On Her Majesty's Secret Service

Starring:Irvin Allen, George Baker, Yuri Borionko, James Bree, Geoffrey Cheshire, Gabriele Ferzetti, John Gay (IV), Bernard Horsfall, George Lazenby, Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell, Terence Mountain, Virginia North, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Catherine Schell, Angela Scoular, Ilse Steppat
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Australian model George Lazenby took up the mantle of the world's most suave secret agent when Sean Connery retired as James Bond--prematurely, it turned out. Connery returned in Diamonds Are Forever before leaving the role to Roger Moore and Lazenby's subsequent career fizzled, yet this one-hit wonder is responsible for one of the best Bond films of all time.

Amazon.com

The Man with the Golden Gun: The British superspy with a license to kill takes on his dark underworld double, a classy assassin who kills with golden bullets at $1 million a hit. Roger Moore, in his second outing as James Bond, meets Christopher Lee's Scaramanga, one of the most magnetic villains in the entire series, in this entertaining but rather wan entry in the 007 sweepstakes. Moore balances the overplayed humor of the film with a steely performance and Lee's charm and enthusiasm makes Scaramanga a cool, deadly, and thoroughly enchanting adversary. --Sean Axmaker

Goldfinger: To own Goldfinger (1964) on DVD is to have at your fingertips the proof that Sean Connery is the definitive James Bond. No one but Connery can believably seduce women so effortlessly, kill with almost as much ease, and then pull another bottle of Dom Perignon '53 out of the fridge. Goldfinger contains many of the most memorable scenes in the Bond series: gorgeous Shirley Eaton (as Jill Masterson) coated in gold paint by evil Auric Goldfinger and deposited in Bond's bed; silent Oddjob, flipping a razor-sharp derby like a Frisbee to sever heads; our hero spread-eagle on a table while a laser beam moves threateningly toward his crotch. Goldfinger's two climaxes, inside Fort Knox and aboard a private plane, have to be seen to be believed. --Raphael Shargel

The World Is Not Enough:Bond 5.0, Pierce Brosnan, undercuts his usually suave persona with a darker, more brutal edge largely absent since Sean Connery departed. Equally tantalizing are our initial glimpses of Bond's nemesis du jour, Renard (Robert Carlyle), and imminent love interest, Elektra King (Sophie Marceau), both atypically complex characters cast with seemingly shrewd choices, and directed by the capable Michael Apted. The story's focus on post-Soviet geopolitics likewise starts off on a savvy note, before being overtaken by increasingly Byzantine plot twists, hidden motives, and reversals of loyalty superheated by relentless (if intermittently perfunctory) action sequences.--Sam Sutherland

Diamonds Are Forever: Sean Connery retired from the 007 franchise after You Only Live Twice but was lured back for one last official appearance as James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever. Goldfinger director Guy Hamilton keeps the film zipping along gamely from one entertaining set piece to another, including a terrific car chase in a parking lot, a battle with a pair of bikini-clad killer gymnasts named Bambi and Thumper, and a deadly game with a bizarre pair of fey, sardonic killers who dispatch their victims with elaborate invention. Connery retired again after this one but he returned once more, for Never Say Never Again 15 years later. --Sean Axmaker

The Living Daylights: Timothy Dalton made his 007 debut in the lean, mean mode of Sean Connery, doing away with the pun-filled camp of Roger Moore's final outings. This James Bond is ruthless, tough, and romantic. The Living Daylights, set during the thaw of the cold war, begins with the defection of Russian KGB General Koskov (Jeroen Krabb) and his revelation of a Soviet plot to eliminate Britain's secret agent force. Assigned to eliminate Koskov's Soviet boss (John Rhys-Davies), Bond uncovers a conspiracy involving Koskov and an American arms dealer (Joe Don Baker). Veteran series director John Glen's action scenes have never been better--especially the show-stopping mid-air battle on the net of a speeding cargo plane--and he returns the series to the smart, rough, high-energy adventures that made the Bond reputation. --Sean Axmaker

A View to a Kill: Roger Moore's last outing as James Bond is evidence enough that it was time to pass the torch to another actor. Beset by crummy action (an out-of-control fire engine?) and featuring a fading Moore still trying to prop up his mannered idea of style, the film is largely interesting for Christopher Walken's quirky performance as a sort-of supervillain who wants to take out California's Silicon Valley. Grace Jones has a spookily interesting presence as a lethal associate of Walken's (and who, in the best Bond tradition, has sex with 007 before trying to kill him later), and Patrick Macnee (Steed!) has a warm if brief bit. Even directed by John Glen, who brought some crackle to the Moore years in the Bond franchise, this is a very slight effort. -- Tom Keogh

Thunderball: James Bond's fourth adventure takes him to the Bahamas, where a NATO warplane with a nuclear payload has disappeared into the sea. Bond (Sean Connery) travels from a tiny health spa (where he tangles with a mechanized masseuse run amuck) to the casinos of Nassau and soon picks up the trail of SPECTRE's number-two man, Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi), and his beautiful mistress, Domino (Claudine Auger), whom Bond soon seduces to his side. Equipped with more gadgets than ever, 007 escapes an ambush with a personal-size jet pack and takes to the water as he searches for the undersea plane, battles Largo's pet sharks, and finally leads the battle against Largo's scuba-equipped henchmen in a spectacular underwater climax. This thrilling Bond entry became Connery's most successful outing in the series and was remade in 1983 as Never Say Never Again, with Connery returning to the role after a 12-year hiatus. --Sean Axmaker

Die Another Day: The 20th James Bond adventure, Die Another Day succeeds on three important fronts: it avoids comparison to Austin Powers by keeping its cheesy humor in check, allows Halle Berry to be sexy and worthy of a spinoff franchise, and keeps pace with the technical wizardry that modern action films demand. Pierce Brosnan is paired with American agent Jinx (Berry) in chasing a genetically altered North Korean villain (Rick Yune) armed with a satellite capable of destroying just about anything. John Cleese and Judi Dench reprise their recurring roles (as "Q" and "M," respectively); they're accompanied by weapons-laden sports cars, a hokey cameo by Madonna (who sings the techno-pulsed theme song), and enough double-entendres to keep Bond-philes adequately shaken and stirred. Die Another Day makes you welcome the familiar end-credits promise: James Bond will return. --Jeff Shannon

The Spy Who Loved Me: The best of the James Bond adventures starring Roger Moore as tuxedoed Agent 007, this globe-trotting thriller introduced the steel-toothed Jaws (played by seven-foot-two-inch-tall actor Richard Kiel) as one of the most memorable and indestructible Bond villains. Jaws is so tenacious, in fact, that Moore looks genuinely frightened, and that adds to the abundant fun. This time Bond teams up with yet another lovely Russian agent (Barbara Bach) to track a pair of nuclear submarines that the nefarious Stromberg (Curt Jürgens) plans to use in his plot to start World War III. The Spy Who Loved Me is a galaxy away from the suave Sean Connery exploits of the 1960s, but the film works perfectly as grandiose entertainment. From cavernous undersea lairs to the vast horizons of Egypt, this Bond thriller keeps its tongue firmly in cheek with a plot tailor-made for daredevil escapism. --Jeff Shannon

License to Kill: Timothy Dalton's second and last shot at playing James Bond isn't nearly as much fun as his debut, two years earlier, in the 1987 The Living Daylights. This time Bond gets mad after a close friend (David Hedison) from the intelligence sector is assassinated on his wedding day, and 007 goes undercover to link the murder to an international drug cartel. Robert Davi makes an interesting adversary, but as with most of the Bond films in the '70s, '80s, and '90s--and especially since the end of the cold war--one has to wonder why we should still care about these lesser villains and their unimaginative crimes. Still, Dalton did manage in his short time with the character to make 007 his own, which neither Roger Moore did nor Pierce Brosnan did. --Tom Keogh

Goldeneye: The 18th James Bond adventure was a runaway box-office success when released in 1995, thanks to the arrival of Pierce Brosnan as the fifth actor (following the departure of Timothy Dalton) to play the suave, danger-loving Agent 007. This James Bond is a bit more vulnerable and psychologically complex--and just a shade more politically correct--but he's still a formally attired playboy at heart, with a lovely Russian beauty (Izabella Scorupco) as his sexy ally against a cadre of renegade Russians bent on--what else?--global domination. All in all, this action-packed Bond adventure provided a much-needed boost the long-running movie series, revitalizing the 007 franchise for the turn of the millennium. -- Jeff Shannon

Live and Let Die: Roger Moore was introduced as James Bond in this 1973 action movie featuring secret agent 007. This film marks a deviation from the more character-driven stories of the Connery years, a deliberate shift to plastic action (multiple chases, bravura stunts) that made the franchise more of a comic book or machine. If that's not depressing enough, there's even a good British director on board, Guy Hamilton (Force 10 from Navarone). The story finds Bond taking on an international drug dealer (Yaphet Kotto), and while that may be superficially relevant, it isn't exactly the same as fighting supervillains on the order of Goldfinger. --Tom Keogh

For Your Eyes Only: After a ship sunk off the coast of Albania, the world's superpowers begin a feverish search for its valuable lost cargo: the powerful ATAC system, which will give its bearer unlimited control over Polaris nuclear submarines. As Bond joins the search, he suspects the suave Kristatos (Julian Glover) of seizing the device. The competition between nations grows more deadly by the moment, but Bond finds an ally in the beautiful Melina Havelock (Caroline Bouquet), who blames Kristatos for the death of her parents. The non-stop action includes automobile chases, thrilling underwater battles, and even a breathtaking tour over razor-sharp coral reefs. But all of this is merely a prelude to 007's cliffhanging assault of a magnificent mountaintop fortress. -- Robert Lynch

From Russia with Love: Directed with consummate skill by Terence Young, the second James Bond spy thriller is considered by many fans to be the best of them all. Certainly Sean Connery was never better as the dashing Agent 007, whose latest mission takes him to Istanbul to retrieve a top-secret Russian decoding machine. His efforts are thwarted when he gets romantically distracted by a sexy Russian double agent (Daniela Bianchi), and is tracked by a lovely assassin (Lotte Lenya) with switchblade shoes, and by a crazed killer (Robert Shaw), who clashes with Bond during the film's dazzling climax aboard the Orient Express. From Russia with Love is classic James Bond, before the gadgets, pyrotechnics, and Roger Moore steered the movies away from the more realistic tone of the books by Ian Fleming. --Jeff Shannon

Dr. No: Released in 1962, this first James Bond movie remains one of the best, and serves as an entertaining reminder that the Bond series began (in keeping with Ian Fleming's novels) with a surprising lack of gadgetry and big-budget fireworks. In his first adventure James Bond is called to Jamaica where a colleague and secretary have been mysteriously killed. With an American CIA agent (Jack Lord, pre-Hawaii Five-O), they discover that the nefarious Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman) is scheming to blackmail the U.S. government with a device capable of deflecting and destroying U.S. rockets launched from Cape Canaveral. Of course, Bond takes time off from his exploits to enjoy the company of a few gorgeous women, including the bikini-clad Ursula Andress. This is Bond at his purest, kicking off a series of movies that shows no sign of slowing down. --Jeff Shannon

You Only Live Twice: The film boasts the best of the Bond title songs (this one sung on a dreamy track by Nancy Sinatra), but the movie itself is one of the weaker ones of the Sean Connery phase of the 007 franchise. The story concerns an effort by the evil organization SPECTRE to start a world war, but the not-so-super villain behind the plot is the awfully civilized Donald Pleasence. The thin script is by Roald Dahl (shouldn't we have expected a better Bond nemesis from the creator of mad genius Willy Wonka?), and direction is by British veteran Lewis Gilbert (Alfie). But the movie can't hold a candle to Dr. No, From Russia with Love, or Goldfinger. --Tom Keogh

Octopussy: Roger Moore was nearing the end of his reign as James Bond when he made Octopussy, and he looks a little worn out. But the movie itself infuses some new blood into the old franchise, with a frisky pace and a pair of sturdy villains. Maud Adams--who'd also been in the Bond outing The Man with the Golden Gun--plays the improbably named Octopussy, while old smoothie Louis Jourdan is her crafty partner in crime. Two Bond films were actually released in 1983 within a few months of each other, as Octopussy was followed by Sean Connery's comeback in Never Say Never Again. The success of both pictures proved that there was still plenty of mileage left in the old license to kill, though Moore had one more workout--A View to a Kill--before hanging it up. And that title? The franchise had already used up the titles to Ian Fleming's novels, so Octopussy was taken from a lesser-known Fleming short story. -- Robert Horton

Tomorrow Never Dies: Pierce Brosnan returns for his second stint as James Bond (after GoldenEye), and he's doing it in high style with an invigorating cast of costars. It's only appropriate that a Bond film from 1997 would find Agent 007 pitted against a media mogul (Jonathan Pryce) who's going to start a global war (beginning with stolen nuclear missiles aimed at China) to create attention-grabbing headlines for his latest multimedia news channel. It's the information age run amok, and Bond must team up with a lovely and lethal agent from the Chinese External Security Force (played by Honk Kong action star Michelle Yeoh) to foil the madman's plot of global domination. Luckily for Bond, the villain's wife (Teri Hatcher) is one of his former lovers and 007 finds ample opportunity to exploit the connection. Armed with the usual array of gadgets (including a remote-controlled BMW), Brosnan settles into his role with acceptable flair, and the dynamic Yeoh provides a perfect balance to the sexism that once threatened to turn Bond into a politically incorrect anachronism. He's still Bond, to be sure, but he's saving the world with a bit more sophisticated finesse. --Jeff Shannon

Moonraker: This was the first James Bond adventure produced after the success of Star Wars, so it jumped on the sci-fi bandwagon by combining the suave appeal of Agent 007 (once again played by Roger Moore) with enough high-tech hardware and special effects to make Luke Skywalker want to join Her Majesty's Secret Service. This time Bond is up against a criminal industrialist named Drax (Michel Lonsdale) who wants to control the world from his orbiting space station. Bond thwarts this maniacal Neo-Hitler's scheme with the help of a beautiful, sleek-figured scientist (played by Lois Chiles with all the vitality of a department-store mannequin). Despite Moore's passive performance (which Pauline Kael described as "like an office manager who is turning into dead wood but hanging on to collect his pension"), Moonraker had no problem attracting an appreciative audience, and there are even a few renegade Bond-philes who consider it one of their favorites. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

The Ultimate Bond is the Ultimate.......2007-06-27

If you love James Bond movies, wait, even if you just plain like Bond movies, get this collection. The movies look great and it is fabulous to watch how the character of Bond and the movies themselves evolve. Great for a film class or just someone who wants a lot of fun action adventure movies around. Plus at Amazon prices, you can't go wrong.

wonderfully restored movies!.......2007-06-27

We bought this set after reading a lot of reviews that said how nice the movies looked (restored). We were pleasantly surprised that the restored movies exceeded our expectation. The movies are very clean and there are absolutely tons of extras on each DVD.

There are only 2 annoying things. 1) they don't come in chronological order. We just rearranged them, but then you can't quite see the entire title from inside the box. 2) the slim cases were cheaply made. For the price it seems like they should be a little more sturdy.

Because of the slim cases, they don't take up very much room (for 20 DVD's plus extras). We are very happy with the set.

007- Bond, James.......2007-06-26

Simply..........Amazing! I am glad I waited to collect the series...They are Bigger & Better than the original in all facets.....My only complaint if I were to have one, is that they are not in order. Besides that one flaw I am Super Happy with this Awesome James Bond Collection.......

Michael from Minneapolis

Picked up whole collection in one pack - great deal.......2007-06-14

Really good deal for the big time Bond fan.

The Ultimate For The 007 Fan.......2007-06-09

Anyone who grew up with or loves James Bond Movies will enjoy this fine collection of films. If you are a fan and you don't have all the movies but want them, this is the collection to purchase. The Box Set and Art Work on the case's is quality along with every single disk.

James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 3 (GoldenEye / Live and Let Die / For Your Eyes Only / From Russia With Love / On Her Majesty's Secret Service)

Average customer rating:

Picked up whole collection in one pack - great deal
BEST of the Remastered Bond Collections, with 3 CLASSICS!
Thank goodness for these sets
Great Package!
Great Collection

James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 3 (GoldenEye / Live and Let Die / For Your Eyes Only / From Russia With Love / On Her Majesty's Secret Service)
Starring: James Bond-Ultimate Edition
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Ultimate Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 4 (Dr. No / You Only Live Twice / Octopussy / Tomorrow Never Dies / Moonraker)
James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 2 (A View to a Kill / Thunderball / Die Another Day / The Spy Who Loved Me / Licence to Kill)
James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 1 (The Man with the Golden Gun / Goldfinger / The World Is Not Enough / Diamonds Are Forever / The Living Daylights)
Casino Royale (2-Disc Widescreen Edition)
Never Say Never Again

ASIN: B000ICM5V2
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Amazon.com

Goldeneye: The 18th James Bond adventure was a runaway box-office success when released in 1995, thanks to the arrival of Pierce Brosnan as the fifth actor (following the departure of Timothy Dalton) to play the suave, danger-loving Agent 007. This James Bond is a bit more vulnerable and psychologically complex--and just a shade more politically correct--but he's still a formally attired playboy at heart, with a lovely Russian beauty (Izabella Scorupco) as his sexy ally against a cadre of renegade Russians bent on--what else?--global domination. There's also a seductive villainous with the suggestive name of Xenia Onatopp (Famke Janssen), and the great actress Judi Dench makes her first appearance as Bond's superior, M, who wisecracks about 007's "dinosaur" status as a globetrotting sexist. All in all, this action-packed Bond adventure provided a much-needed boost the long-running movie series, revitalizing the 007 franchise for the turn of the millennium. --Jeff Shannon

Live and Let Die: Roger Moore was introduced as James Bond in this 1973 action movie featuring secret agent 007. More self-consciously suave and formal than predecessor Sean Connery, he immediately reestablished Bond as an uncomplicated and wooden fellow for the feel-good '70s. This film also marks a deviation from the more character-driven stories of the Connery years, a deliberate shift to plastic action (multiple chases, bravura stunts) that made the franchise more of a comic book or machine. If that's not depressing enough, there's even a good British director on board, Guy Hamilton (Force 10 from Navarone). The story finds Bond taking on an international drug dealer (Yaphet Kotto), and while that may be superficially relevant, it isn't exactly the same as fighting supervillains on the order of Goldfinger. --Tom Keogh

On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Australian model George Lazenby took up the mantle of the world's most suave secret agent when Sean Connery retired as James Bond (although Connery returned in Diamonds Are Forever before leaving the role to Roger Moore); Lazenby's subsequent career fizzled, yet this one-hit wonder is responsible for one of the best Bond films of all time. In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 007 leaves the Service to privately pursue his SPECTRE nemesis Blofeld (played this time by Telly Savalas), whose latest master plan involves a threat to the world's crops by agricultural sterilization. Bond teams up with suave international crime lord Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti) and falls in love with--and marries--his elegant daughter, Tracy (Diana Rigg). Bond goes monogamous? Not at first; after all he has Blofeld's harem to seduce. Lazenby hasn't the intensity of Connery but he has fun with his quips and even lampoons the Bond image in a playful pre-credits sequence, and Rigg, fresh from playing sexy Emma Peel in The Avengers, matches 007 in every way. Former editor Peter Hunt makes a strong directorial debut, deftly handling the elaborate action sequences with a kinetic finesse. Though not a hit on its original release, On Her Majesty's Secret Service has become a fan favorite and the closest the series has come to capturing the spirit of Ian Fleming's books. --Sean Axmaker

Beyond James Bond Ultimate Collection - Vol. 3

James Bond Ultimate Collection - Vol. 1
James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 2
James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 4

Stills from James Bond Ultimate Collection - Vol. 3 (click for larger image)

Description

*From Russia With Love Disc #1: -Movie with DTS 5.1 Surround and original mono/stereo -Language selections -Audio commentary by director Terence Young and cast and crew

Disc #2: -DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Ian Fleming: The CBC Interview -Ian Fleming & Raymond Chandler -Ian Fleming on Desert Island Discs -Animated Storyboard Sequence -007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of From Russia With Love -THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER -Inside From Russia With Love -Harry Saltzman: Showman -MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery & Radio Communications

*For Your Eyes Only Disc #1: -Movie with DTS 5.1 Surround and original mono/stereo -Newly Recorded Audio Commentary Featuring Sir Roger Moore -Language selections -Audio Commentary Featuring John Glen and Actors -Audio Commentary Featuring Michael G Wilson and Crew

Disc #2 -Newly Recorded Audio Commentary Featuring Sir Roger Moore -DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Deleted Scenes & Expanded Angles -Bond in Greece Bond in Cortina -Neptune's Journey -007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of For Your Eyes Only -THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER -Inside For Your Eyes Only -Animated Storyboard Sequences -Sheena Easton 'For Your Eyes Only' Music Video -MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery & Radio Communications

*On Her Majesty's Secret Service Disc #1: -Movie with DTS 5.1 Surround and original mono/stereo -Language selections -Audio Commentary Featuring Director Peter Hunt and Members of the Cast and Crew

Disc #2: -DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Casting On Her Majesty's Secret Service -Press Day in Portugal -George Lazenby: In His Own Words -Shot on Ice - Original 1969 Ford Promo -Film Swiss Movement - Original 1969 Featurette 007 -007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of On Her Majesty's Secret Service -THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER -Inside On Her Majesty's Secret Service -Inside Q's Lab -Above It All - Original 1969 Featurette

*Live And Let Die Disc #1: -Movie with DTS 5.1 Surround and original mono/stereo -Newly Recorded Audio Commentary Featuring Sir Roger Moore -Language selections -Audio commentary by director Guy Hamilton and Tom Mankiewicz and cast and crew

Disc #2: -DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Bond 1973: The Lost Documentary -Roger Moore as James Bond, Circa 1964 -Live and Let Die Conceptual Art -007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of Live and Let Die -THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER -Inside Live and Let Die -On Set With Roger Moore

*GoldenEye Disc #1: -Movie with DTS 5.1 Surround and original stereo -Language selections -Audio Commentary Featuring Martin Campbell and Michael G. Wilson

Disc #2: -DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Deleted Scenes With Introductions by -Director Martin Campbell -Directing Bond: The Martin Chronicles -Building a Better Bond: Pre-Production Featurette -The Return of Bond - The Start of Production Press Event -Driven to Bond: Remy Julienne -Anatomy of a Stunt: Tank Versus Perrier -Making it in Small Pictures: Derek Meddings -On Location With Peter Lamont -GoldenEye: The Secret Files -Pre-Title Storyboard Sequence With Director Martin Campbell -007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of GoldenEye -THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER -The World of 007 - Original 1995 Television Special Hosted by Elizabeth Hurley -The GoldenEye Video Journal Promotional Featurette -Tina Turner 'GoldenEye' Music Video -MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery & Radio Communications

Customer Reviews:

Picked up whole collection in one pack - great deal.......2007-06-14

Great deal for the hard-code Bond fan.

BEST of the Remastered Bond Collections, with 3 CLASSICS!.......2007-06-14

While all of the frame-by-frame restored 007 collections are fabulous, "James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 3" is truly the pinnacle, with 3 of the greatest Bond adventures, ever!

"GoldenEye" (1995), Pierce Brosnan's long-delayed debut as Bond, offers a revamped 007 more in tune with a post-Cold War world. With the fabulous Judi Dench as the new 'M', and a new generation of leading ladies (Izabella Scorupco) and villains (Famke Janssen and Sean Bean are standouts), youthful Brosnan, while not as decisive as Sean Connery, shows the characteristic swagger! While the hijacked nuclear satellite plot is derivative, it was great to see 007 back, after 6 years. (3 1/2 stars out of 5)

"Live and Let Die" (1973), Roger Moore's debut as 007, clearly redefined the character as stylishly 'cool' rather than dangerous. Campy, with a silly Voodoo subplot, and a less-than-stellar villain (Yaphet Kotto), the film does offer beautiful young Jane Seymour as the heroine, ridiculous Clifton James as a redneck sheriff, and a plot, somewhere, involving drug shipments to America. Listen to Paul McCartney's title song, then just go with the flow, and you may enjoy Moore, and the '70s 'feel'! (3 stars out of 5)

"For Your Eyes Only" (1981), follow-up to the disastrous "Moonraker", returned 007 Roger Moore to the grittier, more physical films of Sean Connery. A British encryption device is missing, and Bond must deal with a vengeance-minded Greek girl (Carole Bouquet), rival gangs (headed by Topol and Julian Glover), and an amorous ice skater (Lynn-Holly Johnson). Eschewing hi-tech devices, Moore's aging Bond climbs a mountain, gets dragged through a coral reef...and is terrific! (4 1/2 stars out of 5)

"From Russia With Love" (1963), Sean Connery's second 007 outing, is considered by many the finest Bond film. If "Dr. No" provided the Bond 'framework', "FRWL" provided the 'style'; set in London, Istanbul, and aboard the Orient Express, with fabulous villains (Robert Shaw and Lotte Lenya), a sexy heroine (Daniela Bianchi), and, in his final role, wonderful Pedro Armendáriz as a doomed ally, everything is top-notch! A CLASSIC! (5 stars out of 5)

"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969), the most controversial Bond film, with the most daring plot (Bond marries!), and inept 007 (George Lazenby, replacing Sean Connery). In Lazenby's defense, this WAS his first acting job, and the film had been intended as a powerful finale for Connery; however, Japan's lucrative package deal pushed "You Only Live Twice" ahead, throwing off the series' continuity, and taking Connery out of the picture! Nonetheless, "OHMSS" is a remarkable film, with Diana Rigg, a perfect 'Bond Girl', and Telly Savalas, a truly villainous Blofeld. With it's unique ending, and very human 007, it would have been a classic, whoever played 007...but fans will always wish Connery had made the film (and his absence killed the box office). (5 stars out of 5)

Of all the Bond collections, THIS is the most ESSENTIAL!

Thank goodness for these sets.......2007-05-16

These four JB sets are the perfect way to get your Bond fix in enormous doses. The special features are great and the quality of the picture is unbeatable. My only small quibble is that the setup of the DVD menus is sort of obnoxious, but that seems to be the way of DVDs these days. If you are a Bond fan, or if you have a Bond fan in your home and want to give him an amazing gift (as I did), these aren't to be missed.

Great Package!.......2007-05-12

What a treat to have everything in one group. My husband had some of the movies on VHS, but some of them were next to impossible to find by themselves--now he has them in a lasting format.

Great Collection.......2007-04-05

I loved this collection I have watched it with my entire family. It is definately worth it for fans and novices to the James Bond experience.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service - 2-Disc Ultimate Edition

Average customer rating:

A More Realistic Bond Epic -- Even Without Sean Connery
Definitely one of the best Bond movies
Second Favorite Bond Film
Lazenby's One Timer An All-Time Great!
An Overlooked Bond: Give Lazenby a Chance! One of the Best Bond Films!

On Her Majesty's Secret Service - 2-Disc Ultimate Edition

Manufacturer: MGM/UA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Ultimate Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Live and Let Die - 2-Disc Ultimate Edition
Octopussy - 2-Disc Ultimate Edition
A View To A Kill - 2-Disc Ultimate Edition
Diamonds Are Forever - 2-Disc Ultimate Edition
Thunderball

ASIN: B000LY4J3E

Product Description

2 Disc Collectors Edition

Customer Reviews:

A More Realistic Bond Epic -- Even Without Sean Connery.......2007-07-01

I loved this movie for much the same reason many of the old-school Bond fans love it -- it's a classic adventure film, a cinematic spectacle with real danger and real romance. I'd even rank it as one of the great adventure movies of all time. I agree that Ian Fleming would have loved this film if he had lived to see it. The humor and fantasy are toned down (but not absent), so true lovers of suspense and thrills don't have to suffer through clownish foils and endless hackneyed one-liners. The gadgets are kept to an absolute minimum so that Bond has to rely on his wits and nerve to navigate obstacles in his path. John Barry's soundtrack delivers goosebumps, especially the instrumental theme song used in the opening credits and throughout. Imagine a Bond movie made by the likes of David Lean or Hitchcock, and that's OHMSS (a real credit to director-editor Peter Hunt).

Until Daniel Craig breathed life back into the series with the recent "Casino Royale," OHMSS was thought to be the last of the great Bond movies. Beginning in the 1970s with Roger Moore, James Bond films became completely formulaic comic book fare. Yes, I know 007 was always "escapist" hero mythology, but "suspension of disbelief" is not a dirty term! There's still room for creating the illusion of realism. Teenagers (the holy grail of Hollywood marketing executives) can handle much more character development and subtle plot than we give them now, and Fleming's James Bond, as the first of the blockbuster cinematic hero franchises, should be better than Spiderman or the XMen or Die Hard (an American James Bond). OHMSS shows how it can be done with style and originality.

Note: George Lazenby is no Sean Connery, but it doesn't hurt the film. If only Connery had done this one (sigh). Diana Rigg is elegantly sexy and smart as Bond's first true love, Tracy, an heiress to an organized crime syndicate. And Telly Savalas is rakishly evil as super-villain Blofeld.

Definitely one of the best Bond movies.......2007-06-14

I personally loved it. The 2 disk version gives quite a lot of extras. I wouldn't say it was worth the purchase if you already own the movie on DVD, but if you don't have it yet and are into the extras, it's worth it.

Second Favorite Bond Film.......2007-05-29

When I heard about the 20 Bond films being remastered I thought it wouldnt be a big change like they said it would. I was wrong. On Her Majestys Secret Service has never looked better. All of the color distortions and fading seems to be gone completely. Its amazing the difference in certain scenes, especially the opening sequence. The film as a whole has aged very well. Its amazing how as time goes on more people seem to really love this film for its greatness that most couldnt grasp almost 40 years ago. People who just wanted Sean Connery in the role, hated this from the start. I was the same. Ive only been a Bond fan for about 10 years now and I remeber when I was a kid watching this thinking it wasnt as good because Sean wasnt in it. As I matured, I realized how great the story was, along with great acting all around, how well George actually did, and how beautiful the photography was. This definitely has the greatest story of any Bond yet, and the fight scenes still look damn good. They look so much better than what Connery did. Georges Bond was based upon Seans and he did very little different than what Connery would. He still made it his in some way. Many say that he could have made an awesome Bond, I agree. He truly tried in the film and it shows fully. The film has very little going against it and its still awesome till this day. Most certainly a Bond classic forever.

Lazenby's One Timer An All-Time Great!.......2007-03-28

After Sean Connery FIRST called it quits, in comes George Lazenby. And, man! He's a good Bond! Former Bond movie film editor Peter Hunt takes over the directing reins, and does a BANG-UP JOB! Richard Maibaum's only sole Bond movie screenwriting writing credit gives Ian Fleming's novel, the rightful justice it truly deserves. Diana Rigg as Tracy, is the best Bond girl of the entire series! She even shows off her Mrs. Emma Peel-like reflexes in her own fight scene! While not quite on the level as Donald Pleasance, Telly "Kojak" Savalas makes a more charming and physically formidable Blofeld. Even scarier is his female cohort Irma Bunt, played to sinister perfection by Ilse Steppat. She could even give Rosa Clebb a run for her money! Gabriele Ferzetti a charming show stealer as Bond's newest aly, and future father-in-law. Michael Reed's expert camerawork and future Bond director John Glen's fast-paced film editing, make for the best action set-pieces ever in a Bond film! John Barry's last great Bond film score (at least, until The Living Daylights).

An Overlooked Bond: Give Lazenby a Chance! One of the Best Bond Films!.......2007-03-23

To say that ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE has grown on me is an understatement. The first time that I saw it a few years ago, I can remember laughing with my friend about how awful Lazenby was as a replacement for Connery. But after a recent second viewing, my tone has changed dramatically. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE is now one of my favorite Bond films. Of the first six movies, I would definitely place it in the top three and it certainly beats out its predecessor YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, both in its "watchability" and its ranking as a Bond film. What is it about ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE that is so good? Well, it seems that director Peter Hunt (the fantastic editor of the previous films) wanted to return Bond to his roots, emphasizing story and characters over action and gadgets. Indeed, the gadgets are absent in this film. Instead, we get a good old story of espionage as Bond infiltrates the secret mountain-top lair of Ernst Blofeld, posing as a famous genealogist. Lazenby is a superb Bond. Though he doesn't handle women in the same smooth way and his charm and refinement are noticeably lacking, Lazenby does deliver some terrific action sequences. Furthermore, Lazenby handles the scripts "love interest" quite well, showing us one of the most emotional Bonds ever. Understandably, fans either loved or hated this new Bond, and the film went on to be less of a success as the Connery films. Still, one has to wonder what might have become of the series if Lazenby had kept the role for a significant run.

After the opening "gun barrel" sequence, we are greeted with the pre-credits teaser. M and Moneypenny are at a loss of where exactly 007 is located. We have no problem finding him. We watch as Bond chases after a girl, whom we later discover is Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), and saves her from near suicide, only to be attacked by an enemy. A great fight sequence in the waves is played out, with Lazenby delivering in fine style. It's been a while since Bond has been this fit! The girl escapes Bond during the commotion, leaving him alone on the beach. Lazenby, firmly set in his new role, winks at the camera and says "This never happened to the other fellow." In breaking the fourth wall, Lazenby and the Bond team let us know that James Bond is not Sean Connery; James Bond is James Bond. This line kicks off the titles, another Binder work, this time without a popular singer belting a song. Perhaps after the awkward lyrics of THUNDERBALL, the producers decided that trying to work ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE into a song would just be too difficult. The titles are a classic Binder work, involving shifting images through an hourglass and elaborate silhouettes.

The plot is back to the good old days and adds a love angle, allowing for some character depth on the part of Bond. The first part of the film opens up on that angle. Bond encounters Tracy again (Teresa di Vicenzo) and makes a more "formal" introduction. After their brief encounter, Bond is suddenly kidnapped and taken to see Marc-Ange Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti), head of Europe's second largest crime syndicate (second only to SPECTRE). There it is revealed that Tracy is Draco's daughter. In a weird spin, Draco desires Bond to continue to woo his daughter, ultimately marrying her for a personal dowry of one million pounds. Tracy has had a troubled past (as we have witnessed) and Bond is just the sort of thing she needs to save her. Bond refuses the proposal, but agrees to continue to see his daughter in exchange for information about Ernst Blofeld's whereabouts. Upon returning to MI6, Bond is promptly kicked off his current assignment of tracking down Blofeld. Bond is so irritated that he tenders his resignation, only to have his resignation covertly changed to a leave of absence by Moneypenny. Realizing that he can continue to pursue Blofeld on his vacation, Bond heartily accepts the vacation. After some good old spy work, Bond finally learns that Blofeld is attempting to lay claim to a royal title, under the French surname Bleuchamp. Posing as genealogist Sir Hilary Bray, Bond gains access to Blofeld's new hideout--a "research institute" sitting on top of the Piz Gloria in the Swiss Alps. Once there, Bond learns that Blofeld has developed a bacterial weapon that he plans to distribute throughout the world. The weapon is so powerful that it is capable of destroying vital species of flora and fauna--unless, of course, Blofeld is granted amnesty for all past crimes and given his new title. Will Bond be able to stop the crisis before it is too late?

ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE displays many characteristics of the great Bond films. Its plot is intricate and involves good old-fashioned spy work. Bond is a character of great depth in this film, portraying both a recklessness and arrogance towards MI6 and the establishment, as well as great love for his leading lady. Finally, the action in this film is great. The famous downhill ski and bobsled fights are fantastic and do not lack for any excitement. Unlike Lewis Gilbert in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, director Peter Hunt decided to keep the film as close to Fleming's novel as possible, yielding a film that many fans of the books describe as the most accurate Bond adaptation ever produced. It's a shame that it has the negative reputation that it is sometimes branded with.

George Lazenby, as mentioned before, does a find job as Bond. While he certainly doesn't have the same style and class as Connery (who does?), Lazenby is more than adequate in the action sequences and handles the fights wonderfully. Moreover, he turns in one of the more complex Bond performances, culminating in the film's final sequence. I was startled to see a scene like that in a Bond film and welcomed its arrival. Diana Riggs also turns in a good performance, providing us with one of the more complex and dominant female leads ever to show up in a Bond film. Telly Savalas's rendition of Blofeld (the second actor to play the visual part) is one of my favorites. His Blofeld is not quite as pathetic as the one we first meet in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and not quite as quirky as the one we will soon meet in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. While he doesn't live up to the menace of the character originally heard in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, he is certainly a more capable, worldly, and interesting villain than the rest.

Ultimately, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE feels very different from the rest of the Bond films. For my tastes, it was a refreshing return to the source before the Bond series would take on its inevitable Roger Moore phase. The Ultimate Edition looks very crisp and sounds wonderful. It is also packed with plenty of extras, including a "Making of" documentary, films about the casting of the new Bond, interviews with Lazenby, and all of the usual assorted material. BINDER DOCUMENTARY? If you like the novels or are a fan of the early Bond films, you can't go wrong with ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. Just promise to give Lazenby a chance.

Average customer rating:

That is actually four and a half stars.
An Overlooked Bond: Don't Even Think About This Edition! Get the Ultimate Edition!
George Lazenby is first rate as James Bond
A must for the James Bond collector
Faithful to the novel. One of the best James Bond films!

On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Starring: Irvin Allen , George Baker , Yuri Borionko , James Bree , and Geoffrey Cheshire
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Romantic Adventure | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Espionage | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Skiing & Snow Sports | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Live and Let Die
Thunderball
A View to a Kill
You Only Live Twice
Diamonds are Forever

ASIN: B00004RG65
Release Date: 2000-05-16

Amazon.com

Australian model George Lazenby took up the mantle of the world's most suave secret agent when Sean Connery retired as James Bond--prematurely, it turned out. Connery returned in Diamonds Are Forever before leaving the role to Roger Moore and Lazenby's subsequent career fizzled, yet this one-hit wonder is responsible for one of the best Bond films of all time.

In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 007 leaves the Service to privately pursue his SPECTRE nemesis Blofeld (played this time by Telly Savalas), whose latest master plan involves a threat to the world's crops by agricultural sterilization. Bond teams up with suave international crime lord Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti) and falls in love with--and marries--his elegant daughter, Tracy (Diana Rigg). Bond goes monogamous? Not at first; after all he has Blofeld's harem to seduce. Lazenby hasn't the intensity of Connery but he has fun with his quips and even lampoons the Bond image in a playful pre-credits sequence, and Rigg, fresh from playing sexy Emma Peel in The Avengers, matches 007 in every way. Former editor Peter Hunt makes a strong directorial debut, deftly handling the elaborate action sequences--including a car chase turned road rally through the icy snow--with a kinetic finesse and a dash of humor. Though not a hit on its original release, On Her Majesty's Secret Service has become a fan favorite and the closest the series has come to capturing the spirit of Ian Fleming's books. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

That is actually four and a half stars........2007-05-07

This is a short review, most everything has already been said by the other reviewers. Since I try to review the parts everybody else leaves out, it should be short.

PROS: I like all these Bond movies. My two favorite ones are On Her Majesty's Secret Service and You Only Live Twice.

1. This one is fast action from the beginning.
2. The cutie (Diana Rigg--I think she starred in that series the Avengers) is somewhat more than just a cutie. She supposed to be royalty. If you look at the way she dresses and the style of her cloths and everything I think you'll understand why Bond went after this girl above all the rest. She has culture and manners.
3. Bond gets married in this one--I don't blame him at all. Plently of time is spent on that sub-plot--then it drops out of sight--then it comes back in just a nick of time. BEWARE THE CLOSING SCENES! There is a reason why they spent this much time getting you to know the future Mrs. Bond.
4. Played correctly.
5. Right music...I couldn't discover if that was Louie Armstrong singing that number. I hope so, Louie was a real American.
six. Shows an inner self to Bond not usually shown.
7. Bond is a little more physical than I remember in most his movies and seems to be more than willing to 'get in there and mix it up' with the bad guys than usual. Fine--afterall, in this movie he gets married.
8. Telly Savalas is the bad guy...he's somewhat believable--talks a little too tough to be a scientist.
9. The bad guy steals Bond's cutie. Bond goes to Q for help and is refused so he goes to the girls' daddy--a crime boss. That must be where the machineguns and bombs came from.
10. You'll notice a change in music whenever Bond changes from (Bond the ladies man) to Bond secret agent--when you hear that music with the soft drum you should know Bond is about to do his thing...to somebody.
11. Daddy, the low-life, is a like-able fellow with his reserved attitude. Tells a neat story about his little girl--the future Mrs. Bond.
Notice the music? I guess this must be the man-to-man when we tell about our past secrets type music--amazing a Bond movie could go that deep.

CONS:

1. I like all the earlier James Bond movies--they're all four star or better with me...I see no real down side here. If you're into spy thrillers this one should be on the short list.

So there it is. All in all a step above most of the rest out there. If you watch this movie closely I think you'll get a lot more out of it. It doesn't seem to be the usual popcorn type movie. Bye.

An Overlooked Bond: Don't Even Think About This Edition! Get the Ultimate Edition!.......2007-03-23

To say that ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE has grown on me is an understatement. The first time that I saw it a few years ago, I can remember laughing with my friend about how awful Lazenby was as a replacement for Connery. But after a recent second viewing, my tone has changed dramatically. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE is now one of my favorite Bond films. Of the first six movies, I would definitely place it in the top three and it certainly beats out its predecessor YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, both in its "watchability" and its ranking as a Bond film. What is it about ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE that is so good? Well, it seems that director Peter Hunt (the fantastic editor of the previous films) wanted to return Bond to his roots, emphasizing story and characters over action and gadgets. Indeed, the gadgets are absent in this film. Instead, we get a good old story of espionage as Bond infiltrates the secret mountain-top lair of Ernst Blofeld, posing as a famous genealogist. Lazenby is a superb Bond. Though he doesn't handle women in the same smooth way and his charm and refinement are noticeably lacking, Lazenby does deliver some terrific action sequences. Furthermore, Lazenby handles the scripts "love interest" quite well, showing us one of the most emotional Bonds ever. Understandably, fans either loved or hated this new Bond, and the film went on to be less of a success as the Connery films. Still, one has to wonder what might have become of the series if Lazenby had kept the role for a significant run.

After the opening "gun barrel" sequence, we are greeted with the pre-credits teaser. M and Moneypenny are at a loss of where exactly 007 is located. We have no problem finding him. We watch as Bond chases after a girl, whom we later discover is Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), and saves her from near suicide, only to be attacked by an enemy. A great fight sequence in the waves is played out, with Lazenby delivering in fine style. It's been a while since Bond has been this fit! The girl escapes Bond during the commotion, leaving him alone on the beach. Lazenby, firmly set in his new role, winks at the camera and says "This never happened to the other fellow." In breaking the fourth wall, Lazenby and the Bond team let us know that James Bond is not Sean Connery; James Bond is James Bond. This line kicks off the titles, another Binder work, this time without a popular singer belting a song. Perhaps after the awkward lyrics of THUNDERBALL, the producers decided that trying to work ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE into a song would just be too difficult. The titles are a classic Binder work, involving shifting images through an hourglass and elaborate silhouettes.

The plot is back to the good old days and adds a love angle, allowing for some character depth on the part of Bond. The first part of the film opens up on that angle. Bond encounters Tracy again (Teresa di Vicenzo) and makes a more "formal" introduction. After their brief encounter, Bond is suddenly kidnapped and taken to see Marc-Ange Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti), head of Europe's second largest crime syndicate (second only to SPECTRE). There it is revealed that Tracy is Draco's daughter. In a weird spin, Draco desires Bond to continue to woo his daughter, ultimately marrying her for a personal dowry of one million pounds. Tracy has had a troubled past (as we have witnessed) and Bond is just the sort of thing she needs to save her. Bond refuses the proposal, but agrees to continue to see his daughter in exchange for information about Ernst Blofeld's whereabouts. Upon returning to MI6, Bond is promptly kicked off his current assignment of tracking down Blofeld. Bond is so irritated that he tenders his resignation, only to have his resignation covertly changed to a leave of absence by Moneypenny. Realizing that he can continue to pursue Blofeld on his vacation, Bond heartily accepts the vacation. After some good old spy work, Bond finally learns that Blofeld is attempting to lay claim to a royal title, under the French surname Bleuchamp. Posing as genealogist Sir Hilary Bray, Bond gains access to Blofeld's new hideout--a "research institute" sitting on top of the Piz Gloria in the Swiss Alps. Once there, Bond learns that Blofeld has developed a bacterial weapon that he plans to distribute throughout the world. The weapon is so powerful that it is capable of destroying vital species of flora and fauna--unless, of course, Blofeld is granted amnesty for all past crimes and given his new title. Will Bond be able to stop the crisis before it is too late?

ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE displays many characteristics of the great Bond films. Its plot is intricate and involves good old-fashioned spy work. Bond is a character of great depth in this film, portraying both a recklessness and arrogance towards MI6 and the establishment, as well as great love for his leading lady. Finally, the action in this film is great. The famous downhill ski and bobsled fights are fantastic and do not lack for any excitement. Unlike Lewis Gilbert in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, director Peter Hunt decided to keep the film as close to Fleming's novel as possible, yielding a film that many fans of the books describe as the most accurate Bond adaptation ever produced. It's a shame that it has the negative reputation that it is sometimes branded with.

George Lazenby, as mentioned before, does a find job as Bond. While he certainly doesn't have the same style and class as Connery (who does?), Lazenby is more than adequate in the action sequences and handles the fights wonderfully. Moreover, he turns in one of the more complex Bond performances, culminating in the film's final sequence. I was startled to see a scene like that in a Bond film and welcomed its arrival. Diana Riggs also turns in a good performance, providing us with one of the more complex and dominant female leads ever to show up in a Bond film. Telly Savalas's rendition of Blofeld (the second actor to play the visual part) is one of my favorites. His Blofeld is not quite as pathetic as the one we first meet in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and not quite as quirky as the one we will soon meet in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. While he doesn't live up to the menace of the character originally heard in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, he is certainly a more capable, worldly, and interesting villain than the rest.

Ultimately, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE feels very different from the rest of the Bond films. For my tastes, it was a refreshing return to the source before the Bond series would take on its inevitable Roger Moore phase. Don't bother with this edition! The Ultimate Edition looks very crisp and sounds wonderful. It is also packed with plenty of extras, including a "Making of" documentary, films about the casting of the new Bond, interviews with Lazenby, and all of the usual assorted material. BINDER DOCUMENTARY? If you like the novels or are a fan of the early Bond films, you can't go wrong with ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. Just promise to give Lazenby a chance.

George Lazenby is first rate as James Bond.......2007-02-24

The rap that you always read about this film is that is was really good except for the casting of James Bond. Well, I'm here to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth!

George Lazenby was a great James Bond! Not only was he perfectly cast but his performance is dead-on, as good as anything Sean Connery did.

Lazenby is a hybrid of Sean Connery and Cary Grant, not a bad combination, particularly when you're trying to find an actor to play James Bond! Grant was often mentioned as a possibility for James Bond but was too old when the series finally got off the ground.

The reason Lazenby only made one James Bond film was NOT because audiences rejected him. Nor was it because the producers didn't want him. The reason Lazenby never played Bond again was because his agent told him to turn the part down!!! The agent thought it wouldn't be "smart" to become typecast as James Bond, as Connery had.

Obviously, that was the worst advice any actor has ever gotten because Lazenby hasn't worked in films since!

The film faithfully adapts the Fleming novel to the screen which is a really good thing because OHMSS is Fleming's best novel. The other cast members are excellent but miscast. Tracy was supposed to be a blonde--Fleming even described her as being a bit like Brigette Bardot. Diana Rigg, of "The Avengers", is obviously a much better actress than Bardot so we are probably better off with her in the part. She's great in the film.

Ditto Telly Savalas. Not a good choice for the sophisticated, German master criminal, Ernst Stravo Blofeld but what s performance!!! Savalas perfectly portrays the character despite being the wrong "type". Savalas makes Blofeld the most fully realized Bond villain since Auric Goldfinger.

The story is great and the action is non-stop in the second half. The producers make you really care about Bond and Tracy and that's quite an achievement for an action-adventure film.

All in all, this is the easily the greatest James Bond film ever made. "Goldfinger", the film that established the Bond "formula", is the only other Bond movie that reaches this high a level. "Goldfinger", incidently, also features an ex-Avenger, Honor Blackman.

A must for the James Bond collector.......2007-02-22

Although Sean Connery was my favorite Bond, George Lazenby has really grown on me. Diana Rigg is wonderful too and nice to see after her stint in The Avengers. This is a really great James Bond film and ranks right up there with Goldfinger and Dr. No.

Faithful to the novel. One of the best James Bond films!.......2007-01-21

This film is quite faithful to the superb Ian Fleming novel of the same name. George Lazenby surprises as a very serviceable James Bond (although in my opinion no one can play the role as well as the great Sean Connery) although he is a bit too handsome. When he impersonates Sir Hillary Bray, he is authentic and hilarious. Telly Savalas does a fine job as the evil Ernst Blofeld.

This story has class, action, beautiful women, a great storyline, and everything. I was riveted to the screen from the opening credits to the ending. The theme music of this one is one of the very best of the always excellent James Bond music genre. All in all, there is very little not to like about this film. I bought this one used, as it is presently out of production. It needs to be made available immediately, so that everyone can own and enjoy it!

The James Bond Collection, Vol. 3 (Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Good set if you want to see the movie like it was.
Why is this set so valuable? I really want to know.
Good Movie Collection, but...
Probably the weakest of the 3 Special Edition boxsets
Good Set

The James Bond Collection, Vol. 3 (Special Edition)
Starring: Sean Connery
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The James Bond Collection, Vol. 2 (Special Edition)
The James Bond Collection, Vol. 1 (Special Edition)
Never Say Never Again
Casino Royale
The James Bond Story (1999)

ASIN: B0000BYRO9
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Amazon.com

Thunderball, Sean Connery's fourth excursion as 007, upped the Bond ante with the most ambitious adventure--and budget--to date, and turned out to be his most successful venture in the series. George Lazenby, a handsome Australian model with a self-effacing confidence, made his first and only appearance as James Bond in the underrated On Her Majesty's Secret Service, a witty and action-packed adventure that makes 007 history when Bond marries the girl (the lovely and talented Diana Rigg, fresh from her duties as the butt-kicking spy on the TV series The Avengers). Roger Moore brought an altogether lighter tone to 007 with Live and Let Die, softening Connery's rough edges with a more romantic persona as the films became even more exotic. Octopussy, a colorful cold war thriller and one of Moore's better outings, stars Louis Jourdan as a corrupt Afghan prince and Maud Adams (making her second Bond appearance) as the ringmaster of an all-babe traveling circus team that unknowingly carries a nuclear bomb. Christopher Walken hams it up under a platinum-blond hairdo while his Amazon bodyguard, Grace Jones, growls through A View to a Kill, a silly but often visually impressive adventure that made it obvious Moore was too old and stiff to carry on the Bond legacy. No such problem with Pierce Brosnan, whose fourth outing, Die Another Day paired him with sexy American agent Jinx (Halle Berry) to take on a genetically altered North Korean villain (Rick Yune) armed with a satellite capable of destroying just about anything.

Description

Includes the following films: Die Another Day, A View to a Kill, Live and Let Die, Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and Octopussy.

Customer Reviews:

Good set if you want to see the movie like it was........2007-02-25

I have all three of these original sets. They're fine. I also have all of the Ultimate Edition sets. They're better. If you're an Bond fan, you'll like both. If you're trying to test the limits of your home theater, get the Ultimate Edition, or wait for it to be re-released a third time on Blu-Ray or HD-DVD. (whichever one finally wins that battle)

Why is this set so valuable? I really want to know........2006-12-27

I really would like to know why set #3 (and also #2) is so sought after by collectors? I see people pay very high prices for it on eBay, and for #2, as well (but everyone ignores set #1). Is there anything really better here than on the Ultimate Editions now out and at lower prices? What is it that I am not understanding? I really do want an answer tot his.

Good Movie Collection, but..........2006-11-25

Don't buy this set! My comments have nothing to do with the movies. I love all of the Bond movies, but this set is an absolute RIP OFF!!!! I have purchased all 3 sets in this collection, and have bought the Volumes 1 & 2 in the Ultimate Editions (UE'S). After watching the 1960's quality of the volumes in this set and the amazing restoration of the movies in the Ultimate Editions, not to mention the great special features, I can say BUY THE ULTIMATE EDITIONS. For crying out loud you can almost buy all 4 sets of the UE's brand new for the same price volume 3 will cost you used in this collection. I wonder if these reviews here saying this is a "MUST HAVE SET" isn't written buy those who are trying to rip you off selling this at $188. In addition to the poor picture and sound quality in this collection, my copy of "A View to a Kill" had a tiny blemish on the disk causing it to skip like 2 min. of the movie. Of Course, no reply from MGM when I tried to contact them. Anyway, BUY THE ULTIMATE EDITIONS!!!

Probably the weakest of the 3 Special Edition boxsets.......2006-08-19

This boxset isn't bad, in fact it's great. It was the first 007 boxset I got. It's just that it isn't as good as the other 2 Special Edition boxsets. There's one Sean Connery movie here, "Thunderball" (007 hunts SPECTRE agent Emilio Largo, who has stolen two nuclear bombs and is holding the world ransom). "Thunderball" is my least favorite of the Connery movies. The underwater scenes are slow and not that exciting, dragging the movie down. There's George Lazenby's one Bond movie, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (007 hunts down Blofeld, and 007 also falls in love). Lazenby's one movie is one of the best Bond movies, certainly one of my favorites, and is extremely underrated. There are 3 Roger Moore movies, "Live And Let Die" (007 vs. a powerful drug dealer and his voodoo army); "Octopussy" (007 must prevent a nuclear bomb from exploding in a American airbase in West Germany); and "A View To A Kill" (007 must stop a madman from destroying Silicon Valley to increase the price of microchips). "LALD" is a good movie, not Moore's best, but still entertaining. "Octopussy" I don't like very much, the entire movie is ridiculous, even more so than "Moonraker", in my opinion. "AVTAK" is ok. It's silly entertainment, and one of Moore's weakest, but it's still an ok movie. Finally, there is Pierce Brosnan's latest, "Die Another Day" (007 goes up against a mad business man who will use a satellite made of diamonds to destroy the DMZ between N. and S. Korea). Yes, the plot for "DAD" is kind of out there, but it's my favorite Brosnan movie. It's fast paced, exciting, with some futuristic gadgets (but hey, Bond movies SHOULD have fururistic gadgets, or none at all). This boxset only has 6 movies, which is a bit of a letdown, but there was no 7th movie to put in. Overall an ok boxset, good for the beginner fan, as it has a good mix of movies in it (some great, some not so great).

Good Set.......2006-04-08

An overall good set, the movies are a must for any true Bond fan. DO NOT pay $250 for the set. I bought all the movies in the set separately and paid right around $160. I don't know who these yahoos are trying to sell these sets for that much.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service [Region 2]

Average customer rating:

That is actually four and a half stars.
An Overlooked Bond: Don't Even Think About This Edition! Get the Ultimate Edition!
George Lazenby is first rate as James Bond
A must for the James Bond collector
Faithful to the novel. One of the best James Bond films!

On Her Majesty's Secret Service [Region 2]

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Live and Let Die
Thunderball
A View to a Kill
You Only Live Twice
Diamonds are Forever

ASIN: B00004SH4P

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

That is actually four and a half stars........2007-05-07

An Overlooked Bond: Don't Even Think About This Edition! Get the Ultimate Edition!.......2007-03-23

To say that ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE has grown on me is an understatement. The first time that I saw it a few years ago, I can remember laughing with my friend about how awful Lazenby was as a replacement for Connery. But after a recent second viewing, my tone has changed dramatically. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE is now one of my favorite Bond films. Of the first six movies, I would definitely place it in the top three and it certainly beats out its predecessor YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, both in its "watchability" and its ranking as a Bond film. What is it about ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE that is so good? Well, it seems that director Peter Hunt (the fantastic editor of the previous films) wanted to return Bond to his roots, emphasizing story and characters over action and gadgets. Indeed, the gadgets are absent in this film. Instead, we get a good old story of espionage as Bond infiltrates the secret mountain-top lair of Ernst Blofeld, posing as a famous genealogist. Lazenby is a superb Bond. Though he doesn't handle women in the same smooth way and his charm and refinement are noticeably lacking, Lazenby does deliver some terrific action sequences. Furthermore, Lazenby handles the scripts "love interest" quite well, showing us one of the most emotional Bonds ever. Understandably, fans either loved or hated this new Bond, and the film went on to be less of a success as the Connery films. Still, one has to wonder what might have become of the series if Lazenby had kept the role for a significant run.

After the opening "gun barrel" sequence, we are greeted with the pre-credits teaser. M and Moneypenny are at a loss of where exactly 007 is located. We have no problem finding him. We watch as Bond chases after a girl, whom we later discover is Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), and saves her from near suicide, only to be attacked by an enemy. A great fight sequence in the waves is played out, with Lazenby delivering in fine style. It's been a while since Bond has been this fit! The girl escapes Bond during the commotion, leaving him alone on the beach. Lazenby, firmly set in his new role, winks at the camera and says "This never happened to the other fellow." In breaking the fourth wall, Lazenby and the Bond team let us know that James Bond is not Sean Connery; James Bond is James Bond. This line kicks off the titles, another Binder work, this time without a popular singer belting a song. Perhaps after the awkward lyrics of THUNDERBALL, the producers decided that trying to work ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE into a song would just be too difficult. The titles are a classic Binder work, involving shifting images through an hourglass and elaborate silhouettes.

The plot is back to the good old days and adds a love angle, allowing for some character depth on the part of Bond. The first part of the film opens up on that angle. Bond encounters Tracy again (Teresa di Vicenzo) and makes a more "formal" introduction. After their brief encounter, Bond is suddenly kidnapped and taken to see Marc-Ange Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti), head of Europe's second largest crime syndicate (second only to SPECTRE). There it is revealed that Tracy is Draco's daughter. In a weird spin, Draco desires Bond to continue to woo his daughter, ultimately marrying her for a personal dowry of one million pounds. Tracy has had a troubled past (as we have witnessed) and Bond is just the sort of thing she needs to save her. Bond refuses the proposal, but agrees to continue to see his daughter in exchange for information about Ernst Blofeld's whereabouts. Upon returning to MI6, Bond is promptly kicked off his current assignment of tracking down Blofeld. Bond is so irritated that he tenders his resignation, only to have his resignation covertly changed to a leave of absence by Moneypenny. Realizing that he can continue to pursue Blofeld on his vacation, Bond heartily accepts the vacation. After some good old spy work, Bond finally learns that Blofeld is attempting to lay claim to a royal title, under the French surname Bleuchamp. Posing as genealogist Sir Hilary Bray, Bond gains access to Blofeld's new hideout--a "research institute" sitting on top of the Piz Gloria in the Swiss Alps. Once there, Bond learns that Blofeld has developed a bacterial weapon that he plans to distribute throughout the world. The weapon is so powerful that it is capable of destroying vital species of flora and fauna--unless, of course, Blofeld is granted amnesty for all past crimes and given his new title. Will Bond be able to stop the crisis before it is too late?

ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE displays many characteristics of the great Bond films. Its plot is intricate and involves good old-fashioned spy work. Bond is a character of great depth in this film, portraying both a recklessness and arrogance towards MI6 and the establishment, as well as great love for his leading lady. Finally, the action in this film is great. The famous downhill ski and bobsled fights are fantastic and do not lack for any excitement. Unlike Lewis Gilbert in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, director Peter Hunt decided to keep the film as close to Fleming's novel as possible, yielding a film that many fans of the books describe as the most accurate Bond adaptation ever produced. It's a shame that it has the negative reputation that it is sometimes branded with.

George Lazenby, as mentioned before, does a find job as Bond. While he certainly doesn't have the same style and class as Connery (who does?), Lazenby is more than adequate in the action sequences and handles the fights wonderfully. Moreover, he turns in one of the more complex Bond performances, culminating in the film's final sequence. I was startled to see a scene like that in a Bond film and welcomed its arrival. Diana Riggs also turns in a good performance, providing us with one of the more complex and dominant female leads ever to show up in a Bond film. Telly Savalas's rendition of Blofeld (the second actor to play the visual part) is one of my favorites. His Blofeld is not quite as pathetic as the one we first meet in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and not quite as quirky as the one we will soon meet in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. While he doesn't live up to the menace of the character originally heard in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, he is certainly a more capable, worldly, and interesting villain than the rest.

Ultimately, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE feels very different from the rest of the Bond films. For my tastes, it was a refreshing return to the source before the Bond series would take on its inevitable Roger Moore phase. Don't bother with this edition! The Ultimate Edition looks very crisp and sounds wonderful. It is also packed with plenty of extras, including a "Making of" documentary, films about the casting of the new Bond, interviews with Lazenby, and all of the usual assorted material. BINDER DOCUMENTARY? If you like the novels or are a fan of the early Bond films, you can't go wrong with ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. Just promise to give Lazenby a chance.

George Lazenby is first rate as James Bond.......2007-02-24

A must for the James Bond collector.......2007-02-22

Faithful to the novel. One of the best James Bond films!.......2007-01-21

Average customer rating:

That is actually four and a half stars.
An Overlooked Bond: Don't Even Think About This Edition! Get the Ultimate Edition!
George Lazenby is first rate as James Bond
A must for the James Bond collector
Faithful to the novel. One of the best James Bond films!

On Her Majesty's Secret Service [Region 2]

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Live and Let Die
Thunderball
A View to a Kill
You Only Live Twice
Diamonds are Forever

ASIN: B00004UFW6

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

That is actually four and a half stars........2007-05-07

An Overlooked Bond: Don't Even Think About This Edition! Get the Ultimate Edition!.......2007-03-23

To say that ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE has grown on me is an understatement. The first time that I saw it a few years ago, I can remember laughing with my friend about how awful Lazenby was as a replacement for Connery. But after a recent second viewing, my tone has changed dramatically. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE is now one of my favorite Bond films. Of the first six movies, I would definitely place it in the top three and it certainly beats out its predecessor YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, both in its "watchability" and its ranking as a Bond film. What is it about ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE that is so good? Well, it seems that director Peter Hunt (the fantastic editor of the previous films) wanted to return Bond to his roots, emphasizing story and characters over action and gadgets. Indeed, the gadgets are absent in this film. Instead, we get a good old story of espionage as Bond infiltrates the secret mountain-top lair of Ernst Blofeld, posing as a famous genealogist. Lazenby is a superb Bond. Though he doesn't handle women in the same smooth way and his charm and refinement are noticeably lacking, Lazenby does deliver some terrific action sequences. Furthermore, Lazenby handles the scripts "love interest" quite well, showing us one of the most emotional Bonds ever. Understandably, fans either loved or hated this new Bond, and the film went on to be less of a success as the Connery films. Still, one has to wonder what might have become of the series if Lazenby had kept the role for a significant run.

After the opening "gun barrel" sequence, we are greeted with the pre-credits teaser. M and Moneypenny are at a loss of where exactly 007 is located. We have no problem finding him. We watch as Bond chases after a girl, whom we later discover is Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), and saves her from near suicide, only to be attacked by an enemy. A great fight sequence in the waves is played out, with Lazenby delivering in fine style. It's been a while since Bond has been this fit! The girl escapes Bond during the commotion, leaving him alone on the beach. Lazenby, firmly set in his new role, winks at the camera and says "This never happened to the other fellow." In breaking the fourth wall, Lazenby and the Bond team let us know that James Bond is not Sean Connery; James Bond is James Bond. This line kicks off the titles, another Binder work, this time without a popular singer belting a song. Perhaps after the awkward lyrics of THUNDERBALL, the producers decided that trying to work ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE into a song would just be too difficult. The titles are a classic Binder work, involving shifting images through an hourglass and elaborate silhouettes.

The plot is back to the good old days and adds a love angle, allowing for some character depth on the part of Bond. The first part of the film opens up on that angle. Bond encounters Tracy again (Teresa di Vicenzo) and makes a more "formal" introduction. After their brief encounter, Bond is suddenly kidnapped and taken to see Marc-Ange Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti), head of Europe's second largest crime syndicate (second only to SPECTRE). There it is revealed that Tracy is Draco's daughter. In a weird spin, Draco desires Bond to continue to woo his daughter, ultimately marrying her for a personal dowry of one million pounds. Tracy has had a troubled past (as we have witnessed) and Bond is just the sort of thing she needs to save her. Bond refuses the proposal, but agrees to continue to see his daughter in exchange for information about Ernst Blofeld's whereabouts. Upon returning to MI6, Bond is promptly kicked off his current assignment of tracking down Blofeld. Bond is so irritated that he tenders his resignation, only to have his resignation covertly changed to a leave of absence by Moneypenny. Realizing that he can continue to pursue Blofeld on his vacation, Bond heartily accepts the vacation. After some good old spy work, Bond finally learns that Blofeld is attempting to lay claim to a royal title, under the French surname Bleuchamp. Posing as genealogist Sir Hilary Bray, Bond gains access to Blofeld's new hideout--a "research institute" sitting on top of the Piz Gloria in the Swiss Alps. Once there, Bond learns that Blofeld has developed a bacterial weapon that he plans to distribute throughout the world. The weapon is so powerful that it is capable of destroying vital species of flora and fauna--unless, of course, Blofeld is granted amnesty for all past crimes and given his new title. Will Bond be able to stop the crisis before it is too late?

ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE displays many characteristics of the great Bond films. Its plot is intricate and involves good old-fashioned spy work. Bond is a character of great depth in this film, portraying both a recklessness and arrogance towards MI6 and the establishment, as well as great love for his leading lady. Finally, the action in this film is great. The famous downhill ski and bobsled fights are fantastic and do not lack for any excitement. Unlike Lewis Gilbert in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, director Peter Hunt decided to keep the film as close to Fleming's novel as possible, yielding a film that many fans of the books describe as the most accurate Bond adaptation ever produced. It's a shame that it has the negative reputation that it is sometimes branded with.

George Lazenby, as mentioned before, does a find job as Bond. While he certainly doesn't have the same style and class as Connery (who does?), Lazenby is more than adequate in the action sequences and handles the fights wonderfully. Moreover, he turns in one of the more complex Bond performances, culminating in the film's final sequence. I was startled to see a scene like that in a Bond film and welcomed its arrival. Diana Riggs also turns in a good performance, providing us with one of the more complex and dominant female leads ever to show up in a Bond film. Telly Savalas's rendition of Blofeld (the second actor to play the visual part) is one of my favorites. His Blofeld is not quite as pathetic as the one we first meet in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and not quite as quirky as the one we will soon meet in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. While he doesn't live up to the menace of the character originally heard in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, he is certainly a more capable, worldly, and interesting villain than the rest.

Ultimately, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE feels very different from the rest of the Bond films. For my tastes, it was a refreshing return to the source before the Bond series would take on its inevitable Roger Moore phase. Don't bother with this edition! The Ultimate Edition looks very crisp and sounds wonderful. It is also packed with plenty of extras, including a "Making of" documentary, films about the casting of the new Bond, interviews with Lazenby, and all of the usual assorted material. BINDER DOCUMENTARY? If you like the novels or are a fan of the early Bond films, you can't go wrong with ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. Just promise to give Lazenby a chance.

George Lazenby is first rate as James Bond.......2007-02-24