What's your favorite Kong? '33, '76, or '05?

[Mikey]

Does Son of Kong count ? ..... HATED the ending though

[enyawd72]

I really like the story behind the '76 version, especially the "environmental rapist" angle of the oil company exploiting Kong. I think it's actually the most emotionally satisfying of the three. I like how Jack Prescott points out that the natives will become dysfunctional now that their "God" has been stolen. I also find the public display and humiliation of Kong in this one very powerful. The irony of the crowned king caged inside an oversized gas pump, indicating how we as people worship commercialism. I think there's a lot more going on in between the lines here than people give it credit for.

[mego73]

Love all three, but the original is iconic and I have to give the edge that one. Many goof on Kong 76's effects but frankly the articulation in the Kong face masks were quite a breakthrough.

[Werewolf]

Probably the 33 version. I love the stop motion effects.

[MIB41]

Anyone who knows me well, knows I'm a huge '76 Kong fan. The movie was a game changer for me in so many ways. First it introduced me to special effects artist Rick Baker. A talent who would go on to make some memorable films in Hollywood history (American Werewolf in London, Star Wars, Greystoke, Mighty Joe Young, Hellboy, and scores more). This film also introduced me to Jeff Bridges who went on to be one of the finest actors in Hollywood today. His resume needs no introduction. And of course it gave all of us the very lovely Jessica Lange, which more than encouraged my evolution through puberty. It was a tremendous movie for it's day. And one that is curiously less forgiven for becoming dated as the original did through the natural progression of technology. But in 1976 that Kong mask was incredible. Up until then, you only had POTA as the best effect for an ape. This laid that to waste. The mask was convincingly expressive and more than effective in prompting an emotional response from this viewer. And John Barry's score absolutely lifted the material to another level by giving it that musical accompaniment which solidified the suspense and emotion of so many moments in that film.

The movie would have aged better had the transfer to VHS and DVD been more carefully mastered and handled with care. Most of us had to live with poor images on pan and scan videos. And the DVD's were little more than lousy video transfers. So due to bad exposures and very poor processing in the video and DVD format, so much of the special effects were compromised to reveal far more matting separation than was ever apparent in the theatrical version. It would be like watching the original Star Wars VHS tapes and thinking the matting images of tie-fighters on screen were what you saw in the theater. They weren't. Technology had not reached a point at that time to translate big screen effects to small screen viewing convincingly. But as time went by, and technology improved, many effects films got updated and reprocessed to give you more of that original cinematic flavor. Kong '76 was not treated to that improvement. So this had the effect, over time, of falsely implanting "memories" of the movie not being the spectacle it really was because of that neglect. So it wasn't until a few years back that a foreign Blu ray version of this film cleaned up the images to FINALLY display the story in it's original cinematic depth. And how beautiful it is. Gone are virtually all of the matting issues to show a rich and surprisingly beautiful film as I remember it. Is it perfect now? Of course not. It's still a movie made in 1976. But seeing it in it's original glory allows you to appreciate what a TRUE achievement it was for it's day. A film I will always treasure.

[Bruce Banner]

'33 Kong will always be my favourite. Loved it as a kid, and I still love it today.

I also like the '76 version a lot, which I revisit often.

And Jackson's version has some great moments and was obviously crafted with a love and reverence for the original.

[thunderbolt]

I'm more partial to the Toho version, and the 60's cartoon.

[HardyGirl]

I like the '76 version too. But I also like King Kong Lives from '86 w/ Linda Hamilton.

[mego73]

I think you posting about your excitement about getting the European blu ray gave me a heads up so I could get it to at the decent price you got it for. It's a bit more these days.

http://www.amazon.com/King-Kong-Blu-ray-Jeff-Bridges/dp/B002D0L0UY/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1376893775&sr=8-6&keywords=King+Kong+1976

Anyone who knows me well, knows I'm a huge '76 Kong fan. The movie was a game changer for me in so many ways. First it introduced me to special effects artist Rick Baker. A talent who would go on to make some memorable films in Hollywood history (American Werewolf in London, Star Wars, Greystoke, Mighty Joe Young, Hellboy, and scores more). This film also introduced me to Jeff Bridges who went on to be one of the finest actors in Hollywood today. His resume needs no introduction. And of course it gave all of us the very lovely Jessica Lange, which more than encouraged my evolution through puberty. It was a tremendous movie for it's day. And one that is curiously less forgiven for becoming dated as the original did through the natural progression of technology. But in 1976 that Kong mask was incredible. Up until then, you only had POTA as the best effect for an ape. This laid that to waste. The mask was convincingly expressive and more than effective in prompting an emotional response from this viewer. And John Barry's score absolutely lifted the material to another level by giving it that musical accompaniment which solidified the suspense and emotion of so many moments in that film.

The movie would have aged better had the transfer to VHS and DVD been more carefully mastered and handled with care. Most of us had to live with poor images on pan and scan videos. And the DVD's were little more than lousy video transfers. So due to bad exposures and very poor processing in the video and DVD format, so much of the special effects were compromised to reveal far more matting separation than was ever apparent in the theatrical version. It would be like watching the original Star Wars VHS tapes and thinking the matting images of tie-fighters on screen were what you saw in the theater. They weren't. Technology had not reached a point at that time to translate big screen effects to small screen viewing convincingly. But as time went by, and technology improved, many effects films got updated and reprocessed to give you more of that original cinematic flavor. Kong '76 was not treated to that improvement. So this had the effect, over time, of falsely implanting "memories" of the movie not being the spectacle it really was because of that neglect. So it wasn't until a few years back that a foreign Blu ray version of this film cleaned up the images to FINALLY display the story in it's original cinematic depth. And how beautiful it is. Gone are virtually all of the matting issues to show a rich and surprisingly beautiful film as I remember it. Is it perfect now? Of course not. It's still a movie made in 1976. But seeing it in it's original glory allows you to appreciate what a TRUE achievement it was for it's day. A film I will always treasure.

[MIB41]

I think you posting about your excitement about getting the European blu ray gave me a heads up so I could get it to at the decent price you got it for. It's a bit more these days.

http://www.amazon.com/King-Kong-Blu-...King+Kong+1976

Well there's two on Amazon for $32.99.

Here's one on Ebay for $29.99

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KING-KONG-BLURAY-1976-Jeff-Bridges-Jessica-Lange-RARE-HTF-Brand-New-/111142977705?pt=US_DVD_HD_DVD_Blu_ray&hash=item19e0a340a9

Umbrella Entertainment has it for $24.99

http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG7k4s9xFSoz4AN0NXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE0ZGNjZ2w5BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMTMEY29sbwNhYzIEdnRpZANTTUUyNjhfMQ--/SIG=12kv6m46j/EXP=1376937900/**http%3a//www.umbrellaent.com.au/p-3736-king-kong-1976-blu-ray.aspx

Here's one for $23.95

http://origin.getprice.com.au/prodhits.aspx?pid=104722817&shopid=1077&position=0&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.getprice.com.au%2fOverviewNC_responsive.aspx%3fid%3d104722817%26catid%3d181&page=%2fKING-KONG-1976-BLU-RAY-Gpnc_181--104722817.htm&bidding_id=

So you can get it at a pretty good price (import -wise) if you shop it.

[mego73]

Oh he, he

Well there's two on Amazon for $32.99.

Here's one on Ebay for $29.99

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KING-KONG-BLURAY-1976-Jeff-Bridges-Jessica-Lange-RARE-HTF-Brand-New-/111142977705?pt=US_DVD_HD_DVD_Blu_ray&hash=item19e0a340a9

Umbrella Entertainment has it for $24.99

http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG7k4s9xFSoz4AN0NXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE0ZGNjZ2w5BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMTMEY29sbwNhYzIEdnRpZANTTUUyNjhfMQ--/SIG=12kv6m46j/EXP=1376937900/**http%3a//www.umbrellaent.com.au/p-3736-king-kong-1976-blu-ray.aspx

Here's one for $23.95

http://origin.getprice.com.au/prodhits.aspx?pid=104722817&shopid=1077&position=0&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.getprice.com.au%2fOverviewNC_responsive.aspx%3fid%3d104722817%26catid%3d181&page=%2fKING-KONG-1976-BLU-RAY-Gpnc_181--104722817.htm&bidding_id=

So you can get it at a pretty good price (import -wise) if you shop it.

[bettyrocker01]

Kong 1976 because saw it at the drive-in when I was 7. I was awestruck and thought Jessica Lange was so pretty and I cried so hard for King Kong.

[Hector]

Who said 76 Kong was the most realistic???

Really?

I think it's the phoniest of them all, that gorilla suit has the shortest arms of any gorilla who ever lived, lol.

Plus it's a bipedal gorilla, the complete opposite of the other more gorilla-like Kongs (except the Japanese one).

Aside from the large size of all the Kongs, 76 Kong is the LEAST realistic of them all.

[MIB41]

76 Kong is the LEAST realistic of them all.

Yes, yes... Well besides believing this ape can be real through any sphere except THIS ONE... What other world have you encountered this beast? Eh... Hector?

[FETT1]

easy....all OF em!