The James Bond Collection Volume 2 (2009)

The James Bond Collection Volume 2 boasts two gems among its five titles. The first is Dr. No, Sean Connery's debut as Ian Fleming's debonair super-spy. Not quite as refined a film as Goldfinger, Dr. No is all the more interesting because it is so roughly hewn. No theme song, no dancing girls in the titles, no gadgets; just a lean, mean espionage thriller with Connery's Bond as a man with no qualms about killing an unarmed adversary. The other jewel is On Her Majesty's Secret Service, George Lazenby's ill-fated attempt to fill Connery's shoes. If you look past Lazenby's vacuous performance, you'll find that this film could've been 007's lucky number: It boasts a loathsome villain (Telly Savalas' Blofeld), a terrific Bond girl (Diana Rigg), and a daring plot twist that future Bond filmmakers haven't been brave enough to try and match. As for the three other DVDs — The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, and Moonraker — they've each got their merits, and MGM has done a top-notch job remastering them in anamorphic wide-screen and loading them with bonuses (like audio commentaries, documentaries, and trailers). But since each film is available separately at $34.98 each, decide for yourself if those merits are worth it. B

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