King Kong Lives (1986)

[Killer Meteor]

I hope it looks good!

[TheZeppo]

Mine just arrived today from Grindhouse shipped in bubble wrap inside a sturdy cardboard box:

Front slip (hideous yellow rating sticker is on the outer plastic wrap):


Back slip:

[Mikezilla3k]

And region free to confirm?

[TheZeppo]

Originally Posted by mikezilla3k

and region free to confirm?

EDIT: Region A confirmed with beautiful playback and sound.

[RalphoR]

Any word on Diabolik starting to ship? I'm thinking there must be a short delay to get stock. Hope to hear something soon from them.

[mcrowell415]

Originally Posted by RalphoR

Any word on Diabolik starting to ship? I'm thinking there must be a short delay to get stock. Hope to hear something soon from them.

I am waiting too. Also expecting Cannonball 1 & 2.

[RalphoR]

My order shipped today from Diabolik (along with Legend Of Dinosaurs And Monster Birds, which I forgot I ordered).

[steev210]

Any thoughts on PQ yet?

[Tok]

Originally Posted by steev210

Any thoughts on PQ yet?

Got mine yesterday. Watched it for a few minutes before I turned in last night. Was decent looking but wasn’t watching critically. Last time I watched this it was on VHS years ago. I swear the VHS I owned was a Kino Lorber release.

I’ll have to watch it on my projector setup for a more critical viewing.

Was listening to the commentary track. Sounds like Dino was getting backing at his studio through investments that could be used as tax write-offs but the loop hole was closed and he lost his investors. His whole studio in NC was to avoid labor unions so he could pay labor $5/hr. Sounds like it was a pretty bad location to build a studio since it was right next to an airstrip that military and others used.

[Killer Meteor]

Siskel & Ebert review King Kong Lives (1986) - YouTube

[hasslein]

Mine arrived from umbrella yesterday. Arrived in box with styrofoam peanuts. I ordered three to make sure I received a pristine box. Turns out it’s a slip not a slip box. Interesting the poster and lobby cards are not packaged inside the set. They are bigger than the box and are packaged in a separate clear plastic envelope.

[steev210]

Originally Posted by Tok

I swear the VHS I owned was a Kino Lorber release.

I remember buying a VHS copy of King Kong Lives when it first released and it was from Lorimar Home Video. I think after they lost the licensing rights it may have been picked up by Warner Home Entertainment.

[RalphoR]

Arriving today. Looking forward to revisiting this "masterpiece"

[Tok]

Originally Posted by steev210

I remember buying a VHS copy of King Kong Lives when it first released and it was from Lorimar Home Video. I think after they lost the licensing rights it may have been picked up by Warner Home Entertainment.

Yes good memory. I got rid of my VHS tapes years ago.

[steev210]

Originally Posted by Tok

Yes good memory. I got rid of my VHS tapes years ago.

Working at a few different video stores in the mid/late 80's while I was in college and after graduation helped. My brain is like a snapshot in time from putting those VHS boxes in alphabetical every night at closing. But looking back, the six or so years I worked in those mom and pop video stores and Blockbuster were some of the best of times.

[Killer Meteor]

Any thoughts on the colour timing of the transfer? I hope it's not yellowy-green like the UK 4K of the first film.

[steev210]

Originally Posted by Killer Meteor

Any thoughts on the colour timing of the transfer? I hope it's not yellowy-green like the UK 4K of the first film.

Have you actually seen the new 4K Kong '76 in motion or are you forming an opinion based on the caps? Because it looks so much better watching the entire film to appreciate the work that went into this restoration. So much so, that I prefer the new 4K restoration and color grading over all previous home media physical releases which I now find to have a slight magenta push and way too bright.

[omgitsgodzilla]

Nobody said slapping a Bayformers grade on older movies wasn't hard work!

All jokes aside, though, I'd be curious to see some screencaps from the Lives BD, if anyone could take a couple.

[Mikezilla3k]

Originally Posted by omgitsgodzilla

Nobody said slapping a Bayformers grade on older movies wasn't hard work!

I mean, even with that, it still knocks the socks off of the stretched blown out dull old telecine transfer anyway: https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?a=2&x...7&l=1&i=2&go=1
https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=17...4&a=1&go=1&l=1

[omgitsgodzilla]

Originally Posted by Mikezilla3k

I mean, even with that, it still knocks the socks off of the stretched blown out dull old transfer anyway: https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?a=2&x...7&l=1&i=2&go=1
https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=17...4&a=1&go=1&l=1

The scan absolutely is better. The previous transfer was very old and looked it, and even the worst Ritrovata jobs are typically pretty good as far as sharpness is concerned. It's just a shame that they take those good scans and then do all that with the colors.