King Kong 4K UHD (2005) (Ultimate Edition)

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Davidian

It was not. Just ask Geoff.

Ehhhhhh. The Blu has DNR in places the UHD does not, the UHD has DNR in places that the Blu does not. But all that weird egghead smoothing on Naomi Watts was always there.

[The80s]

I'm glad I read through this thread a bit. It sounds like the UHD release is not good. I was about 3 seconds away from buying it and I thought I'd better see what you guys were saying. Glad I did. I decided to pass. I'll pick it up if I find it for under $5 bucks somewhere. As is, I'll just keep my DVD.

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

Definite buy. After seeing Skull Island I watched this again and warmed up to it a good bit. I hate some of the CG and it's not perfect, but it has real characters, heart and movie-making, which most blockbusters don't anymore.

I used to really dislike the 2005 movie, for a number of reasons, but when Skull Island came out, my God, it was so much worse. Yeah, they seemed to get Kong mostly right. He walks upright like he should, etc. But the rest of it was just so damn atrocious it actually made me rethink Kong '05 and soften my opinion on it. Now I'd say it's alright. It's passable. It's middle of the road as far as Kong films go.

I have Skull Island rated as the worst Kong movie ever made and that's saying A LOT considering filth like Escapes and Lives exist.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by The80s

I'm glad I read through this thread a bit. It sounds like the UHD release is not good. I was about 3 seconds away from buying it and I thought I'd better see what you guys were saying. Glad I did. I decided to pass. I'll pick it up if I find it for under $5 bucks somewhere. As is, I'll just keep my DVD.

Depends on how much you like eye searing contrast.

[Schwartzy]

Originally Posted by The80s

I'm glad I read through this thread a bit. It sounds like the UHD release is not good. I was about 3 seconds away from buying it and I thought I'd better see what you guys were saying. Glad I did. I decided to pass. I'll pick it up if I find it for under $5 bucks somewhere. As is, I'll just keep my DVD.



I used to really dislike the 2005 movie, for a number of reasons, but when Skull Island came out, my God, it was so much worse. Yeah, they seemed to get Kong mostly right. He walks upright like he should, etc. But the rest of it was just so damn atrocious it actually made me rethink Kong '05 and soften my opinion on it. Now I'd say it's alright. It's passable. It's middle of the road as far as Kong films go.

I have Skull Island rated as the worst Kong movie ever made and that's saying A LOT considering filth like Escapes and Lives exist.

why not just buy the normal bluray? dirt cheap...

[The80s]

Originally Posted by Schwartzy

why not just buy the normal bluray? dirt cheap...

lol, I may just do that. I was thinking I should hold out for 4K, but if the regular BD looks better, then I guess I'll just go for that. Especially if it has all the same special features.

[horrorguy03]

I rewatched the first hour of this. regardless of what your opinion of the movie is, this is by far the worst 4K disc I have ever seen. Even Terminator 2 looks better that this, why?Because at least the colors were accurate. A small point, but a point. It looks like the contrast was blown sky high, the colors are yellow tinted vomit for some reason and there's barely any sharpness. How the **** can Universal botched this so badly...

Stick to the OG Blu-Ray. Sure, it's bitrate is sadly low, but hell, at least the colors aren't radioactive piss-yellow and it's not an eye strain.

[Protozoid]

Originally Posted by horrorguy03

I rewatched the first hour of this. regardless of what your opinion of the movie is, this is by far the worst 4K disc I have ever seen. Even Terminator 2 looks better that this, why?Because at least the colors were accurate. A small point, but a point. It looks like the contrast was blown sky high, the colors are yellow tinted vomit for some reason and there's barely any sharpness. How the **** can Universal botched this so badly...

Stick to the OG Blu-Ray. Sure, it's bitrate is sadly low, but hell, at least the colors aren't radioactive piss-yellow and it's not an eye strain.

I have the old ultimate edition Blu-ray mostly for the magnificent special features (maybe the best ever assembled). But I'm saving any double dip for the final cut. Jackson said he wants to recut this bad boy and make it shorter

[dontpokethebear3893]

Originally Posted by Protozoid

I have the old ultimate edition Blu-ray mostly for the magnificent special features (maybe the best ever assembled). But I'm saving any double dip for the final cut. Jackson said he wants to recut this bad boy and make it shorter

I hate to say it but I have a hard time imagining what to cut. The three acts of the film are all independently very well paced IMO. I kind of love how the film starts out as a normal 1930's drama and almost makes you forget about how you're watching a King Kong film, then it takes a complete 180 when they reach the island. The length of time you spend on the island also works well to show exactly how far they were willing to go to save Ann and I think all of the action/horror sequences on the island were fantastic (even the shitty dinosaur cgi... the sequence is at least well directed). I suppose there is some trimming that could be done at the end but it wouldn't feel right for a movie that takes it's time for 2.5 hours to suddenly pick up the pace at the end.

Either way, if Peter does a final cut I would hope the work that would go into the A/V department while making a new edit would carry over to a new presentation of the original film.

[bigdaddyhorse]

Originally Posted by Protozoid

I have the old ultimate edition Blu-ray mostly for the magnificent special features (maybe the best ever assembled). But I'm saving any double dip for the final cut. Jackson said he wants to recut this bad boy and make it shorter

Yet another project that will surely happen before Dead Alive and the older films ever get restored and released on any format. Best bet on those films, live forever and hope his kids or grandkids finally restore and release, cuz all Peter does is talk about it then get side-tracked by some other shit. 10 years I've been hearing about them, 10 ****ing years of nothing but Hobbits and Beatles and WWII.

[dontpokethebear3893]

Originally Posted by bigdaddyhorse

10 ****ing years of nothing but Hobbits and Beatles and WWII.

Based

[Protozoid]

Originally Posted by dontpokethebear3893

I hate to say it but I have a hard time imagining what to cut. The three acts of the film are all independently very well paced IMO. I kind of love how the film starts out as a normal 1930's drama and almost makes you forget about how you're watching a King Kong film, then it takes a complete 180 when they reach the island. The length of time you spend on the island also works well to show exactly how far they were willing to go to save Ann and I think all of the action/horror sequences on the island were fantastic (even the shitty dinosaur cgi... the sequence is at least well directed). I suppose there is some trimming that could be done at the end but it wouldn't feel right for a movie that takes it's time for 2.5 hours to suddenly pick up the pace at the end.

Either way, if Peter does a final cut I would hope the work that would go into the A/V department while making a new edit would carry over to a new presentation of the original film.

Last time I watched it, I definitely saw ways to tighten up the middle. I think it would honestly help the movie's focus and pacing. It felt like a rough cut that he didn't have time to finesse. The intercutting storylines aren't balanced. It's too long before we see Anne and Kong after she's abducted, for example. Too many dinosaur scenes. Cut a few of those, reshuffle the scenes so we see Anne and Kong more often. I think he said he plans to cut 15-20 minutes. Anybody have the link?

Not sure what you could cut from the first act, although it feels rather long. The New York scenes are good and could be left as-is. That middle, though... feels like other Jackson films, where he had so much footage and such huge technical challenges and not enough time to finesse them, resulting in a movie that feels like a rough cut but with finished effects.

[Sky_Captain]

I started work on a fan-edit, many, many years ago and while I never finished it, I do remember cutting out nearly all of the stuff leading up to them getting on the boat.

The film started with Denham in the screening room.

All that 'OH LOOK, IT'S THE 1930s!' could f*** right off.

[ravenus]

^And those Heart of Darkness references, talk about trying to force-feed profundity into a movie where a big ape squares off against two raptors.

[Filmmaker]

Originally Posted by ravenus

^And those Heart of Darkness references, talk about trying to force-feed profundity into a movie where a big ape squares off against two raptors.

Yeah, if you’re going to chop any fat from the movie, the goes-nowhere stuff between Jimmy and Hayes gets my vote.

[CreasyBear]

Originally Posted by Sky_Captain

I started work on a fan-edit, many, many years ago and while I never finished it, I do remember cutting out nearly all of the stuff leading up to them getting on the boat.

The film started with Denham in the screening room.

All that 'OH LOOK, IT'S THE 1930s!' could f*** right off.

Yeah, why set up the time and place the story exists in. Silly, Peter.

[Sky_Captain]

Yeah, why not just have a title card saying 'New York - 1933'. Silly, Peter.

See, I can be a dick for no reason too.

[CreasyBear]

Originally Posted by Sky_Captain

Yeah, why not just have a title card saying 'New York - 1933'. Silly, Peter.

See, I can be a dick for no reason too.

That only says "New York - 1933". It doesn't tell you about Ann. It doesn't tell you about Denham. Or any of the characters. It doesn't set up the context of the story and world being presented. All it does is say "New York - 1933".

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by Protozoid

I have the old ultimate edition Blu-ray mostly for the magnificent special features (maybe the best ever assembled). But I'm saving any double dip for the final cut. Jackson said he wants to recut this bad boy and make it shorter

You mean King Kong vs Jurassic Park. Peter Jackson just now realizes 17 years later that his 3 hours+ King Kong movie (a story that could've been easily depicted in a 2-hour film or less) was bloated in the first place? What in the hell was he thinking! He's too late because the party is over. Peter Jackson should've edited that movie 17 years ago.

[dontpokethebear3893]

Originally Posted by Protozoid

It's too long before we see Anne and Kong after she's abducted, for example.

Now that you mention it I do remember that. I'll need to watch it again to re-assess.

[happydood]

Weeeell. I love Peter Jackson's movies. They create worlds I want to live in for the few hours I'm watching them and they're full of heart. I'll take them all just as they are. I have no problem with fan edits since the world is a rainbow and all, but, like abridged books, they're just not for me.

Naomi Watts in period costuming in 1930's New York for an hour just sends me.