King Kong 4K UHD (2005) (Ultimate Edition) - Page 44 - Blu-ray Forum

levcore · 03-30-2020, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

I agree that most of the CGI looks great/incredible. I also agree that Ann riding on Kong's shoulder looks pretty bad. To be fair, for the most part, the insect scene looks fine. It just goes on too long and the part when Bruce Baxter swings on the vine shooting his machine gun is terrible IMO with or without the blue screen. The T-Rex fight is fabulous though as well as the New York scenes.

Specifically regarding that Bruce Baxter moment though i personally love it, it's very funny and his first chance to prove himself as an actual hero and not the coward that everyone thinks he is!

Yeah the best VFX stuff is when there aren't any human actors on screen or just there in wide shots. The combination of practical sets, miniature backgrounds, matte paintings and CG still blows my mind. If Jackson were to make this now, there would be no miniatures, it would all be CG and worse off for it.

slimdude · 03-30-2020, 08:29 AM

What was missing the most from this movie was a editor. Peter Jackson seems he can't understand that!

levcore · 03-30-2020, 08:34 AM

Jackson was given carte blanche to do whatever he wanted, yes it's bloated and full of unrestrained excess but it's certainly his vision 100%. You rarely get that in big budget film making these days and overall it's one hell of a ride.

slimdude · 03-30-2020, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by levcore

Jackson was given carte blanche to do whatever he wanted.

That's his problem! Somebody need to tell him he need a editor - BIG TIME. Bloated is an understatement. He turned a simple story like King Kong (that could've been filmed in a two hour time frame) and turned it into a three and a half hour epic. It was an hour and a half too long.

levcore · 03-30-2020, 09:34 AM

Well it is what it is, I admire his ambition. I guess if one hasn't gotten over the running time 15 years later they never will lol.

I'd rather see bold ambition like this than movies made by committee.

Geoff D · 03-30-2020, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimdude

What was missing the most from this movie was a editor. Peter Jackson seems he can't understand that!

You know what the crazy thing is, slim? Jackson actually said (it may have been in the Ian Nathan biography of PJ) that if he ever got the chance to re-edit the film he would cut it down and restructure it, rather than adding to the bloat. People may well wonder why he didn't do that for the Extended Edition but the clue is in the name: Universal wanted a longer edition for video a la LOTR and Jackson obliged by splicing in a few more minutes of inconsequential stuff, the EE of Kong is pretty much a marketing cut.

bookcase · 03-30-2020, 12:35 PM

The only thing about this film that makes me wince is the bronto stampede. Just like one of the Hobbit films had some shots from a GoPro camera. I would've sacrificed them if they didn't match the quality of the rest of the film.

Regardless, I still love King Kong, bloat and all.

kong73 · 03-30-2020, 12:53 PM

Being bloated is what i love the most about this version. Perfect watch now that we are all stuck inside, take me to skull island now, I need to get out of NYC!!! Wait, I better rethink that.

Mandalorian · 03-30-2020, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kong73

Being bloated is what i love the most about this version. Perfect watch now that we are all stuck inside, take me to skull island now, I need to get out of NYC!!! Wait, I better rethink that.

I kind of agree. I’d take a re-cut version if he were ever allowed to tinker with it again for an anniversary edition, but as it stands, I like having the counterbalance of the lean 100 min original and the extensive remake at double that runtime.

levcore · 03-30-2020, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff D

You know what the crazy thing is, slim? Jackson actually said (it may have been in the Ian Nathan biography of PJ) that if he ever got the chance to re-edit the film he would cut it down and restructure it, rather than adding to the bloat. People may well wonder why he didn't do that for the Extended Edition but the clue is in the name: Universal wanted a longer edition for video a la LOTR and Jackson obliged by splicing in a few more minutes of inconsequential stuff, the EE of Kong is pretty much a marketing cut.

I know you say it's inconsequential but I couldn't watch the movie without the swamp attack sequence now. Also to a lesser extent the first dino encounter. Yeah it's unnecessary but with a movie like this, most of the stuff is unnecessary (but fun)

levcore · 03-30-2020, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookcase

The only thing about this film that makes me wince is the bronto stampede. Just like one of the Hobbit films had some shots from a GoPro camera. I would've sacrificed them if they didn't match the quality of the rest of the film.

Regardless, I still love King Kong, bloat and all.

There are no shots in King Kong filmed on a GoPro camera.

Mandalorian · 03-30-2020, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by levcore

There are no shots in King Kong filmed on a GoPro camera.

He’s referring to the river shot in the first Hobbit being another thing that sticks out poorly to him, like the dino chase scene in this.

levcore · 03-30-2020, 02:20 PM

My bad I thought he was talking about both movies using it.

CreasyBear · 03-30-2020, 02:26 PM

I love the length of the film. It really lures me into the world and allows the the story and characters to breathe. I think it's quite appropriately paced, actually, and flew by when I first saw it, especially. I do prefer the theatrical cut though. I'd be interested to see a shorter cut from Jackson though, just out of curiosity.

dallywhitty · 03-30-2020, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CreasyBear

I love the length of the film. It really lures me into the world and allows the the story and characters to breathe. I think it's quite appropriately paced, actually, and flew by when I first saw it, especially. I do prefer the theatrical cut though. I'd be interested to see a shorter cut from Jackson though, just out of curiosity.

Your avatar makes me uncomfortable.

bookcase · 03-30-2020, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandalorian

He’s referring to the river shot in the first Hobbit being another thing that sticks out poorly to him, like the dino chase scene in this.

Right. The dino chase in KK and the GoPro shot in the Hobbit don't match the high caliber of FX in the rest of the movie. I think Peter Jackson is so good at immersing you into the worlds he constructs in his movies, but these two shots suck you right back out. I would've jettisoned them, but they are what they are. As for KK, I find it entertaining enough to overlook the flaws.

levcore · 03-30-2020, 02:45 PM

The CG stuff during the bronto chase is great, the model work on the environment is great, it's just the compositing of actors into the shot that is off. EVERY big budget movie has dodgy green screen composition work at times. The ambition was off the charts for 2005, and the compositing was no worse than any of the Merry, Pippin, Treebeard shors from LOTR. No one seems to complain about those though.

RalphoR · 03-30-2020, 03:33 PM

The 4k made the Brontosaurus stampede scene more tolerable but it will always be rough.

I always wished the original provided more screen time for Skull Island and PJ did just that. Some could have been cut but I was happy. The hour prelude and the final New York time could be better streamlined.

Leonidas King · 03-30-2020, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RalphoR

The 4k made the Brontosaurus stampede scene more tolerable but it will always be rough.

This is accurate. It definitely looked better on 4K.

Leonidas King · 04-06-2020, 10:46 PM

Like someone here mentioned. I felt like going on a adventure with this movie to space out on all the commotion going on in the world.

This is still a great looking 4K but I still feel like it's over-brightened in a lot of areas and there is some bad banding to be spotted. The banding in the mist before they get to the island is still disappointing to see as it's so evident.

Other than that the HDR is really excellent.

03-30-2020, 08:29 AM	#862
slimdude Banned Member since:Apr 2009 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- Blu-ray reviews:8	What was missing the most from this movie was a editor. Peter Jackson seems he can't understand that!

03-30-2020, 08:34 AM	#863
levcore Blu-ray Grand Duke Member since:Jun 2011 Location:Dryland 4K collection:306 Blu-ray collection:2617 Trading Score:3	Jackson was given carte blanche to do whatever he wanted, yes it's bloated and full of unrestrained excess but it's certainly his vision 100%. You rarely get that in big budget film making these days and overall it's one hell of a ride.

03-30-2020, 09:34 AM	#865
levcore Blu-ray Grand Duke Member since:Jun 2011 Location:Dryland 4K collection:306 Blu-ray collection:2617 Trading Score:3	Well it is what it is, I admire his ambition. I guess if one hasn't gotten over the running time 15 years later they never will lol. I'd rather see bold ambition like this than movies made by committee.

03-30-2020, 12:35 PM	#867
bookcase Blu-ray Champion Member since:Sep 2008 Location:Boston, MA 4K collection:14 Blu-ray collection:155 iTunes collection:1207 Trading Score:2	The only thing about this film that makes me wince is the bronto stampede. Just like one of the Hobbit films had some shots from a GoPro camera. I would've sacrificed them if they didn't match the quality of the rest of the film. Regardless, I still love King Kong, bloat and all.

03-30-2020, 12:53 PM	#868
kong73 Power Member Member since:Jan 2008 Location:New York City Home Theater Gallery:318 4K collection:15 Blu-ray collection:600 DVD collection:76	Being bloated is what i love the most about this version. Perfect watch now that we are all stuck inside, take me to skull island now, I need to get out of NYC!!! Wait, I better rethink that.

03-30-2020, 02:20 PM	#873
levcore Blu-ray Grand Duke Member since:Jun 2011 Location:Dryland 4K collection:306 Blu-ray collection:2617 Trading Score:3	My bad I thought he was talking about both movies using it.

03-30-2020, 02:26 PM	#874
CreasyBear Blu-ray Count Member since:Apr 2019 Trading Score:115	I love the length of the film. It really lures me into the world and allows the the story and characters to breathe. I think it's quite appropriately paced, actually, and flew by when I first saw it, especially. I do prefer the theatrical cut though. I'd be interested to see a shorter cut from Jackson though, just out of curiosity.

03-30-2020, 02:45 PM	#877
levcore Blu-ray Grand Duke Member since:Jun 2011 Location:Dryland 4K collection:306 Blu-ray collection:2617 Trading Score:3	The CG stuff during the bronto chase is great, the model work on the environment is great, it's just the compositing of actors into the shot that is off. EVERY big budget movie has dodgy green screen composition work at times. The ambition was off the charts for 2005, and the compositing was no worse than any of the Merry, Pippin, Treebeard shors from LOTR. No one seems to complain about those though.

03-30-2020, 03:33 PM	#878
RalphoR Blu-ray Archduke Member since:Oct 2013 Location:The Forbidden Valley of NE Ohio Trading Score:13	The 4k made the Brontosaurus stampede scene more tolerable but it will always be rough. I always wished the original provided more screen time for Skull Island and PJ did just that. Some could have been cut but I was happy. The hour prelude and the final New York time could be better streamlined.

04-06-2020, 10:46 PM	#880
Leonidas King Blu-ray Archduke Top contributor Member since:Mar 2010 Location:Sparta, Laconia - GRC Home Theater Gallery:17 4K collection:657 Blu-ray collection:2628 Blu-ray reviews: 34 Trading Score:250	Like someone here mentioned. I felt like going on a adventure with this movie to space out on all the commotion going on in the world. This is still a great looking 4K but I still feel like it's over-brightened in a lot of areas and there is some bad banding to be spotted. The banding in the mist before they get to the island is still disappointing to see as it's so evident. Other than that the HDR is really excellent.

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