King Kong (1976) (Collector's Edition)

[Spider-Fan]

Sigh. I figured I would just do the preorder on Scream Factory site. Tried 3 browsers on my phone.... and it won't go through checkout for me. It freezes at the same step on each browser.

Wonderful site management there. Guess I will just wait for a future listing. Never using that site again. Ridiculous.

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by Tok

The mechanical Kong was used for about 7 seconds total. It’s design did not match well with Baker’s gorilla suit. The mechanical Kong was basically a marketing gimmick to get people interested in the film. They had to show it to say it’s in the movie.

Yes Jackson’s Kong is CG but it was one on the best CG characters that has been featured in film. Some of the CG in Jackson’s film isn’t great but the Kong stuff is grade A. The original with stop motion has flaws. The anti-CG stance has gotten a little old. It’s another tool in the film makers box. If it’s used well then what’s the problem. You could have never pulled off Kong fighting three dinosaurs with the camera movements and the choreography with traditional practical effects and stay within budget.

In the making of they go into how Jackson was working on a King Kong film as a 13 year old, of course using practical effects.

In the aborted 1996 version, WETA constructed a maquette of Kong vs. the dinosaurs Jackson gave to Universal as a gift before kindly requesting it back after they passed on the film when the market had become saturated by Godzilla, Mighty Joe Young, and the animatics for sequences were animated with models and stop motion, rather than with CGI.

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

Hard to remember an era when hit movies stayed in first-run theaters for 20 weeks at a stretch.

It was still like that to the late 80s and even mid-90s with the biggest of the big like Titanic. In the 00s it started changing and now it's a sad rush and opening day and weekend count for overly much.

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

I'm more amused that Kong is holding a giant metal hot dog in one hand.

Seriously...what the hell is that supposed to be?! It's always bothered me.

I thought it was one of those double-bladed copters?

[darkness2918]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

I had huge issues with how unbearably long the opening of the movie was. But, my biggest issue was the "BIGGER IS ALWAYS BETTER" approach to the action scenes. I thought the kong vs rex scene was terrible thanks to it being like "hey, it was cool when kong fought a t-rex, HOW ABOUT HE FIGHTS MORE THAN ONE?!?!" The lower key stuff, like everything with Naomi Watts and kong interacting, is where the version shines. Everything else has big issues. Again, though, this is based on my memories of the theatrical version. I'm guessing the extended one is even worse, and I'm not sure if it would be as good on a TV vs the theater.

Kong splatting a girl in the 76 one sounds like a good candidate for something your young mind might have filled in. I remember lots of old gory scenes as being far more gory than they actually were, and I know a ton of people do that. The textbook example tends to be the ear scene in Reservoir Dogs. It seems like tons of people remember seeing the ear actually come off, but the shot never existed. Same deal with the knife actually stabbing the body in Psycho. If it did, though, hoo-boy. I can't imagine that considering the tone of the rest of the movie. I can't wait to see it.

I thought the Kong & T-Rex fight in Jackson’s film was awesome It’l used to be my favorite Kong film until Skull Island came out, now it my second favorite.

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

Originally Posted by Shawn1968

I wonder which poster came first?

KK for sure
the godzilla one doesn't even take place in NY, it's clearly aping the KK poster

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

Originally Posted by darkness2918

Because as has been said before not everything will get an UHD release & honestly not everything needs one. Also UHD sell less then BDs & DVDs still outsell both.

yeah but this is exactly the sort of film that needs one

[fred25_Ca]

It's a big movie shot in 35mm, a popular one too. A 4k release would have been pretty sweet.
Anyway, at least we're finally getting the blu ray, i'm still beyond excited. I'll just have to buy the movie again if it ever gets released on 4K. :P
Hopefully King Kong Lives isn't far behind. Unlike King Kong 76, I sold my dvd copy of King Kong lives not too long ago. What a mistake that was!

[dcx4610]

This thread has convinced me to go on a Kong-a-thon and give the Jackson version a chance.

I really enjoyed the 33 version and the 76 one looks interesting to me with the suit and puppetry. I guess I'll be blind buy the 76 one, Peter Jackon's and Skull Island.

I think I'll also gonna grab Mighty Joe Young while I'm at it.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by Gosszilla

At long last I can finally eat that sole 1976 King Kong peanut butter candy bar that I saved to celebrate this Blu Ray release!

Sadly I've eaten my last of the King Kong lollies - which, despite the minimum effort artwork, were quite possibly the best ice lollies ever created. I do still have the cardboard face mask (basically just a color drawing of Kong with holes for a piece of string to fasten it) you could get from participating candy stores.

[bend_2017]

Jeff Bridges as "The Dude" meets up with a gigantic gorilla, The Big Primowski"

[LexInHD]

Originally Posted by OneWayFilms

It's the train he wrecks havoc on in the city, but it doesn't any sense for him to be holding onto it on top of the Twin Towers when he actually climbed the Empire State Building.

CORRECTION: I forgot....it WAS the Twin Tower he climbed.

There are different versions of the poster. One has him holding a broken jet fighter and the other has the twisted and burning metal wreckage of an indeterminate aircraft, be it helicopter or jet, though I think it still looks like a jet.

[The80s]

Oh God, this is my favorite King Kong movie ever! I cannot wait for this! I'm going to PRE ORDER IT RIGHT NOW!!!

[JMDiaz718]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

I'm more amused that Kong is holding a giant metal hot dog in one hand.

Seriously...what the hell is that supposed to be?! It's always bothered me.

I’m pretty sure, that’s supposed to be the wreckage, of a fighter jet.

[Nullos Master]

Shout Factory web site is only for US residents ? I have tried to pre-order it but I live in France. Apparently the ZIP code is only for US. So, it's impossible to register, pre-order and choose another country for shipping ?

It's an exclusive Shoot Factory only order ? I can not be ordered at amazon.com ?

I have the StudioCanal blu-ray : I did not see some info about a new restoration for the Shout Factory release (X4 new restoration transfer for instance)
Is there some info by Shout Factory (twitter, facebook) about the theatrical cut transfer ? (will it be a new restoration ?)

this movie brings back some memories: Jessica Lange is so beautiful. This is the girl. For some reasons, she looks a lot to me like the sister of Eva Marie Saint (North By Norwest, On The Waterfront).


We can see the Empire State Building when Kong is climbing one of the twin towers. (the night view is very dark but we can see it)
The flame thrower scene and the shopper scene with machine gun and so much blood - and the heartbeat was too much for a young boy when I watched it in TV.
I remember having left the room and my parents told me the end of the movie.
I fell in love for her. Tootsie is another one of my favorite movie with Jessica Lange.
It's odd that this Guillermin started with "Rapture", black & white, innovative camera angles almost nouvelle vague movie.

[The80s]

Originally Posted by LexInHD

KKL has different ownership rights due to the DEG distribution (and acquisition down the line) and a few hoops to jump through, but I suspect we could get it at some point. It's not essential by any means, though it would be welcome.

KKL is a dogsh*t movie and a horrendous followup to KK76. But....if Shout decides to release it....... I'll probably pick it up just for the hell of it.


As awful as it is it's not nearly as bad as Kong Skull Island. So there's that.

[Spider-Fan]

Originally Posted by Nullos Master

Shout Factory web site is only for US residents ? I have tried to pre-order it but I live in France. Apparently the ZIP code is only for US. So, it's impossible to register, pre-order and choose another country for shipping ?

It's an exclusive Shoot Factory only order ? I can not be ordered at amazon.com ?

I have the StudioCanal blu-ray : I did not see some info about a new restoration for the Shout Factory release (X4 new restoration transfer for instance)
Is there some info by Shout Factory (twitter, facebook) about the theatrical cut transfer ? (will it be a new restoration ?)

this movie brings back some memories: Jessica Lange is so beautiful. This is the girl. For some reasons, she looks a lot to me like the sister of Eva Marie Saint (North By Norwest, On The Waterfront).


We can see the Empire State Building when Kong is climbing one of the twin towers. (the night view is very dark but we can see it)
The flame thrower scene and the shopper scene with machine gun and so much blood - and the heartbeat was too much for a young boy when I watched it in TV.
I remember having left the room and my parents told me the end of the movie.
I fell in love for her. Tootsie is another one of my favorite movie with Jessica Lange.
It's odd that this Guillermin started with "Rapture", black & white, innovative camera angles almost nouvelle vague movie.

I am a US customer, and I couldn't buy it today when I tried. When it is on Amazon or something, it will prob ship to you.

[The80s]

I'm still sour to this day that Universal replaced Kongfrontation in Orlando (tram ride). That was such an awesome ride and it was actually based on the 76 film which made it even better. Replacing it with Mummy was such an insult. The Kong ride they have now at Islands of Adventure sucks ass.

I'm also still sad that the huge animantronic Kong in Hollywood Universal burned down. The CGI bullshit they replaced it with is beyond insulting.

Originally Posted by GaragePoet

for all its faults, Jackson's CGI Kong was rather spectacular compared to the monkeysuit

I disagree. I love the monkeysuit. It's my favorite looking Kong and I actually feel something when it's on screen. The CGI Kong does absolutely nothing for me. It's lifeless. It's insulting. Worst of all it's nothing more than an oversized gorilla. There's nothing "King Kong" about it. PJ really messed up with his bloated mess of a movie.

Originally Posted by sancho

Hopefully, Shout uses the Original Movie Poster as the Reversible Cover Art.

Not just for reversible art but for the slipcover. I hope the slipcover is the classic "Kong standing on the World Trade Center battling the fighter jets" art. I freaking love that artwork.

[DukeTogo84]

More than 24 hours later and I'm still in shock with this news. May seems like a million light years away at this point.

[fred25_Ca]

Originally Posted by The80s

I'm still sour to this day that Universal replaced Kongfrontation in Orlando (tram ride). That was such an awesome ride and it was actually based on the 76 film which made it even better. Replacing it with Mummy was such an insult. The Kong ride they have now at Islands of Adventure sucks ass.

I'm also still sad that the huge animantronic Kong in Hollywood Universal burned down. The CGI bullshit they replaced it with is beyond insulting.



I disagree. I love the monkeysuit. It's my favorite looking Kong and I actually feel something when it's on screen. The CGI Kong does absolutely nothing for me. It's lifeless. It's insulting. Worst of all it's nothing more than an oversized gorilla. There's nothing "King Kong" about it. PJ really messed up with his bloated mess of a movie.



Not just for reversible art but for the slipcover. I hope the slipcover is the classic "Kong standing on the World Trade Center battling the fighter jets" art. I freaking love that artwork.

Shout never use the original poster for their slip when they have new artwork, not gonna happen. I really wish they did, imo, this is one of the greatest poster of all time but shout will be shout.
Hopefully we get a 4k release one day from shout, they seem to use the original poster now for their releases, which is awesome!
Also, Kong Skull Island rule! Sorry, had to say it after seeing some of the negative comments. I'm a much bigger fan of the bipedal Kong than the Gorilla version. From '33 to 76 and Skull Island, it just works so much better imo. Kong is a monster, not simply a giant monkey. And Skull Island understood that. I had a giant smile from beginning to the end watching it in theaters. It will never be as good as '33 (but then what is?), but it has become my second favorite Kong movie (with 76 close behind).