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Now seems as good a time as any to summarise my thoughts on these James Bond Ultimate Editions and how they compare, to those with an interest in such a thing, to the old MGM Special Editions. Contrary to a typical MGM release, the distributor did well with the Bond films, even to the menus that were, unlike these Ultimate Editions, designed with the themes of the accompanying film in mind. With each Special Edition having a commentary, a rather good making-of and all manner of features, trailers and period audio pieces, the original Bond releases really weren't at all bad. Even until the restoration work on these Ultimate Editions, the Special Editions didn't look or sound at all bad and had at least the bonus of, in most cases, the original audio tracks.

These Ultimate Editions are, therefore, something of a mixed bag. The early Bond films, particularly Dr No, From Russia With Love and Goldfinger, have scrubbed up the best with things becoming less clear as the series progresses through the Connerys and into the Moore and the Daltons. In addition, the move onto a second disc hasn't added a great deal with the best of the special features on these Ultimate Editions being those that have been brought over from the Special Editions. With the odd exception - the Roger Moore commentaries are rather good - the new extras aren't awfully impressive and whilst the Special Editions kept a structure about them, these are a bit of a ragbag of features that have a hint of desperately seeking new material about them.

I don't begrudge Sony looking to realise some value to their newly-acquired assets but, equally, there's little that's appealing to anyone who already owns the Special Editions. As one of those, who bought them individually soon after getting a DVD player, I certainly wouldn't upgrade being perfectly happy with what I already have. But for anyone who doesn't own any Bond, attache case is a good deal, working out at less than £10 a film and are more than good enough, at least until the HD versions come around.

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