king kong

[BJ_M]

2nd tv spot - http://media.themoviebox.net/storage/tvspots/kong__tv2.mov

world premire was this week - anyone see it ?

[Faustus]

Its not out until the 14th.

[gll99]

Saw a couple of tv promos but just checked the local Famous Players theatre listings and it's the 14th here.

[BJ_M]

it was ahown already in advanced screenings in new york and toronto

Toronto—Peter Jackson's King Kong looks to be as big a cultural behemoth in 2005 terms as its sainted 1933 ancestor was in its day.

If moviegoers respond as positively to the film as the press did Wednesday night following its world-premiere screening here, the new, $207-million (U.S.) Kong could be the 500-lb. gorilla that wrests the year's box-office crown from Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia and all other challengers to the blockbuster throne.

It runs an epic three hours that rarely flag, with special effects that will be the talk of schoolyards and around office water coolers.

The only thing missing is the sex, and how odd it is to be saying this. In a year when Harry Potter discovers his libido, King Kong has been tamed from a wild sensual beast into a lonely creature just looking for a hug.

He's still as violent as ever, causing enough head-ripping carnage to call into question the PG-13 rating the movie will receive in America (the rating in Ontario hasn't been determined yet) when it opens wide Dec. 14 across North America.

But director Jackson, still riding a high from his Oscar-winning success with The Lord of the Rings trilogy, said yesterday he decided to downplay the sexual heat that was so much a part of the 1933 original and its 1976 remake because he frankly didn't feel comfortable with it.

"I think it's up to personal taste," he told a press conference. "As a King Kong fan, it's not really what I'm interested in as a story.

"I think I made the King Kong I would have liked to have seen as a 9-year-old."

A 9-year-old who would rather watch the big ape wrestle with dinosaurs than get all icky about some girl, the blonde thespian Ann Darrow who captures the beast's heart.

Unlike Fay Wray in 1933 and Jessica Lange in 1976, whose nipple-revealing attire got Kong pounding his chest like a sailor on shore leave, the new Darrow played by a more demure Naomi Watts doesn't wish to monkey around. She just wants to be Kong's friend, albeit a very loyal one.

The human sex angle has been pushed even further into the background.

Unlike Bruce Cabot in 1933 and Jeff Bridges in 1976, the new two-legged suitor for Darrow is just a humble movie screenwriter, not a he-man sailor or scientist.

Adrien Brody's boyfriend character Jack Driscoll is still very brave, but there is far less of the three-way romantic pull of the other movies, and it's clear that Darrow's attentions are firmly fixed on Kong, not him.

Jackson said he wanted Brody's Driscoll to be "more of a writer-intellectual type" than a sexy leading man.

"We were very wary of the love-triangle aspect of the story."

So wary, in fact, that Brody seemed a bit on the defensive yesterday when answering questions about how Watts's Darrow seems more emotional about Kong's loneliness than she is about Driscoll's romantic overtures.

Isn't the leading (hu)man supposed to be the stud?

"The three of us are very lonely. She didn't choose (Kong) as a lover, right?" Brody said.

Ironically, Jackson is looking like more of a leading man himself these days, have shed the excess pounds (through dieting) and nerdy glasses (through laser surgery) that had him describing himself as a real hobbit during his Lord of the Rings phase.

But when he talks about making a King Kong for 9-year-olds, he means that more figuratively than literally.

Now 44, he was 9 years old when he first saw Merian C. Cooper's original on an old black-and-white TV set in his parents' basement in his coastal New Zealand small town of Pukerua Bay.

Jackson was so excited by the special effects in the movie, which are still a marvel by today's standards, he decided then and there he wanted to become a filmmaker. The next day, he borrowed his father's Super 8 camera and began making small films, using the painstaking stop-motion animation technique made famous by King Kong effects wizard Willis O'Brien.

At age 12, Jackson made his first abortive attempt at a remake of King Kong, a film he calls "the most wonderful piece of escapism ...

"I cried when I was 9, and I was also thrilled he was beating up the tyrannosaurus."

Jackson tried once again to remake King Kong in 1996, when he was known in Hollywood for a Michael J. Fox horror film called The Frighteners and in cult-movie circles for a ghastly zombie movie called Braindead (a.k.a. Dead Alive), but he couldn't get the studio backing he needed.

The multi-billion-dollar and multi-Oscar success of The Lord of the Rings trilogy gave Jackson the clout to make the King Kong of his dreams, one that fully employs the technology of today and also restores the visceral horror that was excised from the original movie.

Jackson and his special effects gurus at Weta Workshop Ltd. in New Zealand spent two years and millions of dollars working on a recreation of the fabled "spider pit" sequence that was cut from the original King Kong after its 1933 premiere, reportedly because it made some audience members vomit.

It's the scene where crewmembers of the ship carrying Darrow, Driscoll and crazed movie director Carl Denham (Jack Black) to remote Skull Island for their date with dinosaur destiny fall into a pitch of slimy giant slugs and insects.

Many moviegoers will watch it through their fingers, especially at the point where a huge tapeworm with giant fangs bites the head off a sailor with a single snap.

Jackson said he deliberately put two of his main characters in the scene, so he wouldn't lose his nerve and cut it from the film.

He was so fired up about the spider pit sequence, he and his Weta crew also painstakingly created an all-new black-and-white version that is included as a special feature on the new DVD of the 1933 King Kong.

Jackson's inner 9-year-old also prompted him to insist that the denizens of Skull Island be rendered as realistically as possible, including the native humans who are way more savage than their brethren of yore.

A companion picture book to the film, titled The World of Kong: A Natural History of Skull Island, reveals how seriously everybody took the job of making creatures that seemed as authentic as possible, although Weta director Richard Taylor, also the film's effects designer and supervisor, said it was more important for the critters to look "cool" than to be based on strict scientific fact.

Like the boss man of Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park, which King Kong will be compared to, no expense was spared on bringing Jackson's childhood dream to the screen, Taylor said.

"If he's liking something, then heaven and Earth will be moved to achieve it — and often it is."

Jackson was also hoping to arrange a cameo appearance by 96-year-old Fay Wray, whom he met in 2004 in New York just three weeks before her death.

He said Wray at first said "absolutely not!" to his proposal of remaking King Kong. But after she talked to him and realized his sincerity to pay homage to a revered classic, she seemed ready to change her mind. She said goodbye to him that night with the teasing comment, "Never say never!"

Wray died before Jackson could pursue her further, but actress Watts said he at least got a chance to meet a beloved movie icon, as did she — Wray approved of Watts playing her, after expressing initial doubts.

"Peter had clearly been in love with this woman since he was 9 years old," Watts said.

"I think she was his first crush."

It's this geekish attention to detail that is sure to endear Jackson to King Kong fanatics and fan boys the world over.

No matter what they think of the new movie — and it's likely they'll love it — they won't be able to dispute the fact that Jackson is as devoted to the big ape as he was when he was still thinking of girls as nuisances and dinosaurs as way cool.

[b1tchm4gn3t]

14th here as well. And Ill be one of the first to see it.

[yoda313]

I'm hopeful but a little reserved about this one. What I do like is the fact that its a period piece. It would be too hoky if they set it in modern times.

And it seems to be a pet project for Jackson who's always wanted to do one. So here's hoping.

[guns1inger]

The preview reviews I have read so far are all positive and enthusiastic.

That said, I will wait for the DVD release. I can't go to the cinema any more. Full of morons with no respect for the film or the people around them, sticky floors, over-priced everything and unless you are in the number 1 or 2 cinema, average picture and poor sound. Cinema has lost me, probably for good.

[yoda313]

unless you are in the number 1 or 2 cinema, average picture and poor sound. Cinema has lost me

If you can go to a theater with a digital projector. Its incredible. I saw episodes 2 and 3 on a digital projector and it was phenomenal - even three weeks after release! The picture was so much crisper then any regular projector.

And if you go later after the opening weekend the crowds are usually lighter

[VCDHunter]

I can't go to the cinema any more. Full of morons with no respect for the film or the people around them, sticky floors, over-priced everything and unless you are in the number 1 or 2 cinema, average picture and poor sound. Cinema has lost me, probably for good.

Agreed. Couple that with some mediocre films and it's no suprise more people are turning off the cinema. I, for one, certainly wont be watching Kong in the Cinema.

[mar-mar]

there is gonna come a time when they gonna do away with the theater and pump the release right into your living room on release day

[MackemX]

The preview reviews I have read so far are all positive and enthusiastic.

That said, I will wait for the DVD release. I can't go to the cinema any more. Full of morons with no respect for the film or the people around them, sticky floors, over-priced everything and unless you are in the number 1 or 2 cinema, average picture and poor sound. Cinema has lost me, probably for good.

as Yoda said, I like the big screen experience and I often go a few weeks later as the crowds ain't so big . My best experience was Batman Returns when it was just me, my g/f and the usher and that was in the 2nd week of release during the day. It' sa new complex but it's not very busy for whatever reason but I'm not complainng

[mattso]

I hate ALL remakes except "The Thing" and "Scarface" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers".

Here's a few that are "coming soon" (OK, cringe now):

THE HILLS HAVE EYES
THE WICKER MAN
DEATH RACE "3000"
WESTWORLD
THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON


...I'm disgusted. I wanna defect....

[BJ_M]

Willy Wonka was a wee bit of a waste as a remake i was thinking just the other day ...

the new one was good - until the end, which was awful

[guns1inger]

I watched the Pacino Scarface recently, having not seen it since it's original video release. Too me it was horrible, naive, badly dated 80's experience. Kinda like Oliver Stone and Brian DePalma.

Assault on Precict 13 was a solid action film, but that was all. Carpenter's film pushed the audience around and beat their expectations to a pulp early on, whereas the remake played it very safe.

I also enjoyed the re-working of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It's approach was sufficiently different to the original to make it a fun time in it's own right.

I did like Carpenter's The Thing, but this is where we hit the fine line between remaking a film (as in the remake of Psycho), and returning to the original source story to create a new view on it. Sometimes this works (the aforementioned The Thing), and sometimes it bites the big pickle (Planet of the Apes)

[Noahtuck]

I hate ALL remakes except "The Thing" and "Scarface" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers".

Here's a few that are "coming soon" (OK, cringe now):

THE HILLS HAVE EYES
THE WICKER MAN
DEATH RACE "3000"
WESTWORLD
THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON


...I'm disgusted. I wanna defect....

Westworld WITHOUT Yul Brynner
May god have mercy on their souls

And although i liked deathrace 2000 in the day, 50 or so years ago LOL!!
They could not hurt that one much they might actually make that one better!!

Willy Wonka was a wee bit of a waste as a remake i was thinking just the other day ...

the new one was good - until the end, which was awful

Yeah, i thought that also after watching it, but i figured ahead of time, tim burton is doing it, so i did not expect much going into it

And on that note, after watching War of the Worlds, i was like, well now i know why thye kept such a tight lid on it before it was released LOL!!

[guns1inger]

Deathrace 2000 was made in 1975, so it's only 30 years old. (I point this out only because it was made in my lifetime, and I'm not that old)

Anyway, Stallone and Carradine are both still alive, so they can have cameo's as victims.

[Noahtuck]

Deathrace 2000 was made in 1975, so it's only 30 years old. (I point this out only because it was made in my lifetime, and I'm not that old)

Anyway, Stallone and Carradine are both still alive, so they can have cameo's as victims.

I know, i saw it when it first came out
I was just saying that as a joke because it was so damn long ago and that i'm old enough to remember seeing it when it did come out
Damn!!! if this was logans run i'd have been screwed a loooooong time ago!!!


And them as victims in it would be cool 8)
Or them returning as ex-champions coming out of retirement... hell, aint sly doing it for another rocky at 50

[offline]

Damn!!! if this was logans run i'd have been screwed a loooooong time ago!!!

...and they are remaking Logan's Run too... we are all screwed!

[Guest]

I got The KK xbox 360 game.pretty sweet.

[BJ_M]

http://imdb.com/title/tt0468569/


this may be good

[adam]

Not that its a classic or anything but I hear they are remaking He-Man. That's weird.

[Bodyslide]

It was the 21st most money ever made for a Wednesday Opening.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/days/?page=wed&p=.htm

1 Spider-Man 2
2 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
3 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
4 The Passion of the Christ
5 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
6 The Matrix Revolutions
7 War of the Worlds
8 Jurassic Park III
9 Men in Black II
10 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
11 Independence Day
12 Batman Begins
13 Men in Black
14 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
15 Mission: Impossible II
16 Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
17 Meet the Fockers Uni.
18 Shrek 2
19 Pokemon: The First Movie
20 Catch Me If You Can
21 King Kong $9,755,745

[Noahtuck]

http://imdb.com/title/tt0468569/


this may be good

You just found that ??
I had read about that somewhere awhile back that they had already planned on releaseng a sequel in 2008, i was hoping for it after seeing the movie and the ending 8)

Damn!!! if this was logans run i'd have been screwed a loooooong time ago!!!

...and they are remaking Logan's Run too... we are all screwed!

I don't remember the age at which they "killed" them off, was it 20, 30 ?
either way i'd have been smoked awhile ago, and i would have been the first one to run

[adam]

Bodyslide I wouldn't call that a bomb. Its not a blockbuster but its still pretty good. Wednesday releases are kinda a strategy to build word of mouth. The real test is how it does this weekend, where the numbers will be higher than on opening day. At least that's the idea.

[Supreme2k]

I thougt that it was very well done. Great effects, good storyline and authentic period scenes. Quite a bit better than Narnia (take it as you will).

[Bodyslide]

Bodyslide I wouldn't call that a bomb. Its not a blockbuster but its still pretty good. Wednesday releases are kinda a strategy to build word of mouth. The real test is how it does this weekend, where the numbers will be higher than on opening day. At least that's the idea.

I agree but Drudge had the Kong Bomb quote...

[doppletwo]

Bodyslide I wouldn't call that a bomb. Its not a blockbuster but its still pretty good. Wednesday releases are kinda a strategy to build word of mouth. The real test is how it does this weekend, where the numbers will be higher than on opening day. At least that's the idea.

I agree but Drudge had the Kong Bomb quote...

I used to respect you Slide.


Tisk.

[MackemX]

has anyone Kong'd their whopper yet?

[Faustus]

Sorry its a bit early to call it a bomb. THe opening weekend results are not even in yet.

[BJ_M]

Wednesday's opening-day box office for the film amounted to only $9.8 million, about half what Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring earned on its Wednesday opening four years ago ($18.2 million). (The Rings films reportedly cost less than $100 million to produce; Kong reportedly cost more than $200 million.) However, Universal distribution chief Nikki Rocco insisted that the film "is doing great," telling the Los Angeles Times, "Sometimes a movie that opens soft on a Wednesday will surprise you on the weekend." Rocco attributed the soft opening to bad weather in much of the nation and the fact that, unlike several other years, including 2001, when the first Rings film was released, school had yet to let out for the holidays in much of the country. Besides, Rocco told the Times."This little monkey is going to have long, long legs and will be around for quite some time." (The film did set a record for a Wednesday opening in New Zealand, where it was filmed, racking up $415,960 in just 72 theaters.)