WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Thunderball
Genre:Action Adventure

Reviewed In Issue 28 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Sean Connery, Claudine Augler, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi, Rik Van Nutter, Bernard Lee, Martine Beswick, Guy Doleman, Molly Peters, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell & Roland Culver

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 3.5
Sound Rating: 3.5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): MGM
(Catalog Number): ML105655
(MPAA Rating): PG
(Retail Price): $39.99
(Running Time In Minutes): 130
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Theatrical Release): 1965
(LD Release Date):
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Terence Young
(Screenplay/Written By): Richard Maibaum & John Hopkins
(Story): NA
(Music): John Barry
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Ken Adam
(Visual Effects): NA
(Costume Designer): Anthony Mendleson
(Editor): Peter Hunt
(Supervising Sound Editors): NA
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Harry Saltzman & Albert R. Broccoli
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Kevin McClory

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.30:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Digital Surround
(Theatrical Sound): Mag Stereo
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital): Yes
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Thunderball finds the amazing James Bond (Sean Connery) in a face-off with Emilio Largo, (Adolfo Celi) a high-ranking agent of the evil SPECTRE organization, who has hijacked a NATO plane and is holding the world hostage with two atomic warheads.

LaserDisc Picture:
The picture, framed at 2.30:1, exhibits better quality than the LaserDisc reviewed in Issue 7. Artifacts and noise that marred the previous LaserDisc are virtually undetected by comparison and color fidelity no longer seems undersaturated. Overall, the picture looks dated, but has slight improvements in sharpness and color fidelity.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The Dolby® Digital discrete 5.1 sounds more dynamic with the added .1 LFE channel, but both soundtracks are wanting in fidelity. Dialogue does not always sound natural, and is often wanting in spatial integration. Often the soundtrack folds to monaural, but otherwise the terrific music score maintains a spatially enjoyable soundfield with aggressive surround. Good job for your age, Bond
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz): Yes
(Aggressive System Surround): Yes
(Intense 25Hz Bass): Yes
(Deep Bass Challenging): No
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield): No
(Aggressive Split Surround): No
(Center Back Surround Imaging): Yes
(Directionalized Dialogue): No
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
Collector Edition: