8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.4 |
James Bond battles cunning international smugglers intent on infiltrating Fort Knox.
Starring: Sean Connery, Honor Blackman, Gert Fröbe, Shirley Eaton, Tania MalletAction | 100% |
Adventure | 98% |
Thriller | 76% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.67:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital Mono (Original) (224 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English, French, Spanish, Cantonese, Korean
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
The James Bond series, and the titular character, had already been well established with audiences in Dr. No and From Russia with Love, by the time Goldfinger was released in 1963. Although the previous two films had been warmly greeted by film lovers, Goldfinger was a game-changer for the Bond franchise. The film was a sure-fire blockbuster that catapulted James Bond to a stratospheric level of success and acclaim, ensuring that more films would follow. Sean Connery was, perhaps, the greatest benefactor of the success of Goldfinger. He was suddenly an overnight superstar and was quickly elevated to the enviable position of being able to pick and choose his roles while naming his paycheck. Goldfinger remains, to this day, the perennial choice amongst critics and fans as the finest Bond adventure to ever grace the screen. Like a fine wine, the film gets better with age, showcasing the best that Bond can be. Goldfinger is an absolute film classic and is an essential piece to any serious Blu- ray collection. As an exclusive from Amazon.com, this Blu-ray release of Goldfinger has been issued in a collectible steelbook edition that is sure to be sought out by collectors. It's available for a limited time through the purchase links on this page.
Despite his tough image, Bond does like to get in some sightseeing from time to time.
Lowry Digital was charged with performing a full digital restoration on Goldfinger;
the film had started showing its age after more than 40 years and was in serious need of
some repair and clean up. Lowry responded to the task by delivering a pristine new master
of Goldfinger that looks completely stunning on Blu-ray. The film's original theatrical
aspect ratio of 1.67:1 has been preserved with this release, and has been delivered in
1080p utilizing the AVC Mpeg-4 compression scheme. It's fair to say, at this point, that many
James Bond fans have probably never seen Goldfinger look anywhere near this
perfect. This is a amazingly beautiful transfer.
MGM has avoided any and all digital artifacts with this release; banding, edge enhancement,
noise and the over application of digital noise reduction are all conspicuously absent.
Goldfinger features a warm, vintage color palette that perfectly accents the film's
sixties setting. Color fidelity is exceptional throughout the film and remains stable from start
to finish. Detail is also remarkably rendered; Bond's intricate Saville Row attire reveals fine
fabric details and all the telltale hallmarks of his carefully hand-tailored wardrobe. Black
levels can be shallow at times, but remain consistent with the film techniques of the era.
One area where the relative picture quality suffers lies in the use of optical composites
in the film's special effects sequences. Referencing the photograph included below this
paragraph, viewers will notice a drop-off in detail and sharpness when effects elements
have been combined into the shot. It can occasionally be a bit distracting. Notice how much
less crisp this particular image is in reference to the remainder of the screenshots. As this
scene plays out, the camera switches between shots containing the offending laser beam
and shots where the laser isn't in the frame. Quality changes dramatically between these
cuts, with the laser scenes appearing muddy and soft and those without the effect
appearing crisp and perfectly realized. It's all an unfortunate side effect of the compositing
techniques of the day and shouldn't reflect negatively on the transfer or the presentation
on
the whole. This is simply a part of Goldfinger that will remain inconsistent,
regardless
of restoration.
Ultimately, Goldfinger represents the finest of the vintage James Bond restorations
and is a stellar example of what can be accomplished when older films are given the care
and attention necessary to make the leap to high definition. Goldfinger is highly
recommended.
Goldfinger was originally presented theatrically with a monaural soundtrack that has
been faithfully reproduced on Blu-ray courtesy of a lossy Dolby Digital option. While there
are certainly those who will revel in the nostalgia of this original track, most will be more
inclined to sample the extensively remixed 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track that has been
included with this Blu-ray edition. Those responsible for this mix should be commended; the
track serves as a wonderful surround update that manages to increase the relative fidelity
of the audio elements, while giving the film a much-needed aural boost.
Regardless, there are still source-related limitations present in Goldfinger. The film
is now 45 years old and the recording technology of the day was relatively primitive in
comparison to the advanced digital techniques used today. As such, one can easily detect
hiss and compromised sections of the soundtrack that will probably never sound any better
than they do here. What's left, is a remarkable sonic achievement that manages to
maintain the feel of the original mono track, while adding much needed bass and surround
elements to the presentation. Goldfinger doesn't sound like a modern-day action
film, by any means, but it does sound remarkably fresh and lively. Highly recommended!
Here's what's included:
- Feature-length audio commentary with director Guy Hamilton
- Feature-length audio commentary with Sean Connery and various cast and crew
members.
- "The Making of Goldfinger"
- "The Goldfinger Phenomenon"
- "On Tour with the Aston Martin"
- 1963 Promotional Film
- Screen Tests
- "Honor Blackman Open-Ended Interview"
- Image Database
- Theatrical Trailer
- Original television advertisements
- Radio promos
- Audio-only interview with Sean Connery
As with all of the Bond releases, Goldfinger is jam-packed with a vast array of
special features that are bound to keep every Bond fan enamored for hours. MGM has
assembled two distinct commentary tracks that are worth a listen. I preferred the cast and
crew track, despite the fact that excised material from unrelated interviews with the
participants was used to create the track. All three featurettes go into great detail on the
cult of Goldfinger and the massive surge of popularity the film has experienced over
the past 40+ years. I was particularly taken by the "On Tour with the Aston Martin" short;
it's a nice aside that delves into the history of the iconic car. The film's theatrical trailer, a
slew of still photos, radio interviews and promotional pieces round out the set and add a
great amount of vintage flair to the supplements. Goldfinger isn't the most feature-
packed of the Bond discs thus released, though what has been included is of extremely high
quality and replay value. Quality wins out over quantity with the Blu-ray release of
Goldfinger.
Forty-five years after the film's theatrical release, Goldfinger remains the defining representation of James Bond. The film introduced so many of the elements that have embodied the character over the years, that it serves as a primer for understanding James Bond, while being the perfect first Bond film for any prospective Bond fan. Goldfinger finds Sean Connery at his absolute best; he's charming, witty and utterly convincing as the globetrotting secret agent. MGM has given Goldfinger a fantastic restoration, courtesy of the fine folks at Lowry Digital, while audio has been beefed up and effectively remixed. The film's supplements offer solid entertainment and excellent behind- the-scenes details. Goldfinger is an essential Blu-ray for fans of the Bond franchise and the perfect film for those wishing to experience the intrigue and wit contained within the world of James Bond. Highly recommended!
1985
1965
1973
1979
1962
1983
1971
1981
1977
1997
1969
2002
1974
1987
1967
1999
1989
1995
1963
2008