King Kong (1933)

[exte]

Roger Ebert might've been a good choice, though I'm not sure how he views the film.

[zedz]

Warner really needed a more experienced critic or filmmaker to pair up with Ray. Someone who knows how to ask pointed but unobtrusive questions. IMO, the man who serves as the best model for this type of Q&A commentary is Norman Hill, whose commentaries with Werner Herzog and Monte Hellman are outstanding.

In the same vein, I enjoyed Soderbergh with Boorman on Point Blank: maybe Peter Jackson would have been the ideal commentary partner here?

[porquenegar]

That's right. The set is a open-faced box with the three individual movies. The movie at the top of the box is the King Kong Tin which conceals the other movies. I assumed that all three movies would be in the tin but it is not the case.

The documentaries on the Kong disc are great. The chapter on recreated the Spider Pit sequence filled me with fanboy joy. It was great to see footage of the meeting where Peter Jackson surprised his special effects team with news that they would be tackling this project. You could just see the joy on their faces.

porquenegar I just bought the set over at bestbuy.com. I know the tin can is bigger (I bought it, but then wanted the other movies) than regular dvds cases. How do the other two disc fit in the case? Are they loose or like a regular box set?

That's the whole dissapointing point. The other two movies do NOT fit inside the tin. Pretend you bought the King Kong Tin, and the two other movies in standard amray cases individually. Put them inside of a cheapo shoebox with no lid, add a few small lobby cards, and that is the Best Buy set. If you aren't into the Tin aspect, I'd recommend just getting the digipak collection if you want all the movies.

[dx23]

It seems that the formerly Best Buy exclusive set is going to be released everywhere else on 3/28. Also a movie only edition is going to be released that same day.

Some other interesting Warner release news... look for a movie-only version of King Kong to be released on 3/28 (SRP $14.97). That same day, Warner will package the Kong tin set together with Mighty Joe Young and Son of Kong for SRP $49.92.

[kschell]

Roger Ebert might've been a good choice, though I'm not sure how he views the film.

Here's his review from "The Great Movies"

[patrick]

If anyone still hasn't picked this up, I saw tons of the tin box sets for $20-25 in the Wal-Mart clearance bins this weekend (I hate going there, but where else can you buy drill bits at midnight?). I'm still happy with my keepcase set though, although it would have been nice if they had thrown in the lobby cards.

[skuhn8]

Screw Kong...I want to know more about why you need drill-bits at midnight.

[cues Tom Waits 'What's He Doing in There?' from Mule Variations]

[Fletch F. Fletch]

[cues Tom Waits 'What's He Doing in There?' from Mule Variations]

Or, this charming little Waits ditty from Bone Machine...

'Cause there's nothin' strange
About an axe with bloodstains in the barn

There's always some killin'
You got to do around the farm

[Mr Sausage]

If anyone still hasn't picked this up, I saw tons of the tin box sets for $20-25 in the Wal-Mart clearance bins this weekend (I hate going there, but where else can you buy drill bits at midnight?). I'm still happy with my keepcase set though, although it would have been nice if they had thrown in the lobby cards.

The tin actually holds the keepcase version inside plus lobby cards, etc. Really, aside from being able to say you "own" the tin, it's pretty superfluous.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

A fascinating look at how the film was marketed.

[dx23]

Coming in 2010on Blu-ray according to Blu-ray.com:

Classic King Kong Coming to Blu-ray in 2010

Posted April 29, 2010 04:28 AM by Juan Calonge


Warner Bros.During the TCM Classic Film Festival, held recently in Los Angeles, renowned film critic Leonard Maltin introduced a new digital restoration of the 1933 classic King Kong, which was shown at Grauman's Chinese Theater. Maltin later revealed in his blog that this restoration will "yield a Blu-ray home video release later this year."

Maltin also commented that the film looked "magnificent" on the "huge" theater screen. "Best of all," he added, "it didn't have the look of a spruced-up video: it was as if we were watching a pristine 35mm print. And it was preceded by Max Steiner's original overture."

[Fiery Angel]

Coming on Blu 9/28:

Burbank, Calif. May 31, 2010 – On September 28, 2010, the original 1933 RKO classic King Kong makes its long awaited debut on Blu-ray Disc™. Presented by Warner Home Video, the newly remastered King Kong features extensive bonus content, including a collectible Blu-ray Book written by renowned film historian Rudy Behlmer; a feature length documentary on Kong creator Merian C. Cooper, directed by acclaimed filmmakers Kevin Brownlow and Christopher Bird; commentary by Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston with Merian C. Cooper and Fay Wray; and a seven-part documentary that delves deeply into just about every aspect of the making of the film. Orders are due August 24, 2010 (SRP $34.99).

With 32 pages of rare photography and trivia, the captivating Blu-ray Book, written by Rudy Behlmer, centers around the vision of director, Merian C. Cooper and his larger than life persona that brought the story of King Kong to the screen. A prolific film researcher and historian, Behlmer personally interviewed Cooper and has written numerous books and contributed to a wide variety of documentaries, videos, DVDs and laser discs about Hollywood's Golden Age.

In this very special Blu-ray release, the newly remastered film is presented in its 1933 entirety and includes scenes that were originally considered too shocking for the 1938-1956 re-releases. With equal parts adventure, horror and old-fashioned romance, King Kong is a milestone of movie-making that has endured for more than seven decades. Named as one of the “100 Best Films of All Time” by Time Magazine, King Kong premiered in New York City in 1933. The film was an instant success, breaking box-office records to become one of the top moneymakers of the 1930s.

Special Features:
1. Commentary by Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston, with Merian C. Cooper and Fay Wray
2. Merian C. Cooper Movies Trailer Gallery
3. I’m King Kong! The Exploits of Merian C. Cooper (2005 documentary)
4. RKO Production 601: The Making of Kong, Eighth Wonder of the World
a. The Origins of “King Kong”
b. Willis O’Brien and “Creation”
c. Cameras Roll on Kong, The Eighth Wonder
d. A Milestone in Visual Effects
e. Passion, Sound and Fury
f. The Mystery of the Lost Spider Pit Sequence
g. King Kong’s Legacy
5. Creation Test Footage with Commentary by Ray Harryhausen

Note: All enhanced content listed above is subject to change.

[Finch]

Fantastic review of film and Blu at FilmFreakCentral