King Kong: Two Disc Special Edition (UK - DVD R2)
Reviewer Scott Davis looks at the brutish beast that is Peter Jackson's King Kong
Did you ever hear the story of the giant ape that was seen walking around New York City? I’m sure you have, but never like this. The timeless tale has been ‘re-mastered’ with the latest technology thanks to Peter Jackson, the bearded fellow who brought the Lord of the Rings so memorably to life.

The story of out of work entertainer and actress wannabe Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) who is grasped by desperate by filmmaker Carl Denham (Jack Black), one film away from obscurity. Armed with a ship, a script from playwright Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody) and a secret map leading to an unknown island, Denham promises Ann the stuff of dreams. What she gets mind you could be described as a thing of nightmares, as she finds that the island holds something no beauty has ever set face upon before—the beast.
What makes King Kong a breed apart from its predecessors is the love and enthusiasm of its filmmaker for the Kong universe, an affinity that started when he was about nine years old. This obvious adoration flows through Jackson's direction, which is nothing short of breathtaking, effortlessly shifting from one gear to the next as he unravels the story before our eyes. Calm and composed as he delicately creates the bond between Ann and Kong, before the exciting and genuinely amazing action sequences with their exquisite pacing and cutting take over, as the camera swoops, dodges and dives with the crewmates on Skull Island.
However, for the story to really convince, it’s the connection between Ann and Kong that had to be meticulously planned. Jackson and co-writers Phillippa Boyens and Fran Walsh paint Kong and Ann’s affection as more kindred spirits or friends, rather than focusing on any love or sex, which both the original and ill-fated 1976 ‘gigantic turned-on ape’ version tried to address. Sure, there's love between them, but their feelings are much more pure and human than we are used to. Indeed, throughout the film we see their bond blossom, from their first encounter as Kong bounds from the forest afar to snatch his new ‘sacrifice’, through Ann's attempts to awaken the gentle side of Kong as she performs some of her comedy routines, to their magical final encounter as Kong struggles manfully on an iced over Central Park, which is wonderfully effective.

Flowing black hair, menacing eyes, arms the size of buses, scars and a perfect set of monkey dentures, Kong is a miracle of CGI, wonderfully composed and beautifully rendered by Jackson’s digital arm, WETA. What they achieved in Lord of the Rings was nothing more than a warm up when you look at what they have done in this film. Their meticulous attention to detail and creative know-how has created a wonderful world of CGI, not just with Kong. In fact, it's their achievement in bringing depression ravaged 1930s America to life that has been subject of more praise than Kong himself. But it is of course their rendition of Kong that will mark another place for them in the history books.
But for all the work put in on Kong, it’s the wonderful performance of Andy Serkis behind all those markers and lycra suits which makes Kong breathe. His work as Gollum was brilliant, but here he gives a whole new angle to motion capture and is the undoubted star of the show. Not only does he nail the physical aspects of being an ape, whether it's the walk, the anger or even the scratching of ones butt, but he also manages to integrate his human self into the masses of computer graphics, and enjoys a unique emotional chemistry with his leading lady throughout.
Watts herself is a joy, and gives one her finest performances. And that isn’t no mean feat considering she spends most of her time acting and screaming at a blue screen. But despite that, she manages to convey not only the vulnerability and uncertainty of her character as she is thrown into this unknown world, but make us fully believe her deep lying feelings for the unimaginable beast through their brief encounter. We watch as Ann moves from undemanding plaything to heartbroken soul as Kong is captured and ultimately meets his demise. Jack Black too is outstanding in a much darker and more twisted role that we have seen him in before. His Denham is a selfish, egotistical arsehole, eager to succeed no matter what the cost, even death, and by the end, is drunk with the very power of fame, until it literally crashes down in front of him. And Adrien Brody, while not quite on par with his counterparts, is still his usual accomplished self as reluctant ‘action hero’ Driscoll, performing with strength and intelligence.
If there are flaws to be picked, they mainly stem from the films huge three-hour run time. It's the first third, which suffers most, dragging slightly as we warm up to the appearance of Kong being introduced to the humans of the story. But Jackson wants us to care for these characters as much as he does, and is brave in his decision to leave editing to a minimum, even though he knows bums may be sore at the film's conclusion. But despite its very small shortcomings, no one can deny the power of King Kong both as an action spectacle and an immensely strong story of friendship and affection. And while its concept is pure fantasy, its emotional core makes it very authentic indeed.

Presented with a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, you would expect nothing but fantastic quality from a recent release like this one. And, I’m please to announce that King Kong is blessed with a phenomenally strong video transfer. There is so much to look at in this film, from the cityscapes of New York in both the daytime and in the snowy evenings, the mysterious and rundown spaces of the HMS Venture, and the vast forest life on Skull Island with its interchangeable climates, all of which are rich in colour and textures. Everything on show here is expertly realised, with fantastic attention taken to produce the film as Peter Jackson had intended.
The best examples of the transfer’s quality lie in two scenes. The first is a meeting with Kong and Ann up on Kong’s cliff top as Kong sits peacefully watching out at sea. In front of him, a clear and picturesque sky with beautifully colourings of orange, yellow, blue and white, lighting up the night sky as Ann looks on bedazzled by the sight. The second is the Kong/ T-Rex battle, which perfectly captures not only the forests of Skull Island and its environments, but is the best example of all the special effect components working together. The picture is clear, crisp and concise in detail throughout, as well as having a superbly realised colour palette. Colours are bold and bright without any hint of saturations, bleaching or disfigurement, which from a special effects laden film, you would expect. There is the odd sign of edge enhancement during the course of the film, but these moments are few and far between in a video package that is one of the best around.
As with the video side of the DVD, Universal has pulled out all the stops to give the film an excellent audio transfer. Presented to us here with a Dolby Digital 5.1 transfer, King Kong is surely one of the best films to help the sound technology stand out. And stand out it does, with its energetic and sometimes ferocious sound design bursting through the five channel set-up. It beautifully captures all of the environments of the film, from the night sidewalks of New York and the planes which later fly menacingly overhead as they try to tame the beast, to the brutal sounds of Skull Island as the tribes people attack, the T-Rex’s try to eat our intrepid rescue team with their snap-happy appetite, to Kong himself, who is loud and brutish, just as he should be, as he screams, laughs and bangs that big hairy chest of his.
Also excelling is the score from James Newton Howard, who follows his superb work on the magnificent Batman Begins with another excellent score, which perfectly captures the different moods of the film perfectly, even if at times it does feel a little muted. I’m sure the inevitable DTS soundtrack on some sort of ultimate edition somewhere down the line will be even better, but for now this audio presentation is fantastic.

The main feature on the second disc is the collection of post-production diaries, which run at about three hours worth of footage. Those of you not familiar with these small featurettes, allow me to explain. One King Kong fansite, Kongisking.net, was granted full access to the set of the film, able to watch a few minutes every week to see what was going on. Peter Jackson was a huge supporter of this idea, and is always on hand to give an introduction to each diary explaining what he and his cast and crew were up to.
The ‘Production Diaries’ also ran at about three hours in length, and were released prior to King Kong’s release, and are available on an excellent two-disc set. Anyhow, these are the ‘Post-Production Diaries’, and just like the ones released before them, they include a wealth of information, stories, anecdotes and looks behind-the-scenes, as well as some more funny entries along the way. Jackson takes us through every element of the post-production of Kong, guiding us through all the various departments that helped get Kong to the screen. Jackson himself is on hand to discuss the editing process with his two editors; WETA are on hand to show us how Kong came to life, including how Andy Serkis helped as there guinea pig, and the marketing team take us through their process of marketing and distributing the film before its release, before we join Jackson and cast at the world premiere in America last December. There is so much more that I have said to enjoy here, and all three-hours will have you glued and intrigued, but I’ll let you discover that for yourself.
The two other documentaries included examine and discuss the historical factors surrounding the film, even if one of them takes a wittier and spoof-like stance. That particular documentary, Skull Island: A Natural History has tongue firmly in cheek here, as Jackson and other members of the WETA Digital team discuss the creatures, habitants and environments encircling Kong on Skull Island. It aims to put some history and back-story to the Kong universe, even having Jackson and crew look like explorers on some of the images present here. It’s nice to see a blockbuster movie not take itself too seriously, and allow it’s self such a luxury, but this documentary just feels like a opportunity wasted to add some real meat to the extra features.
The second, ‘Kong’s New York, 1933’, is more historical, and comes straight out of the world of the Discovery channel, as it shows how its citizens battled against the Depression and the huge rates of unemployment that came with it. But, Jackson was all too keen to fully bring that era to life, and he and his crew discuss how they successfully recreated it with their CGI wizardry and the hard work of their incredible art department. A decent attempt this one, but like the ‘Skull Island’ doc, seems like an opportunity wasted.

A majestic, beautiful and wonderfully inspired epic from Peter Jackson, who crafts a movie-going experience like no other, and in doing so gives us his best effort yet. Filmed with love, passion and his obvious childhood obsession, flawlessly acted by his cast, and with some of the best digital effects ever seen on the big screen, King Kong will I'm sure soon find it's place in the list of the greatest movies of all time. The DVD is also superior in it's technical quality, and their is some interest to be had from the extras, mainly the diaries, but overall feels heart-hearted, and definitely geared up for a future Ultimate Edition. Plonk yourself in front of the screen and sit in wonder. Films do not get much better.

Feature
The story of out of work entertainer and actress wannabe Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) who is grasped by desperate by filmmaker Carl Denham (Jack Black), one film away from obscurity. Armed with a ship, a script from playwright Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody) and a secret map leading to an unknown island, Denham promises Ann the stuff of dreams. What she gets mind you could be described as a thing of nightmares, as she finds that the island holds something no beauty has ever set face upon before—the beast.
What makes King Kong a breed apart from its predecessors is the love and enthusiasm of its filmmaker for the Kong universe, an affinity that started when he was about nine years old. This obvious adoration flows through Jackson's direction, which is nothing short of breathtaking, effortlessly shifting from one gear to the next as he unravels the story before our eyes. Calm and composed as he delicately creates the bond between Ann and Kong, before the exciting and genuinely amazing action sequences with their exquisite pacing and cutting take over, as the camera swoops, dodges and dives with the crewmates on Skull Island.
However, for the story to really convince, it’s the connection between Ann and Kong that had to be meticulously planned. Jackson and co-writers Phillippa Boyens and Fran Walsh paint Kong and Ann’s affection as more kindred spirits or friends, rather than focusing on any love or sex, which both the original and ill-fated 1976 ‘gigantic turned-on ape’ version tried to address. Sure, there's love between them, but their feelings are much more pure and human than we are used to. Indeed, throughout the film we see their bond blossom, from their first encounter as Kong bounds from the forest afar to snatch his new ‘sacrifice’, through Ann's attempts to awaken the gentle side of Kong as she performs some of her comedy routines, to their magical final encounter as Kong struggles manfully on an iced over Central Park, which is wonderfully effective.

Flowing black hair, menacing eyes, arms the size of buses, scars and a perfect set of monkey dentures, Kong is a miracle of CGI, wonderfully composed and beautifully rendered by Jackson’s digital arm, WETA. What they achieved in Lord of the Rings was nothing more than a warm up when you look at what they have done in this film. Their meticulous attention to detail and creative know-how has created a wonderful world of CGI, not just with Kong. In fact, it's their achievement in bringing depression ravaged 1930s America to life that has been subject of more praise than Kong himself. But it is of course their rendition of Kong that will mark another place for them in the history books.
But for all the work put in on Kong, it’s the wonderful performance of Andy Serkis behind all those markers and lycra suits which makes Kong breathe. His work as Gollum was brilliant, but here he gives a whole new angle to motion capture and is the undoubted star of the show. Not only does he nail the physical aspects of being an ape, whether it's the walk, the anger or even the scratching of ones butt, but he also manages to integrate his human self into the masses of computer graphics, and enjoys a unique emotional chemistry with his leading lady throughout.
Watts herself is a joy, and gives one her finest performances. And that isn’t no mean feat considering she spends most of her time acting and screaming at a blue screen. But despite that, she manages to convey not only the vulnerability and uncertainty of her character as she is thrown into this unknown world, but make us fully believe her deep lying feelings for the unimaginable beast through their brief encounter. We watch as Ann moves from undemanding plaything to heartbroken soul as Kong is captured and ultimately meets his demise. Jack Black too is outstanding in a much darker and more twisted role that we have seen him in before. His Denham is a selfish, egotistical arsehole, eager to succeed no matter what the cost, even death, and by the end, is drunk with the very power of fame, until it literally crashes down in front of him. And Adrien Brody, while not quite on par with his counterparts, is still his usual accomplished self as reluctant ‘action hero’ Driscoll, performing with strength and intelligence.
If there are flaws to be picked, they mainly stem from the films huge three-hour run time. It's the first third, which suffers most, dragging slightly as we warm up to the appearance of Kong being introduced to the humans of the story. But Jackson wants us to care for these characters as much as he does, and is brave in his decision to leave editing to a minimum, even though he knows bums may be sore at the film's conclusion. But despite its very small shortcomings, no one can deny the power of King Kong both as an action spectacle and an immensely strong story of friendship and affection. And while its concept is pure fantasy, its emotional core makes it very authentic indeed.

Video
Presented with a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, you would expect nothing but fantastic quality from a recent release like this one. And, I’m please to announce that King Kong is blessed with a phenomenally strong video transfer. There is so much to look at in this film, from the cityscapes of New York in both the daytime and in the snowy evenings, the mysterious and rundown spaces of the HMS Venture, and the vast forest life on Skull Island with its interchangeable climates, all of which are rich in colour and textures. Everything on show here is expertly realised, with fantastic attention taken to produce the film as Peter Jackson had intended.
The best examples of the transfer’s quality lie in two scenes. The first is a meeting with Kong and Ann up on Kong’s cliff top as Kong sits peacefully watching out at sea. In front of him, a clear and picturesque sky with beautifully colourings of orange, yellow, blue and white, lighting up the night sky as Ann looks on bedazzled by the sight. The second is the Kong/ T-Rex battle, which perfectly captures not only the forests of Skull Island and its environments, but is the best example of all the special effect components working together. The picture is clear, crisp and concise in detail throughout, as well as having a superbly realised colour palette. Colours are bold and bright without any hint of saturations, bleaching or disfigurement, which from a special effects laden film, you would expect. There is the odd sign of edge enhancement during the course of the film, but these moments are few and far between in a video package that is one of the best around.
Audio
As with the video side of the DVD, Universal has pulled out all the stops to give the film an excellent audio transfer. Presented to us here with a Dolby Digital 5.1 transfer, King Kong is surely one of the best films to help the sound technology stand out. And stand out it does, with its energetic and sometimes ferocious sound design bursting through the five channel set-up. It beautifully captures all of the environments of the film, from the night sidewalks of New York and the planes which later fly menacingly overhead as they try to tame the beast, to the brutal sounds of Skull Island as the tribes people attack, the T-Rex’s try to eat our intrepid rescue team with their snap-happy appetite, to Kong himself, who is loud and brutish, just as he should be, as he screams, laughs and bangs that big hairy chest of his.
Also excelling is the score from James Newton Howard, who follows his superb work on the magnificent Batman Begins with another excellent score, which perfectly captures the different moods of the film perfectly, even if at times it does feel a little muted. I’m sure the inevitable DTS soundtrack on some sort of ultimate edition somewhere down the line will be even better, but for now this audio presentation is fantastic.

Extras
The main feature on the second disc is the collection of post-production diaries, which run at about three hours worth of footage. Those of you not familiar with these small featurettes, allow me to explain. One King Kong fansite, Kongisking.net, was granted full access to the set of the film, able to watch a few minutes every week to see what was going on. Peter Jackson was a huge supporter of this idea, and is always on hand to give an introduction to each diary explaining what he and his cast and crew were up to.
The ‘Production Diaries’ also ran at about three hours in length, and were released prior to King Kong’s release, and are available on an excellent two-disc set. Anyhow, these are the ‘Post-Production Diaries’, and just like the ones released before them, they include a wealth of information, stories, anecdotes and looks behind-the-scenes, as well as some more funny entries along the way. Jackson takes us through every element of the post-production of Kong, guiding us through all the various departments that helped get Kong to the screen. Jackson himself is on hand to discuss the editing process with his two editors; WETA are on hand to show us how Kong came to life, including how Andy Serkis helped as there guinea pig, and the marketing team take us through their process of marketing and distributing the film before its release, before we join Jackson and cast at the world premiere in America last December. There is so much more that I have said to enjoy here, and all three-hours will have you glued and intrigued, but I’ll let you discover that for yourself.
The two other documentaries included examine and discuss the historical factors surrounding the film, even if one of them takes a wittier and spoof-like stance. That particular documentary, Skull Island: A Natural History has tongue firmly in cheek here, as Jackson and other members of the WETA Digital team discuss the creatures, habitants and environments encircling Kong on Skull Island. It aims to put some history and back-story to the Kong universe, even having Jackson and crew look like explorers on some of the images present here. It’s nice to see a blockbuster movie not take itself too seriously, and allow it’s self such a luxury, but this documentary just feels like a opportunity wasted to add some real meat to the extra features.
The second, ‘Kong’s New York, 1933’, is more historical, and comes straight out of the world of the Discovery channel, as it shows how its citizens battled against the Depression and the huge rates of unemployment that came with it. But, Jackson was all too keen to fully bring that era to life, and he and his crew discuss how they successfully recreated it with their CGI wizardry and the hard work of their incredible art department. A decent attempt this one, but like the ‘Skull Island’ doc, seems like an opportunity wasted.

Overall
A majestic, beautiful and wonderfully inspired epic from Peter Jackson, who crafts a movie-going experience like no other, and in doing so gives us his best effort yet. Filmed with love, passion and his obvious childhood obsession, flawlessly acted by his cast, and with some of the best digital effects ever seen on the big screen, King Kong will I'm sure soon find it's place in the list of the greatest movies of all time. The DVD is also superior in it's technical quality, and their is some interest to be had from the extras, mainly the diaries, but overall feels heart-hearted, and definitely geared up for a future Ultimate Edition. Plonk yourself in front of the screen and sit in wonder. Films do not get much better.
Review by Scott Davis
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Absolutely atrocious movie, 3 arse numbing hours of watching miscast actors, sub-standard CGI, laughable bluescreen shots and one of the most unwelcome remakes since The Fog 2005.
It was regarded as a box-office disappointment in the US with large audience drop offs after its opening weekend because of very poor word of mouth of the movie, and its not hard to see why, apart from the hygienically challenged Jackson fan-boys, no-one really wanted a king kong remake.
It seems only to have got made due to Jackson’s box office clout after those daft elf films hit pay dirt, so the producers let him go cine-w**k crazy with an unlimited budget and screentime; it would have been nice if they had spent more time and money getting a decent script rather than spend $100m on cheesy special effects.
One of the few movies, that not even worth the petrol costs that it would take to burn the negative.
It was regarded as a box-office disappointment in the US with large audience drop offs after its opening weekend because of very poor word of mouth of the movie, and its not hard to see why, apart from the hygienically challenged Jackson fan-boys, no-one really wanted a king kong remake.
It seems only to have got made due to Jackson’s box office clout after those daft elf films hit pay dirt, so the producers let him go cine-w**k crazy with an unlimited budget and screentime; it would have been nice if they had spent more time and money getting a decent script rather than spend $100m on cheesy special effects.
One of the few movies, that not even worth the petrol costs that it would take to burn the negative.
Hmmm....I found the first 1/2 of the movie extremely slow and my wife and I forced ourselves to sit through it to see if it got better which thankfully it did.
I spose we just have to wait for the inevitable doulbe dip with hoepfully a 6.1 DTS track (ah la Lord of the rings) to see what it should have really sounded like.
6/10 for me - and that's a low 6
I spose we just have to wait for the inevitable doulbe dip with hoepfully a 6.1 DTS track (ah la Lord of the rings) to see what it should have really sounded like.
6/10 for me - and that's a low 6
Lincoln6Echo wrote: Chris wrote: Only if purchased with other items. The standard price is £14.97 at Tesco and a tad less at ASDA.
Damn, I paid $23.xx or so for the 2-disc at Wally World on release day. Luckily I got the Production Diaries from Amazon's Marketplace for $20 shipped, so ~$45.xx for a 4-disc set ain't too bad.
You're not taking into consideration that what they are talking about isn't in American dollars...£14.97 GBP equates to about $26.00 USD, so you actually got the better deal.
Damn, I paid $23.xx or so for the 2-disc at Wally World on release day. Luckily I got the Production Diaries from Amazon's Marketplace for $20 shipped, so ~$45.xx for a 4-disc set ain't too bad.
You're not taking into consideration that what they are talking about isn't in American dollars...£14.97 GBP equates to about $26.00 USD, so you actually got the better deal.
Chris wrote: Only if purchased with other items. The standard price is £14.97 at Tesco and a tad less at ASDA.
Damn, I paid $23.xx or so for the 2-disc at Wally World on release day. Luckily I got the Production Diaries from Amazon's Marketplace for $20 shipped, so ~$45.xx for a 4-disc set ain't too bad.
Damn, I paid $23.xx or so for the 2-disc at Wally World on release day. Luckily I got the Production Diaries from Amazon's Marketplace for $20 shipped, so ~$45.xx for a 4-disc set ain't too bad.
Only if purchased with other items. The standard price is £14.97 at Tesco and a tad less at ASDA.
This is getting some massive discounting for high street retail.
The 2 disc set in 'Tesco' and 'Asda' is going for around £9.66!
That may well beat internet prices.
The 2 disc set in 'Tesco' and 'Asda' is going for around £9.66!
That may well beat internet prices.
not a big fan of the flick but the sound was well done. ethan van der ryan is the best thing to happen to sound since rydstrom. love how they turned off the subwoofer for a couple of the jungle scenes. really gave you a break from all the deep booming sounds that came before it
Great review. I personally would have given the film 9/10, because it wasn`t perfect, but a 10/10 is fine by me because it truely is a masterpiece, and I agree with everyone above who said that 1) this should have taken Munich`s spot for Best Picture, and 2) It`s better than the Lord of the Rings film. I still like the LOTR films though. I`m just kind of sick of them.
Looks like I'm almost on my own for not thinking much of this movie. Whilst the special effects are enjoyable I felt very little emotional involvement. At one point during the over-long computer game style dinosaur sequence (that clearly was a CGI designers wet dream) I found myself thinking about what to cook for dinner, a pure sign of boredom. I certainly do not consider the storyline to carry the depth of The Lord of the Rings, but that has more to do with the the fact that the original theme is paper thin and less to do with Peter Jackson's ability. I didn't hate the film, but I just felt it was the cinematic equivalent of fast food. It filled the gap, but ten seconds later I couldn't remember what I'd seen.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, the one thing I think the film lacks is much of a story. By that I mean the story is fairly simple and straight forward. Director meets girl, girl meets gorilla, girl falls in love with gorilla, gorilla dies. LOL. Obviously, it's the visuals used to tell this simple story that sells the film.
Let's face it, King Kong is just another one of those typical large monster movies that rely heavily on the visuals to tell the story. However, with that said, this Peter Jackson remake does that in spades. I have never seen more beautifully rendered CG shots in film. Were all of them perfect? No, not really. The Brontosaurus stampede was a bit fake looking. I mean, come on...here you have a dozen or so 20-ton dinosaurs running down through a narrow cavern between ancient ruins with humans running with them, and very few of the humans get trampled??? Bulls**t. There was more people getting trampled during the stampede in The Lost World: JPII and they were even running in a confined area.
Anyway, one of the scenes that really stuck out for me was the ending biplane finale. That was one of the best "shot" scenes I have ever seen with those sort of elements in it. Very interesting camera angles and what not. The surround sound effects used in that scene were also very good. I can't wait to hear that in DTS.
As far as the DVD goes, for those thinking that the Production Diaries will be carried over to the Ultimate Edition may be disappointed. As has already been said, they currently occupy 3-discs, and the extended version of the movie is supposedly going to be spread across 2 discs (ala LOTR-EE), that comes to 5 discs there, so that tells you right there that a 4-disc UE won't carry the Production Diaries. From what I've heard, the UE will contain all new documentaries on the making of the movie. The Production Diaries have that web-isode feel to them like the web-isodes did on the Star Wars DVDs. So I'd expect the documentaries on the UE to be done in a more traditional "making-of" documentary kind of way. That being, interviews with the cast and crew, intersperced with behind-the-scenes camera work on the set while filming. I can also see art-design galleries, very similar to what was on the LOTR-EE sets. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the 4-disc verison didn't exactly mirror the basic contents of the LOTR-EE sets.
Let's face it, King Kong is just another one of those typical large monster movies that rely heavily on the visuals to tell the story. However, with that said, this Peter Jackson remake does that in spades. I have never seen more beautifully rendered CG shots in film. Were all of them perfect? No, not really. The Brontosaurus stampede was a bit fake looking. I mean, come on...here you have a dozen or so 20-ton dinosaurs running down through a narrow cavern between ancient ruins with humans running with them, and very few of the humans get trampled??? Bulls**t. There was more people getting trampled during the stampede in The Lost World: JPII and they were even running in a confined area.
Anyway, one of the scenes that really stuck out for me was the ending biplane finale. That was one of the best "shot" scenes I have ever seen with those sort of elements in it. Very interesting camera angles and what not. The surround sound effects used in that scene were also very good. I can't wait to hear that in DTS.
As far as the DVD goes, for those thinking that the Production Diaries will be carried over to the Ultimate Edition may be disappointed. As has already been said, they currently occupy 3-discs, and the extended version of the movie is supposedly going to be spread across 2 discs (ala LOTR-EE), that comes to 5 discs there, so that tells you right there that a 4-disc UE won't carry the Production Diaries. From what I've heard, the UE will contain all new documentaries on the making of the movie. The Production Diaries have that web-isode feel to them like the web-isodes did on the Star Wars DVDs. So I'd expect the documentaries on the UE to be done in a more traditional "making-of" documentary kind of way. That being, interviews with the cast and crew, intersperced with behind-the-scenes camera work on the set while filming. I can also see art-design galleries, very similar to what was on the LOTR-EE sets. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the 4-disc verison didn't exactly mirror the basic contents of the LOTR-EE sets.
Though I enjoyed it slight less than the LOTR trilogy its one of the few remakes that I found to improve upon the original. The only thing that Jackson didnt improve on was the first introduction of Kong.
Apart from that he mannages to milk all the drama he can get out of any given situation which makes for some breathtaking scenes.
If a good 30mins worth of characterisation of the secondary characters was cut out the film it would have made a big improvement.
My only disappointments with the film were the special effects. Although they were amazing alone, they stuck out like a sore thumb when placed closely alongside the actors (something that is not so obvious in Jurassic Park, a film made over 12 years earlier)
Apart from that he mannages to milk all the drama he can get out of any given situation which makes for some breathtaking scenes.
If a good 30mins worth of characterisation of the secondary characters was cut out the film it would have made a big improvement.
My only disappointments with the film were the special effects. Although they were amazing alone, they stuck out like a sore thumb when placed closely alongside the actors (something that is not so obvious in Jurassic Park, a film made over 12 years earlier)
Yes, thought the 10/10 rating may get some stick, but the movie simply blew me away, even more than Lord of the Rings to be honest! Just amazing!
Looking forward to the next version of this with all the production diaries on it and a commentary by Peter Jackson. To be honest I cant believe that he released this without a commentary!
I can wait until then to see the film again.
I can wait until then to see the film again.
Got the HK Gift Set for the movie...
and R1 for the Production Diaries...
I think that's about enough for this magnificent movie!!!
and R1 for the Production Diaries...
I think that's about enough for this magnificent movie!!!
Fine review man, I'd give it an 8/10, after seeing it once. I need to see it again. If I was in charge I would've cut most of Jamie Bell and 'Token Black Guy's' footage, I thought it was heavy-handed and really brought to film down to near Michael Bay levels. Otherwise, I was a great film.
I think the only 10/10 I've given was for Dawn of the Dead, which was my first review for the site. I gave quite a few 8s and a 9 to Bird with the Crystal Plumage, but I try to be conservative with my higher ratings. (it helps me feel like a real snob
)
I think the only 10/10 I've given was for Dawn of the Dead, which was my first review for the site. I gave quite a few 8s and a 9 to Bird with the Crystal Plumage, but I try to be conservative with my higher ratings. (it helps me feel like a real snob

in australia, we have the option of purchasing the 2-disc edition of king kong in an exclusive collector's tin... with the 2-disc production diaries included - all for $34.83 AUD:
http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/785609
it's late, but i'll be pre-ordering it tomorrow
http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/785609
it's late, but i'll be pre-ordering it tomorrow
Kong deserved Munich's spot on the best picture nomination list. This film had alot of hype and expectations due to its director and cast. Basically, it had no choice but to be a stellar film or else it would be labeled a failure.
Jackson blew away the expectations of everyone with this beauty of a film. Few films of 2005 can be labeled as near perfect. This is one of them.
Superior to Narnia.
Jackson blew away the expectations of everyone with this beauty of a film. Few films of 2005 can be labeled as near perfect. This is one of them.
Superior to Narnia.
Chris wrote:
Universal/DreamWorks are not going to back down from this practise any time soon (when we started boycotting the watermarked images it was only DW who did it; Universal started afterwards) and people want to read early reviews of titles like King Kong, Serenity and Doom.
Universal and Fox need to quit this watermarking c**p... how will people know what the final product will look like if it's got "Property of Universal Pictures" or "Property of Fox Home Entertainment" on both the movie and extras. Even all the extras on screener copies can't be accessed.
I hope Paramount, Sony (well, they did watermark the screeners for Spider-Man 2), Disney, Warner, and the other studios don't adapt a ploy like this. We need reviews of how good the movie looks and all the extras it has, instead of getting a rough idea of what to expect with the final screener copies.
Universal/DreamWorks are not going to back down from this practise any time soon (when we started boycotting the watermarked images it was only DW who did it; Universal started afterwards) and people want to read early reviews of titles like King Kong, Serenity and Doom.
Universal and Fox need to quit this watermarking c**p... how will people know what the final product will look like if it's got "Property of Universal Pictures" or "Property of Fox Home Entertainment" on both the movie and extras. Even all the extras on screener copies can't be accessed.
I hope Paramount, Sony (well, they did watermark the screeners for Spider-Man 2), Disney, Warner, and the other studios don't adapt a ploy like this. We need reviews of how good the movie looks and all the extras it has, instead of getting a rough idea of what to expect with the final screener copies.
Great review Scott
...love the movie....great work of all the stuf and of Jackson himself...his best for me ( I hate LOTR-bleeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE11
)
i watched it in the theater...and today on DVD..i got this
2 Disk SE set from friday
.....and exactly as Scott wrote..great movie, great edition...great box
....love it..


i watched it in the theater...and today on DVD..i got this
2 Disk SE set from friday



Bradavon wrote: I'm not saying DVD Active should do this but I know of other sites who refuse to review check discs if they have this under the grounds it's not how it will appear in shops.
I know the other site you are referring to, and until recently this was also my policy when dealing with studios. I have turned down/sent back a lot of material over the past year, to the point where it started to damage our relationship with the very people who supply us with early review material.
Universal/DreamWorks are not going to back down from this practise any time soon (when we started boycotting the watermarked images it was only DW who did it; Universal started afterwards) and people want to read early reviews of titles like King Kong, Serenity and Doom.
I'm working on a way around it and I'll be replacing the screen caps wherever possible so that the reviews don't look as bad, but there seems to be little that we can do to influence the paranoid studios to drop the watermarking on their 'prime' titles (and believe me, I've made the case on many occasions).
We might have more comprehensive reviews and infinitely superior news to the print mags, but we don't have the clout of a major publisher behind us. It's bloody frustrating...
I know the other site you are referring to, and until recently this was also my policy when dealing with studios. I have turned down/sent back a lot of material over the past year, to the point where it started to damage our relationship with the very people who supply us with early review material.
Universal/DreamWorks are not going to back down from this practise any time soon (when we started boycotting the watermarked images it was only DW who did it; Universal started afterwards) and people want to read early reviews of titles like King Kong, Serenity and Doom.
I'm working on a way around it and I'll be replacing the screen caps wherever possible so that the reviews don't look as bad, but there seems to be little that we can do to influence the paranoid studios to drop the watermarking on their 'prime' titles (and believe me, I've made the case on many occasions).
We might have more comprehensive reviews and infinitely superior news to the print mags, but we don't have the clout of a major publisher behind us. It's bloody frustrating...
Bradavon wrote: How do the production diaries differ from the separate production diaries sold a few months back or are they the same?
The ones released at the time of Kong's theatrical release were the production diaries showing the filming of the movie and some of the things going on behind the scenes. The ones included with this two-disc set are the post production diaries, mainly involving things that took place after principle photography wrapped. When you combine the older two-disc set and the second disc of this Kink Kong special edition, it makes for about a seven hour documentary.
The ones released at the time of Kong's theatrical release were the production diaries showing the filming of the movie and some of the things going on behind the scenes. The ones included with this two-disc set are the post production diaries, mainly involving things that took place after principle photography wrapped. When you combine the older two-disc set and the second disc of this Kink Kong special edition, it makes for about a seven hour documentary.
Obviously the retail copies don't have the watermarks, that would be commercial suicide. Fox don't watermark their R2 check discs either, at least not the ones we get.
Matt wrote: This is the first 10/10 movie that I've seen in a long time--highly entertaining, I was gripping the armrests and swaying in my seat through a good portion of it when I saw it in the theatre and just enjoyed the whole thing. You lose a little bit of that watching it at home, so it's truly a movie that was meant to be seen on the big screen. Movies are meant to entertain and this one does it in spades and then some, and for the first time in a long time the nine plus dollars I spent on a movie ticket was well worth it. Kong's not perfect and has its faults, but no picture is.
"King Kong" is all but deserving a 10/10 rating. Maybe a 7 to 8, but the picture was too long and that's where the detractors of it lay. The acting was good, the action sequences exhilarating, but the time spent on secondary character development doesn't pay off at the end. I know some people say the time flew by, but I found 1/3 of the movie boring. I think a more deserving popcorn flick would be "Serenity" or "Batman Begins".
But that's just my opinion.
BTW, Universal and Fox does the watermarked test copies for both regions. But the final retail copies don't have the watermarks.
"King Kong" is all but deserving a 10/10 rating. Maybe a 7 to 8, but the picture was too long and that's where the detractors of it lay. The acting was good, the action sequences exhilarating, but the time spent on secondary character development doesn't pay off at the end. I know some people say the time flew by, but I found 1/3 of the movie boring. I think a more deserving popcorn flick would be "Serenity" or "Batman Begins".
But that's just my opinion.
BTW, Universal and Fox does the watermarked test copies for both regions. But the final retail copies don't have the watermarks.
Bradavon wrote: I'm not saying DVD Active should do this but I know of other sites who refuse to review check discs if they have this under the grounds it's not how it will appear in shops.
There's only so much that we can send back unreviewed. At the very least we are honest and make sure to take screenshots of the review material, it would be very easy to review these discs and use the promotional images provided.
There's only so much that we can send back unreviewed. At the very least we are honest and make sure to take screenshots of the review material, it would be very easy to review these discs and use the promotional images provided.
How do the production diaries differ from the separate production diaries sold a few months back or are they the same?
Chris wrote: I've complained to Universal numerous times about the copyright stuff on check discs - it's not going anywhere...
I'm not saying DVD Active should do this but I know of other sites who refuse to review check discs if they have this under the grounds it's not how it will appear in shops.
I can see why they are doing it but every frame seems very excessive.
Chris wrote: The swear filter is there to appease the advertisers.
Fair enough I just wasn't sure if said word was swearing was all.
Chris wrote: I've complained to Universal numerous times about the copyright stuff on check discs - it's not going anywhere...
I'm not saying DVD Active should do this but I know of other sites who refuse to review check discs if they have this under the grounds it's not how it will appear in shops.
I can see why they are doing it but every frame seems very excessive.
Chris wrote: The swear filter is there to appease the advertisers.
Fair enough I just wasn't sure if said word was swearing was all.
Damn right, Scott. Great review.
This movie was very overrated and I was extremely disappionted n it.
I'd be willing to bet a lot on a four disc release. Just think about it.
The production diaries were used to promote the film, and released in a limited edition, higher cost DVD set that hardly anyone bought, compared to the actual film.
The POST production diaries debuted on this special edition completley leaving out PRE and actual PRODUCTION. I guarantee we will see the film along with a full offering of production diaries in the future, mark my word.
Universal didn't have them made for nothing. They WILL use them.
The production diaries were used to promote the film, and released in a limited edition, higher cost DVD set that hardly anyone bought, compared to the actual film.
The POST production diaries debuted on this special edition completley leaving out PRE and actual PRODUCTION. I guarantee we will see the film along with a full offering of production diaries in the future, mark my word.
Universal didn't have them made for nothing. They WILL use them.
It is Peter Jackson's best. The special effects are spectacular, and it is very emotional. One of the best films of 2005.
I shall be buying the two-disc set eventually.
I shall be buying the two-disc set eventually.
This is the first 10/10 movie that I've seen in a long time--highly entertaining, I was gripping the armrests and swaying in my seat through a good portion of it when I saw it in the theatre and just enjoyed the whole thing. You lose a little bit of that watching it at home, so it's truly a movie that was meant to be seen on the big screen. Movies are meant to entertain and this one does it in spades and then some, and for the first time in a long time the nine plus dollars I spent on a movie ticket was well worth it. Kong's not perfect and has its faults, but no picture is.
Not sure that the production diaries will be included in a future release--the movie itself should be spread across two discs given a probable longer running time and atleast two more audio tracks to go along with it, and all of the production diaries alone take up three discs. If the LOTR sets are anything to go by, the extras probably won't overlap much. I'd be happy with just a commentary and isolated score on the next release in addition to an extended version; the production diaries already released cover something close to seven hours of behind-the-scenes material, more than enough for me. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what the official announcement from Universal holds.
Not sure that the production diaries will be included in a future release--the movie itself should be spread across two discs given a probable longer running time and atleast two more audio tracks to go along with it, and all of the production diaries alone take up three discs. If the LOTR sets are anything to go by, the extras probably won't overlap much. I'd be happy with just a commentary and isolated score on the next release in addition to an extended version; the production diaries already released cover something close to seven hours of behind-the-scenes material, more than enough for me. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what the official announcement from Universal holds.
I think I'm holding out for a four disc including ALL the production diaries, not Just post-production. A four disc set is inevitable and becoming a Peter Jackson signature.
Now when do we get the four disc Frighteners?
Now when do we get the four disc Frighteners?
Bradavon wrote: IS this a true representation of what the Retail DVD will be like with all that copyright c**p all over each image? I'm surprised you managed to watch it right through.
I imagine that with being a brighter film than Doom it doesn't feel quite as intrusive, but it is very, VERY annoying to have that on screen all the time - if these discs have been treated the same as Doom was then it's all the way through the extras as well
Even Dreamworks only put the copyright notice up for a few seconds every ten minutes.
You'd think that given the free press they're getting they could relax a bit - and no, it obviously won't be on the retail discs, but stop trying to give them ideas!
I imagine that with being a brighter film than Doom it doesn't feel quite as intrusive, but it is very, VERY annoying to have that on screen all the time - if these discs have been treated the same as Doom was then it's all the way through the extras as well

Even Dreamworks only put the copyright notice up for a few seconds every ten minutes.
You'd think that given the free press they're getting they could relax a bit - and no, it obviously won't be on the retail discs, but stop trying to give them ideas!
I will hopefully rent it tomorrow.
I've complained to Universal numerous times about the copyright stuff on check discs - it's not going anywhere...
The swear filter is there to appease the advertisers.
The swear filter is there to appease the advertisers.
Nice review. I'm waiting for the SE personally. Lots of popcorn fun to be had. I loved it.
IS this a true representation of what the Retail DVD will be like with all that copyright c**p all over each image? I'm surprised you managed to watch it right through.
Why the need for a swear filter c**p isn't swearing or offence?
IS this a true representation of what the Retail DVD will be like with all that copyright c**p all over each image? I'm surprised you managed to watch it right through.
Why the need for a swear filter c**p isn't swearing or offence?
Universal need a slapping for the copyright notice...
oooh...the fabled 10/10 for a film...
but I'm going to have to disagree I'm afraid - there were too many times during the film where I sat there thinking "Right. Bored now. Get on with the next bit and stop showing us what you can do". There's no doubt that what Jackson puts on the screen in terms of visuals is excellent - and the effort showed in the Production Diaries when I looked at them for this very site - but it did seem like he'd caught a case of Lucasitis in just showing off his lovely effects when he could get on with things without harming the impact of the story one bit.
Ms. Watts was great, and the emotional impact was strengthened by a lot of the work early in the film, but tightening up in the editing and pacing would have left me feeling happier with it overall.
7.5/10 for me. Still, I've only seen it the once (so far) and it may go up on a home viewing, but not by 2.5
There are films I've enjoyed more and would still struggle to find a true 10/10 for any of them.
Nice review though
but I'm going to have to disagree I'm afraid - there were too many times during the film where I sat there thinking "Right. Bored now. Get on with the next bit and stop showing us what you can do". There's no doubt that what Jackson puts on the screen in terms of visuals is excellent - and the effort showed in the Production Diaries when I looked at them for this very site - but it did seem like he'd caught a case of Lucasitis in just showing off his lovely effects when he could get on with things without harming the impact of the story one bit.
Ms. Watts was great, and the emotional impact was strengthened by a lot of the work early in the film, but tightening up in the editing and pacing would have left me feeling happier with it overall.
7.5/10 for me. Still, I've only seen it the once (so far) and it may go up on a home viewing, but not by 2.5

Nice review though



Suitable only for persons of 12 years and over
Disc Details
Release Date:
10th April 2006
Discs:
2
Disc Type:
Single side, dual layer
RCE:
Yes
Video:
PAL
Aspect:
2.35:1
Anamorphic:
Yes
Colour:
Yes
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Subtitles:
English, Arabic, Icelandic
Extras:
Post-Production Diaries, Three Featurettes, TV Spot
Easter Egg:
No
Feature Details
Director:
Peter Jackson
Cast:
Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Andy Serkis, Thomas Kretschmann, Colin Hanks, Jamie Bell
Genre:
Action, Drama and Fantasy
Length:
187 minutes
Ratings
Awards


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