Though its final delivery date was some eight months late, MGM/UA's THX-approved CAV collector's edition boxed set of 'Thunderball' is a cause for James Bond fanatics to celebrate. It's frustrating when a disc keeps undergoing production and distribution delays, but as the saying goes, the long-overdue 'Thunderball' was well worth the wait.
To begin with, this new disc -- this is the fourth laserdisc version, following a poorly panned-and-scanned version, a decent widescreen version, and a triple-feature boxed set edition of three Connery Bonds -- was mastered from a pristine new print of the film, struck from the original negative on the occasion of the film's 30th anniversary last year. The letterbox ratio isn't quite the full 2.35:1 (the previous CLV widescreen version is actually a smidgen wider), but the image is wholly satisfying. The only moment where it's evident the ratio isn't quite wide enough is the beginning of the "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Club" scene, when the camera pans up to the club's sign and the first and last letters of the sign are cropped out of the frame.
But the bottom line is that 'Thunderball' probably never looked this good even when it first hit theaters on Christmas, 1965. The deep contrast, the solid colors, the razor-sharpness of the picture: this movie looks as good as anything filmed today. However, comparing this new disc to the previous versions, the colors don't seem as luminescent here. The colors practically leapt off the screen with the previous editions, even on the horribly-cropped version. The colors on this new disc are rich and the tones are accurate, but something about the electronic glow inherent in the vibrant colors of an old Technicolor print lent 'Thunderball' that much more of a larger-then-life, epic adventure feel. I think the colors on this new disc could have been a bit more, shall we say "fluorescent," to heighten the comic-book, fantastical spell the movie casts.
As a bonus, MGM/UA has gone back and digitally remixed the original monaural soundtrack for stereo surround, and the results are astounding. 'Thunderball' not only looks cleaner than ever before, it sounds simply incredible. Music and sound effects now swoop and sneak up on you from all corners instead of just from a lone front center speaker. The newly expanded sonic range provides this truly epic Bond adventure with a greater aural punch that has never before been possible. The only awkward moment comes at the very start of the opening credits theme song, when the audio range seems to "narrow" (almost as if the song reverted back to monaural); it's a bit disorienting.
The 130-minute film is spread across 5 sides in CAV. The platter breaks duplicate the previous CLV widescreen edition's side breaks; the additional 2 side breaks are remarkably well timed for such a dense, episodic movie, though the abrupt intro to the Junkanoo parade/chase sequence at the very beginning of side 4 is so (intentionally) loud that it will knock you right out of your seat.
Like the THX CAV 'Goldfinger' boxed set, 'Thunderball' is jam-packed with exciting, informative and rare supplementaries. There are 2 audio commentary tracks that run concurrent with the film. The first track is narrated predominantly by John Cork, director of the Ian Fleming Foundation and an all-around Bond expert and enthusiast. During Cork's narration, he presents a 1974 audio interview with the late director Terence Young; and introduces several cast and crew members. The second audio essay features screenwriter John Hopkins with editor (and future Bond director) Peter Hunt. The second audio supplement track also features several dubs of Bond in European languages, and the home video "premiere" of Dionne Warwick's original title song "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" that can be listened to instead of Tom Jones' corny contribution, a last-minute replacement. Many cast members and crew members were interviewed for this extensive audio archive -- including composer John Barry, underwater director Ricou Browning, co-stars Luciana Paluzzi, Molly Peters, Lois Maxwell and Desmond Llewelyn, production designer Ken Adam and special effects wizard John Stears.
Following the film, there are no less that three documentaries on the making of 'Thunderball' -- the original 1965 television special 'The Incredible World of James Bond' and two made-for-laserdisc features 'The Making of Thunderball' and 'The Thunderball Phenomenon'. Some of the material presented within the making-of features overlaps with some of the audio interviews, and a lot of material seen in 'The Incredible World of James Bond' television special is repeated in 'The Thunderball Phenomenon', but there's a treasure trove of never-before-seen and never-before-heard goodies that will tickle Bond fans silly. I was particularly fascinated during the TV special when the original "raw" dialogue tracks are heard between Bond and Largo at the casino -- much of the dialogue in 'Thunderball' had to be re-looped later for clarity; listen for yourself and you'll immediately understand why.
The final side of the 4-disc, 8-sided program is devoted to trailers (from American and European trailers to double-feature and reissue trailers), television commercials, stills, merchandising materials, posters and a comparison of two different versions of 'Thunderball' that have both been in circulation for the past 30 years. In all previous video releases, some scenes were dubbed with alternate dialogue, one key action sequence was presented without the intended musical accompaniment and the final moments of the film were rescored with an alternate version of the James Bond theme. Nobody seems to remember how, when or why these changes were made, but the version presented on this disc represents the true, original version -- the missing music has been restored, the alternate dialogue bits have been reverted to the original lines and the closing bars of music are now the original theme again. But having become so accustomed to the "altered" version of 'Thunderball' on home video over the past decade or so, I would have liked it if the appropriate dual versions of dialogue and music cues were BOTH included on the audio tracks (one in digital and the other in analog, so a viewer could go back and listen to the differences at will).
It's hard to imagine there being any more collectible information on 'Thunderball' that's not included here (save for deleted scenes, which were almost all destroyed years ago; we do get a quick peek at one).
Having set the standard with 'Goldfinger' and now having surpassed it with 'Thunderball', MGM/UA Home Video certainly has its work cut out for it to appease the legion of laserphile James Bond fans. Up next are all-CAV, THX-approved editions of both 'Dr. No' and 'Live And Let Die' -- delayed since July, natch -- and in the development stages are CAV, THX editions of 'You Only Live Twice', 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service', 'Diamonds Are Forever' and 'The Spy Who Loved Me' (apparently, plans for a CAV, THX 'From Russia With Love' have been temporarily scrubbed because MGM can't find a suitable print to use). If these upcoming boxed sets are as good as 'Goldfinger' and now 'Thunderball', we'll all have to start saving our pennies -- because these titles are looking to be worth every one.
VITAL STATISTICS: MGM/UA Home Video; 4 discs, 8 sides; CAV (2 supplemental sides in CLV); Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1); Stereo Surround; THX; Chapter Stops; Running Audio Commentary Tracks; $124.95.
S. Damien Segal.
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