James Bond Ultimate Edition Boxed Sets Bundle

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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

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). 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. 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. Former editor Peter Hunt makes a strong directorial debut, deftly handling the elaborate action sequences with a kinetic finesse. --Sean Axmaker

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:

Everything It Could Be.......2007-09-12

If you want the first 20 Bond films in premium condition, this is the way to go.

Outstanding Quality ! The Highest Quilty Versions Of The Films I Have Ever Seen !.......2007-08-27

I received this collection from my girlfriend for my birthday and I couldn't be happier with this set. Unfortunately I was not old enough to see the first few Bond films in the theater, but I have seen them MANY times on broadcast tv, VHS and DVD (earlier single releases) and NONE of them compare with the visual and audio quality of this collection.

I wish I could give it 6 stars !

James Bond - 007 Ultimate Edition Set Bundle.......2007-08-24

I am a BIG James Bond fan since I was young I"ve seen every JB movie since 1963.
Any I started to collect the James Bond movies 1st in VHS format then in DVD (singles) but no one store had all the collection together, the store that almost had the whole collection was costco and I went back and forth lookin.
Then I was looking through Amazon and there they were and I jumped on this.

Johnnie Waller

PS, and the price was cool too!

Don't think - Just get.......2007-08-01

If you've been wanting the entire 007 set of DVD like I have, don't even think about buying this, just get it! This set is amazing. All the movies look incredible on my HDTV. I've never seen Dr. No or From Russia With Love look so good. Not to mention they're also in DTS, which makes me very said I don't have a DTS receiver.

Each film has the movie on one disc, then all the bonus features on another disc. The only thing thats a little annoying about this set is the movies aren't in chronological order. I rearranged the films in the four cases to be in chronological order though.

Wonderful Gift!.......2007-07-16

I bought this for my husband for Father's Day. I only gave him the first 2 sets and I'm holding onto the other ones for his birthday. He LOVED them! You can't beat the price for the set of 4. He was actually very happy that the movies were not in order too. This is a great gift for anyone who loves James Bond!

Average customer rating:

I love this show!
Great show, but lousy edition
Time to release the rest, too!
I'll wait patiently...
All seasons on DVD-WHEN?.

The Best of Designing Women
Starring: Delta Burke , Jean Smart , Julia Duffy , Douglas Barr (II) , and Richard Gilliland
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000A7W13
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Amazon.com

For a while, Designing Women captured some of the spirit of Hollywood's silkiest and smartest, Golden Age sophistication. Debuting in the fall of 1986, this half-hour sitcom--about four Atlanta belles who either owned or worked for an upscale interior design firm--seamlessly blended an understated glamour with razor-sharp dialogue, polished Southern grace, and a ripened female perspective--a sort of perfumed but unequivocal feminism for college-educated women over 30. The core cast of stage and film veterans--Delta Burke, Dixie Carter, Annie Potts, and Jean Smart--was unusually strong, and their characters' problems and conflicts were unique to adulthood rather than the protracted adolescence common among today's comedies. The five episodes on this disc represent some of the show's strongest material, including season two's "Killing All the Right People," which--for its time--was bold in introducing a character dying of AIDS complications. Also quite witty is "Reservations for Eight," in which the Georgia quartet and their lovers bicker over gender stereotypes. --Tom Keogh

Description

Join Julia and Suzanne Sugarbaker along with Mary Jo and Charlene in five of the most popular episodes! Fans have requested these episodes the most: the pilot episode that began it all, "Killing All the Right People" and "Reservations for Eight" from the second season, "Big Hass and Little Falsie" from the third season, and "They Shoot Fat Women Don't They?" from the fourth season. Starring Delta Burke, Dixie Carter, Annie Potts, Jean Smart and Meshach Taylor.

Customer Reviews:

I love this show! .......2007-09-11

This is one of my favorite shows and this product is a good sample of the diversity.

Great show, but lousy edition.......2007-08-23

I was really excited about giving this DVD to my Mom for Christmas and she was very happy when she opened it, but when she tried to watch it, it stopped working half way through!!! She couldn't get it to play again! Also, when are the powers that be going to release the whole show?? Some of us having been waiting a long time!

Time to release the rest, too!.......2007-06-26

This show was one of the wittiest, most original sitcoms. It dragged on way too long, but the first 4-5 years were very, very good. The syndicated re-runs on TV are heavily edited for time, and unfortunately, most of the funniest moments have not been seen on TV in years.

While we're waiting for the complete DVD collection to be released, this will certainly do! These are some of the most memorable episodes. Watch them again, complete for the first time in almost 20 years, and remember what it was you loved about this show.

I'll wait patiently..........2007-05-09

Thank you, IowaHawkeye "Warren" for your explanation. Yeah, it makes sense that it would be too costly for now. Of all the shows out there, this is one of the few for which I would pay a pretty penny. I taped oodles of episodes with the original cast when I was in grad school. I ended up tossing most of the tapes but kept a few. I've watched the reruns on Lifetime so many times that I know the dialogue in some parts of each episode by heart. The one TiVo'd episode I have is the one where Julia helps Bill reconsider his dilemma about Charlene and his Nancy. I tear up every time. This was such a charming show, well written, progressive, poignant yet downright funny. Just like some others have mentioned, my sister is a big fan of Golden Girls while I love, love, love DW. Yes, the mention of Noel, Consuela and T Tommy Reed does bring a smile to my face. I'll continue to wait for the DVD release...

All seasons on DVD-WHEN?........2007-03-16

I would love to see ALL seaons published on DVD!
Avid fan!

Average customer rating:

To understand people who are different, you have to be one
Increasing Probability
Stand and Deliver "stands and delivers"
Stand and Deliver
A wonderful affirmation of both individual human worth and the value of knowledge

Stand and Deliver
Starring: Edward James Olmos , Estelle Harris , Mark Phelan , Virginia Paris , and Mark Eliot
Director: Ramón Menéndez
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305161917
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Amazon.com

Based on a true story, this inspiring American Playhouse production stars Edward James Olmos as a high school teacher who motivated a class full of East L.A. barrio kids to care enough about mathematics to pass an Advanced Placement Calculus Test. Not exactly a variation of To Sir, With Love, the film concerns itself with assumptions and biases held by mainstream authorities about disadvantaged kids, and Olmos's efforts to keep his students coolheaded enough to prove them wrong. Olmos, virtually unrecognizable as the pudgy, balding instructor, gives a career performance in this fine piece directed by Ramón Menéndez, and written by the director and Tom Musca. --Tom Keogh

Description

Edward James Olmos's Oscar-nominated performance energizes this true-life story of a Los Angeles high school teacher who drives his students on to excellence at calculus.

Customer Reviews:

To understand people who are different, you have to be one.......2007-06-08

Along with Music of the Mind, Dangerous Minds and Radio and others, this is the message. Real people are making real differences and it is on DVD. Play this at home, often. It has enough threat of violence to meet the average American mind, then slips the fact that an effort invested pays great social dividends;

Increasing Probability.......2007-04-17

'Stand and Deliver' is a ground-breaking true-life tale of determination and innovation. The film is based on Jaime Escalante (James Edward Olmos), a financially successful man who trades his profession to teach school in L.A. Not accepting failure, he earns the trust of his students whose cynicism is unmatched by everyone except the teachers. Using colorful tactics, toughness, and humor, he wins his mostly hispanic classes by bridging the gap between what they can learn and what they've despaired of ever learning. Using his own dedication to build confidence, he catalyzes his students to use the educational ticket out of despair and poverty.

Comparing Olmos performance to real videos of Escalante, the actor hit the nail on the head. All the young performers bring such likable and identifiable students that they make us forget the groundbreaking nature of "The Sweat Hogs" (from TV's 'Welcome Back Kotter'). Endearing from start to finish, the story and characters are especially lovable. Even the hard-boiled shell of students like Angel are particularly charismatic. (Lou Diamond Phillips became an overnight sensation for his performance here.) Similar movies like 'Freedom Writers' today wouldn't have been conceivable without it.

Stand and Deliver "stands and delivers".......2007-04-10

I like this movie because it reminds me of AP Calculus and how hard that test was. I got a 5, but only because I took Algebra II, Geometry, Precalculus in the years previous to that. I can't imagine having to basically learn all the way from remedial algebra to Calculus in a 2 year span.

I was in a pretty low-income area too, but luckily the school wasn't so bad, and just as the movie suggests, Calculus is the key to move on to bigger and better things, and more interesing schoolwork, like University Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, etc.

It also gives you ability to improve your SAT Math score because you reinforce all the algebra trickery you may have missed in the previous years, because they are used in calculus too.

Even if you don't get credit for it at your college, having gone through the class helps to breeze through it in college. Even if you are not going to major in math and science, at least this will take care of any math requirements for your major, and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you know way more (in terms of analytical skill and thought process) than the college remedial algebra they would otherwise place you in.

I highly recommend this to anyone in high school or eigth grade. When in doubt as to whether to take the AP class versus the Honors level class, I ALWAYS recommend to choose the AP level course; but take that with a grain of salt, that's just my humble opinion, and your situation may be different.

However, I think if the school's paying for the test, you may as well save the time and money in college it would require to take the course, and if it's too hard you can always not take the AP Test until next year.

Stand and Deliver.......2007-01-25

I remember reading several years ago of a schoolteacher, new to a school, who was given a list of all her pupils' names. Next to each name was a number. These numbers were high ones, and assuming that they were a list of her new pupils IQ's, the teacher realised that she was to be teaching exceptionally bright young minds.

She upped her teaching accordingly. The students all responded and received exceptionally high marks at the high level set for them. It was later revealed that they were only average students, and what the teacher had taken to be IQ's were their locker numbers.

Stand and Deliver reminded me of this story. I think it is a fine film, the `true' story being beautifully acted by a talented cast. They are all good but Edward James Olmos deserves special praise as the teacher. If there were more teachers like him we should all rejoice.

If you sometimes think that the human condition is beyond saving see this uplifting account of triumph over adversity.

A wonderful affirmation of both individual human worth and the value of knowledge.......2007-01-22

Although there are many movies and television series set in high schools, lamentably few celebrate the joy of learning and the sense of empowerment and achievement that it can generate. As much as any film ever made, STAND AND DELIVER does precisely that. Based on the true story of Jaime A. Escalante, the film toys, as most biopics do, with many of the details of Escalante's actual story, but it definitely gets at the heart of his story. The film implies that Escalante instantly began teaching college AP Calculus to his students, whereas in fact he had been teaching at Garfield High School for almost a decade. But timing aside, he is justly celebrated as one of America's best known educators, helping the students of largely Hispanic Garfield enjoy exceptional success in its math program.

Despite the liberties the film takes in the story of Escalante's story, this is easily one of the great films about education ever made in the United States. It is also a deeply subversive film, because it essentially argues that race and class is not a genuine impediment to academic success. It demonstrates that kids from remarkably poor households can excel in school if given both the opportunity and a teacher who cares. The overall story in the film is simple: Jaime A. Escalante arrives at Garfield High School and begins to teach math. Against all odds, he finds students who turn out to be high achievers despite the obstacles placed against them. Most of the narrative focuses on his 1982 class, in which 18 students passed the AP Calculus exam, but 14 were asked to retake the exam following accusations of cheating. 12 of the 14 did and passed a second time.

What makes this such a wonderfully rich film are the strong performances by the central characters. Edward James Olmos, who I have long considered one of the finest actors in America, won a well-deserved Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his performance as Escalante (he lost to Dustin Hoffman in RAIN MAN). The rest of the cast centers on the young actors who portray his 1982 class, the best-known being Lou Diamond Phillips. Most of the kids were and are unknowns (with a couple of exceptions), but all do a great job. But Olmos dominates the film, just as his Escalante dominates his class.

By the way, fans of the Sci Fi Channel should notice not one but three familiar faces from staple shows from that network. Edward James Olmos has, of course, for the past three years starred in the critically acclaimed BATTLESTAR GALACTICA as Admiral Bill Adama. Fans of that show might, however, have missed in STAND AND DELIVER Olmos's real life son Bodie, here playing Escalante's young son. On BATTLESTAR he appears as the Viper pilot Hot Dog. The school principal is played by Carmen Argenziano, who is familiar to fans of STARGATE SG-1 as Samantha Carter's father, Jacob Carter.

Average customer rating:

Redd Foxx stole the show , well part of it....
Hilarious
Harlem Nights is critic proof.
Don't read the Amazon review, this movie was great!
one of the funniest movies ever!!!

Harlem Nights
Starring: Danny Aiello , Thomas Mikal Ford , Redd Foxx , Michael Goldfinger , and Jasmine Guy
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005U5AC
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Amazon.com

This is a supremely disappointing film, especially considering the talent involved. Indeed, the cast would seem to be the summit of African American comedians, starring the three most influential standups of the modern era: Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor, and Eddie Murphy. Murphy obviously was paying respect to his elders when he cast them as his father and grandfather in this story of Harlem in the 1930s. Written and directed by Murphy, the plot involves gangsters and rival nightclub owners but doesn't add up. What's a particular shame is that, with three comics as funny as Murphy, Pryor, and Foxx, there are so few laughs and so much misogyny. Do you really want to watch Della Reese get shot in the foot to shut her up? That's the level of the humor here. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

Redd Foxx stole the show , well part of it...........2007-03-03

Very funny movie with a very funnny cast...Not a great storyline but neither was Titanic and that boring nonsense won an award...Redd Foxx was at his best and Eddie's sly wit with the parakeet was just genuis..I just wish Robin Harris had more lines as well as Charlie Murphy...But it was still a very funny flick...I wonder how funny the deleted scenes and outtakes were..It a shame they're not in the DVD....

Hilarious.......2007-01-31

This movie does have a lot of bad language, so you wouldn't want your kids to watch, but for adults it's hilarioius througout. It has a great cast including Della Reese who will keep you laughing. It's one of those older movies that you want to make sure you have in your collection.

Harlem Nights is critic proof........2007-01-18

One of the excellent barometers to determine the success of a movie was to try to rent it. Back in the day in the african american neighborhoods, if you went to a movie rental store there were two movies that were never available for rent--the first 'Friday' and 'Harlem Nights'. Classics then, classics now. The Arsenio Hall scenes? The Stan Shaw scenes (the stuttering, lisping, high-voiced boxer)?, the fight itself? 'Sunshine'? The phone call ("Yeah listen, I ain't comin' home no more. Take care of yourself")? The scene with Eddie Murphy showing a tied-up Danny Aiello how to breathe in the vault of a dilapidated bank building? The initial reviewer clearly showed not only his ignorance but also his disdain of the african american cinema which has rarely shared its' tastes for films such as this one with the white critics who pander to their audience. But I recall a substantial amount of whites in the audiences the many times I went to see this film so it can only be said that most white critics and some white audiences have a problem with the african american cinema. But its' not going away. And three cheers to Eddie Murphy for winning a Golden Globe for his work in 'Dreamgirls'.

Don't read the Amazon review, this movie was great!.......2006-11-28

Though Amazon.com didn't think highly of this movie, I did, and thank goodness this movie was made!
Both Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx are not with us anymore, but this IS here. This film shows us the comedic talent of both these men, and to have stars like Eddie Murphy, Danny Aiello, and Della Reese is delicious icing on the cake.
Pryor as Sugar Ray and Murphey as Quick try to keep a vicious mobster from taking over their business. As you might think, they turn the tables on the bad buys!
Jasmine Guy stands out particularly as the mobster's girlfriend, and so does Della Resse as the hard-fighting madam with a heart of gold.
Thank-you, Eddie Murphy, for getting all these wonderful comedic talents together for us and prosperity! Because this movie exists we have them all forever.

one of the funniest movies ever!!!.......2006-07-24

This is one of the funniest movies if not the funniest movie ever made. You have got Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor, and Eddie Murphy in one film. What more could you ask for? The fight scene with Eddie and Della is hilarious. If you do not like this movie, you must be humorless or a racist.

Average customer rating:

Goldclinker. Disappointing.
Saw a special 'digital' screening at the cinema
Goldfinger
loved it
Good But Not Great Version

Goldfinger
Starring: Sean Connery , Honor Blackman , Gert Fröbe , Shirley Eaton , and Tania Mallet
Director: Guy Hamilton
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000M53GMC
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Amazon.com essential video

Dry as ice, dripping with deadpan witticisms, only Sean Connery's Bond would dare disparage the Beatles, that other 1964 phenomenon. 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. Honor Blackman's Pussy Galore is the prototype for the series' rash of man-hating supermodels. And Desmond Llewelyn reprises his role as Q, giving Bond what is still his most impressive car, a snazzy little number that fires off smoke screens, punctures the tires of vehicles on the chase, and boasts a handy ejector seat. Goldfinger's two climaxes, inside Fort Knox and aboard a private plane, have to be seen to be believed. --Raphael Shargel

Amazon.com

To own Goldfinger (1964) on digital video disc is to have at your fingertips the proof that Sean Connery is the definitive James Bond. Dry as ice, dripping with deadpan witticisms, only Connery's Bond would dare disparage the Beatles, that other 1964 phenomenon. 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. Honor Blackman's Pussy Galore is the prototype for the series' rash of man-hating supermodels. And Desmond Llewelyn makes his first appearance as Q, giving Bond what is still his most impressive car, a snazzy little number that fires off smoke screens, punctures the tires of vehicles on the chase, and boasts a handy ejector seat. Goldfinger's two climaxes, inside Fort Knox and aboard a private plane, have to be seen to be believed. --Raphael Shargel

Description

From the opening bomb blast outside a steamy nightclub to a last-minute escape from the president's personal jet, James Bond's third screen adventure is an exhilarating, pulse-pounding thrill-ride! Sean Connery takes command as Agent 007 and faces off wit

Customer Reviews:

Goldclinker. Disappointing........2007-09-13

I thought it would be fun to see a Bond movie. Mostly, I've only seen parts of movies on the tv when i was a kid. The movie started out pretty well, with modest intrigue and pacing as it presented the Bond gadgets and women. However, the second half really drags and is just one non-sequiter after another. I mean, there's supposed to be a litte suspense and cleverness, right? Of course, the movie is not about plot, but after awhile the bone head script is really annoying. Also, the movie feels dated, the action is slow and cheesy, and it's shot in a very clunky and dull style. Just like the duck on Sean's head in the opening sequence, this one is for the birds!

Saw a special 'digital' screening at the cinema.......2007-08-02

I've only seen a couple of Bond movies. I certainly would not call myself a 'fan'! I've seen two Timothy Dalton movies, and of course, the recent Casino Royale. When asked if I wanted to go see a special 'digital' screening at the cinema, I thought "why not?" I haven't seen any Sean Connery Bond movies and a few people say he's the best Bond. My mum disagrees, she seems to have a thing for Roger Moore.

I've never been so disappointed in a film before. For starters, the cinema was really hot, which severely affected my viewing. And I just didn't like Sean Connery. For me, he's definitely got better with age (Entrapment for example), but I just did not like him as Bond. Every line he said was absolutely DRIPPING with innuendo, normally ended with a wink or a smirk. And I mean dripping. It's called subtlety, and Timothy Dalton had some. And where is his Scottish? It sounded seriously toned down. He's sexy with a Scottish accent! Plus, I think I was coughing up furballs at the sight of his chest. It looks like a extremely furry animal died on it. Ugh! Can you guess I like no hair on my men?

For me, Goldfinger was the longest (it felt that way!) and dullest Bond movie. After really liking Casino Royale, this was a major let down. There's nothing memorable about it, and for a film that had a budget bigger than the first two combined, Sean Connery doesn't set foot outside Pinewood Studios, even though Bond is shown in America etc, in the film. What did they spend the budget on? Nothing major that I could see. The only thing I really liked about Goldfinger, was the girl who was asphyxiated by being covered in gold paint. Such a good look, but an absolute pain to get off I bet! Her skin was probably red raw from scrubbing at it that much.

I really didn't like Goldfinger. What am I not seeing? People seem to rave about it. I just don't see it. I'll stick to Daniel Craig in his blue shorts. Hairless. Sean Connery may be white haired and an old man, but he's good, just not as Bond I'm afraid.

Goldfinger.......2007-06-27

Armed with clever gadgets, good looks, and considerable wit, could Connery's martini-swilling Agent 007 be any smoother? Actually third in the series, Hamilton's "Goldfinger" dispensed with the earnest conventions of the spy flick for something cheekier and loads more fun: arch quips, cartoonish enemies, luxury sportwear, and exotic femme fatales. (Still, his most iconic image has to be actress Shirley Eaton--naked, gold-plated,and sprawled lifeless across a bed.) "Goldfinger" also introduces Bond's tricked-out Aston Martin and his inventive helpmate, Q, played by the wonderful Desmond Llewelyn, while Frobe, Sakata, and "Avengers" alum Blackman prove to be among the most formidable nemeses in the Bond franchise.

loved it.......2007-06-14

One of my favorite Bond films, a classic.

Good But Not Great Version.......2007-06-04

This is an all-time great movie achievement. The film, made against considerable constraints of budget, accomplishes a sustained mood which is hard to match.

My concern is this DVD production. The film itself has not been fully restored; you see scratches and "blips" which are no longer acceptable in our era of restoration techniques.

And also the commentaries are not as good as we've come to expect. While they are fairly informative, they suffer from a degree of hyperbole which detracts from their credibility. Yes, it is a great movie, all right, but some comments assert that "in all cinema history..." which sounds more like hype.

Which this movie does not need. To say it's the "best of all the Bonds" would not be hype in my view - just something like the truth. You gotta have it...

James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 1 (The Man with the Golden Gun / Goldfinger / The World Is Not Enough / Diamonds Are Forever / The Living Daylights)

Average customer rating:

Smorgasbord For Bond Fans
Fabulous Restoration Makes Bond Collection a Must!
James Bond Vol. 1
Thank goodness for these sets
Finally, sets that do the Bond legacy justice

James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 1 (The Man with the Golden Gun / Goldfinger / The World Is Not Enough / Diamonds Are Forever / The Living Daylights)
Starring: Roger Moore , Christopher Lee , Britt Ekland , Maud Adams , and Hervé Villechaize
Director: Guy Hamilton , and Michael Apted
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000BLFI
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Description

Disc 1: *Goldfinger (1964) THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER Audio Commentary Featuring Guy Hamilton Audio Commentary Featuring Cast and Crew

Disc 2: **Goldfinger Bonus Disc DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Sean Connery From the Set of Goldfinger Screen Tests On Tour With the Aston Martin DB-5 Honor Blackman Open-Ended Interview 007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of Goldfinger The Making of Goldfinger The Goldfinger Phenomenon Original Publicity Featurette MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery & Radio Communications

Disc 3: *The World Is Not Enough (1999) THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER Audio Commentary Featuring Director Michael Apted Audio Commentary Featuring Peter Lamont, David Arnold and Vic Armstrong

Disc 4: **The World Is Not Enough Bonus Disc DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Deleted Scenes and Alternate Angles With Introductions by Director Michael Apted Alternate Angle, Expanded Angle Scene: The Thames Boat Chase James Bond Down River - Original 1999 Featurette Creating an Icon: Making the Teaser Trailer Hong Kong Press Conference 007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of The World Is Not Enough The Making of The World Is Not Enough Bond Cocktail Tribute to Desmond Llewelyn Garbage 'The World Is Not Enough' Music Video The Secrets of 007 MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailer & Photo Gallery

Disc 5: *Diamonds Are Forever (1971) THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER Audio Commentary Featuring Director Guy Hamilton and Members of the Cast and Crew

Disc 6: **Diamonds Are Forever Bonus Disc DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Deleted Scenes Sean Connery 1971: The BBC Interview Lesson # 007: Close Quarter Combat Deleted Footage - Oil Rig Attack Satellite & Explosions Test Reel Alternate & Expanded Angles 007 007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of Diamonds Are Forever Inside Diamonds Are Forever Cubby Broccoli - The Man Behind Bond MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery & Radio Communications

Disc 7: *The Man With The Golden Gun (1974) **The Man With The Golden Gun Bonus Disc Newly Recorded Audio Commentary Featuring Sir Roger Moore THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER Audio Commentary Featuring Director Guy Hamilton and Members of the Cast and Crew

Disc 8: DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Roger Moore and HervÃ(c) Villechaize - The Russell Harty Show On Location With The Man With the Golden Gun Guy Hamilton: The Director Speaks Girls Fighting American Thrill Show Stunt Film The Road to Bond: Stunt Coordinator W.J. Millian Jr. 007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of The Man With the Golden Gun Inside The Man With the Golden Gun An Original Documentary Double-O Stuntmen: A Look at the Greatest Stunts and Stunt Performers in the Bond Films MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery & Radio Communications

Disc 9: *The Living Daylights (1987) THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER Audio Commentary Featuring Director John Glen and Members of the Cast and Crew

Disc 10: **The Living Daylights Bonus Disc DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT Deleted Scenes With Introduction by John Glen Happy Anniversary, 007 Silver Anniversary Featurettes Timothy Dalton: The New James Bond/Vienna Press Conference Timothy Dalton: On Acting Dalton and d'Abo Interviews The Ice Chase Outtakes - Deleted Footage With Director John Glen Narration 007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of The Living Daylights Inside The Living Daylights Ian Fleming: 007's Creator a-ha 'The Living Daylights' Music Video The Making of 'The Living Daylights' Music Video MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery & Radio Communications

Customer Reviews:

Smorgasbord For Bond Fans.......2007-07-07

While it may be assumed that those looking to buy a box set of James Bond films have already seen them all and formed a favorable opinion of them, that's not necessarily true. For instance, I had previously seen none of these, but had seen enough other Bond films to want to acquire them all and so I started with this set.
Like several other reviewers, I was at first annoyed that they were not presented in chronological order. But then, the rightful profit motive of Eon Productions is immediately transparent. If they had been issued in chronological order, then those who preferred one Bond over another might be likely to buy only the set with their favorite in them. By presenting them in seemingly random order, Bond fans will have to get them all. Beyond thirst for profit, Eon Productions has done the fan a favor. The Ultimate Edition series is truly a smorgasbord for Bond fans. In order for the fan to get his money's worth, he will be forced to reevaluate his original opinion of a Bond film by having to watch it a second time. If the viewer follows the sequence of the random order, he can then usefully compare and contrast the films either to reaffirm his old view or form a new one altogether.
I like all the films in this set to varying degrees. Some of them sometimes rely too much on gadgetry and loads of sexual innuendo to carry them, but they all do what they are supposed to do: entertain. While Goldfinger is often cited by critics as the benchmark by which all other Bond films are to be judged, its not my favorite here. Here's my list of favorites from most to least:
1) The Living Daylights: That surprised me because Timothy Dalton is far less famous as James Bond than any except perhaps George Lazenby. Great action, exotic locales, obligitory evil villains and a luscious Maryam D'Abo as Bond's latest love interest. The scenes in Afghanistan are of topical interest because we are now there instead of the Russians. My favorite action sequence is the thrilling chase of Bond and defecting cellist Kara Milovy (D'Abo) through the snow by Czech troops and their subsequent escape into Austria from Czechoslovakia. Next I enjoyed Bond's thrilling fight with his nemesis while clinging to a cargo net dangling precariously from a plane flying high over the Afghan desert. The fight scene in the truck as it careens down a narrow mountain road on Gibraltar is no slouch, either. This one is an under-rated gem.
2)The Man With the Golden Gun: Good story and acting although the martial arts scenes were somewhat cartoonish. Roger Moore makes an excellent Bond here and Christopher Lee as Francisco Scaramanga is delightfully wicked. I was surprised that to see that Scaramanga is not actually played by an Italian, because in the film his character has very classically Italian features. Britt Ekland as Goodnight is attractive, but her character is ditzy and often "dumb blonde". Even when she does something right, she somehow screws up. My favorite scene is the chase through the canals of Bangkok followed by the frantic effort to escape Scaramanga's disintegrating hideaway before it detonates.
Herve Villechaize adds much to the menace of the film with his cunning portrayal of the not-so-loyal Scaramanga flunkey Nick Nack.
3)Diamonds Are Forever: Sean Connery is back as Bond and in top form. Its another good but improbable story. The film is filled with appropriately evil villains who have the wits to nearly match those of Bond, another beauty in Jill St John, and more silly names to snicker at: Blofeld and Plenty O'Toole. My favorite scene is the moonbuggy chase through the desert followed closely by the scene in the mortuary where Bond was nearly cremated. Plenty of gags, a couple of wise-cracking gay assassins and sly innuendo will keep you laughing.
4)Goldfinger: Here's an early look at Sean Connery as Bond. Suave, debonair, a real ladies man yet ever ready to meet danger. Bond insinuates himself into the affairs of super-tycoon Auric Goldfinger and just happens to overhear the name of his masterplan. What that plan entailed, Bond was soon to find out, and what follows is a non-stop sequence of action-packed thrills. There are plenty of interesting gadgets though fewer here than in some of the later films. There are the silly names Auric (=AU=gold) and Pussy Galore which though likely tittilating at the time of the film's release now sounds lame. My favorite scene is the climax of the film when the battle is on for Fort Knox. Auric Goldfinger's plot comes close to succeeding, but you know it won't.
5)The World Is Not Enough: A very improbable story line, but not impossible. The film has great topical appeal even today considering on-going oil supply worries. There is action aplenty, of course. I like the helicopters that use huge saws to cut through every obstacle. The best scenes are the early ski chase and then the later battle on the ramshackle oil piers of the Caspian Sea. Villains abound and who is friend or foe not always clear. And of course, Bond always gets the girl(s) one way or the other.
The biggest question to ask yourself before buying the set is "will I get my money's worth?". The answer to that is a resounding yes. Even if you don't like one of the films, Eon Productions gives you added incentive to buy the set by adding discs filled with extras for each of the movies. This is one instance when you are better off buying the box set rather than each movie individually. Now that I've thoroughly enjoyed the James Bond Ultimate Edition-Volume 1, its on to Volume 2!

Fabulous Restoration Makes Bond Collection a Must!.......2007-06-09

Although 'Deluxe' Bond editions have appeared, in recent years, the new 'frame-by-frame' restorations make "James Bond Ultimate Edition - Vol. 1" ESSENTIAL, if you are a fan of the 007 films!

The title selections may be head scratchers, but the pristine quality of each film offers a look and sound that is breathtaking!

"The Man with the Golden Gun" (1974), Roger Moore's second outing as 007, suffers from the decline into campiness that would plague many of his films; targeted by hit man Christopher Lee, Bond journeys to Asia to track him down, aided by annoying Britt Ekland and ridiculous redneck sheriff Clifton James. While Maud Adams is lovely, and Thailand, breathtaking, Hervé Villechaize is silly, and the attempt to incorporate the kung fu craze, while amusing, turns 007 into a joke. Add an awful theme song, and you have a major disappointment! (2 stars out of 5)

"Goldfinger" (1964), for many fans, the 'perfect' Bond film, kicked off the 60's worldwide 007 craze; piggy meglamaniac Gert Frobe plans to nuke Fort Knox, and it's up to 007 Sean Connery, at his sexiest, to stop him. Fabulous women (Honor Blackman and Shirley Eaton), a superhuman henchman (Harold Sakata), an unforgettable theme song (sung by Shirley Bassey), and spectacular action makes this one solid gold. (5 stars out of 5).

"The World Is Not Enough" (1999), Pierce Brosnan's third 007 outing, is, arguably, his best; assigned to protecting sexy oil heiress Sophie Marceau from terrorist Robert Carlyle, Bond discovers nothing is as it seems! Offering Judi Dench's finest performance as M, and more plot twists than usual, one can almost forgive buxom Denise Richards' one-note portrayal, and the series' decline into derivativeness. (4 stars out of 5).

"Diamonds Are Forever" (1971), best-known as Sean Connery's 'comeback' as 007 after a one-film hiatus (and his final Eon Bond film), the film marks the beginning of the 'comic' Bond films of the '70s. Villain Charles Gray, as a sly, droll Blofeld, launches a diamond-powered laser satellite to blackmail the world. Shot largely in Las Vegas, Connery is graying and paunchy, Jill St. John, sexy, but ditzy, and one-liners and brainless action dominates the plot. Funny, but quite a letdown from "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". (3 1/2 stars out of 5)

"The Living Daylights" (1987), Timothy Dalton's debut as 007, is best remembered, today, as the film Pierce Brosnan would have starred in, had NBC not renewed "Remington Steele". The silliness of Moore's Bond is gone, as a more serious Dalton falls for cellist/would-be assassin (Maryam d'Abo), and uncovers an arms plot involving three villains (Jeroen Krabbé, Joe Don Baker, and Andreas Wisniewski). An Afghan/Soviet war subplot 'dates' the story, and the film, released in the same year as "Lethal Weapon" and "Batman", would not be a hit, but time has proven it to be a superior 007 outing. (4 stars out of 5).

Even if you've seen these films, I recommend this new collection; Bond films have never 'looked' better!

James Bond Vol. 1.......2007-05-19

The first James Bond movie that I saw was "Goldfinger". It was great. I wanted to see them all. Now I can with these great box sets. A lot of people don't like them because they're not in order. I like them that way. It gives you a good mixture. Let's get on to the reviews for all the movies in Vol. 1.

Goldfinger- This is the first James Bond movie that I saw. It is great. Sean Connery IS James Bond. If you've never seen a James Bond movie, watch this one first. 5 stars

Diamonds Are Forever- This one is great. It returns Sean Connery as James Bond. 5 stars

The Man with the Golden Gun- This one is pretty good. It stars Roger Moore as James Bond. I've always wanted to see this one. Now that I have, I am very happy. 5 stars

The Living Daylights- This has a weird title, but it is still good. It is the first James Bond movie with Timothy Dalton playing Bond. He is pretty good. 5 stars.

The World is Not Enough- This one is really good. I always like Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. He is excellent in his second to last movie as James Bond. 5 stars.

Overall, this recieves 5 stars.

Thank goodness for these sets.......2007-05-15

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 (I did), these aren't to be missed.

Finally, 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:

Two excellent movies for the cost of one!
Stand by Me/Lean on me
Great combo
2 Winners, 1 Package

Stand and Deliver/Lean on Me
Starring: Edward James Olmos , Estelle Harris , Mark Phelan , Virginia Paris , and Mark Eliot
Director: Ramón Menéndez , and John G. Avildsen
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000K2UGZM
Release Date: 2007-01-02

Description

Look at the too-cool-to-cope kids in Jaime Escalante's class at East L.A.'s tough Garfield High, and many will say they see a bunch of losers. Escalante sees scholars. How he cajoles, instructs, challenges and inspires his no-expectations barrio kids to pass the daunting Calculus Advanced Placement Test forms the amazing heart of Stand and Deliver [Side A], starring Edward James Olmos and Lou Diamond Phillips. Paterson, New Jersey's Eastside High is the setting for Lean on Me [Side B], starring Morgan Freeman as bat-and-bullhorn-toting principal Joe Clark, whose controversial methods turned the failing school around and made Clark a national symbol of tough-love education. His message: Don't lean on excuses, drugs or anger. Lean on yourself and me...and learn. School's now in session with these two true-life tales!

Customer Reviews:

Two excellent movies for the cost of one!.......2007-07-29

[ASIN:B000K2UGZM Stand and Deliver/Lean on Me] I volunteer in a juvenile detention facility, usually helping teenagers with their school work. They are not allowed newspapers or television, but they do watch videos. I purchased these because they are based on true stories and I hoped they might be inspiring for the kids.

Not only do they inspire the kids, but they seem to inspire the teachers as well!

I believe these DVDs would be excellent for any parent and preteen-to-teenage child.

It is well worth the cost to purchase these.

Stand by Me/Lean on me.......2007-07-08

This the kind of movie that my daughter and I enjoy. It is inspirational as it shows how one person or group of people can accomplish what everyone is saying is inpossible. Both of these movies have taken hard core bad kids and took them to new horizons because they believed in them and wouldn't let them quit. If you like to see the good guys win these are excellent movies to watch.

Great combo.......2007-02-07

Great combo of two movies in one. no special features though, but the movies are both great and the quality is good too. If your looking for a no frills look at the movies, this is it.

2 Winners, 1 Package.......2007-01-18

You simply can't go wrong with this DVD containing two outstanding films on educators who inspire their students in two utterly different ways.

In "Stand and Deliver" Edward James Olmos, almost unrecognizable, rightly earned an Oscar Nomination for his portrayal of an idealistic teacher in a run-down school. He makes extraordinary efforts to connect and motivate his students. He is a shining example of that cliche term "No one cares how much you know until the know how much you care." Olmos's character cares more than any teacher I have ever met myself. Awesomely inspiring!

Morgan Freeman's role in "Lean on Me" is typical of the kind of roles he's particularly good at: "My way or the highway." He nearly sinks his own efforts to turn around a failing school by acting as if he ALONE is the only one that can. This is a lesson for every administrator out there: Trust Your Staff/Facutly. Give your staff and facutly the respect they are entitled to and they will work for you and the students much better than if you brow beat them and circumvent their authority as professional educators. It is only when Freeman's character learns this that things begin to go his well-intentioned way.

As a 16 year veteran teacher I love nothing more than inspirational stories about education. Both of these films are now available in one package and definitely worth the purchase! If you are moved by other stories in the same vein, then check out "Mr. Holland's Opus", "To Sir with Love", "The Blackboard Jungle", "Dead Poet's Society", "Take the Lead", and "Akeelah and the Bee."

The James Bond Collection, Vol. 1 (Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

oh sean,sean,where have you been?
Good...but not THAT good
James Bond Collection, Vol. 1
Great...more Bond...
Must Have Bond, James Bond

The James Bond Collection, Vol. 1 (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:

ASIN: B00006BH8G
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Amazon.com

The James Bond Collection, Vol. 1 collects the same feature-packed DVDs that appeared in previous Bond boxes, but in a new combination of titles, one with a decidedly golden gleam. In 1962 Sean Connery defined the cinematic James Bond as a tough, charming, and thoroughly professional cold war spy with a license to kill in the lean, hard-edged Dr. No. With Ursula Andress (as the original Bond girl Honeychile Ryder, who makes her entrance in a bikini), Bond battles a renegade supervillain with little more than his wits, his cunning, and his Walther PPK. In Goldfinger (1964) Connery's steely presence helped forge the formula of tongue-in-cheek wit, wondrous secret agent toys created by Q, and megalomaniac supervillains bent on world destruction.

Roger Moore brought a light tone and a suave assurance to the series, and in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), he battles million-dollar assassin Christopher Lee, one of Bond's most magnetic adversaries. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), perhaps Moore's finest hour, is a return to the extravagant set pieces and cold war thrills of Connery's pictures and introduces Richard Kiel's steel-dentured Jaws to the series. Timothy Dalton made his second and final appearance as Bond in Licence to Kill (1989), the toughest of the Bond films since Connery's early efforts. Though not a fan favorite, it's a sleek, solid adventure with an edge missing from the Moore pictures.

Pierce Brosnan is the latest to take on the 007 mantle, combining the best of Connery's cool and Moore's humor. GoldenEye (1995) is a grand globetrotting adventure with lovely Bond girls and a tough new M (Judy Dench). Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) doesn't recapture that magic mix of action, gadgetry, and romance, but does feature the first Bond girl to match 007 blow for blow: Hong Kong action superstar Michelle Yeoh. The DVD editions of the films each feature audio commentary tracks by the director and key members of the crew, making-of documentaries, and a host of stills, TV spots, and trailers. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

oh sean,sean,where have you been?.......2006-12-26

i don't know if anybody mentioned this(ihaven't read all the reviews)but why is it these movies aren't released in box sets according to the indiviual actors who played the secret agent?you know,a sean connery set,a roger moore set,etc.for years i've been yelling for a connery set(whom i consider the best,though they're all good)but to no avail.as many times as they've released these,you'd think they would've done so.therefore i was dissapointed when these collections came out.please give us a chance to pick the bonds we like,without throwing them all together.

Good...but not THAT good.......2006-11-29

Ok, this is the best set in this collection in my opinion. The movies are some of my favorites in the series. You have 2 great