King Kong

[theMaximus]

This DVD was released today in the U.S. Anyone has any comments on SQ and PQ? I'm thinking about getting it but want to know if SQ and PQ are as good as Peter Jackson's previous DVDs (LOTR). Thanks.

[saurabh]

I read somewhere that the single disc box, does not contain a DTS track and also the movie is a long one, 3 hrs 7 min.

Dont know about the 2 disc special edition.

[David Meek]

Dont know about the 2 disc special edition.

I've got it on order. The 2-disc edition doesn't have a DTS track, only DD5.1 on the 2.35:1 version (disc 1) and DD2.0 on the 1.78:1 version (disc 2). It does list a runtime of 188 minutes.

[Sithlord]

Ok here is a great website for dvd reviews in all regions. They have reviews for both the single and 2 disc editions here is the link for the SE:

http://www.dvd-basen.dk/uk/home.php3?mvis=ok&ok=go&idhop=81957

[Shane Martin]

I'm waiting on the Extended Cut. Love the movie but I'm not double dipping.

Peter Jackson's Extended Cuts are ALWAYS better.

[LikeCoiledSteel]

We rented KK last weekend. It was ok but thoguht it could have been better. This movie did not pace well, Very slow in the beginning, and then the end was rushed. Great stage and fantasy. Some good scenes. Some could have been cut. Kong himself was done well.
It was a bit long though.
Steel

[George Bellefontaine]

Picking up my copy this weekend.

[aud19]

I'm waiting on the Extended Cut. Love the movie but I'm not double dipping.

Peter Jackson's Extended Cuts are ALWAYS better.

Me too! Hope I don't have to wait too long... I didn't even see it in the theatre so I'm dying here!!!!

[Gordon Moore]

Me too! Hope I don't have to wait too long... I didn't even see it in the theatre so I'm dying here!!!!

I'll have a better idea of the theatrical presentation tonight. Should be good since we're seeing it on Andrew's new and improved Theater. Kong should ring true on those Ushers and pummel us with his tumult :T

Acutally, I'm just going for the pizza :P

[Nick M]

Saw it in the theater and purchased it.

The only knock I have against it is the flow. I think it could have seen some cuts and been just as well off.

That said, this film has some astounding action scenes that simply blew me away. I loved the styling, the humor, and the action. It was a fun ride for sure.

:35: out of :5:

[Foxman]

I'm waiting on the Extended Cut. Love the movie but I'm not double dipping.

Peter Jackson's Extended Cuts are ALWAYS better.

Yeah, thats my take. I didnt see it in the theater and didnt purchase this version but I did add it to the Netflix que. I told the Mrs. to bet the farm on the fact I will be getting the EE when it comes out. Did I miss it? Has there been a release date for the EE of this title?

[june]

Hello All,

I'm with Shane, waiting for the DTS, director's cut.

[Shane Martin]

Foxman,
Not yet but I bet it's in Novemeber if Peter jackson's past is any indication

Aud,
Just rent it for now. It's what I'll be doing. It was one of my very top films of last year.

[aud19]

Foxman,
Not yet but I be it's in Novemeber if Peter jackson's past is any indication

Aud,
Just rent it for now. It's what I'll be doing. It was one of my very top films of last year.

Yeah I probably will :B

[Azeke]

I saw it at the movies and also bought the DVD single disc version. I wasn't aware that the dual disc version has the 1:78 format. Can somone verify that?

I enjoyed the movie PQ and SQ is good, not excellent. I wish there was a DTS version, that certainly would have been nice. The movie was a bit long, but I enjoyed it, 4 stars out of 5. Just my humble thoughts.

Peace and blessings,

Azeke

[Shane Martin]

The movie is 2.35 OAR but the extras are anamorphic 1.78:1.

[saurabh]

I wish there was a DTS version, that certainly would have been nice.

There is hardly any space on the single disk, even the extras are small. Considering its a 3hrs + movie, possibly that's a contraint for squeezing DTS into it.

[Gordon Moore]

Quick review: good not great.
Bit of a let down.
Glad I didn't buy....once is enough.
RKO version is still numero uno.

[Stoney]

Rented it last night. Stopped watching it at the "Insect pit" scene. Although I enjoyed the surround effects, I found the action and visual effects overboard. Found too many unbelievable scenes and occurences. In other films, I can usually overlook the impossible and accept it. Not this one. My wife and I also found some of the effects to be a little to gross for our tastes.

[David Meek]

too many unbelievable scenes and occurences

In a movie about a 50' tall ape living on an island with dinosaurs?

[wkhanna]

I was going to pass on this one. Now I know I will.

I agree, if you want to see the 'King', RKO is the King of King's.

[Burke Strickland]

No question that the original "King Kong" still stands untouched as a timeless classic. However, there was a lot to enjoy in Peter Jackson's remake. In fact, probably TOO much.

Skip most of the the middle third, (with the gross-out "unbelievable scenes and occurrences" like that ship’s mate being sucked down by several huge worms at once) and you’ve got a pretty good movie. Keep those scenes in and what you have is a very L-O-N-G movie with great picture and sound, and, ahem, incredible special effects that don’t so much strain credulity (you have to check "believability" at the door with this kind of movie) as strain attention span (I checked my watch several times during the middle third).

On the island, where the real acting took place in the midst of all those "unbelievable scenes and occurrences", :>) I found it pretty unbelievable how the crew would split up and the captain and his group would set off and then return at just the right moment to shoot whatever was posing a problem for the others whom he had supposedly abandoned to their fate. Once was dramatically exciting – by the third time it was more like “oh PLEASE, recycling the same bit in the same movie AGAIN??? It’s almost as shameless as the Marines saving the people at the end of Jurassic Park III (which come to think of it, this movie also seemed to be paying homage to.”

However, to me the most unbelievable part was when the lady whom Kong was in love with, Ann Darrow, did the last several scenes in winter with snow on the ground and Kong sliding around on the ice of a frozen pond with her in his paw and then climbing up the Empire State Building with her wearing nothing more protective from the elements than a negligee. OK, it was a costume dress from her Broadway show, but couldn’t she have at least grabbed a scarf before running out onto the street? And her breath didn’t show in the cold, either. I’ve been to New York City in winter and she’d have been in the hospital with pneumonia after prancing around semi-dressed like that for that long in winter. Of course, she wouldn’t have looked nearly as alluring in a parka. :>)

This is the first movie I’ve seen with Jack Black that I didn’t immediately want to throw things at the screen. As a surrogate Orson Welles, he was actually pretty good (although by the time they got to the insect pit, I was rooting for the insects when it looked like they might get him). :>) On the whole, I think the human acting roles were well cast and the acting was servicable to propel the adventure/fantasy.

Hats off to those special effects artists and Andy Serkin, though -- Kong was easily the most believable character in the movie. In the New York scenes, he looked real and the city and the objects that occupied its space looked like a very expensive set of kid’s blocks getting knocked around. The actions and reactions of most of the characters in those scenes looked more like the 1930s movie this one was paying homage to and countless "B' grade horror flicks that followed than a story told with 21st century sensibilities. I imagine that was on purpose.

I’m glad I bought the DVD. Worth seeing again to appreciate the acting :>) now that I know which scenes to skip.

Burke

[Azeke]

That was an excellent synopsis Burke, :T . I'm happy that I have the DVD and that it's a part of my collection. In essence, I'll just skip the first one-third of the movie and go straight to the action scenes, which includes the insect pit .

This movie had a little something for everyone, action, love, thrills and chills (pun intended).

Peace and blessings,

Azeke

[David Meek]

Hmmm, I keep hoping the mailbox will have "something" for me. . . . Maybe tomorrow (Monday). :banghead:

I guess that'd be today for you Easterners.

[George Bellefontaine]

Thanks, Burke. I will be watching my copy some night this week.

[Karma]

HI Folks,
Premise: nothing can surpass the 1930's King Kong. OK, that's a given. Let's move on.

Brought the new version home Fri night and watched it immediately. Absolutely loved it. This is not an actors movie. It's a special effects explosion that supports a classic theme. How those two weave together determines how well the movie works. For me, it was sensational. It grabbed me by the throat and did not release me until the credits apperared. Maybe I'm just an easy movie critic.

Within the plot there are nuances that set the mood. I thought these worked very well. For example, the native village implied the dread that was yet to come.

The special effects were fantastic. The animals, to me, looked real and loathsome. The relationship beween Ann Darrow and Kong was much more intelligent than any of the previous versions. Ann's terror which faded to fascination finally turning into love captured the primordial theme very well.

Sensational, I repeat.

Sparky

[audioqueso]

Just watched it tonight. Good movie. Great directing. SQ and PQ were excellent. The scenes where Kong looks at the sunrise looked gorgious on my huge ass tv (lol). One thing I really liked was that the Kong vs T-Rex fight stayed true to the original Kong vs T-Rex fight. I was excited to see that. Overall a good movie.

[George Bellefontaine]

Wife and I watched it the other night and were absolutely thrilled. And this comes from a guy who loves the original Kong. There were times when I thought the cgi appearance of Kong was a little skewered. His bottom sometimes looked too small for the rest of his body when he was in motion, especially in those scenes when he was wrecking New York City. But the PQ was stunning and the soundtrack really rocked my HT. Even though I would have preferred a little tighter editing , especially in the early part of the film, I will be watching this many, many times.

:T :T :T :T

[Clive]

I've been really busy over the past weeks but I am dying to view this film myself. I want to be relaxed so maybe on the wknd. Thanks Burke!

[Sithlord]

Ok I just purchased this one last night and well I must say one of the best soundtracks out there at the moment IMO. Very precise surrounds and very clear dialogue and the BASS awesome stuff. Kongs breathing even has bass in it but all up it was very refined and controlled. The picture is also close to referrence quality very nice indeed. I knew there was a reason why I bought a SVS B4+ sub love that T-rex battle it's my new demo scene. :tv:

[Kingdaddy]

I cant believe how bad Peter Jackson messed up this movie with that terrible CGI way overdone completely unbelievable muck, I was loving this movie until the dinosaurs started stampeding and tripping over themselves and it just ruined the movie, I hade to turn it off, the action just ruined the whole thing. Typical for Peter IMO, he toured me through all three of the LOR movies in the same way. I think I can say now, without a doubt that I cant stand Peter Jackson movies, the action scenes are just too overdone and ridiculous. Too bad, it could have been great if someone else directed it.

[George Bellefontaine]

Too bad, it could have been great if someone else directed it.

I wouldn't go as far as to say that. He did well in keeping close to the original storyline. And he was a huge fan of the original, which you will see in the extras of the original King Kong dvd, so he trated the subject with loving care. But it's hard to disagree with some of that CGI you mentioned.

[David Meek]

I finally received my copy and sat down last night to check it out. I'll sum up my thoughts by saying that kingdaddy is on one end of the spectrum and I'm gladly on the other end. Peter Jackson did treat the story with loving care as George stated above, and it shows in the overall "truth" of the movie in staying the course set out by Merian Cooper, Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot, Robert Armstrong and the rest of the original's cast and crew. Yes, there was one scene that was un-necessary and could have easily been edited out without any loss in continuity or to the story - the "bug chasm" scene that Burke mentioned. And unfortunately, there were two other scenes where some obviously unrealistic CGI took me "out of the moment". But otherwise, I was impressed not only by the overall quality of the CGI, but with the acting, the production and again, the obvious effort to stay true to the original while effectively updating the story. Well done, Mr. Jackson.

[LikeCoiledSteel]

I cant believe how bad Peter Jackson messed up this movie with that terrible CGI way overdone completely unbelievable muck, I was loving this movie until the dinosaurs started stampeding and tripping over themselves and it just ruined the movie, I hade to turn it off, the action just ruined the whole thing. Typical for Peter IMO, he toured me through all three of the LOR movies in the same way. I think I can say now, without a doubt that I cant stand Peter Jackson movies, the action scenes are just too overdone and ridiculous. Too bad, it could have been great if someone else directed it.

Agreed. When you think about it, Kong is a classic that has been remade twice with 30 years betwwen them. To the next generation, Jackson Kong is the only one they will know. And to me it was a let down. Not paced well. Character development that goes knowhere. Action scenes that are way beyond reality, even in this fantasy realm. The Kong character himself was done very well, as was a few of the scenes. But there were too many over the top scenes that became redundant and boring. It took almost 1 1/2 hours to get the movie started, then the entire ending was less than 20 minutes, with a whole bunch of useless and boring action in the middle. Kong is supposed to be the most interesting character in the movie, yet he is not developed enough. The young cabin boy gets way too much screen time and development, and for what? He is not seen again after the island. I was getting geared up for a great movie as they were on the boat and the anticipation was getting better. What a let down.

I am not a fan of Lord of the Rings. I thought they were boring also and way too long. I think Speilberg or even M. Night Shamalan could have knocked it out of the park. Narnia was way better imho.
Steel

[Chris D]

Just rented and watched this movie this weekend. eh... it was okay. Felt like a mixture of Jurassic Park, Skycaptain and the World of Tomorrow, Gorillas in the Midst, and others.

Parts were really good. I liked the middle big battle between Kong and the T-Rexes. Other parts, just didn't like. Overly drawn out in parts. I do have to give big kudos to the leading actress, the director, and writers, that the star lady didn't play as a non-stop hysterically screaming bimbo. That would have been overly annoying. However, I gotta agree-- the entire movie in a nightgown? Come on, this isn't an 80's horror movie. And she's running around a forested island barefoot with no problems?

Some continuity problems in a couple parts, too, where people instantly show up in places they didn't have time to get to.

Glad I didn't buy it. Overall, :25: out of :5: