James Bond film formats

[Aaron Garman]

So I can't speak for Spectre, but 35mm prints of Skyfall were struck. I saw one!

[Shawn M. Martin]

Most of Spectre was shot on film. The end boat chase and some aerial work was digital.

[Jonathan Smiles]

Many years ago Graham Hartstone Head of Sound at Pinewood Studios at the time mentioned possibility of Fox Hole stereo 35mm prints in relation to earlier Bonds.

[Jonathan Smiles]

Spectre, 35mm filmout is a possibility for archive, from what I remember there were no film prints for initial release.

35mm drama (non-vfx) was graded as 4K x 4K squeezed scans (Arriscan), Arri Alexa 65 for the boat chase and aerial unit (might be some others) . VFX was 2K upscaled (might be some 4K shots),

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Ask the British projectionists over on "Projectionists Internationa" on Facebookl, Bonds are always British productions except for one and many of them ran 70mm Bond prints at various GB cinemas that we never saw in the States.

[Bobby Henderson]

Back in the 1990's I recall some movies, such as Independence Day and Armageddon, getting custom DTS 70mm prints made for big screens such as the Spektrum in Oslo, Norway. I can't recall if any late 1990's Bond movies were given similar treatment.

I liked David Kornfeld's list of Bond movies with comments, but I can't resist elaborating on some things.

First, I agree From Russia With Love is arguably the best Bond film ever. The Spy Who Loved Me is definitely the best of the Roger Moore era. The 1960's parody version of Casino Royale was bizarre, but had catchy theme music. Goldeneye was indeed the best of the Brosnan era, although it still has some painfully lame moments. Regarding nothing being sacred with the 2000's re-boot of Casino Royale, I think that's a re-boot that was worth doing. So far it remains the best of the Daniel Craig era and really one of the better Bond movies overall.

Getting back to film format stuff:
Goldeneye was the first with a 5.1 digital mix, in Dolby SR•D and DTS. The 5.1 mix was HOT. I vividly remember a test run of it on a THX screen at the still-new Carmike 8 theater in my town. The 2 THX houses had been re-tuned recently to be able to play the sound mix of Seven without destroying speakers. The people who did the original setup on this theater didn't do the DTS setup right. The pounding opening title sequence of Seven made it glaring obvious. Anyway, the sound system was working perfect when Goldeneye arrived. But Holy Cow was it LOUD! I think the fader on the CP-65 wound up somewhere between 5 and 5.5. With the fader at 7 you could barely stand to be in the auditorium when explosions and gunfire were happening in the pre-title action sequence.

Tomorrow Never Dies was also Dolby SR•D and DTS. Die Another Day (ugh, horrible movie) was quad format SR/SRD/DTS/SDDS plus Surround•EX was also supported.

The 2006 non-parody version of Casino Royale was the first Bond movie of the modern d-cinema era. 2K image and LPCM 5.1 audio. 35mm film prints were quad format SR/SRD/DTS/SDDS. Quantum of Solace had quad format 35mm prints in addition to d-cinema DCPs. Skyfall had quad format 35mm prints (although by this time DTS theatrical had been changed to Datasat Digital Sound), a 4K DCP and 12 track audio for IMAX with Laser auditoriums. Spectre had the same thing.

The upcoming No Time To Die was apparently shot all on film, a mix of 4/35mm and 15/65mm. Presumably there could be at least some 15/70mm prints. Of course if everything was funneled through a 4K DI any film-outs on to 70mm will just be good for practice. No Time To Die will also be the first Bond film with a Dolby Atmos mix (and Dolby Vision color grade).

[Jerry G. Axelsson]

Regarding custom 70mm prints for Norway to be played at the Spectrum in the 1990:s. The Bond title done in 70mm was "TOMORROW NEVER DIES".

[Allan Young]

Skyfall had quad format 35mm prints (although by this time DTS theatrical had been changed to Datasat Digital Sound), a 4K DCP and 12 track audio for IMAX with Laser auditoriums.

There were 15/70 prints of Skyfall too, right? I seem to recall being pissed off that we didn't get one here in the UK.

[Bobby Henderson]

I don't remember if they made any 15/70mm prints of Skyfall. I kind of doubt it though: I thought the movie was shot all on Arri Alexa digital cameras. They shot the movie open matte (while composing for 'scope) so IMAX Digital theaters could show a taller image. IIRC Spectre received the same treatment. With the latest Bond film being shot on film and reportedly with some sequences filmed in 15/65mm that would raise some hopes for 15/70mm prints in IMAX theaters that still have such equipment.

[Martin Brooks]

None of those Dolby SR-D prints were Quad prints (with DTS and Sony SDDS)?

[Jerry G. Axelsson]

These titles where Quad prints: CASINO ROYALE, QUANTUM, SKYFALL.
GOLDENEYE were SRD/DTS in Sweden as well as TOMORROW NEVER DIES and THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. I find it most likely that DIE ANOTHER DAY also was a Quad release. I do not remember if TND and TWINE was also SDDS...

[Allan Young]

With the latest Bond film being shot on film and reportedly with some sequences filmed in 15/65mm that would raise some hopes for 15/70mm prints in IMAX theaters that still have such equipment.

Seems not. AMC Lincoln Square, the Metreon and Universal CityWalk have all now confirmed they're not getting a 15/70 print.

Wasn't it a bit of a waste of cash to use IMAX film and not have any prints produced?

[Scotty Wright]

I reckon it’s largely a Universal decision. When was the last time they put out a 35mm print let alone an IMAX one? They really skipped hard on First Man (which I reckon had a lot to do with a very tight schedule as well). On top of that, there’s about as many dual laser full size IMAX venues as there are film ones left, so I gotta imagine there’s some cost-benefit analysis at play with as much as the prints cost to strike and ship worldwide. Sony struck 35mm (only) prints of Skyfall, but not Spectre, but I can only imagine that if Sony was putting this movie out in April, we’d have 35mm, 5perf/70mm, and 15perf/70mm prints given how they released Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and Little Women.

*BFI has yet to confirm if they’re screening in digital (dual xenon) or off a print, so there’s still a very slim chance of at least 1 IMAX print being struck.

[Allan Young]

*BFI has yet to confirm if they’re screening in digital (dual xenon) or off a print, so there’s still a very slim chance of at least 1 IMAX print being struck.

Tickets went on sale today - they're screening it in digital.

[Scotty Wright]

Tickets went on sale today - they're screening it in digital.