Volume 4 of Fox's "James Bond Ultimate Edition" series, if nothing else, offers a unique historical timeline of the rise, fall and resurrection of this endearing franchise. Showcasing everything good, great and awful, from the series' humble beginnings, to the increasing use of gadgetry & big-scale sets, to the effects-laden sci-fi trappings, through to later films which successfully saved the franchise from becoming obsolete, the films included in Volume 4 are definitely products of their time. And, like Volume 3, this set features the added bonus of being free of Timothy Dalton (I really hated those ones).

1962's "Dr. No" is of obvious historic value simply because it's the first. Not quite as action-oriented as future installments, this one is fairly gadget-free, relying much more on the story and Connery's natural on-screen charisma to pull it off (which he does). My own personal favorite, 1967's "You Only Live Twice", Connery's last film for several years, has sometimes been criticized for being to reliant on gadgetry (though still nothing like later Roger Moore films) and large-scale action, as well as sliding closer towards the realm of science fiction. Admittedly, it does throw in everything but the kitchen sink, but it's still grand entertainment. The same can't be said for 1979's "Moonraker", one of the worst films of the entire franchise. If "You Only Live Twice" treaded sci-fi waters, "Moonraker" dives head-first into the genre. In an effort to attract the "Star Wars" crowd, this ridiculous film pits Bond against a megalomaniac bent on creating a master race up in a space station, then repopulating the Earth after he's killed everyone else. The climactic laser battle in space has to be an all-time low point in the series. Despite the awful title (and a continuing over-reliance on spectacle), 1983's "Octopussy" is still pretty entertaining, has aged better than other Moore-era flicks, and features, in my opinion, one of the better 'Bond girls' (Maud Adams, in the title role). Lastly, we get 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies", the second, and best, of the Pierce Brosnan movies. Perhaps a reflection of today's media-driven society, this one also has an pretty intriguing villain in Jonathan Pryce, a tycoon bent on starting a war for the sake of ratings. It's better than it sounds and immensely enjoyable. And Brosnan, of course, makes a great 007.

All the films in this set have been remastered with great care, and for some, it'll be worth owning for the transfer alone, far better than the previous MGM discs. I was blown away by how consistently great the image is; they all look like brand new films, even "Dr.No," which is 44 years old. With the exception of "Dr. No" (1.66:1), all of them are presented in their original 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio. Apparently, every film in the series was given a painstaking frame-by-frame remastering, and it shows. The sound quality is equally impressive; all films are rendered in both Dolby & DTS 5.1 sound, and it's arguable they have never sounded better. Both "Dr. No" & "You Only Live Twice" also feature original mono tracks.

This 10-DVD set dedicates two discs for each movie. The first discs feature the films themselves, along with audio commentaries by various directors, writers, crew members & cast, though Sir Roger Moore is the only Bond actor present to comment on his films. The second discs feature a wealth of additional extras, old and new, ranging from the very informative to the strange to the fairly weird (check out the goofy British-made TV special, 'Welcome to Japan, Mr. Bond,' included with "You Only Live Twice"). Most of the extras are specific to one film, while others cover concepts and/or images widely associated with the entire franchise (such as a segment on Maurice Binder's classic opening title sequences). Aside from the commentaries, which include a wealth of info and anecdotes Bond fans will love, I think the most interesting features are the making-of documentaries and interviews made during the times the films were being produced. All-in-all, it's likely you'll find out a lot about each film's background and production you didn't know before. Of less interest is the "007 Mission Control" section included with every film; an interactive feature, you essentially click on different icons to watch clips highlighting Bond girls, villains, weapons, etc. There's not much in the way of revealing info, at least not like the featurettes. Also included are promotional trailers, TV & radio spots, while some of the newer films also feature music videos. A supplemental booklet for each film is also included, offering even more fun facts and historical details. On a side note, Sean Connery is noticeably absent from all of the newly-produced supplemental material. For that matter, so is Brosnan, widely regarded as the man who resurrected the franchise from it's 80s doldrums.

Just like MGM did a few years ago when first releasing the series on DVD, one may still quip that these films aren't offered individually or as chronological boxed sets. Initially, so did I. But the outstanding picture & sound quality alone make these volumes worth picking up, not to mention the extensive extras provided for each film. While it's obvious Fox wants Bond fans to invest in each of the four volumes to get the films from whichever era they prefer, as a whole, the good movies in the series outweigh the bad. Sure, the Connery films are inarguably the best ones, and you get two of them in this volume, which helps offset the fact you also get "Moonraker." Of course Bond completists will need to pick this one up, but the budget-minded may want to check out Volume 3 instead, which has the best overall line-up of movies of all the sets. Highly Recommended.