Eye For Film >> Movies >> A View To A Kill (1985) DVD Review
Filmed in Panavision, the 2.35:1 anamorphic picture is quite good looking. Grain and dirt are to a minimum and the colours are sharp. There's really not much to complain about, except that it looks rather two-dimensional - but then it is! While the photography is better shot than earlier entries, it appears simple-looking compared to modern films.
A View To A Kill was released in Dolby Stereo and this DVD has been remastered in Dolby 5.1. It's a good mix with some great stereo separation effects and excellent use of the surrounds. Too bad the .1 LFE didn't get some more use, though. It could really use it.
The commentary was not recorded live; it's edited from many interviews with the cast and crew. Due to this, there are no direct conversations between anyone. It may be informative, but it's hardly entertaining, or amusing.
A 40-minute documentary on the film is included along with some brand new interviews. Grace Jones, however, does not appear and only old footage of her is used. The documentary takes us through the shooting of the film in chronological order and focuses on all the stunts, problems and stories the crew had to endure. A very old Roger Moore even shows up, probably from his mansion somewhere in Switzerland.
A shorter 20-minute documentary looks at the music of James Bond. But I'd give this a miss. The exact same thing is shown on BBC, ITV and Channel 5 every time a new Bond flick is released. And it's nothing more than self-congratulatory claptrap.
An amusing deleted scene with a smart in-joke begs for your attention, along with three trailers and four TV spots. Oh, there's also a Duran Duran music video for those who miss the Eighties.
Reviewed on: 30 Jan 2003