Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15748 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-07-17
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Box set, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Greek, Dutch, Hindi, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, English, Swedish
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 125 minutes

Special Features
THE ULTIMATE EDITION CONTAINS: NEVER BEFORE RELEASED ON DVD: DECLASSIFIED: MI6 VAULT The Incredible World of James Bond - Original 1965 NBC Television Special A Child’s Guide to Blowing Up a Motor Car - 1965 Ford Promotional Film On Location With Ken Adam • Bill Suitor: The Rocket Man Movies Thunderball Boat Show Reel•Selling Bonds - Original 1965 Television Advertisements 007 MISSION CONTROL Interactive Guide Into the World of Thunderball THE COMPLETE SPECIAL FEATURES LIBRARY: MISSION DOSSIER Audio Commentary Featuring Terence Young and Others • Audio Commentary Featuring Peter Hunt, John Hopkins and Others • The Making of Thunderball The Thunderball Phenomenon • The Secret History of Thunderball MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA Original Trailers, TV Spots, Photo Gallery & Radio Communications

Synopsis
THUNDERBALL--the fourth film in the Bond series--finds super spy James Bond battling a powerful organisation named S.P.E.C.T.R.E, which has threatened to destroy Miami with an atomic weapon unless a huge ransom is paid.

Customer Reviews

Bond matures gracefully, but could do with a trim
It is hardly possible to imagine an actor inject so much charisma into a role as Connery does here as Bond in Thunderball. Truth be told, it is really the glue that holds a movie together that otherwise might look rather frayed round the edges, despite the spectacularly tasty ingredients on display.
So what is it about? SPECTRE, Bond's arch enemies, have hatched a plan to seize two nuclear warheads from the British by capturing a Vulcan bomber on a training mission. Then, of course, a diabolical megalomaniac asks for 100 million dollars while stroking his cat. All the double-0's are brought in to get put on the case - but Bond has a lead - and of course it involves seducing a beautiful woman, in an exotic location (in this case, the ex-Miss France Claudine Auger, in Nassau, Bahamas). Can Bond seduce her in time to find the bombs before they are used?
As a general rule, the better the Bond villain, the better the Bond movie - and so it proves in this case. Adolfo Celi plays the villain efficiently enough, without being truly inspired. He comes across as a well paid hired hand, rather than an egomaniacal adversary. The villainess, on the other hand, the sexy redhead played by Luciana Paluzzi, comes across as a much more sophisticated foil for Bond's charms and wit, with a genuine sense of menace.
Another plus for the movie is the photography. On every level it is superior to its predecessors - filmed for the first time in widescreen, Ken Adams outlandish sets have room to breathe for the first time, and the groundbreaking underwater photography is surprisingly (forgive me) fluid and clear. In fact, the underwater scenes are the true draw of the movie, adding a new dimension to Bond's skills - however, they also prove to be the movies drawback, as they are drawn out far too long in the climactic underwater battle. The movie is going swimmingly though (apologies again..) until the very final scene on board the yacht which jettisons its cocoon to become a hydrofoil. This has been so ludicrously speeded up for dramatic effect, as to do exactly the opposite, and spoil the moment.
The Ultimate Edition has the usual improved picture, and sound. The sound in particular has been given better depth without anything too tricksy and obvious with surround effects. For extras, as usual the Special Edition extras are all here, including the superb documentary charting the troubled history of the production. In addition, there is an abundance of archive material which will interest the die-hards...vintage promotional featurettes and an NBC hour long special on Bond up to this point. An interesting addition is some home movie footage from the set designer Ken Adams talking about the location shooting, and the fun that went on behind the cameras.
So to summarise, with a bit of trimming and more careful use of speeded up action scenes, this could have been a 5 star classic, as it is, it is still a very respectable and enjoyable 4 star entry into the Bond franchise, with Connery at his peak. This edition is certainly the way to see it.

This Is Connery At His Peak!
Thunderball was released at the height of Bondmania.Just like the previous Bond film Goldfinger, Sean Connery is again on top form, he was really looking the part. The pre credits sequence has never really been bettered for originality and the films plot is exciting. Under the guidence of it's number two operative, Emilio Largo, Spectre hijacks two atomic bombs from a British vulcan aircraft during a NATO training excercise off the coast of Nassau. An ultimatum is delivered to the prime minister of England threatening to use the bombs to destroy a major city in Britain or the USA unless a exorbitant ransom is paid. James Bond must find the bombs before it is too late! This is great viewing. As with all of the early James Bond films there are some memorable villains with Adolfo Celi playing Largo brilliantly and Luciana Paluzzi as Fiona Volpe was the first main Bond bad girl. Gadgets were starting to become a regular accurrance with the jet pack, the underwater breathing device, the geiger watch, the under water camera, the underwater propulsion unit and the radio active pill and mini flare device. Fantastic! Thunderball has been criticised for the underwater scenes being too long, I'd have to disagree with this. John Barry's brilliant score for the film keeps the underwater action exciting and for the times the underwater scenes were incredible. The film has also been criticised for being too long, I'd also have to disagree with this as well because in my opinion the longer the Bond the better.Connery would never be better again! You get the same special features on disc 2 as you got with the 2003 special edition release PLUS a lot more so I would reccomend this dvd to any Bond fan and film lovers!

"Wait Until You Get To My Teeth!"
Sean Connery takes us to the depths of the Bahamas in the first 'aquatic' Bond adventures which gives the film more glamour with amazing underwater sequences which really show off the quality of the 007 cast and crew in their effort to portray James Bond as best they can.

Following on from the success of the previous films, James Bond faces the ultimate mastermind in Blofeld again and his organisation of SPECTRE when the free world is held hostage by two nuclear arms waiting to strike, unless James Bond can find them and stop the man behind the plot.

Sexy Bond girls, lush locations, iconic villains, thrilling action and yet more delicious gadgets give Sean Connery the back-up he needs in another intense bout of good vs. evil, Bond style.