Bullets 'n' Babes

As requested from Shaken, Not Stirred, here I compare what should have been Connery's final outing, You Only Live Twice

R2 SE


R2 UE


R2 SE


R2 UE


R2 SE


R2 UE


R2 SE


R2 UE


R2 SE


R2 UE


R2 SE


R2 UE


R2 SE


R2 UE


R2 SE


R2 UE


R2 SE


R2 UE


R2 SE


R2 UE


Overall the UE is a bit better but there seem's to be a fair amount of tweaking on lighting and colours, compare the sky in space shot.

Also it seems to be a comon trate in the Connery films, on the SE's he seems rather tan and toasted, but on the UE he seems a lot paler, same applies for everyone else too it seems.

One thing worth noting which I haven't provided a cap of (yet..) is when Bond is shining a desk lamp into Moneypenny's face, in the SE you can more or less see the light from the light on her face but I cannot see it at all on the UE! Minor niggle but I may need to check again, Print quality once again is immaculate compared to the rather dirty/grainy SE.

ADDED SHOT OF The SKY I initially mentioned about the sun bursting through and a shot of Tokyo neon lighting.

The colours are certainly different - look at the shot of the earth from space and the shot of the sky. The lava is no longer red! Its not nearly as colourful but I think skintones (look at Mie Hama) are more natural looking.
Can you compare how the UE sounds compared to the SE?

I had a quick listen, Only real benefit of 5.1 is that the score sounds a lot better, can't say I've noticed any odd effects yet, but the title song in the Main Credits is still lacking bass, but it was in the Mono track on the SE Anyway so I'm thinking its a master tape problem.

grim_tales wrote:Its not nearly as colourful but I think skintones (look at Mie Hama) are more natural looking.

I would if MLAM had posted a cap of her. 8)

I've heard that YOLT has one of the poorer UE transfers as those caps attest to. Very pale, almost washed out. The framing is slightly different. UE has more on the bottom, less on the sides. With no mono track, I would certainly not switch from the SE.

Sorry Mark I thought that was Mie Hama, it must be the actress who played Aki.
I'll keep my SE of YOLT for now.

grim_tales wrote:Sorry Mark I thought that was Mie Hama, it must be the actress who played Aki.

Nope. Try again.

Tsai Chin (Ling?) 8)

Thats right?
Looking at it I much prefer the warmer transfer of the SE..

I think your wrong again Simon

What other Asian actresses are in the film then?!

D'oh, I think I'M WRONG!

That Shot is of Tsai Ching .

Akiko Wakabayashi - Aki
Mie Hama - Kissy
Tsai Ching - Ling

Thats's the "Big" 3

2 more shots added.

I prefer Aki and Ling to Kissy 8)

Overall I prefer the colours of the SE. The UE looks washed out.

One of my posts has gone missing.

EDIT: Basically it said that the UE cap of HK Harbour looks ugly and aside from the dirt and grain the SE is more pleasing.

It's definately Tsai Chin. Sorry that's what I was confirming by my smiley. She was in the 60's Fu Manchu movies, Red Corner, and her next appearence (according to the IMDB) will be in Casino Royale as Madame Wu.

According to the IMDB Akiko Wakabayashi made only one film after YOLT before disappearing from the business - but I could've sworn that I read somewhere she died in her 20's from Cancer. Am I mental? Anyone else heard this rumour?

Thanks for posting the caps MLAM! I agree they do look improved, but not as much as they could be.

The UE looks sharper but there's a great difference of coulour, specially on the opening titles.
I'll maybe buy this one today to give my opinion later.

I bought it...and watched it. Except the shot of Honk Kong which is horrible, the new print is remarkable. More detailed, sharper and absolutely beautiful.
Great job !

Sony seem to have this annoying habit of weakening the colour saturation (it's as if they've no blood or just never been exposed to light) .

There must be some reason for the color change for Cap 7. Other than that and the lava Capture I think the UE is improved. The skin tone seems to be more realistic.

The R1 UE has fixed the harbor shot pic. It's not greenish ugly anymore. It's blue!

I plan to post caps of vol. 3 and 4 starting with Goldeneye and TND tonight. This might mean the pinkish hue in TND is gone...