These Bond capers were the prototypes and set the gold standard for dozens of fantasy thrillers that followed.
Audio:
The mono sound is clean, considering its age, with little or no background noise. However, as expected, the audio is limited in dynamic range and impact when judged by more-recent recording standards.
Extras:
Interestingly, the new package of bonus items contains the welcome added attractions but actually loses some old ones. For instance, the new disc no longer sports a pan-and-scan version of the feature film, something a lot of people will hardly miss, only the 1.80:1 ratio widescreen version. Nor is there a tour of Bond's Aston Martin DB5. Plenty of other information about the amazing automobile is provided in the two documentaries, however. It was, after all, every guy's dream after watching "Goldfinger" in 1964 to run out and buy a sports car with four-on-the-floor, and a button on the top of the gearshift knob for the passenger-side ejector seat. The disc's fancy navigation system is new, too, and consistent with the menus on other Bond Special Editions, easy to look at and easy to use.
The major bonuses are two separate audio commentaries and the aforementioned documentaries. The first commentary track is with director Guy Hamilton; the second is with cast and crew members, starting with stunt man George Leach and special effects man Cliff Culley. The two documentaries are useful but much alike, repeating some material. Documentary one, "The Making of Goldfinger," is twenty-six minutes long and documentary two, "The Goldfinger Phenomenon," is twenty-nine minutes. Both were made in 1995, both are narrated by actor Patrick Macnee, and both feature a multitude of recent interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and vintage advertising. Did you know, for instance, that Theodore Bikel, in blond hair, tested for the part of Auric Goldfinger before Gert Frobe got the part? Then there is an extensive stills gallery, so large it has to be divided up into sections with chapter headings. There's an original publicity featurette, very brief; some original radio interviews with star Sean Connery; MGM's usual informational booklet insert, eight pages long; and thirty-two scene selections; plus three TV spots, twenty-two radio spots, and a theatrical trailer. The spoken language choices, as well as subtitle options, are English and French.
Parting Thoughts:
After almost four decades Bond is still alive, kicking, and talking. I suspect a future reviewer will be saying the same thing about him in another forty years. Let us hope some things never change.
"Goldfinger" may be purchased separately or in a box set that includes "Dr. No," "The Man With the Golden Gun," "The Spy Who Loved Me," "Licence to Kill," "GoldenEye," and "Tomorrow Never Dies."
The mono sound is clean, considering its age, with little or no background noise. However, as expected, the audio is limited in dynamic range and impact when judged by more-recent recording standards.
Extras:
Interestingly, the new package of bonus items contains the welcome added attractions but actually loses some old ones. For instance, the new disc no longer sports a pan-and-scan version of the feature film, something a lot of people will hardly miss, only the 1.80:1 ratio widescreen version. Nor is there a tour of Bond's Aston Martin DB5. Plenty of other information about the amazing automobile is provided in the two documentaries, however. It was, after all, every guy's dream after watching "Goldfinger" in 1964 to run out and buy a sports car with four-on-the-floor, and a button on the top of the gearshift knob for the passenger-side ejector seat. The disc's fancy navigation system is new, too, and consistent with the menus on other Bond Special Editions, easy to look at and easy to use.
The major bonuses are two separate audio commentaries and the aforementioned documentaries. The first commentary track is with director Guy Hamilton; the second is with cast and crew members, starting with stunt man George Leach and special effects man Cliff Culley. The two documentaries are useful but much alike, repeating some material. Documentary one, "The Making of Goldfinger," is twenty-six minutes long and documentary two, "The Goldfinger Phenomenon," is twenty-nine minutes. Both were made in 1995, both are narrated by actor Patrick Macnee, and both feature a multitude of recent interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and vintage advertising. Did you know, for instance, that Theodore Bikel, in blond hair, tested for the part of Auric Goldfinger before Gert Frobe got the part? Then there is an extensive stills gallery, so large it has to be divided up into sections with chapter headings. There's an original publicity featurette, very brief; some original radio interviews with star Sean Connery; MGM's usual informational booklet insert, eight pages long; and thirty-two scene selections; plus three TV spots, twenty-two radio spots, and a theatrical trailer. The spoken language choices, as well as subtitle options, are English and French.
Parting Thoughts:
After almost four decades Bond is still alive, kicking, and talking. I suspect a future reviewer will be saying the same thing about him in another forty years. Let us hope some things never change.
"Goldfinger" may be purchased separately or in a box set that includes "Dr. No," "The Man With the Golden Gun," "The Spy Who Loved Me," "Licence to Kill," "GoldenEye," and "Tomorrow Never Dies."
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]2997[/release]