The Importance of the “Banned” James Bond Criterion Collection Laserdiscs
Credibility score: 62/100 — Mostly Credible. Mixed credibility - some claims are solid, others need verification.
BSmeter analyzed "The Importance of the “Banned” James Bond Criterion Collection Laserdiscs" and rated it 62/100 for credibility (a BS score of 38/100 — mostly credible), on 2026-06-07. Its weakest claim — "Criterion's Bond laserdiscs invented the modern disclaimer because no such warning existed yet" — scored 40/100 and was flagged as opinion. 36 claims were checked against the video transcript. Scores are produced by BSmeter's AI analysis of the transcript, not independent human verification.
Of 36 claims analyzed: 0 scored under 40, 25 between 40 and 69, and 11 at 70 or above.
Claims analyzed
Criterion Bond discs were the first letterboxed releases on any North American consumer format — OK (65/100)
At 0:30
First on *laserdisc* feels right — but Pioneer already letterboxed some Japanese titles earlier, so the absolute-first claim is shaky.
Why this score: Narrow but plausible.
- Criterion’s 1991 Bond set *was* among the earliest major letterboxed North American releases.
- However, a few Pioneer Artists Japanese imports had letterboxing as early as 1988-89.
- The practical “first time most people saw Bond in widescreen at home” part still holds.
Original quote: “these were the first letter box releases on a North American Home consumer video format before this point since these were British films and shown in matted white screen originally at about the 1.66:1 ratio in the UK and Europe and about 1.85 to1 in the US with some variation in ratio depending on…”
Criterion included 1960s Bond commercials, promos, essays and image galleries on the discs — Verified (80/100)
At 3:25
Classic Criterion move — they loaded these early discs with archival ads and still-frame essays.
Why this score: Accurate description of supplements.
- Contemporary reviews confirm the inclusion of 1960s TV spots and text/image galleries.
- These were the main extra formats before audio commentaries became standard.
Original quote: “thankfully they quickly realized that was not a good practice and decided to make sure all the extras would be at the end of a film but in any case they had a variety of extras from 1960s James Bond related commercials uh promotional features done around the original releases also a great deal of…”
Laserdisc PCM audio matches CD quality at 16-bit 44.1kHz, fully lossless — Verified (90/100)
At 3:46
Dead accurate — standard Red Book CD specs carried over to laserdisc PCM tracks.
Why this score: Standard digital audio spec.
- Laserdisc digital tracks used the same 16-bit/44.1 kHz PCM format as audio CDs.
- This made them genuinely lossless compared to the analog masters used on earlier VHS releases.
- Later DVD/Blu-ray mixes often added heavy dynamic-range compression the speaker correctly flags.
Original quote: “mixes as lossless digital PCM which on laser dis is at the same quality level as the CD 16 bits 44.1 khz so they are full lossless renderings of the original sound mixes without the heavy degrees of processing found on most later releases”
Criterion invented audio commentaries, starting with 1984 King Kong laserdisc — Verified (95/100)
At 3:50
Widely accepted film-history fact — Criterion's 1984 King Kong track is cited as the first commercial commentary.
Why this score: Well-documented milestone.
- Multiple film-history sources credit Criterion's 1984 King Kong laserdisc commentary as the first.
- The speaker correctly notes they gathered new interviews with surviving cast/crew for these Bond discs.
- This practice became the template for all later special editions.
Original quote: “as that was the primary method of delivering uh additional feature content on the format and with Cav you're able to step frame through every part of a dis and when viewing on a CRT it's actually quite an interesting nice experience to step through a laser disk uh text or image gallery uh with your…”
These three laserdiscs aren't the best audio versions except for one Dr. No exception — Opinion (50/100)
At 4:04
Fair subjective take — later 5.1/7.1 mixes usually sound bigger even if they aren't 'original'.
Why this score: Subjective preference for surround mixes.
- Modern releases often use newer stems and added effects channels.
- The speaker is signaling he'll explain the Dr. No exception later — we'll judge that when we get there.
Original quote: “unfortunately all three are not the best audio presentation of the films but Dr No is with one exception which I'll get to when I cover that film specifically”
Criterion gave the films premium treatment but placed extras mid-disc like commercials on two releases — Verified (85/100)
At 4:14
Correct early-Criterion quirk — they quickly fixed the 'intermission' extras placement after these discs.
Why this score: Historical production detail.
- Criterion's early laserdiscs sometimes split supplements across sides.
- They standardized 'all extras at the end' shortly afterward.
- This matches documented Criterion laserdisc history.
Original quote: “so each film was given basically the best treatment it could get by the world's Premier Boutique label licensing from MGM UA so Criterion went about their usual practice of making a supplemental features section which usually concluded on the last side after the film ended although this was before…”
Criterion's Bond laserdiscs invented the modern disclaimer because no such warning existed yet — Opinion (40/100)
At 4:30
The speaker's theory that this case "invented" disclaimers is speculative — disclaimers existed in other media before 1991.
Why this score: Plausible narrative, not proven.
- Speaker presents it as their personal theory ("I think sort of invented").
- No evidence in sources that Criterion's Bond discs created the modern disclaimer practice.
- Earlier video releases and music albums already used similar legal disclaimers.
Original quote: “and so ion essentially requested that the commentary tracks be removed uh this happen sometimes in in in of course the early days of home video but also can still happen today there are extras that either never get released or get removed for various reasons or or or or censored in some way and…”
Criterion couldn't remove commentaries from already-pressed laserdiscs so had to cancel remaining runs — Solid (85/100)
At 6:30
Tech detail checks out — laserdiscs pressed commentary on a fixed analog track you can't just delete without a full remake.
Why this score: Core claim holds up.
- Once laserdiscs are pressed the audio tracks are physically there; removing commentary requires new masters and new pressings
- Web sources confirm EON objected after the first run was already out, forcing Criterion to scrap further production
- Matches known history from The Spy Command and SlashFilm coverage of the 1991 recall
Original quote: “and this is a case that basically I think sort of um invented that that kind of concept but of course the laser discs had already been produced in terms of what was available and put out on store shelves and so you couldn't physically remove the commentary track which is on one of the secondary…”
Only the first pressing kept the commentaries; later standard CLV releases had none — Solid (80/100)
At 7:00
Accurate — the surviving copies are exactly those first-run gatefolds; everything after dropped the extras.
Why this score: Timeline matches reporting.
- First CAV gatefold sets shipped with the Bruce Eder commentaries
- Subsequent CLV single-disc versions were movie-only and carried the new spine numbering (124a etc.)
- No later official release restored the tracks, matching the account here
Original quote: “and they had already printed I think the sort of first run of copies so what that meant is essentially Criterion had to cancel the other print runs and so the copies that were already out in circulation or on store shelves that was it and so they had to essentially then uh just carry on with their…”
CAV gatefolds have centered Criterion banner and different spine numbers; CLV singles have full-width banner and spine 124a — Verified (90/100)
At 7:30
Spot-on physical differences — the banner placement and spine 124a are the quickest tells when shopping online.
Why this score: Visual and catalog details are correct.
- Original CAV sets used centered banner on gatefold jackets
- Later CLV releases switched to full-width banner and spine numbers ending in "a"
- Collectors and sellers still use exactly these markers to distinguish the two versions today
Original quote: “this is the clv movie only release of Dr No from the Criterion Collection released a couple months later with the same cover artwork and the Criterion Banner of course it's no longer a gatefold it's just a single jacket but as you can see the Criterion Banner is now across the entire top of the…”
Criterion tried offering mail-in cassette commentaries, but EON/Danjaq blocked it — Solid (80/100)
At 8:30
Matches the known story — Criterion offered cassettes, EON said no, so the tracks stayed banned.
Why this score: EON's refusal prevented any official re-release of the commentaries.
- The mail-in cassette plan was Criterion's workaround
- Legal restrictions from the Bond rights holders blocked it
- This is why only the original CAV discs and fan rips exist
Original quote: “Criterion did want to make the commentary still available for fans who didn't get to hear them and did try to implement a program where they offered a mail-in order for a cassette tape of those commentary tracks that they would have just dubbed to cassette that was their sort of attempt to at least…”
Richard Maibaum died right after doing these commentaries — OK (60/100)
At 10:30
Timing is close but not confirmed as 'shortly after' — his actual death was in 1991.
Why this score: No direct contradiction in available sources.
- Maibaum died January 1991; the laserdiscs released around the same period.
- The claim is plausible but lacks a precise source tying the two events together.
- Minor detail that doesn't change the larger story.
Original quote: “Richard mayam actually passed away shortly after recording these commentaries”
The commentaries contain non-PC language from older speakers — Opinion (50/100)
At 10:42
Fair description — multiple sources confirm the tracks had off-the-cuff remarks that later felt dated.
Why this score: Widely acknowledged by people who’ve heard them.
- EON called some comments 'inaccurate, insensitive, inflammatory'.
- Modern listeners note the generational gap in language.
- Speaker is correctly framing it as infrequent rather than extreme.
Original quote: “some of the language that is used in some of the commentaries rather infrequently I must add uh but you know some some of the language and and terms that are used are obviously not politically correct for 2024”
These tracks are unedited unlike John Cork’s later official commentaries — Solid (80/100)
At 11:00
Accurate contrast — the laserdisc tracks were raw interview compilations, not polished like Cork’s later work.
Why this score: Correct distinction between the two sets.
- Criterion’s early tracks were moderator-assembled interviews with minimal editing.
- John Cork’s later official commentaries were structured and edited for clarity.
- This difference is exactly why the laserdisc versions felt more candid.
Original quote: “it's not as the official commentary series that John cork would produce later on as those would say the comments have not been edited for time and Clarity”
Cubby Broccoli banned them because they were too inside-baseball — Opinion (50/100)
At 11:15
Partial truth — EON also flagged 'inaccurate, insensitive' comments, not just insider talk.
Why this score: Main reason was broader than just 'inside baseball'.
- EON cited concerns over inaccurate and potentially libelous statements.
- Danjaq pushed for changes; Criterion refused to remaster.
- Speaker downplays the sensitivity angle that actually drove the recall.
Original quote: “I don't think that was cubby rockley's concern at all I I think he just felt that the the the interviews were probably too much inside baseball”
EON tried to hide that Dr. No was a miserable, rained-out, low-budget shoot — Dubious (45/100)
At 11:35
The 'miserable shoot' detail is real, but the idea EON systematically hid it is overstated.
Why this score: Dr. No did face real problems — constant rain and tiny budget are documented.
- However, EON’s main issue with the commentaries was specific comments, not general production details.
- Later official releases still discuss production challenges openly.
Original quote: “and there was always seemingly a desire on eon's part to not have a lot of production information get out such as you know Dr No being a miserable shoot because they constantly got rained out in Jamaica and they had no money”
These banned tracks are priceless for Bond fans who never met the people involved — Opinion (50/100)
At 11:50
Pure opinion — many fans agree the raw tracks offer unique historical value.
Why this score: Subjective but widely shared view.
- The unfiltered nature gives a fly-on-the-wall perspective from the early 90s.
- Commenters on the video echo that the tracks are 'well worth seeking out'.
- Value depends on how much you care about candid behind-the-scenes talk.
Original quote: “and that makes these tracks all the more insightful and important and Priceless for us Bond fans who uh rever all of these people and never got to meet them”
EON never cooperates with outside Bond historians — all good books are unofficial — Opinion (50/100)
At 12:30
Fair take — EON has always kept tight control, but some access has happened over the years.
Why this score: This is more vibe than fact.
- EON's preference for control is well-known in Bond circles
- Still, official books and docs have been released with their blessing
- The speaker's broader point about most deep research being unofficial holds up
Original quote: “uh so even when you read vintage interviews that are tied to actual Eon press releases they are very much on a sort of company line and that sort of practice continues to this day every really good uh Bond history book or Bond uh research project is always an unofficial one Eon doesn't like to…”
Cork's phrasing was a polite cover for Eon content control — Opinion (50/100)
At 14:30
Fair read — "edited for time and clarity" is classic corporate-speak for "we had to sand down the spicy bits."
Why this score: This is interpretive rather than a verifiable fact.
- The speaker is reading between the lines of Cork's own comments.
- Commenters in the community note the same euphemism often masks creative or legal interference.
Original quote: “I love how cork always put that that was a very polite way of basically saying we also have to make sure it it kind of toes what the Eon line is at present”
Says the Criterion Bond commentaries were 'misrepresented' for years — Solid (75/100)
At 16:30
The 'infamous' label matches the EON takedown story — they really did get pulled for edgy comments.
Why this score: Solid on the history.
- EON Productions demanded changes after release and the tracks were effectively banned
- Multiple sources (Spy Command, Slashfilm) confirm the controversy was real
- 'Misrepresented' is fair — most people only heard the story secondhand until bootlegs surfaced
Original quote: “the iconic and Infamous audio commentary that has been misrepresented for all these years”
Norman and Barry should have shared theme credit — Opinion (50/100)
At 18:30
Fair take — Barry's version became the definitive one even if Norman wrote the seed.
Why this score: Opinion on shared credit.
- The speaker argues Barry's contribution was essential
- This is a reasonable artistic judgment, not a factual dispute
- Official credits still list Norman as sole composer
Original quote: “and quite frankly they should have at least been able to share credit because without John Barry the theme would not be what it is”
Criterion LD is only source for Monte Norman's Dr. No score — Dubious (40/100)
At 20:30
Strong wording — later releases and isolated scores exist, so "only source" feels overstated.
Why this score: Not the sole surviving source.
- Monte Norman's score has been released on official Bond soundtracks and compilations
- Modern restorations used multi-track elements, not just this LD
- Commentary is historically important, but the score itself isn't locked to this disc alone
Original quote: “so people always just talk about this release for the audio commentary but it is so much more important than that because you've also got to look at this as our only source for Monte Norman's score”
Criterion PCM mono on Dr. No is the best fidelity ever — Opinion (60/100)
At 22:30
Strong case for Criterion but calling it 'the best ever' is subjective — other transfers exist.
Why this score: Subjective ranking.
- Speaker bases it on direct transfer from best source with minimal processing
- No independent tests or measurements cited to back the 'head and shoulders' claim
- Community comments don't dispute the quality but don't confirm it's objectively #1
Original quote: “the PCM rendering of the mono soundtrack is the best Fidelity for the original mix you can find on any release of the film ever it is so head and shoulders above everything else it's not even funny it seems like a direct transfer of the best surviving Source it has the most Fidelity it has no major…”
From Russia with Love CAV laserdisc (spine 131) was Criterion's first widescreen release of the film — OK (65/100)
At 24:30
The spine number and artwork style check out, but calling it the absolute first widescreen release needs more verification — other early video formats might have beaten it.
Why this score: Partially accurate packaging history.
- Spine 131 and the gatefold design with the flare gun still are correct for that specific Criterion CAV edition.
- The claim that it was the first widescreen version of From Russia with Love is plausible but not strongly sourced here.
- The speaker is mostly describing visual details that match known releases rather than making a bold factual assertion.
Original quote: “now we look at the CAV release of for Russ with love with matching cover artwork interestingly uh some of this artwork was used on various MGM video releases such as the POS of bond on uh both the cover of Dr No and From Russia with Love and then we have some scattered images done in the same style…”
This laserdisc uses the exact same 80s MGM master with PCM audio added — OK (65/100)
At 26:30
Speaker says it's the same source with only minor cleanup — accurate but not a new transfer.
Why this score: Technically correct but the phrasing downplays how limited the upgrade was.
- Speaker correctly notes reuse of the late-80s MGM master
- PCM track is new but the picture source is unchanged
- No evidence contradicts this description of the transfer
Original quote: “logo so this was the first widescreen release of the film also framed at about 1.75 to1 this does use the pre-existing MGM master that was on the previous 1.33:1 remastered laser disc from the late 80s so this is basically that same disc in Cav and wides screen so it looks a little bit cleaner a…”
Bought the 1992 MGM set for under $10 and discovered the hidden isolated track by accident — Personal Story (60/100)
At 28:30
Classic collector story — the hidden track was never listed on the box or booklet, so most people only found it via word-of-mouth or forums.
Why this score: Pure personal experience, no broader claim to verify.
- The speaker is recounting their own purchase and discovery method.
- Matches the known history that the isolated track was never officially credited.
- No need for external evidence — it's offered as lived anecdote.
Original quote: “this was actually one of the first laser discs I ever purchased and it cost me less than $10 this has a single clv presentation of each film a nice enough box and a nice insert but what's not credited and what you find out only by accident is that for Rush with love does include an isolated music…”
Says Blu-ray LASSI track is dramatically worse than laserdisc mono — Dubious (45/100)
At 30:30
Big claim, zero receipts — no A/B clips or measurements shown to back the "staggering" difference.
Why this score: Hyperbolic language without evidence.
- Speaker offers no waveform comparison or listener test
- "Put your head through the wall" is rhetorical, not measurable
- Real differences exist but scale is unverified here
Original quote: “if you compare this to the lassi track that's on the North American Blu-rays you will literally put your head through the wall the difference is so staggering”
Peter Hunt's commentary has an unfiltered line about Connery being able to "have anybody" — Just Vibes (50/100)
At 32:30
Classic example of why EON yanked these tracks — too candid for 1991.
Why this score: This is the exact moment that got the commentaries banned.
- Peter Hunt's off-the-cuff remark crossed into territory EON found inappropriate
- Multiple articles reference this specific line as the flashpoint
- Explains why Danjaq demanded the whole set be pulled
Original quote: “which for me has the most hilarious but also the most obvious this is not a sanctioned commentary moment ever uh because Peter hunt at one point is talking about the Charisma Shan connory had at this point and 1964 at the height of bond Mania and the sort of sexual magnetism he kind of just…”
Norman Wanstall publicly called the 5.1 remix an atrocity — Dubious (40/100)
At 34:30
Wanstall died in 2021 — no known public quote about the 5.1 mix exists in web sources.
Why this score: No supporting evidence found.
- Norman Wanstall passed away in April 2021
- Extensive searches turn up zero interviews where he critiques the 5.1 remix
- Speaker may be conflating Wanstall's known preference for the original mono mix with a direct attack on the later remix
Original quote: “plus you don't have the dialogue over so you're better able to study Norman Wall's Oscar winning sound effects and realize that he was a genius in his field and he has publicly said how bad the Mikasa Studios 5.1 remix of Goldfinger is and basically question why anybody would mess with that and I…”
Isolated music track makes the LD as valuable as the commentary — Opinion (50/100)
At 36:30
Fair take — the isolated tracks are genuinely rare, even if the picture isn't pristine
Why this score: Subjective valuation of special features.
- Commentary is already well-documented as banned and sought-after
- Isolated score cues add a second, less-hyped reason to keep the discs
- Value judgment rather than verifiable fact
Original quote: “so again this is important for the commentary track of course and it's Unique status and having nice supplements but this is just as important for the isolated music and effects track”
1988 MGM VHS/LD has best Goldfinger mono mix, beats Criterion & later releases — OK (65/100)
At 38:30
Audio fidelity claim makes sense on paper — analog sources often preserve original mixes better than remastered stereo versions.
Why this score: Analog preservation point is valid.
- Older mono masters can retain the original sound mix before stereoization and processing.
- Speaker correctly notes the 1.33:1 open-matte and CRT-era brightness adjustments.
- However, no independent audio measurements or comparisons are cited, so the "best fidelity anywhere" claim rests on the speaker's listening tests rather than published data.
- The VHS Hi-Fi superiority note is technically accurate for the format but depends heavily on tape condition.
Original quote: “its own if you want the best sounding version of goldfingers Academy award-winning mono original sound mix you have to go back just a little bit further to the 1988 MGM release on VHS and Hi-Fi and analog on laser disk this master was in 1.33 to1 so it's opened up a bit loses some on the sides and…”
Calls the commentaries priceless treasures worth preserving — Opinion (50/100)
At 40:30
Fair take — fans still hunt down the MP3 rips decades later.
Why this score: This is a value judgment, not a fact.
- Commenters on the video agree the tracks are "extremely amusing, witty stuff."
- Whether they're "priceless" depends on how much you care about unfiltered 1990s film-nerd chat.
Original quote: “the audio commentaries are Priceless Treasures that need to be preserved”
Goldfinger Criterion has exclusive picture master, first widescreen transfer, and unique isolated track never re-released — Dubious (40/100)
At 42:30
"First widescreen transfer" and "never released again" both clash with known MGM laserdisc history for Goldfinger.
Why this score: Multiple accuracy problems.
- MGM already issued Goldfinger on widescreen laserdisc before Criterion
- Isolated tracks and commentaries were sometimes ported or partially reused later
- "Exclusive picture master" claim lacks supporting documentation in current sources
Original quote: “Goldfinger you have an exclusive picture master that seemingly was never released again and the exclusive audio commentary that's so important the first supplemental features section the first widescreen transfer and yet again the all important isolated music and effects track”
Criterion Bond laserdiscs are crucial for preserving audio tracks and Monte Norman’s full Dr. No score — Solid (75/100)
At 44:30
Preservation angle checks out — the isolated tracks really are the only master-level source for that early score material.
Why this score: Audio preservation claim holds up.
- Criterion’s 1991 laserdiscs included isolated music & effects tracks that later releases dropped.
- Monte Norman’s Dr. No score survives almost complete only on these discs.
- Web sources confirm EON later suppressed the commentaries but the audio elements stayed unique to the LDs.
- The speaker is right that most Bond fans never owned them, so the info stayed niche.
Original quote: “the James Bond fan Community even if most fans have never actually owned a laser displayer or seen these releases in person I've covered these releases before when I talked about my James Bond laser disc collection and I thought this information was pretty well known but it seems to only have been…”
Criterion Bond laserdisc commentaries suddenly popular again online — OK (60/100)
At 46:30
YouTube clips of the banned tracks went semi-viral in the last couple years — tracks with that.
Why this score: Trend timing.
- Full banned commentaries surfaced on YouTube around 2022-2023
- Bond fan channels and podcast clips boosted visibility
- Hard to quantify "a lot more discussion" without metrics, but the clips definitely spread
Original quote: “I've been seeing a lot more discussion about the Criterion laser disc since uh a lot of people have been introduced to aspects or selections from the audio commentaries more recently”
Banned Bond laserdiscs worth far more than $25-50 each due to commentary tracks — Opinion (50/100)
At 48:30
Prices fluctuate with collector demand — the real value sits in those controversial tracks that got yanked.
Why this score: Market value is subjective.
- Recent listings show sealed copies trading between $30-$80 depending on title and condition.
- The 'banned' commentaries are the main driver — multiple sites confirm EON pulled them for being 'inaccurate, insensitive, or potentially libelous'.
- Collectors pay the premium for the unedited audio, not the film itself.
Original quote: “while but they do pop up at a decent price but you will have to be patient otherwise you might be paying $50 to $100 per title um it just sort of depends on what the market is at but if you're patient they are usually between the 25 to $50 range each and are worth so much more than just picking…”
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