Quantum of Solace - DVD Review

The DVD release of Quantum of Solace has hit the shelves this week, and here are some thoughts about it – I will not go over the plot of the film, but merely comment on various aspects of the DVD.

The film has been released in both single disc and 2 disc DVD editions. Here in South Africa, the 2 disc DVD would appear to be exclusively available at Musica stores, while all others are only stocking the 1 disc release. Disc 1 (in both versions) includes the film itself and a music video, plus two trailers. The picture and sound quality would appear to be up to standard, and the menus are quite nifty, incorporating the MI6 computer interface design seen in the film. Somewhat disappointing is the low level of animation in the menus, especially the scene selections.

The 2 disc release, by Bond standards, is still somewhat bare-bones. For starters, it lacks an audio commentary, which is a staple of all the previous Bond films’ DVD releases. However, like Casino Royale, whose initial DVD release also didn’t include commentary, Quantum will most likely be re-released in a deluxe edition when the next Bond film comes out.

The documentary features on the DVD are an adequate, but not really in depth look at the production. These featurettes are very promotional in style, and offer only a glimpse of the making of the film. Compared to the making-of material on the Lord of the Rings 4 disc sets for instance, these featurettes pale in comparison. The best feature in my view is perhaps the Crew Files – short snippets concerning over 30 members of the crew, which give an idea of their functions on the production. As a film student, and someone who is very interested in how films are put together, this is the most interesting feature, as it encompasses a wide range of issues concerning the making of the film.

As a DVD set, the 2-disc special edition of Quantum of Solace is a little disappointing, but you can be pretty sure that a souped-up version is waiting a couple of years down the line. Still, the primary reason for buying the DVD is to watch the film, and it is great to be able to enjoy the latest Bond offering from the comfort of your favourite sofa.

The Music of Quantum of Solace

Returning to the fold as composer is David Arnold, for his fifth James Bond score. Over the years since 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies, Arnold has established his own formula for James Bond. Since his first entry in the series, Arnold has married classic and modern sounds in the Bond scores. These have been mixed together in varying measures, with a heavy emphasis on Monty Norman's James Bond Theme. In 2006, when scoring Casino Royale, David Arnold used very little of this theme, only giving brief hints of it until the end of the film. Bond music fans expected a more traditional sound when Arnold returned for Quantum of Solace, now that Daniel Craig's James Bond had been established in Casino Royale. In actuality, the score for Quantum of Solace is still light on James Bond Theme, but as with Casino Royale, Arnold relies more on original themes, and some of themes used in Quantum of Solace are carried over from Casino Royale.

After many rumours about the Bond title song, and different artists being discussed, including Amy Winehouse, it was announced that Jack White and Alicia Keys would be performing the title song, with White writing the song himself. The song, Another Way To Die, is an unusual one in the Bond title song canon, but one which I like and to my ear, fits in with the history of James Bond title songs, in a way which Die Another Day, for instance, did not. The opening notes of the title song bear a strong resemblance to the opening notes of Casino Royale's title song, You Know My Name. The song is an interesting mix of styles, including the classic Bond mix of strings and brass, with rock influences from White, and R&B influences from Keys. I have read much negative opinion about the song, but I felt that it fit the film very well. David Arnold described the sound of the song as being 'dirty', which is a word which could equally describe the film itself. However, a Bond song needs to do more than simply fit the film in order to go down amongst the classics such as Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever. It also needs to appeal as a song in its own right, which Another Way does to me, not on the same level as the classic Bond songs, but it is certainly good enough to warrant listening to outside of the film itself. It seems that many would disagree with me on the point, but all artistic endeavours appeal differently to different people. The song also combines well with the main title sequence of the film, designed on this occasion by a studio, MK12, rather than by an individual, which has been the norm over the years. As with the song itself, the titles are a slight departure in style from previous sequences, but they are nonetheless enjoyable and complement the film well. The main difficulty is that the song doesn't have a memorable melody which is integrated into the score. There is material from the song scattered sparsely in various sections of the score, but it doesn't seem to provide a substantial amount of thematic material to the score.

Once again, David Arnold has turned in a good, solid score for the new James Bond film. Like the film, he picks up where Casino Royale left off. I didn't fully appreciate the score until I'd seen the film. It was the same with Casino Royale. I think that part of this is down to the fact that these two scores contain less of the James Bond Theme than the previous ones did. Whereas the Bond theme is a very recognisable piece, the other music requires the addition of the film to be truly enjoyed. Also, Arnold is almost a little too subtle in his use of some of the thematic material, especially with the main title theme - Another Way To Die. This is most likely because the song's melody gave him little to work with. However, problems aside, since seeing the film, I have listened to the score many times and I find it a very enjoyable listen. Arnold continues to mature as a composer and I would be quite happy for him to continue as composer of the James Bond series.

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