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Bernard Lee

Bernard Lee

13 films on Best Blurays11 in 4K2 in HD

Bernard Lee photo

John Bernard "Bernard" Lee was an English actor, best known for his role as M in the first eleven James Bond films.

Biography from TMDB

11 in 4K

UHD Blu-ray or 4K streaming

Supporting role · Director: Basil Dearden

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Indicator 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Essentially the same characteristics as The Gentle Gunman but as the film is generally softer even in OCN-sections, it's not as drastic an upgrade

Supporting role · Director: Terence Young

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray despite some frozen grain

Best Audio:

1992/1993 MGM LaserDisc

Additional Info:

Criterion LaserDisc includes an exclusive commentary, which was later banned by EON and caused the release to be recalled.

Supporting role · Director: Peter R. Hunt

Video format: 4K Streaming

Best English-Friendly & Video:

4K Streaming

Sources: 007homemedia.blogspot.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Warner Bros Blu-ray is the best Blu-ray even though it has color and major contrast issues
4K SDR master on streaming seems to be from the same scan and looks like it has less tinkering than the Blu-ray
Caps of 4K SDR master: 007 on Home Media: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

Best Audio:

MGM 1991 LaserDisc

Supporting role · Director: Guy Hamilton

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1988 MGM VHS Hi-Fi, 1988 LaserDisc analog

Additional Info:

Criterion LaserDisc includes an exclusive commentary, which was later banned by EON and caused the release to be recalled.

Supporting role · Director: Lewis Gilbert

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly, Video & Audio:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Supporting role · Director: Terence Young

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray despite frozen grain

Best Audio:

UK mix: 1984 CBS Fox VHS Hifi but missing one scene
International mix: WB 4K Blu-ray though source origin is unknown

1995 MGM stereo remix: 1998 LaserDisc and 2000 DVD fix gunbarrel dropout

Supporting role · Director: Terence Young

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray, despite prevalent frozen grain

Best Audio:

1991 Criterion LaserDisc with end credits from 1992 MGM LaserDisc

Additional Info:

Criterion LaserDisc includes an exclusive commentary, which was later banned by EON and caused the release to be recalled.

Supporting role · Director: Guy Hamilton

Video format: 4K Streaming

Best English-Friendly & Video:

4K Streaming

Sources: 007homemedia.blogspot.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:
Best Audio:

MGM 1991/1993 LaserDisc

Supporting role · Director: Guy Hamilton

Video format: 4K Streaming

Best English-Friendly:

4K Streaming

Sources: 007homemedia.blogspot.com (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

4K Streaming SDR master on streaming seems to look quite a bit better than the Blu-ray

MGM Blu-ray is the best physical media release

Caps of the 4K SDR master: 007 on Home Media: The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

Best Audio:

MGM 1993 LaserDisc

Supporting role · Director: Carol Reed

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray or Lionsgate Limited 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray/Lionsgate Limited 4K Blu-ray (shared encode); slight improvement over the 2015 StudioCanal Blu-ray

Best Audio:

StudioCanal/LG UHDs

Audio Notes:

StudioCanal/LG UHDs port the 1999 Criterion DVD, considered the best source

Additional Info:

StudioCanal has a remastered Blu-ray, Lionsgate only a 4K Blu-ray

Small role · Director: Guy Hamilton

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

MGM 1990/1993 LaserDisc

2 in HD

Blu-ray or HD streaming

Supporting role · Director: Lewis Gilbert

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

4K Streaming

Sources: 007homemedia.blogspot.com (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

4K Streaming SDR master seems to be from the same scan and looks like it has less tinkering than the Blu-ray

MGM Blu-ray is the best physical media release

Screencaps of the 4K SDR master: 007 on Home Media: Moonraker (1979)

Best Audio:

Dolby Stereo: 1990 MGM LaserDisc

Supporting role · Director: Lewis Gilbert

Best English-Friendly & Video:

MGM Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Original 4-Track Mix: MGM 1990 LaserDisc

General release mono mix: CBS Fox VHS Hi-Fi but time compressed
5.1 remix of 4-track mix: MGM Blu-ray (a lossless version of the remix from the Ultimate Edition DVD)

Audio Notes:

The 5.1 track on the earlier THX LD/DVD and SE DVDs is not the same as the later remix, and appears to be more faithful the original mix (likely a simple upmix). The UE DVD remix has a lot more surround activity.

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