I think this single edition is an amazing deal ($11) - especially if you already own the old SE (and its extras). For what you get it is ridiculously low priced. A true bargain which we encourage fans to pick-up. Personally I'm only a Connery fan (and Lazenby... and probably Craig too!) so I'm not picking up any of the Ultimate packages and their ridiculously awkward choice of films intended to rope people in for purchases. It is just like MGM to do something like that.  

Gary W. Tooze

 


DVD Menus

(MGM (Special Edition) - NTSC LEFT vs. MGM (Remastered - single edition) - Region 1,3 - NTSC RIGHT)

 

 
 

MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Screen Captures

 

1) MGM (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (Remastered - single edition) - Region 1,3 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM


Subtitle Sample: Not exact frame

 

 


 

1) MGM (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (Remastered - single edition) - Region 1,3 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) MGM (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (Remastered - single edition) - Region 1,3 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) MGM (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (Remastered - single edition) - Region 1,3 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) MGM (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (Remastered - single edition) - Region 1,3 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

 

1) MGM (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (Remastered - single edition) - Region 1,3 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) MGM (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (Remastered - single edition) - Region 1,3 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

More Blu-ray Captures

 

 Box Covers

Distribution

MGM (Special Edition)

Region 1 - NTSC

MGM (Remastered - single disc)

Region 1,3 - NTSC

MGM / Fox - Region 'A' Blu-ray


Report Card:

 

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Blu-ray

Extras: Blu-ray


 


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Gary Tooze

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