Only You

Starring:Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr., Bonnie Hunt, Joaquim de Almeida, Fisher Stevens, Billy Zane, Adam LeFevre, John Benjamin Hickey, Siobhan Fallon, Antonia Rey, Phyllis Newman, Denise Du Maurier, Tammy Minoff, Harry Barandes, Jessica Hertel, Rick Applegate, Marc Field, Bob Tracey, Gianfranco Barra, Barbara Cupisti
Director: Norman Jewison
Studio: Sony Pictures Home E
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
While director Norman Jewison's Moonstruck is a romantic cornerstone, this 1994 film is often overlooked. It's a sweet valentine about a young woman, aptly named Faith (Marisa Tomei, never cuter), who chases an unknown man to Europe because the name "Damon Bradley" was once spelled on an Ouija board as her true love. With her sister-in-law (Bonnie Hunt, whose own marriage seems to be falling apart), she travels the streets of Rome looking for Damon Bradley.

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

Connery's Bond Translates Poorly to Japanese.......2007-07-04

This is the first Bond movie that's actually a bit of a bummer and the fault can be laid directly at the feet of the man who was the first and best of the cinematic Bonds. This was Connery's fifth outing in six years as the ultimate gentleman spy. He was sick of the hoopla and deeply concerned about being typecast. He looks bored and irritable and the white to Japanese transformation sequence is still a low point in the Bond canon. Sort of a jump-the-shark moment as the Bond series has only been occassionally excellent since the mid-sixties. He really should have passed the walther ppk to a new Bond actor. The script was written by Roald Dahl and he probably should have stuck to children's books. Surprisingly tone deaf, extremely wordy but with very few memorable lines. Small characters get surprisingly long speeches. What enjoyement I end up taking away from YOLT is bits and pieces. The volcano lair, Blofeld, the cute Bond girls, little nelly, the beautiful cinematography, the ninja island and the well handled action sequences. Not a bad Bond. After all, they are all fun, one way or the other, but definately middle of the pack for me.

Megabudget Japanese Ken Adam extravaganza........2007-06-15

Of all the classic James Bond films, this is the one I had not seen in the longest time. I remembered this was where the series really lost its spark and went into absurd Austin Powers territory.

Although some of the criticism is still valid, YOLT is actually one hell of a mid-60s Albert Cubby Broccoli affair. For one thing, virtually the entire film takes place in Japan and makes impressive use of many locations, e.g. the ninja training academy is on the lawn of Himeji castle. Ken Adam was given about ten sets to design, one of them simply gargantuan. My opinion is that they are are a far stretch from his finest work but still spectacular. John Barry's music is gorgeous as always, with just the perfect asian influence.

Yet like so many Bonds the film is a pretty jumbled affair, with an on-again off-again plot that never rises much above a simmer. Donald Pleasance is a big letdown as Blofeld, as is his henchman. The romance is non-existent. So, not really a good film by any stretch. But for sheer eye candy it's outstanding. And the DTS sound is incredible.

The one with the hollowed out volcano lair - a fun ride.......2007-04-08

Yes, it's the one with the hollowed out volcano and what a fun ride it is too. It should come as no surprise to anyone that for me (who ranks the earily similar plot-wise TSWLM at #2 of Bond movies and is a fan of Roger Moore's portrayal) that "You Only Live Twice" is high on my list of favorite Connery movies.
It's fun and zany and like a Godzilla movie on steroids Bond is plunged into a kinetic, energized Japan. A country that is reeling from an identity crisis following a humiliating defeat in WWII for the traditional nation and the onslaught of 1960s pop culture of which the Bond phenomenon was a major part.
Connery for his part looks bored and tired with the role and so the film makers understandably have loaded this movie with special effects, martial arts fighting, gimmicks and yes, a hollowed out volcano. All in the hopes that Connery will get lost in the mix and his lack of enthusiasm for the part less evident as the viewers senses are assaulted by a vibrant concoction composed of all the spectacle and wonder that screenwriter Dahl and director Lewis Gilbert could conceive.
The mission seems ripped from the headlines to use an old cliché. The time is the late 1960s and with the US and USSR locked in a race for the dominance of space, the two nations are both having capsules hijacked by some unknown power. Of course in the hyperactive paranoia of the Cold War - each blames the other. But Britain, in its infinite wisdom, stands by their claim that their tracking placed the object (that seized an American rocket) land somewhere in the sea of Japan.
The movie begins with one of my all-time favorite pre-credits sequences. Bond is in bed with an attractive Chinese girl. In what appears to be a double-cross however she pushes a button that sends the bed into the wall before letting a couple of assassins in who pepper the bed with bullet holes. Having the hero "killed off" at the beginning of the movie is a gimmick that has been copied often (and in fact first echos the opening of "From Russia With Love." But Gilbert crafts it expertly.
A solid entry in the Bond series - too light for some, but certainly a lot of fun throughout.

JAMES BONDs Dichotomy of Styles East meets West.......2007-04-04

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE contained elements of espionage, action, thrills, adventure and science fiction. Looking back it somehow worked loosely when put together yet till this day I can not determine what the cohesive element was. Looking at it closely the film is a real dichotomy of styles. The first hour is excellently filmed and works very well. We get to see James Bond the spy, working with recognition codes, breaking into safes, going under cover and the like. There is an excellently choreographed fight scene between Bond and a sumo wrestler. This is also the first time he developed a good working relationship with a fellow intelligence head, Tiger Tanaka, similar to that of Kerim Bey in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. We also see that "M" has absolute confidence in his man. "This is the big one," he tells Bond knowing that 007 is the only one capable of pulling off this assignment. There is also quite a bit of very witty dialog in the first hour of this film. In the first hour the pace is deliberate, but never boring or unentertaining. It ends with Bond flying "Little Nellie," delivered by "Q," into an aerial dogfight with four helicopters. As it moves into the second hour more of the science fiction and fantasy elements start to take center stage. The film starts to look untidy and meanders along till it gets to the excellently filmed battle between Tanaka's ninjas and Blofeld's private army in his Volcano lair. It's not a bad Bond film, but it should have been a lot better. I think the culprit was the editing. Russian and American manned space capsules were being snatched out of orbit by an "intruder missile." Bond had to find the location and the identity of those responsible before World War III breaks out. The filmmakers decided not to surprise us at the end of the film, but instead show us, not Bond, that this "intruder missile" is in fact owned by SPECTRE and is being launched from Blofeld's Volcano lair in Japan. That comes a little past the hour mark. That being the case there was a good opportunity to develop suspense, as Bond has to locate the launch site. When Bond finally does find the volcano he has very little reaction to his discovery. He in fact seems to have come prepared with suction cup kneepads, which he uses to climb upside down and into the volcano. Tanaka shows up with his men, the battle ensues and Bond saves the day. It just could have been done much better considering how well the first half of the film was handled. The massive sets designed by Ken Adam were highly innovative and stylized and are probably the best of the entire series. M's office aboard the submarine, M-1, was also pretty innovative incorporating furniture and decorations from his office from the Ministry of Defense back in London. John Barry wrote a brilliant score. His music for the "Capsule in Space" was eerily ominous. He also incorporated sections of the "James Bond Theme" very effectively subsequent to Henderson's death and the fight in Osato's office. Barry's "Mountains and Sunset" went beautifully with Freddie Young's Cinematography. This and his score for ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE were the last to contain his best action pieces for the series. These were little snippets here and there written to give the action a little more punch. I thought Sean Connery gave some his best performances as James Bond in this film. Bond's scene with Henderson was very good. His repartee with Moneypenney was one of his best. Sean Connery did return as James Bond in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER but one era had already ended with ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE and a new one would begin with his return.

Only ONE Person We Know Carries This Licence.......2007-04-04

The transfer is much improved with crisper images and increased resolution. The sound is outstanding. As for the movie, the odds have never been greater or the stakes higher. World War Three hangs in the balance of the success or failure of James Bond. This is the `Big One' and it looks every bit of it. We thought all the stops had been pulled out for "Thunderball" but not quite, "Thunderball" was just practice! "Thunderball" was the pinnacle of the James Bond phenomena and rightly so. However, "You Only Live Twice" pushes the envelope continuing in the same vein as "Thunderball." Still, Sean Connery is James Bond, the contemporary hero in today's age of uncertainty. S.P.E.C.T.R.E. continues to harass James Bond by day and disturb his tranquility by night. The script by Roald Dahl, based in-very-little-part on the Ian Fleming novel, is refreshing, imaginative and in some respects innovative. Bond finally comes face to face with Blofeld in the form of Donald Pleasence. I believe there are at least two schools of thought on his portrayal usually in extreme approval or disapproval. In any event, we get a good dose of S.P.E.C.T.R.E.'s usual form of justice that it doles out to its unsuccessful employees the same as we have seen in "From Russia With Love" and "Thunderball." The scene between Osato and Helga Brandt and Blofeld in his incredible lair accompanied by John Barry's haunting score is one of the best in the entire series. In fact there are quite a few good scenes in this film filled with very witty yet intelligent dialogue. This is a step up from "Thunderball" in that respect. One feature perhaps not that noticeable is the extraordinary flow and pace of "You Only Live Twice" or more accurately the reason for that flow and pace. This can be attributed to editing and the film's combination of plotting, action, dialogue and its great visuals and music. I think the contribution of Ken Adam's massive yet simple production designs, John Barry's continuing incredible innovation in scoring, Bob Simmons' incredible stunts and choreography and Sean Connery's perfect portrayal of James Bond make "You Only Live Twice" one of the most memorable of the series. Yes, I thought Connery gave a perfect performance. Connery does not walk through this one. If you separate and examine his performance from the rest of the film I think you will find that it is very credible. Connery gives us a perfect balance of the best of what he brought to the first four films. It is not 100 percent Fleming but is perfect for the cinema version of his creation. For that reason I think many fans find it hard to say they like "Thunderball" over "You Only Live Twice" and visa versa. I think that "Thunderball" has a real Fleming feel to it while Connery though very energetic and captivating approaches that assignment with unusual aplomb. And that is not a bad thing. "Thunderball" is a very beautifully filmed aquatic adventure and John Barry's score melds the whole experience into some type of Fleming aura for the viewer. I think the overall premise of "You Only Live Twice" is so incredible yet brilliantly delivered cinematically that Sean Connery's performance is overlooked.

James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 4 (Dr. No / You Only Live Twice / Octopussy / Tomorrow Never Dies / Moonraker)

Average customer rating:

The best bond vol. of all times
Picked up whole collection in one pack - great deal
Offbeat Collection of Bond Titles, Superbly Remastered...
Best Purchase Ever
Finally, box sets that do the Bond legacy justice

James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 4 (Dr. No / You Only Live Twice / Octopussy / Tomorrow Never Dies / Moonraker)
Starring: Bernard Lee , Joseph Wiseman , Anthony Dawson , Jack Lord , and Zena Marshall
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. 3 (GoldenEye / Live and Let Die / For Your Eyes Only / From Russia With Love / On Her Majesty's Secret Service)
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: B000ICM5VC
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Amazon.com

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. Sean Connery was just 32 years old when he won the role of Agent 007. 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. She gloriously kicks off the long-standing tradition of Bond women who know how to please their favorite secret agent. A sexist anachronism? Maybe, but 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. There's an island populated only by women, plus a fantastic sequence with a hand-to-hand fight that happens on a plane--and on top of a plane. The film even has an extra emotional punch, since this time out 007 is not only following the orders of Her Majesty's Secret Service, but he is also exacting a personal revenge: a fellow double-0 agent has been killed. 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 at the behest of his superior M (Judi Dench), 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. After the razzle-dazzle of The Spy Who Loved Me, this attempt to latch onto a trend proved to be a case of overkill, even though it brought back the steel-toothed villain Jaws (Richard Kiel) and scored a major hit at the box office. This time Bond is up against a criminal industrialist named Drax (Michel Lonsdale) who wants to control the world from his orbiting space station. In keeping with his well-groomed style, 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

Beyond James Bond Ultimate Collection - Vol. 4

James Bond Ultimate Collection - Vol. 1
James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 2
James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 3

Stills from James Bond Ultimate Collection - Vol. 4 (click for larger image)

Description

*Dr. No Disc #1 -Movie with DTS 5.1 Surround and original mono/stereo -Language selections -Audio Commentary Featuring Director Terence Young and Members of the Cast and Crew

Disc #2 -TOP LEVEL ACCESS 007: License to Restore - Featurette Detailing the BOND Ultimate Edition Film Restoration Process -DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT The Guns of James Bond -Premiere Bond -007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of Dr. No -THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER -Inside Dr. No -Terence Young: Bond Vivant -Dr. No 1963 Featurette -MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery & Radio Communications

*You Only Live Twice Disc #1 -Movie with DTS 5.1 Surround and original mono/stereo -Language selections -Audio Commentary Featuring Director Lewis Gilbert and Members of the Cast and Crew

Disc #2 -DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Welcome to Japan, Mr. Bond Whicker's World - Highlights From 1967 BBC Documentary On Location With Ken Adam -007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of You Only Live Twice -THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER -Inside You Only Live Twice -Silhouettes: The James Bond Titles -Plane Crash: Animated Storyboard Sequence -MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailers, Photo Gallery, TV Spot & Radio Communications

*Moonraker Disc #1 *Movie with DTS 5.1 Surround and original mono/stereo *Language selections *Newly Recorded Audio Commentary Featuring Sir Roger Moore *Audio Commentary Featuring Director Lewis Gilbert and Members of the Cast and Crew

Disc #2 *DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT 007 in Rio - Original 1979 Production *Featurette *Ken Adam's Production Films *Bond '79 Learning to Freefall *Skydiving Test Footage *Skydiving Storyboards *Circus Footage *Cable Car Alternative Storyboards *007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of Moonraker -THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER -Inside Moonraker -The Men Behind the Mayhem - Special Effects Documentary -MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailer & Photo Gallery

*Octopussy Disc #1 -Newly Recorded Audio Commentary Featuring Sir Roger Moore -Movie with DTS 5.1 Surround and original mono/stereo -Language selections -Newly Recorded Audio Commentary Featuring Sir Roger Moore -Audio Commentary Featuring Director John Glen

Disc #2: -DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Shooting Stunts: Crashing Jeeps & The Airplane Crash -Ken Burns On-Set Movie -On Location with Peter Lamont -Testing the Limits - The Aerial Team -James Brolin Original Screentests -James Bond in India - Original 1983 Featurette -007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of Octopussy -THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER -Inside Octopussy -Designing Bond - Peter Lamont -Rita Coolidge 'All Time High' Music Video -Storyboard Sequences -MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailers & Photo Gallery

*Tomorrow Never Dies Disc #1: -Movie with DTS 5.1 Surround and original mono/stereo -Language selections -Audio Commentary Featuring Vic Armstrong and Michael G. Wilson -Audio Commentary Featuring Roger Spottiswoode and Dan Petrie Jr.

Disc #2" -DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Deleted and Extended Scenes Introduced by Director Roger Spottiswoode -Expanded Angles Introduced by Director Roger Spottiswoode -Highly Classified: The World of 007 -"The James Bond Theme" (Moby's Remix) -007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of Tomorrow Never Dies -THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER -The Secrets of 007 -Storyboard Presentation -Gadgets -Sheryl Crow 'Tomorrow Never Dies' Music Video -MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailers & Photo Gallery

Customer Reviews:

The best bond vol. of all times.......2007-06-27

Yes I loved the movies plus the documentaries were just fasinating.

It got me into watching the movies more ,and more. And the quality of the picture, and sound that it made them like seeing them for the frist time in years.. I cannot wait to buy the other volumes ..

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

Great deal for the hardcore Bond fan.

Offbeat Collection of Bond Titles, Superbly Remastered..........2007-06-09

The brilliantly remastered library of James Bond films continues with "James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 4", a collection of titles that may have you scratching your head about the choices, but will dazzle with their pristine beauty, nonetheless!

"Dr. No" (1962), was, of course, the first 007 film, and a huge gamble for both Broccoli/Saltzman's Eon Productions, and United Artists. With a tiny budget, a little-known leading man (Sean Connery), and a daring concept for a more conservative era (missions of a ruthless hero whose job was murder, and hobby, copious amounts of sex), the film succeeded because of tongue-in-cheek humor, explosive action, breathtaking women (personified by Ursula Andress), and Connery's charismatic presence. Until Daniel Craig's debut, this was as close to author Ian Fleming's vision of Bond as you could find, and what the film lacks in polish, it makes up for in intensity. (4 stars out of 5)

"You Only Live Twice" (1967), has, over time, earned the ire of many Bond fans as the film Broccoli decided to do as Connery's first swan song, instead of the vastly superior "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (Japan offered a very lucrative production deal). As worldwide Bond mania subsided, this strange entry has a bored Connery machine-gunned, resurrected, piloting a toy helicopter, pretending to be Japanese, and often playing second-fiddle to Ninjas, while facing his LEAST threatening villain, Donald Pleasence. Even a beautiful theme song and breathtaking volcano finale can't save this entry. (2 stars out of 5)

"Octopussy" (1983), is best-known as Roger Moore's entry in the year of competing Bond films (as Sean Connery's "Never Say Never Again" was also released). While both actors were 'long-in-the-tooth' as 007 (Moore was 55, Connery, 53), the Moore film offered Eon's customary opulence, a leading lady who could act (Maud Adams), and the unintentional humor of villain Louis Jourdan lisping "Octopussy". Great action scenes and beautiful locations (much of the story is set in India) were marred by the campiness that was, sadly, a trademark of the Moore films. (2 1/2 stars out of 5).

"Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997), Pierce Brosnan's second outing as 007, finds him far more at ease and mature in the role than in "GoldenEye", and offers one of the best Bond leading ladies, Michelle Yeoh, as his Chinese counterpart. Jonathan Pryce, as a nerdy 'Ted Turner'-type media mogul, provides a wry spin on the traditional Bond villain. On the down side, Teri Hatcher's performance as a Bond ex-lover is amateurish, and the derivativeness that would plague all of Brosnan's films gives it a "been there, done that" feel. (3 1/2 stars out of 5)

"Moonraker" (1979), one of the dumbest ideas for a 007 film, ever ("James Bond in Space!"), is, basically, a reworking of the vastly superior "The Spy Who Loved Me", moving the venue from the sea to Earth orbit. Silliness abounds, from Jaws and his blond nymphet girlfriend, to a gondola on wheels cruising the streets of Venice, to the ray-gun space battle climax. Michael Lonsdale looks more bored than villainous, and even a fabulous free-fall opening sequence can't save this Roger Moore entry. (1 1/2 stars out of 5)

While only "Dr. No" qualifies as a Bond 'classic', these remastered films are all still worth a new viewing, if you haven't seen them, lately; the loving restoration work makes each look as fresh as the day they were released!

Best Purchase Ever.......2007-05-12

I own all 4 volumes, and this is the ultimate collection for Bond Fans and a must have collection. This collection is chock full of extra goodies. The only movie missing is "Never Say Never Again" with Sean Connery and Kim Basinger as this was not part of the " official" Bond series and was put out by a different studio, the same year as " Octopussy". Each Volume contains 5 movies in their own individual case.(2 DVDs each 1 with the movie and one with extras). Each movie also has a little booklet with information on the actors and the filming of the movie, with makes for some interesting reading. These are high quality DVDs in both video and sound and for the advertised price for all four volumes, is a steal in my opinion. I have always been satisfied with Criterion releases for their quality and the extras and this series has definately not disappointed me. This was money well spent. Charlie S.

Finally, box sets that do the Bond legacy justice.......2007-03-31

James Bond Ultimate Collection.

INTRODUCTION:
When it comes to film franchises, very few measure up to Ian Fleming's legendary secret agent, James Bond. For decades this series has never failed to entertain. With girls, guns, gadgets, and everything in between, the series rarely fails to please. The franchise has been through many highs and lows in its several-decade history, and numerous collections of the films have been released over the years. In 2006, MGM released four Ultimate Collections.

OVERVIEW:
The James Bond Ultimate Collection consists of four box sets, each including ten discs - five films and a bonus disc for each. The boxes' content are as follows:
-Volume One (Gold): Goldfinger (1963), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), The Man With The Golden Gun (1974), The World Is Not Enough (1999)
-Volume Two (Blue): Thunderball (1965), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), A View To A Kill (1985), Licence To Kill (1989), Die Another Day (2002)
-Volume Three (Red): From Russia With Love (1963), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), Live and Let Die (1973), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Goldeneye (1995)
-Volume Four (Silver): Dr. No (1962), You Only Live Twice (1967), Moonraker (1979), Octopussy (1983), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Note that these are sets of the official EON productions films. As such, non-EON productions such as the David Niven/Peter Sellers version of Casino Royale and Thunderball remake Never Say Never Again are not included.

REVIEW:
I'm not going to go through and review each individual film (that's what the movies' individual Amazon pages are for), I'm just gonna focus on the box sets and their execution here. Here is a list of the pros and cons for every set.

-THE GOOD-
-ALL TWENTY FILMS READILY AVAILABLE ON DVD AGAIN. It's been a long time since we've been able to get the movies on DVD, and it's about time they got reissued. Finally, this shortage has reached its end.
-A QUICK AND EASY WAY TO COMPLETE YOUR BOND COLLECTION. You could hunt down each individual film, and spend a lot more money and do a lot more searching. Or you could just get these four sets. Much quicker and easier.
-A BONUS DISC OF MATERIAL FOR EVERY MOVIE! If you're a Bond fanatic, you're going to get a kick out of all the extra material MGM gives you in these sets. Deleted scenes, trailers, interviews with cast and crew, these bonus discs are pure gold for you if you're a Bond die hard like me.
-REMASTERED. VERY WELL. Normally I don't mention remastering of movies in my reviews, as it's usually a rather shoddy job that does little to improve the picture quality. NOT THIS TIME. MGM has given us the films with FRAME BY FRAME RESTORATION. If you thought earlier issues of Bond films on DVD had crappy picture quality, MGM redeems themselves here. This is, hands down, THE GREATEST FILM REMASTERING JOB I HAVE EVER SEEN. Even Dr. No, the first Bond film, has stunningly beautiful picture quality! My hat goes off to MGM here. This is reason alone to buy the sets, even if you own the older boxes.
-SUPERIOR TO THE OLD DVD BOXES OF THE SERIES. Everything they did, these sets do better. Picture, extras, you name it, this set does it better.

-THE BAD-
-STILL NOT IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. This has been under hot debate from Bond fans as long as boxes of the films have been on the market. MGM clearly wants to make a few bucks. Let's face it, if all of the Connery films were in one set, everyone would buy that set and no others. Rather than getting the films in chronological order, we get uneven and scattershot mixes. For instance, the fourth box set features Dr. No and You Only Live Twice, two of the masterpieces of the series. But the set is dragged down by two of the major stinkers in the series, Moonraker and Octopussy. With every set it's this same "balancing act" phenomenon, with great films and weak ones alike. I must admit, a rather ingenious marketing strategy on MGM's part, but not what fans want (of course, you can do like I did and buy all the sets and make your own box and put them in order.) Fortunately, this is the ONLY major flaw of these sets.

OVERALL:
When it comes to the Bond films on DVD, "Nobody Does It Better" than MGM with these box sets. Beautiful picture and sound, extras galore, and all twenty films readily available again, there's no reason not to own these if you're a Bond fan. Even if you already have a few films on DVD or some of the older sets, these are still worth getting for the picture quality and bonus features alone.

EDITION NOTES:
These sets are all readily available. Any major DVD retailer should have them available.

Average customer rating:

Only You
Viva Italia
Amazing
Pretty Sweet Movie
A Man Dares to Review This Movie

Only You
Starring: Marisa Tomei , Robert Downey Jr. , Bonnie Hunt , Joaquim de Almeida , and Fisher Stevens
Director: Norman Jewison
Manufacturer: Columbia TriStar
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B0000633R4
Release Date: 1998-04-15

Amazon.com

While director Norman Jewison's Moonstruck is a romantic cornerstone, this 1994 film is often overlooked. It's a sweet valentine about a young woman, aptly named Faith (Marisa Tomei, never cuter), who chases an unknown man to Europe because the name "Damon Bradley" was once spelled on an Ouija board as her true love. With her sister-in-law (Bonnie Hunt, whose own marriage seems to be falling apart), she travels the streets of Rome looking for Damon Bradley.

Customer Reviews:

Only You.......2007-05-15

If you like 'chick flicks' you will love this movie. Cute story line. Awesome Italian scenery.

Viva Italia.......2007-02-16

A wonderful comedy based in Italy.Of course you go around Rome while sitting in your living room. I loved it,as I am Italian.There are so many places to visit in Italy,particularily Rome.
I loved the story and the actors played it so nicely.the story is lovely!!!!!!

Amazing.......2007-01-19

A story written by the stars.... This is an amazing movie. Beautiful locations, excelent actors and a fabulous plot. Has been my favorite for the longest time. If you liked The lake house or what dreams may come you will absolutely love this one.

Pretty Sweet Movie.......2006-11-10

I have seen this movie before I purchased it, but somehow it didn't have the same effect on me as it did when I was younger. It's still a sweet movie, although it really isn't interesting to me until she gets to Europe. The end is very romantic and sweet.

A Man Dares to Review This Movie.......2006-11-06

I don't want to parrot what the editorial review says, but he pretty much nails it right on. "Only You" is something of an enigma--you can never find it in stores, rarely even in a rental shop. My sisters and I loved this movie in our teens--Sarah holds the record for "Most Times Watched." She's not pathetic, it's just that enjoyable. Like "the cop and the waitress" or "While You Were Sleeping" it's one of the genre that belongs in your rotation.

Here's what the editor didn't tell you:
Bonnie Hunt and Marisa Tomei are beautiful. I still have a crush on Marisa Tomei...well, at least enough to chase down whatever movies she's been in since I saw this one. Also, it's quotable. Not quite as good as "The Princess Bride" but a lot of fun to rehash! ("It'ly! My wife's in It'ly!")

Yes, the scenery. Yes, Robert Downey Jr. is at the top of his game. And I've gotta say that with all the scandalous behavior in the movie world today, I feel so good about the treatment of marriage in this movie. (I'll spoil this much of it for you.) This movie makes 3 true statements: Both finding the right person and marriage itself are nearly impossible quests, but both are well worth working out. And you can tell a lot about a woman by the shoes she wears.

I'm buying the widescreen version as soon as I am done with this review. You should too.

Ah! My Goddess Season 2, Vol. 2: I Only Want to Be with You

Average customer rating:

Ah! My Goddess Season 2, Vol. 2: I Only Want to Be with You
Starring: Ah My Goddess
Manufacturer: Adv Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000P6R5LQ
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Description

AH! MY GODDESS tells the story of college freshman Keiichi Morisato who is chosen to receive a single wish. The angelic "goddess" Belldandy is sent down to Earth to grant his wish. But Keiichi thinks she's just part of an elaborate prank, so he wishes for Belldandy to stay with him forever. Much to his surprise, she agrees! The series follows their relationship as they become closer to each other.

Ah! My Goddess 2, Vol. 2: I Only Want to Be with You

Average customer rating:

Ah! My Goddess 2, Vol. 2: I Only Want to Be with You
Starring: Ah My Goddess
Manufacturer: Adv Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000P6R5L6
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Description

Harry Connick Jr. - Only You in Concert (Live from Quebec City)

Average customer rating:

A New Harry
very disappointed
harry connik
Fans will enjoy this dvd
Harry Connick Jr ...sigh!!

Harry Connick Jr. - Only You in Concert (Live from Quebec City)
Starring: Harry Connick Jr.
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001MDPJ0
Release Date: 2004-03-23

Amazon.com

It must be good to be Harry Connick Jr. He's charming and humble, with movie star looks (and a film resume to back it up) and a Victoria's Secret model for a wife; he sings like Sinatra, and he's a brilliant pianist and arranger leading a superb band. And now he's at center stage for what has to be one of 2004's best DVD music releases. This 2004 concert is a triumphant confirmation of a mature talent, and a classy, swinging big band affair that does Ellington and Basie proud. The theme of Only You is Connick's album of the same name, a collection of romantic songs from the '50s and '60s, and the choices are often inspired: the Drifters' "Save the Last for Me" and the lovely "Goodnight My Love" (a hit decades ago for Paul Anka, the Fleetwoods, and others) are just two examples. But Connick's arrangements of even the more familiar material are original and fresh; he even manages to breathe new life into "Sweet Georgia Brown," a virtuoso solo piano performance. A 30-minute interview with Connick and a 20-minute documentary focusing on the concert, the CD, and the musicians round out this terrific package. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

A New Harry.......2007-01-15

This was a wonderful DVD, a different side of Harry. For all his fans, I think you will enjoy this as much as the crooner.

very disappointed.......2006-01-24

Somehow Harry doesn't sound as good as I remembered. I hate to say that this concert is a bit boring.

harry connik .......2005-02-25

live is good and harry live is good showdvd. don't like will and grace as much. good.

Fans will enjoy this dvd.......2004-10-01

Who am I? My grandma? Do I really want to watch Harry Connick, Jr. live? On PBS? I mean, I do like that "Antique Roadshow" program and I'm sure they've got some other decent stuff on there, but damn, PBS? Anyway, Mr. Connick does his best to convince everyone he's the second coming of Frank Sinatra (it's tough to say who's the better actor, however), crooning his way through "Save the Last Dance for Me", "The Very Thought of You" and many other standards. So how's ol' Harry do? Not really that well, to be honest. His mood is too subdued, his voice too average-it's like he's trying too hard to give people what they want. And what do people want? I'll tell ya: they want bonus material like interviews with Harry and the band, a photo gallery (why must every DVD come with a photo gallery?), and behind-the-scenes footage.

Harry Connick Jr ...sigh!!.......2004-08-16

Besides an unrivaled ability to make women of all ages sigh (believe me on this, I was recently at one of his concerts where two 70-ish year old women were literally hootin' and hollerin' and swooning), the man is the consummate performer. This dvd, filmed early in the Only You tour in beautiful Quebec City, is masterfully produced and captures the many talents of the man and his band. Singing, dancing, humor, theatrics, original composition,ingenious interpretation and a magical energy the whole band shares comes through beautifully in this entertaining and inspiring show. The documentary and post-concert interview are a lot of fun as well. While nothing compares to seeing Harry and the band live, this DVD is the closest we can come to that. Also excellent is the Jill Connick-directed "We Are In Love" concert dvd from a decade ago. Fun to watch back to back to see how Harry has changed...and how he hasn't!

You Only Live Twice - 2-Disc Ultimate Edition

Average customer rating:

NOT THE BEST OF THE BONDS.
Bond's First Fall: Bond is Tired and the Story Suffers from "Action Bloat"
Twice is the only way to live!
Weak Plot Saved by Good Action and Special Effects
bond exhausts!

You Only Live Twice - 2-Disc Ultimate Edition

Manufacturer: MGM
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

Ultimate Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000LY5MIA

Product Description

Two Disc Collector's Edition

Customer Reviews:

NOT THE BEST OF THE BONDS........2007-03-29

Other reviewers will give this movie a good review. I will write an honest opinion. I bought these ultimate edition dvds and they are perfect. The quality is pretty amazing. The 2 stars is for the movie. I think Daniel Craig is the best Bond, but I love Sean Connery and the first three Bond movies were truly great. This is one of Connery's worst outings. Not as bad as Diamonds Are Forever but it is pretty lame. I can only imagine that it was so bad that Connery himself did not want to participate any longer. It is probably due to peculiar industry redtape that On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which was released after this one was a great success (though not a money-maker), but Connery left at the right moment. I'll mention just one reason, among many, that shows why this movie sucks: Sean Connery is surgically altered to become Japanese! This would happen in Star Trek, but not a Bond film. Sean Connery was brilliant as the originator of this stylish icon, but this dismal money-maker shows its age.

Bond's First Fall: Bond is Tired and the Story Suffers from "Action Bloat".......2007-03-18

Coming on the heels of the two-action packed films GOLDFINGER and THUNDERBALL, it was only inevitable that the James Bond series would trip and fall. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE is the fifth entry into the Bond series and by this time everyone looks a bit tired. The film had a budget that was larger than ever, beautiful shots of Japan, one of the largest sets ever built (SPECTRE's volcano lair), and, of course, Connery. Despite having all of these elements, however, the storyline diverts sharply from Fleming's original design and the film suffers from what we might call "action bloat." There seems to be no room for the character of James Bond to develop--or, for that matter, any of the other characters in the film. Everything seems to fall prey to the size of the production and the elements that drove the films when they had significantly smaller budgets seem to be completely gone. One really can't blame Connery for deciding (at the time) that YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE would be his last Bond film.

After the opening "gun barrel" sequence, the opening pre-credits "teaser" quickly gets underway. The film opens up on a mysterious spacecraft that gobbles up the manned Jupiter capsules of the United States. The US immediately assumes that the Russians are up to no good and tensions run high between the two countries. Britain, cool as ever, remains unconvinced of the Russian involvement. While the Americans have been rushing around pointing the finger, Britain has been closely following the space capsule, tracking its landing to somewhere in the Sea of Japan. Naturally, Britain's number one man is on the job. We quickly cut to our hero, in a fold-out wall bed with the beautiful Ling (Tsai Chin). Suddenly, Ling collapses the bed, trapping James Bond inside! Armed gunmen run in a moment later and riddle the bed with their machine guns. The bed is unfolded to reveal the body of James Bond...dead. As in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, this is the second time James Bond has met his end at the top of the film. The title credits follow, produced by Maurice Binder (returning from DR. NO and who would go on to produce most of the credits for the rest of the series), mixing a colorful pinwheel pattern, the faces of Asian women, and scenes of a flowing volcano. The title song, sung by Nancy Sinatra, is quite peaceful, lending a particular mood to the rest of the film.

The plot of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE is one of the most convoluted ever. Bond, of course, is not dead. He has merely faked his death in order to fool his enemies for a little while and create some "breathing" room (hence, the meaning of the film's title). After shoving his body off a British naval ship, he is promptly recovered and transported to a British submarine where Moneypenny and M are waiting for him in some makeshift quarters. Bond's mission is to track down the mysterious spacecraft and to discover who is operating her. Japan is not capable of such a task, but who is? Bond must succeed in order to prevent WW III from breaking out. Bond travels to Tokyo and quickly begins following Osato Chemicals, a chemical firm that we later find to be furnishing a component of rocket fuel to the mysterious party. That party, we discover, is none other than SPECTRE, this time led personally by Blofeld himself. China is financing the effort in the hopes that the United States and Russia will destroy themselves in the aftermath of the space hijackings. Bond must discover Blofeld's secret launch facilities and stop the evil villain before the US loses another spacecraft. Will he make it in time?

One can't watch YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE without being reminded of the previous Bond films. Once again, we have a plot that involves threatening the US space program (as in DR. NO). But this time, the Chinese are involved in the hopes that the major powers of the East and West will destroy themselves (as they were hoping in GOLDFINGER), in a scheme that tries to bring back the espionage excitement of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. Alas, this plan is not quite as baked as the one Kronsteen provides in that film and it fails to live up to any of its predecessors. Roald Dahl, interestingly, was chosen to write the screenplay and it is the first Bond film to greatly divert from Fleming's original vision. Unfortunately, one gets the sense that it is merely trying to copy-cat the original Bond experience. With new director Lewis Gilbert at the helm, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE feels very different from the four films that preceded it.

But it is certainly on the largest scale possible. SPECTRE launches into space to swallow up American and Russian spacecraft, only to re-enter the atmosphere safely and land in a secret hidden volcano. The volcano set, designed by talented Ken Adam, is one of the largest I've ever seen and the fight sequences performed in it are truly spectacular in scope. In the film's climactic fight sequence, a hundred Japanese samurai warriors descend from the mouth of the volcano on ropes into a virtual war zone. It has to be seen to be believed. One thing that does look remarkably cheesy, given the film's budget and time, is the special effects involving the spacecraft's launch and re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. Along with the cartoonish volcano's eruption at the end of the picture, these special effects sequences seem like they are out of a low-budget 1950s picture and do not belong in the same movie as Ken Adam's set.

Unfortunately, I think that the shear size of the picture is the reason the film ultimately fails. With so many huge sets and action sequences, there is no room left for storytelling and character development. Connery, while competent, has nowhere to go in this film and seems strangled by the plot. The Bond girls, with the exception of Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi), are reduced to mere eye candy. While beautiful to look at, Kissy Suzuki (Mie Hama) and Karin Dor (Helga Brandt) are not even characters. The wonderful personalities of Honey Ryder and Pussy Galore are gone. Even the villain Ernst Blofeld (Donald Pleasence), who makes his first on-screen appearance, is comically lacking. He is not merely as menacing as the faceless character we met in earlier films, in which only a chilling voice was heard. I think the producers should have left him in the chair, hidden by his cat and voice. Q (Desmond Llewelyn) makes his mandatory appearance, this time only armed with "little Nellie," the famous gyrocopter that is outfitted like the Aston Martin DB5. Unfortunately, the copter seems thrown in for effect, for all of its gadgets are immediately put to the test in a seven minute combat sequence. It is fun to watch, but the gadgets lose their appeal when they appear to be thrown into the film rather than worked into the plot.

Ultimately, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE seems like a middling Bond flick. Were it any other action picture, it might pass for a wonderful special effects piece--a stuntman's film. But given that it's a Bond film, it just doesn't quite meet the standard. Despite being known for their spectacular action and adventure, every good Bond film must involve excellent storytelling and character development. If you sacrifice these elements for more action, you are doomed to failure. The Ultimate Edition, once again, has fantastic DTS 5.1 sound and a remarkably clear picture. The second disc contains a "Making of" documentary, a film about Maurice Binder and his incredible contribution to the Bond series, and the usual trailers, TV spots, et cetera. If you love the film (or are a "completist"), I would highly recommend this edition of the film. But if you are looking for the best of the best from Bond, look elsewhere.

Twice is the only way to live!.......2007-03-14

Sean Connery's FIRST swan song to the Bond series. Despite his dislikes of fame while making this film, and a totally preposterous and unbelieveable plot, this is epic 60's Bond at it's best! Bond goes Japanese to stop that dispicable SPECTRE from causing WWIII by hijacking American and Russian space capsules. Connery still gives as good as he gets, even though his transformation to look Japanese is a bit cheesy. Akiko Wakabayashi and Mie Hama make for a couple of beautiful and resourceful Japanese agents. Asian action film star Tetsuro Tamba, is a scene stealer as "Tiger" Tanaka. Donald Pleasance makes film history as THE quintessential Bond Villain, SPECTRE #1: Ernst Stavro Blofeld! Set Designer Ken Adam outdoes himself with Blofeld's volcano fortress (What! No, Oscar nomination?!)! David Lean's favorite cameraman Freddie Francis boasts some of the most gorgeous cinematography ever in a Bond film! John Barry conjures up yet another classic Bond score! Love that "Little Nellie"!
****1/2 out of *****

Weak Plot Saved by Good Action and Special Effects.......2007-03-13

The fifth James Bond movie was quite an evolution from "Dr. No" and "From Russia with Love." Gadgets galore, ever more exotic locations, double entendres along with a large dose of other witty remarks establish the James Bond as we know him today. It is perhaps this evolution that makes many Bond fans consider "Goldfinger," with fewer witticisms and gadgets, yet a fully developed spy character, to be the best Bond movie. Regardless of whether you felt the Bond movies were going down hill after "Goldfinger" or not, I still like a lot about this Bond movie.

After the traditional opening scene, the movie opens with one of the best of the early credits openings. Nancy Sinatra, of "These Boots Are Made for Walking" fame, sings "You Only Live Twice" beautifully while umbrella framework shadows background scenery. In some ways I thought this opening was one of the more innovative openings until the opening for "Tomorrow Never Dies" with Cheryl Crow doing the song honors.

Moving past the opening, S.P.E.C.T.R.E. is attempting to start a world war by stealing US and Soviet space craft while they are in orbit, hoping that the two countries will get so mad at each other that they will attack and blow each other up. Even when the US and the Soviet Union were most angry at each other it is extremely unlikely that each would credit the other with the ability to steal their spaceships, and even if they did blame each other, nuclear war over spaceships is implausible at best. Unfortunately, the plot in this movie is as weak as it sounds, so forget about a really evil super villain who has a good conquer the world plan.

One interesting double take is Charles Gray as good guy Henderson. In "Diamonds are Forever" Gray gets to come back and be bad guy Ernst Blofeld, taking over for Donald Pleasance in this movie. Donald is just too nice to be Blofeld.

With one exception, the action and special effects are what make this movie. Cheesiest special effect goes to the helicopters shot down by "Little Nelly". Think helicopters hung by a string and then blown up. Not what you would call a great special effect. The rest of the special effects ran from good to very good. The underground S.P.E.C.T.R.E. base hidden in the base of a volcano used generally good miniatures, though the wheels didn't turn too well on the spaceship transport. "Little Nelly" was a pretty cool gyrocopter, though the scenes of Bond flying it had the usual unreal look of a projected back screen.

The rest of this film contains a host of little details. Secret entrances, trap doors, trap walkways, and of all things, Ninjas! Oh, and the Bond women in this movie tend to show the same polarity of other Bond films. While some of these women are beautiful and compliant, some are ruthless killers. Nothing like equal opportunity!

One side note. This movie was written by Roald Dahl, of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "James and the Giant Peach" fame. While some other reviewers have expressed dismay that a well-known author with Dahl's credentials came up with such a weak story, I consider that Dahl was a lot younger, and the interpretation of the screenplay can make or break a screenplay. While Dahl may have been able to make improvements, responsibility for the relatively weak plot can be shared by many of those involved.

While the plot for this movie is among the weakest of the Bond films, I still think the movie is saved by the nearly non-stop action and special effects. I admit that the one-liners used throughout the movie kept the movie from taking itself too seriously, which may also distract some fans, but there is still one line I enjoy. When Bond meets Aki, a beautiful female Japanese, she says to Bond that she looks forward to working under him. Even Bond looked a little surprised when she said that. James Bond doesn't always get the good one-liners!

Enjoy!

bond exhausts!.......2007-02-28

You Only Live Twice is the biggest action Bond to date! The non-stop chase and action scenes definitely foreshadow the Bond of our times! And the new re-masters capture it all! An ambitious effort, very involving, exotic locations on a grand scale; no holding back in this film, there are even space-craft sequences!

The Lovin' Spoonful with John Sebastian - Do You Believe in Magic

Average customer rating:

The Lovin' Spoonful with John Sebastian - Do You Believe in Magic
Starring: The Lovin' Spoonful
Manufacturer: Standing Room Only
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

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Gunsmoke - The First Season
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ASIN: B000Q66Q1K
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Product Description

The Music of John Sebastian & The Lovin Spoonful features classic, full-length TV performances of their chart-topping hits performed by group members Steve Boone, Joe Butler, Zal Yanovsky and John Sebastian. Our host on this nostalgic journey is John Sebastian himself, who not only provides fascinating insights into the creation of the band and their music but also into some of the milestone moments of the group s career. Songlist: Do You Believe in Magic, You Didn't Have To Be So Nice, Daydream, Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind, Rain On The Roof, Summer in the City, Nashville Cats, She's Still A Mystery. Also Darling Be Home Soon and Welcome Back (Kotter) performed by John Sebastian. Bonus Features: John Sebastian Commentary on Childhood and Musical Influences, Greenwich Village and the Folk Scene, Forming the Lovin' Spoonful, Songwriting. Reflections: John Sebastian and Denny Doherty (Mamas and Papas) pay tribute to Zal Yanovsky. "Tower of Song" interview with Zal Yanovsky.

The James Bond Collection, Vol. 2 (Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Good Set, but Wow $$$$
3 Repeats in This Series!!!
A great mix of Bond movies
Holy be-jesus...
JB Ultimate Edit... mi6.co.uk

The James Bond Collection, Vol. 2 (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
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The James Bond Collection, Vol. 3 (Special Edition)
The James Bond Collection, Vol. 1 (Special Edition)
Never Say Never Again
Thunderball
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ASIN: B0000BYRO7
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Amazon.com

Sean Connery casts a long shadow over the James Bond legacy. He created the movie persona and starred in six of the first seven features, all but establishing the cool cold warrior as the world's most suave secret agent. The second Bond collection celebrates the Connery Bond with three of his classics, including From Russia with Love, 007's second and perhaps finest outing. A blond, buff Robert Shaw plays Bond's most ruthless nemesis, and Lotte Lenya and the great Pedro Armindáriz costar in this sleek, high-energy trip through the Iron Curtain. Connery travels to the Far East in You Only Live Twice, which introduces the international criminal conspiracy SPECTRE and its cat-loving mastermind, Blofeld (Donald Pleasence). After a brief retirement, Connery returned for Diamonds Are Forever, his final "official" appearance in the Bond series (15 years later he played Bond for a rival studio's Never Say Never Again). This more tongue-in-cheek adventure takes 007 to Las Vegas, where he battles Blofeld (this time played by Charles Gray) and his minions--namely, a pair of fey, sardonic henchmen and a team of bikini-clad karate killers.

Roger Moore took over the role and his fourth effort was Moonraker, a misguided sci-fi entry that takes Bond to space for a physically impressive but dramatically lackluster adventure with Richard Kiel's steel-dentured Jaws. After that brief digression, For Your Eyes Only returned Bond to globetrotting high adventure and teamed him with his most endearing ally (Topol as a gregarious smuggler). The torch was passed to Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights, an attempt to clear away the camp elements of Moore's portrayal and return to a lean, hard-edged spy thriller for the post-cold war era. It lacks the larger-than-life characters and spectacle of previous Bond pictures, but Dalton was a tough, ruthless 007 and a worthy inheritor of the legacy, which was then passed on to Pierce Brosnan. In The World Is Not Enough, Bond takes on post-Soviet geopolitics, with Robert Carlyle as the villainous Renard and Sophie Marceau and Denise Richards as love objects.

Description

Includes From Russia with Love, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, The Living Daylights, and The World Is Not Enough.

Customer Reviews:

Good Set, but Wow $$$$.......2006-11-29

Let me start off by saying that this collection has some good points. Those good points are From Russia with Love, a great Sean Connery movie, For Your Eyes Only which a pretty good Roger Moore film, and (many may disagree with me on this one) my favorite Brosnan Bond, The World is Not Enough. The other films in this collection are ok, but I don't think there is any film in the Bond series that I really dislike. Now that being said, DON'T PURCHASE THIS SET. I don't know who the people are that are reviewing this with 5 stars and saying great low price, but I wonder if they are the ones trying to sell them. My problems with this set is the picture and sound quality. They are what you would expect on a movie from the era each film was produced. The older Connery Bond movies look like your watching them on 1960's film. The other problem I have with these sets are the prices. To purchase this set used will cost you about $170, the price new is over $200. There is no reason to pay that much for this set. I would recommend if you are looking for the Bond collection to purchase the Ultimate Editions (UEs). The movies have been restored so picture quality is great. The UEs are also set in 5.1 surround sound, and the special features are great. Also the price of the UE compared to this set is a lot better, when you consider that you can purchase all 4 of the UE for about the same price this Vol 2 will cost you. In sort if you want the Bond movies, buy the Ultimate Editions.

3 Repeats in This Series!!!.......2006-09-04

I just bought James Bond Collection, Vol. 2 for my brother and much to my surprise found that THREE of the titles were also in Vol. 1 of the series (which he has). What a rip-off! Paid over $100.00 for 3 new discs. Very disappointing.

A great mix of Bond movies.......2006-08-19

This is my favorite of the 3 Special Edition boxsets. For one thing, it's got 3 great Connery movies: "From Russia With Love" (007 tries to get a Russian decoding machine while surviving a SPECTRE trap); "You Only Live Twice" (007 in Japan must take on SPECTRE, which has been kidnapping spaceships to start war between the USSR and the USA); and "Diamonds Are Forever" (classic Connery 007, in Las Vegas tracking a diamond smuggling trail that leads to Blofeld). I find all those Connery ones entertaining, and YOLT and DAF are two of my personnal favorites, both very entertaining and with great settings. Next, there are two Roger Moore flicks: "Moonraker" (007 goes onto a space station to stop a madman from destroying the world); and "For Your Eyes Only" (007 must recover a stolen piece of technology). "Moonraker" is a bit silly, but I'll admit I find it to be entertaining and I enjoy it more than most Moore films. And "FYEO" is my favorite Moore film, the most hard edged and realistic. There's also a Timothy Dalton film, "The Living Daylights" (007 must stop a group of Soviet renegades from smuggling heroin). It's Dalton's first film, and he's my second favorite, next to Connery. Dalton's Bond is more dark and serious, yet "TLD" is still a good thriller. Finally, there's Pierce Brosnan's third outing, "The World Is Not Enough" (007 tries to stop a nuclear sub exploding and destroying much of the world's oil supply). "TWINE" is one of Brosnan's best, certainly better than his first two. Overall this boxset contains some of the lightest Bond movies, and some of the darkest, offering a good variety of styles and a good variety of Bonds.

Holy be-jesus..........2005-11-19

For all the positive reviews, am I the only one who noticed that the cheapest you can get one of this box set for amounts to over $25 a movie? Maybe its just because it the holiday season and due to the amount of shopping impressed upon me at this time of year, but it occurs to me that this is rather outrageous.

JB Ultimate Edit... mi6.co.uk.......2005-09-21

For any James Bond fan. If this superb collection of James Bond DVDs weren't enough for you; there is good news coming your way. SONY and MGM are planning to re-release all twenty(20) of the James Bond Movies to DVD in (what they're calling) The James Bond Ultimate Edition DVD Collection. Straight official article from mi6.co.uk Here is the link:

http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/dvd_ultimate_editions.php3?=&s=

These new Ultimate Edition DVDS are due in Q32006 coinciding with the release of Casino Royale (21st James Bond Film). These DVD releases are gonna be one of the top DVD projects of 2006!

Picture Quality? They are using Imagica Machines; which are ultra-sophisticated digital film-scanners. One frame every four seconds, which is how long it takes Imagica to scan across the frame 4,000 times. The Imagica they are using creates digital replicas of the frame consisting 4,000 horizontal lines of data. The process is called 4K scanning. It's gonna look sharper than ever; believe it.

Sound Quality? The Company Mi Casa has chosen the brand new Bryston SP 1.7 multichannel preamplifirer/processors for to use in the James Bond remastering project. Although you'll be able to switch back to the original traditional mono sound track if you desire.

Extra special features? Brand New Documentaries and new special bonus material; plus cast and crew intervies from the past 42 years. Including rare and previously seen footage from the productions. Also newly added, Roger Moore has just recorded his commentary tracks for his seven bond films.

I just can't wait. Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan (my favorite Bond) coming back to DVD in the best action spy adventures; the best collection yet.

So they're out next year in 2006. Probably October, with the release of Casino Royale who'll once again being directed by Martin Campbell (GoldenEye). Theatrical Release Date October 19th, 2006.

Average customer rating:

Great Bond film
Love that music.
A favorite Bond Movie
Good entertainment, but very little of the original novel is here
Q introduces 'Little Nellie,' a flying version of the Aston Martin...

You Only Live Twice
Starring: Sean Connery , Akiko Wakabayashi , Mie Hama , Tetsuro Tamba , and Teru Shimada
Director: Lewis Gilbert (II)
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Espionage | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

Diamonds are Forever
From Russia With Love
Thunderball
Dr. No (Special Edition)
Goldfinger

ASIN: B00004W9CE
Release Date: 2000-10-17

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Customer Reviews:

Great Bond film.......2007-06-14

Connery does it again, great Bond movie.

Love that music........2007-05-06

I just finished watching You only Live Twice, and am ready to write a short review on it. First off all, it's a spy thriller with some science fiction undertones. A whole slew of cuties from the orient, and some of the better special effects from that series. So here we go....

PROS:

1. It has the best music of all the Bond movies in my opinion. Sung by the cutie Nancy Sinatra (Franks' daughter) and helps make this movie--after you've head the music go back and listen to the words. Hmmm, maybe a slight piece of wisdom there. I think I have the original sound track around here somewhere, it sounded slightly different I seem to remember. If you listen to the words they say something like '...you only live twice--or so it seems, one life for youself--and one for your dreams. You drift through the years , and life seems tame, til one dream appears--and love is its' name.

I'm of a mind to believe love can heal all wounds and reportedly can even twist time and space. The song itself gets a star.
2. Lots of Bond special effects--not all of them science fiction. Full size gyro copter, a real submarine--must have been early world war two, a hundred ninja sliding down ropes, and of course the usual amount flaming gunfire and explosions--the filler between action shots has fine music including the space scenes. A ton of action in the mass attack on Spectre's headquarters. On the back cover it says that hollow volcano cost them a million to built--now a days that would be fifteen to twenty million.
3. Neat storyline--Bond supposed to get killed in the beginning scenes.
plus our space capsules and the Russians are getting stole...while in space.
4. You think the British braging a little bit about James Bond? Go buy Where Eagles Dare--that is a movie with Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton--and is a true story right down to the telephone call they made while in the castle. In my opinion it was their spy networks' finest moment. So why am I telling you this? Well I'm sure they still feel this way about themselves and after seeing Where Eagles Dare--I don't blame them a bit. I say they have the right to 'crow'. Besides, I like James Bond movies.
5. Did I mention the ton of Oriental cuties in this movie? And to be sure, they are all properly dressed. No S---s in this bunch. I was in the orient back in the early seventies with the military--ah, the tears of the oriental women. Most all females in this country used to do that to us men so they could get what they wanted. Of course nobody tells you what usually happened--if the female did it in public(and there were any 'real' men around) you would be in for a through beating. Oh well, things have changed. Nobody was allowed to 'make' a cutie cry back then.
six. Probably the best big fight scene (towards the movie's end) in all the Bond movies.
7. Lots of outdoor scenes with more cuties. We are introduced to the Japanese way of thinking and doing things--men first, women second. Imagine what would happen to us guys if we tried that over here!
8. The rocket scene near the end of the movie was fine but for one thing, the flames never pointed down but sideways as if it were close to landing. Oh well, I guess even James Bond movies aren't always technically accurate.
9. The movie has filler in it, but not enough to bore you unless you are so jaded you can't enjoy an older action/adventure movie without people's head getting chopped off or something.
10. Some pretty ok fight scenes in this one.

CONS:

1. If you're a Bond fan there are no cons. If not, but you like spy movies it will be a three star show. If you don't like adventures and action movies all together, it is still a two star movie--nice scenery, nice music--did I mention all those cuties?

A side note here: If you got that movie True Grit I want you to run it up to the scene where Rooster puts Matty on the horse Little Blacky. Watch the part where he is wearing the horse out to get the snake-bit girl to help. See where the horse falls down dead, the camera pulls back to show there is no help insight...there is no help possible--the girl was going to die. Even the music reflected this feeling. Well, now go to You only Live Twice and run it up to the scene where Bond and the female agent are at the docks not too far into the movie. They get spotted by the dock workers and are chased. They're going to get killed. Bond tells the girl to get out of here. She does and he watches her running across the docks. The music picks up, he is alone now and must lead them astray so they don't catch her. Not to mention the diminishing chance he might escape. The chase across the roof top is pretty much the same idea as that scene in True Grit. The music picks up, the camera pulls back showing the hopeless situation for Bond, yet he must try. Seven men behind, chasing him, as many in front of him, and no place to run or hide.

You guess I ought to E-mail hollywood and let them know how to make a 'real' movie using these two scenes as examples? No way...let'em eat cake!

If you like this type of movie, buy. Don't rent.
Bye.

A favorite Bond Movie.......2007-03-22

This is one of the best James Bond movies. Sean Connery is truly special in this movie. The adventure in Hong Kong demonstrates a unique quality of the "James Bond" series. There is true excitement and intrigue in every scene.

Good entertainment, but very little of the original novel is here.......2007-02-01

"You Only Live Twice" features exotic Japanese locations, a fine Japanese cast (I love the actor who plays Tiger Tanaka), and of course, the great Sean Connery, who will always be THE James Bond. Also in this film's favor is the music--"You Only Live Twice" by Nancy Sinatra is widely acknowledged to be the best of all of the superb James Bond theme music. The script is all right, but it has little in common with the Ian Fleming novel of the same name save the Japanese venue. This is unfortunate because "You Only Live Twice" is among the very finest of all of the James Bond novels and contains some of Ian Fleming's best writing. Further, in my opinion the best James Bond flicks are those which hew faithfully to the Ian Fleming novels, as indeed several of them do (Goldfinger, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, From Russia With Love, and Thunderball come to mind).

Overall, this film does provide excellent entertainment for 007 afficianados, and it holds the viewer's interest throughout. The special effects are great fun. James Bond purists will possibly not like the storyline as well as that of the novel, but still, this one rates four stars because it is, at a minimum, fine entertainment if not to be taken too seriously. That ain't bad.

Q introduces 'Little Nellie,' a flying version of the Aston Martin..........2007-01-17

Throughout Bond's career, the SPECTRE chief had lurked behind the scenes, masterminding horrific crimes and dispensing ruthless punishments to those who disappointed him... The "You Only Live Twice" mission revealed that evil had a human face... Blofeld's love of animals extended beyond his white Persian cat: he also kept piranhas... His fishy friends, capable of stripping a person to a skeleton in minutes, were not just for show...

'You Only Live Twice' takes place entirely in Japan... The script is a return to a 'From Russia with Love' type plot in which SPECTRE, backed by Red China, enters the space race by playing off the Russians and Americans... The agent of his plans is a specially designed Intruder rocket which captures spacecraft and returns them to SPECTRE chief Blofeld's secret Japanese volcano hideout...

To trick SPECTRE into lowering his guard on British Secret Service activities in Japan, Bond manages to fake his own death... Under the eye of SPECTRE agents, he is given a proper Naval burial at sea aboard a destroyer in Hong Kong, and his body is sent to the bottom of the harbor where a team of frogmen recover it and bring it to a waiting submarine...

Bond, wearing his full Commander's uniform, is alive, thanks to a special aqualung, and he reports to M aboard the submarine...To avoid further detection, he is placed in one of the submarine's torpedo tubes and fired towards the Hong Kong shore to investigate the missing satellites...

His contact is Henderson (Charles Gray--who later played Blofeld in 'Diamond Are Forever'), who informs Bond of Tiger Tanaka (Tetsuro Tamba), the youthful head of the Japanese Secret Service... Tanaka forged a strong working relationship with Bond... The centers of his operation were an underground Tokyo HQ with its own subway train, an ancient castle, and a training school for his Ninja force...

Although the film does develop a flavor for the Far East--with its beautiful women, emerging technology, and ancient customs--the movie's story is a less than compelling one... Impressive set pieces take over center stage at the expense of a sustained dramatic structure... And "You Only Live Twice" jumps up from villain to villain, escapade to escapade, until the final assault on the volcano rocket base puts 007 up against Blofeld for the first time...

In spite of pushing aside a bowl of oysters, and drinking his favorite martini 'stirred, not shaken,' plus Russian vodka and Japanese sake, Bond--lacking his usual charm-- is given little to do in the story... The women in the film are actually much more interesting than him... Aki and Kissy are the advance guard of the new Bond girl--less breathless females who have more equality on the firing line... In other words, they hold their own with Bond and help him out of more than a few scrapes with death...

Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi) is 007's guardian angel in Tokyo... She drives an exotic Toyota 2000 sports car, and wears fancy Western outfits... Kissy (Mie Hama) managed to resist Bond's advances--at least until the mission was accomplished...

Helga Brandt (Karin Dor) turns out to be totally unaffected by Bond's charm... Schooled in the Fiona Volpe-style of assassination, she decides to give Bond a taste of what she has to offer before leaving him to figure a way to escape the falling plane...

Nevertheless 'You Only Live Twice' isn't a bad film, and it does star the best Bond... It also holds off high points: John Barry's most romantic musical sequences, Freddie Young's cinematography, and Moneypenny--very smart in naval uniform--connives to have Bond say 'I love you,' a password chosen for this mission...

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