How Do You Like Your "Kong"?

[kennermike]

I have to strongly disagree on that point completely. Kong '76 was groundbreaking with many effects used. First and foremost was the advancement of technology in mask making. There had never been a gear driven mask like the one used in Kong. That technology was introduced in this film and is still being used today. The giant mechanical hand was also a first and remains fairly impressive to this day. And of the course the most important contribution of Kong was introducing RICK BAKER to the industry in a big way. That exposure gave him immediate demand. So he took the technology created in King Kong and developed it further in little films like Star Wars, American Werewolf in London, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Gorillas in the Mist, Mighty Joe Young, Wolf, Men in Black, Planet of the Apes, Hellboy, and the recent remake of The Wolfman. All of these are offspring from technology used in Kong '76. Oh, and Kong won an Academy Award for those effects too. So I roll my eyes a bit when I hear people underplay the film as just a 'guy in a suit' film. Okay, if we're going to play that game then Kong '33 was Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer as a monkey. Talk about camp! And what is the 2005 Kong? He's nothing. He's a digital cartoon. And looks it too. So I'll take my 'guy in the suit' every day over that lot.

Tom some people get it and some dont I would just give up .but as always I agree an everything you say about the 1976 version one thing also I dont think you mentioned? or maybe you have some of the Cinematography shot is Hawaii is brilliant also maybe cause it was done on location and not in a studio backlot in New Zeland like 2005 version

[MIB41]

Tom some people get it and some dont I would just give up .but as always I agree an everything you say about the 1976 version one thing also I dont think you mentioned? or maybe you have some of the Cinematography shot is Hawaii is brilliant also maybe cause it was done on location and not in a studio backlot in New Zeland like 2005 version

Well stated Mike. The cinematography in Kong '76 is beautiful throughout. And it does help that it's real for the most part. It's cool that you can actually visit many of those iconic scenes. Assuming you have the bucks to visit Hawaii and take the helicopter tour. But still...

[Hector]

Tom some people get it and some don't

Oh. I get it alright, this is not astrophysics, you know, lol.

[megoscott]

I will have to watch the 76 version again, I haven't seen it in forever. Love Jessica Lange.

What about Donkey Kong? Why isn't that a choice?

[MIB41]

Oh. I get it alright, this is not astrophysics, you know, lol.

No. It's not that at all. It's just that SOME people like to place a very unfair and undeserved label on the remake. I've heard all the b*tchin' for years about, "Oh it should have stayed in stop motion" REALLY? How mundane and idiotic that would have looked in the 70's. He would have looked like Gumby for Christ's sake. And then there is the whole "man in a monkey suit" critique. REALLY? You should go back and read the reviews of the day. Most critics thought it was the robot Dino had advertised. And how 'amazing' it looked. After people were told it was Rick Baker, suddenly everyone pulled back their praise and changed their perspective. "Oh it's a guy in a suit?" Gee. What a jip. Of course no one understood what that meant either. No one understood the mechanics inside of said "suit". No one thought about the expressions coming from that mask. The best effort prior to that was POTA. And this technique BURIED John Chambers makeups. Destroyed it. But people got hung up on this "guy in a suit" image. The criticism there is completely without merit. Especially when you consider they still use it today. And you want to talk about longevity? Kong '76 is THE most televised version of the three on cable today! So clearly there is an audience and new generations hook on. And I'm not trying to take anything away from the '33 version. It truly deserves it's place in the sun as a original piece for it's day. But Kong '76 also made significant contributions and continues to endure as well.

[Brazoo]

I should watch the '76 version again. When I saw it originally as a kid I found it dull and kinda forgettable - I'll try and give it another shot.

I saw the 2005 version in the theatre and liked some of it, though some parts made me wince in pain a little. I tried watching it on DVD when the disc came out and I thought it was horrible. Even parts I originally liked - I originally thought the natives were an interesting update for example - were completely ridiculous to me seeing it the second time. It was horrible - unwatchable to me on the second viewing.



This Daniel Johnston song might be my next favorite rendition of the story after the original:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1fbU5ZmbFw

[kennermike]

I will have to watch the 76 version again, I haven't seen it in forever. Love Jessica Lange.

What about Donkey Kong? Why isn't that a choice?

Try to Find the StudioCanal Blu- Ray Import version its a little pricey but the film really comes alive Scott!

[MIB41]

It's interesting that of the three, only the 2005 version remains anemic in finding an afterlife in the secondary marketplace. The '33 and '76 certainly has it's followers. But Jackson's portrayal is mostly forgotten. Unlike the '33 and '76 versions, the 2005 entry did not do especially well in theaters. It barely made it's production costs back domestically, but fared better overseas. I think the fact that it tried so hard to be just like the '33 hurt it when you factor in the length of his version, clocking in at a whopping 3 Hrs and 7 minutes. A great study if your a Kong fan. But way too long for casual viewers. For myself, the effects did not translate well to the small screen. Every place where it popped on the big screen, it seemed lifeless on DVD. I think I have watched it in it's entirety only twice since getting it on DVD. Oh... and one note about the 2005 remake. You know who played one of the pilots who shot Kong off the Empire State Building? Rick Baker...

[Cmonster]

Funny Kong 76 story;

My mom bought me the poster, the cheap one you could get at Kresgees, not the official one sheet. It's the same image, it's just smaller with no credits, etc-- I immediately fell in love with it and put it on the door to my room. As I'd stare at it for literally hours on end, I started to notice the crazy scale issues;

Kong is straddling the twin towers? OMG, he must be 10 times the size of the original Kong!!! Cool!!! But wait a minute, wouldn't that make the girl in his hand, like 10 or 12 feet tall? Hmmmnnnn--- Look at the size of her compared to the helicopters and jets around them-- and what is that in his right hand? The space shuttle??? A rocket??? I dunno...

I still dig the poster, but the scale is completely out of control.

SC

[Werewolf]

"Oh it should have stayed in stop motion" REALLY? How mundane and idiotic that would have looked in the 70's.

Stop motion had come a long ways since then and Ray Harryhausen was doing some truely masterful work at the time on tiny budget. It would have looked just fine and this is coming from a person that really digs Rick Bakers Ape suits.

[MIB41]

Funny Kong 76 story;

My mom bought me the poster, the cheap one you could get at Kresgees, not the official one sheet. It's the same image, it's just smaller with no credits, etc-- I immediately fell in love with it and put it on the door to my room. As I'd stare at it for literally hours on end, I started to notice the crazy scale issues;

Kong is straddling the twin towers? OMG, he must be 10 times the size of the original Kong!!! Cool!!! But wait a minute, wouldn't that make the girl in his hand, like 10 or 12 feet tall? Hmmmnnnn--- Look at the size of her compared to the helicopters and jets around them-- and what is that in his right hand? The space shuttle??? A rocket??? I dunno...

I still dig the poster, but the scale is completely out of control.

SC

Great story! And your conclusion I wholeheartedly agree with. One note - The artist who created the Kong '76 poster, went on to do the Star Wars poster as well - John Berkey.

[Werewolf]

Think how great a King Kong movie could have looked with puppet effects like in the movie Dragonslayer. Even after all this time, Dragonslayer's Vermithrax dragon has yet to be equalled. Just amazing.

[Hector]

No. It's not that at all. It's just that SOME people like to place a very unfair and undeserved label on the remake. I've heard all the b*tchin' for years about, "Oh it should have stayed in stop motion" REALLY? How mundane and idiotic that would have looked in the 70's. He would have looked like Gumby for Christ's sake. And then there is the whole "man in a monkey suit" critique. REALLY? You should go back and read the reviews of the day. Most critics thought it was the robot Dino had advertised. And how 'amazing' it looked. After people were told it was Rick Baker, suddenly everyone pulled back their praise and changed their perspective. "Oh it's a guy in a suit?" Gee. What a jip. Of course no one understood what that meant either. No one understood the mechanics inside of said "suit". No one thought about the expressions coming from that mask. The best effort prior to that was POTA. And this technique BURIED John Chambers makeups. Destroyed it. But people got hung up on this "guy in a suit" image. The criticism there is completely without merit. Especially when you consider they still use it today. And you want to talk about longevity? Kong '76 is THE most televised version of the three on cable today! So clearly there is an audience and new generations hook on. And I'm not trying to take anything away from the '33 version. It truly deserves it's place in the sun as a original piece for it's day. But Kong '76 also made significant contributions and continues to endure as well.

Hey, I gave you kudos for Jessica Lange...the best Kong chick ever...and Jeff Bridges was a way better leading man than Adrien Brody...that's for sure...




I don't hate 76 Kong or anything...if you compare it to a Japanese Toho monster production...it's fine...I just don't get that Americana feel for Kong on this one...just like I didn't feel the American Godzilla was true to Japanese cinema fans...that's all.

But is it a bad film just because I think that way?

Certainly not...it has its own unique charm...

[Cmonster]

it has its own unique charm...

Kinda like you, big guy.

SC

[ctc]

>"Oh it should have stayed in stop motion" REALLY? How mundane and idiotic that would have looked in the 70's.

I just got a chance to see "The Black Scorpion" and I was really impressed at how flawless the stop-motion bits looked. (The puppet bits, not so much....) So I don't think that would neccessarily have been a problem.

Don C.