King Kong (1976) (Collector's Edition)

[The Sovereign]

I don’t know if this would have been quite as exciting had it been released ten years ago, but I’m pretty damned thrilled with it today. Been a long wait, and I needs my JL in HD!

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by WaverBoy

I disagree that the whole idea of KONG being sympathetic comes from the 1976 film (which I love). KING KONG ESCAPES (1967) beat it by nine years. But I do agree that the ‘76 film really brought it to prominence, and that it’s hugely underrated. My only major problem with the film is the senseless lack of monster battles. If they had thrown in a couple knockdown drag out fights with dinosaurs, this would have been a bonafide kaiju classic.

Considering the "man in a suit" thing for Kong, and considering there had really never been a remotely convincing dinosaur costume in a movie at that point, my imagination puts a dinosaur in that version as probably looking something like the Tyrannosaurus in Land Unknown (I bet he would have been way more slow-moving and clunky than the goofy Gorosaurus in King Kong Escapes). We may have dodged a bullet. The giant snake is bad enough. It's kind of silly they even put that in, since it's so incredibly anticlimactic (he tosses it around for about 15 seconds before pulling its head apart). Oh well.

[Blu Titan]

Fantastic news...I actually saw this in theaters as a little kid with my Dad in Cuba. I know it was not in 1976 probably around 1979 . Day one purchase for sure .

[Hasslein Curve]

[Hasslein Curve]

Yes! Finally. By all accounts, Kong '76 was the first film i ever saw in a theater. Uber nostalgia for me. My favorite Kong. Bridges, Grodin, the score...finally. I almost threw down for the Brazil disc a month ago.

Like most of you i'm hoping for a new transfer but i won't be crying if it doesn't happen. Reversible original art in all its glory. The updated art is okay, not bad. I'm just happy to put the DVD to rest and crank this baby up.

[OneWayFilms]

Just three days ago, I was questioning about the Australian version from Umbrella, but since it's locked at region 2....I had to hang my head and give up.

BAM. Three days later and I find THIS news........WOW!!!!!!

[Monterey Jack]

[Surge92]

I was only two when the movie came out, so I never saw it in the theater, but I do have very fond memories of seeing it for the first time back in late '82 or early '83 when it played on ABC Sunday Night at the Movies, I think. I remember my father took us to see it at a family friend's home that had a big color TV (ours was 19" and B/W), so we got to see it in color. Nothing beats having been a kid in the early '80s.

[Surge92]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

Oops. I guess it was NBC, not ABC. The broadcast I saw aired in March 1983.

[oubukibun]

Jackson’s King Kong isn’t perfect by any mile, and the Jack Black/Colin Hanks pair is one of the primary stains (the casting in general, save a peerless Watts and an adorable but underused Bell), but as a blockbuster spectacle AND as a melodrama, it soars. The bug pit sequence from Jackson’s is spellbinding. It might actually be the highlight of the film for me, and one of the most ingenious things he’s ever conceived, at least as far as sound and image go. Also, sorry not sorry, but dinosaurs and Kong together? That shi* will never get old.

The only two Kongs that have ever made me blubber like a child have been Jackson’s and Kong ‘76, and whether or not one did something first or vice versa, they both understand the simple narrative thread that makes this absolutely timeless, and that’s the relationship between the Beauty and the Beast. Every time he falls, it’s devastating, even when you know it was quite literally fait accompli.

It also helps to have gorgeous scores from John Barry and James Newton Howard, of course, haha.

[Monterey Jack]

Originally Posted by oubukibun

It also helps to have gorgeous scores from John Barry and James Newton Howard, of course, haha.

I'd love to hear Howard Shore's rejected music from Jackson's Kong.

[Monterey Jack]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqS30w4yWwM

[Tycerium]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

Been so long since I have seen this. All I remember is how gorgeous Jessica Lange is in it.

I rewatched the movie recently using the Japan blu-ray, and I was struck that there are numerous shots of Jessica Lange. She has tons of screen time, and the costumes and camera really show her off.

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

I saw that exact broadcast on that exact channel (unless this ad was for some other NBC4 and not NBC4NY).

[Partyslammer]

Not my favorite Kong but it’s enjoyable. I’ll be grabbing this day one.

One of the things I hope SF can include is the numerous out-takes, some of which can be found in bootleg quality on Youtube. There is one scene that was cut from the movie after I believe the first week or two it was shown which is when Kong mistakenly grabs a girl out of the train car and realizing it’s not Dwan, he casually tosses her away. In the opening week theatrical cut I saw, there is a quick shot of the girl splattering like a burst tomato against the side of a building.

[SuperFlyHighGuy]

Amazing news, been waiting forever for this!

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

I'd love to hear Howard Shore's rejected music from Jackson's Kong.

My understanding is that he never finished recording it, but I'd love to hear whatever exists.

There was an official featurette with a few seconds of him recording it, but it was wiped from the internet after he was fired.

And, of course, he remains in the film as the conductor at the premiere.

[MTRodaba2468]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

I dunno. Paramount gave scream some very, very bad transfers for the couple of Hammer movies they controlled. Like, the Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell and Captain Kronos releases look the worst of any in the world thanks to Paramount not doing any restoration on them (and giving them a censored version to boot, in the case of FatMFH). I'm hopeful they'll treat this one better since it's first party, but I've heard nothing good about Paramount transfers since they finally opened their catalog up for licensing. Does anyone know of any licensed Paramount releases from the last year or two that had actual new transfers?

Just off the top of my head, Escape From LA and the first four Friday the 13th films has new transfers. The majority of them have been older transfers, and while I can't comment on the two you mentioned, the ones I've seen have been good (off the top of my head, SF's April Fool's Day and Imprint's Dead Again).

That said, I don't expect that this one will be getting a new transfer. New HD transfers were explicitly mentioned in the announcements for the three other Scream Factory titles revealed today. Not this one.

[Moonlight Shadow]

Originally Posted by starsteam

I am a bit surprised Shout was able to get this. Just seemed like one of those titles Paramount would want to hang on to even though they were never going to do anything with it. But I'm glad Shout got it, I doubt Paramount would have bothered including the extended version or anything beyond a trailer.

Shout having this and Explorers gives me hope for Dragonslayer.

I just bought a bootleg Blu-ray of "Dragonslayer" so you can expect an official announcement any day now.

[movieeddie]

This movie is a big part of my childhood.Saw it in New York in a really big Theater when I was 10.I begged the manager if I could have the poster after seeing it like 20 times back then.He said when the movie leaves he'll let me have the poster.On the last day 20weeks later he keep true to his promise.I have it in my home Theatre in a frame.I have the blu-ray from France but I will def be picking this one up for the Extended T.V. version.The movie EVENT of All Time will finally be coming to Blu-ray in the states.Thank you Scream Factory.