King Kong [Blu-ray] by Peter Jackson, starring Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Colin Hanks, Thomas Kretschmann: DVDNear.com

King Kong [Blu-ray]

King Kong [Blu-ray]
by Peter Jackson

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DVD Cover Information

Actor: Adrien Brody, Colin Hanks, Jack Black, Naomi Watts, Thomas Kretschmann
Director: Peter Jackson
Brand: *
Blu-ray: Region Code 0
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); Spanish (Original Language); French (Original Language); French (Dubbed); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 200 minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: 2012-01-10
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
Product features:

Condition: New
Format: Blu-ray
AC-3; Color; Dolby; DTS Surround Sound; Dubbed; Subtitled; Widescreen

Movie Reviews of King Kong [Blu-ray]

Movie Review: King Kong in Blu-ray
Summary: 5 Stars

With every element the stroke of an artist, Peter Jackson's rendering of the venerable classic was an act of love, managing to utilize the best in modern film techniques while maintaining an old-fashioned aesthetic. Nail-biting adventure, outstanding special effects, a beautiful woman, idealistic hero, and a land that time forgot -- it's a masterwork of a film. It took everything the original film was, then trumped it. What did we love about the original when we were children? Why, we loved the journey to a mysterious island, modern man doing battle and surviving against prehistoric monsters. But in 1933, special effects were more difficult to incorporate without the effect itself becoming obvious. Not so now. So this is the film the original version would have been had the studio had the technology. This is a fair assumption, considering that the studio in that day had devised every special effect conceivable and necessary to bring the creatures of the island to life. A stellar achievement, but Jackson took it the rest of the way.

The crowning jewel in this masterpiece of thrills is Kong himself. It was one of the most remarkable things ever, and one can only assume that it's the harbinger of even greater things to come as this technology advances. Kong's face alone was the work of artists with an eye for living details, dabbed as it was with touches that bespoke of Kong's martial history prior to our arrival. His scarred visage and an asymmetrical row of broken dentition were a tacit testimony of his struggle to keep his place at the top of a brutal hierarchy. A brilliant touch. Andy Serkis's motion-capture performance took full advantage of the cutting-edge animation, and brought Kong to life in a way previously unattainable. The ape was more than some special effect. He was a giant pet.

I've seen Jackson's movie about five or six times now, and this Blu-Ray edition twice. Oh, man, if you thought it was something to behold in the SD DVD, you'll be astounded by the same lush beauty revealed in exquisite hi-def. Some scenes, already so breathtaking in SD, engulf you now as you sit before a searing sunset, your eyes splashed with it. And sweetening the deal further, this release includes both the theatrical version and the even better Director's Cut. I'm happy to report that the longer cut wasn't a cynical ploy to sell Kong to us again by extending scenes or stretching out the battles. Two new casualty-tallying confrontations with dinosaurs were restored to the narrative, one of which includes some expositional material on Carl Denham's deeper plunge into obsession.

As for special features, you have U-Control, through which you can access various picture-in-picture making-of featurettes. From what I can tell, there's no way to play them without a P-in-P capability, unlike other Blu-ray discs that permit access straight from the menu. Admittedly I haven't tried hard, because none of that matters much to me. The main thing is that this superbly produced adventure is now even more gorgeous and more impressive.

I can't see how anyone who likes the original version can possibly fail to enjoy this tenfold. Aside from the special effects, the cast turned in performances that seemed far more natural when contrasted with the acting methods in 1933, which are now so dated by their barking speech cadences. Adrien Brody as Jack Driscoll portrayed the writer as intelligently aloof, reserved in word and action, but intense and soulful. Naomi Watts treats the material of an inherently absurd situation with exactly the right gravity, making us feel something, but not too much, settling for a pleasant sentimentality. As for Jack Black as Denham, I had a little trouble at first with his presence due to his work as a comedian. However, he too was an excellent choice. While possessing less range as an actor than his co-stars, his character was shallower, so it was a good fit after all. As was everyone else. Even if some characters were mere sketches, they were very good sketches.

While the merits of the 1933 version are undeniable, kudos to Peter Jackson for fully achieving the original intent. I'm unconvinced there's a rational reason for anyone who likes the first film to dislike this one. As a person who's pretty sentimental myself, normally I'd agree with holding on to something strictly for the sake of nostalgia. But this is the definitive edition, and just too good, making it easy to let go; and King Kong [Blu-ray] makes it even easier.
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Summary of King Kong [Blu-ray]

Academy Award winning director Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) brings his sweeping cinematic vision to King Kong. Get ready for breathtaking action in this thrilling epic adventure about a legendary gorilla captured on a treacherous island and brought to civilization, where he faces the ultimate fight for survival.

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King Kong [Blu-ray]