Review of Dr. No: Special Edition (James Bond)

Introduction

His name is Bond, James Bond. And Dr. No was the first time that we met him on film, adapted from the novels of Ian Fleming. This all happened in 1962, when some of us weren`t even born. But we`ve all grown up with Bond on the TV at Christmas, Easter and any Bank Holiday that you care to mention.

I don`t really need to go into the plot, it`s a Bond film so you`ll pretty much know what to expect. Which puts you at a disadvantage when compared to the audiences of 1962, most of whom will not have been familiar with Bond.

Video

A fantastic 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, and it really looks very good for its age. Just goes to show that a little bit of effort produces results. That`s not to say that it`s perfect, there are some blemishes and artefacts here and there, but it`s a great job given what they had to work with.

Most of the special effects have aged rather badly, but modern film-makers might spend the same amount on one effects shot as was spent on the whole of this film...

Audio

The original mono soundtrack, which sounds surprisingly good and does its job well. The first taste of that classic theme music still sounds good today, and the soundtrack adds to the film at the right moments as always.

Features

We don`t get short-changed here either. Even though the film is nearly 40 years old there are more extras here than on many modern releases.

You get a commentary track, which is made up of short excerpts from various contributors including director Terence Young (who is no longer with us) and other members of cast and crew like Ursula Andress (but not much from Sean Connery).

There are several excellent documentaries which give good background to the film itself and to the Bond series on the whole, including that famous theme and that famous opening sequence where Bond turns to the audience and shoots. There`s also another documentary about Terence Young, which is also very interesting, and full of glowing tributes.

Finally, you`ll find the trailer, plus TV and radio spots which are interesting to see and hear so many years on. And to round off there`s another excellent stills gallery.

Conclusion

This DVD is the perfect showcase for the film that started it all, the beginning of the Bond franchise that is still going today, and is still as popular as ever. An excellently restored picture, good sound and a great set of extras make this a very good way to start your Bond collection on DVD. A classic.