Kong News

[Cullen]

CHUD has the latest word on the next remake of King Kong .  The interested can find it here.

Personally, this is very good news.  I didn't think the first script was that good, and it's nice to know that the writers agree with me.  (All arrogance aside, of course.)  With any luck, what comes next is truer to the original.  Kong hasn't been in a good movie since the original; the ape deserves better.

[Evan3]

Just wondering if the original 1933 King Kong was out on DVD (cant find it) but during my search, I saw a 1976 version of King Kong starring.... Jeff Bridges! Even Jessica Lange was there for the party.

Anyione have any word on this one??

[Chadzilla]

Warner Brothers is currently putting together a special edition two disc set of the original.

[Cullen]

While it has its defenders, most find the 1976 Kong to be pretty bad.  No dinosaurs, lots of dubious "character" development, and an extreme length work against it.  Still, Rick Barker's Kong costume's pretty good, and Kong's New York visit is entertaining.  It's just getting there...

(Footnote - when making the movie, Dino DeLaurentis and the other produces made a big noise about the F/X, specifically the giant robot they were building to play Kong.  Designed by Carlo Rambaldi, the robot makes exactly one brief appearance in the film, right when Kong breaks free in New York.  You can't miss it when it happens; it looks nothing like Baker's Kong.

(The movie won an Oscar for its F/X, which, in retrospect, seems sad.)
_________________

[Johnny Blister]

I´ve never seen the c1976 version.Is it any good?

[raj]

It was alright.  I saw it in the theater in '76.  As a 12 year old I liked it a lot, but it really hasn't held up since then.  The original is more fun.

[Dave: Blackeye15]

There had better be dinosaures in it, as in enough to shake a stick at.

-the first rule of fat club-

[raj]

King Kong vs. Jurassic Park IV

[Johnny Blister]

Who is hotter:Fay Wray or Jessica Lange?

[The Burgomaster]

Incidentally, I just ordered QUEEN KONG on DVD. (Directed by Frank Agrama of DAWN OF THE MUMMY fame . . . I can't wait).

[raj]

Fay Wray.

[Johnny Blister]

There´s a King Kong VS Godzilla fight at WWWF...

[Squishy]

Fay Wray cameos in the remake (the woman who screeeeeeeeams when Kong breaks free in New York), but I prefer Jessica--post-Kong. I think her Golden Globe was for just coming off as well as she did with the awful script she was given.

Script courtesy of Lorenzo Semple Jr., by the way. Semple's best known for the Adam West "Batman" series and that other horrific deLaurentiis' remake, "Flash Gordon." For those who haven't seen the remake yet, it was directed by John Guillermin, whose other credits include "The Towering Inferno" and Tanya Robert's "Sheena."

He also directed the jawdropper "King Kong Lives," which every bad-movie buff has to see at least once. Wowwww.

Thanks for the tip, Cullen. (I didn't think the old Jackson script was brilliant, either, but mentioned it way back then as a curiosity. Jack's "mid-air transfer" would've had enraged fans storming from the theater screaming for his blood.)

[Evan3]

Now is it just my faulty memory, or are there two endings to King Kong Vs. Godzilla, and if so, which ending is sold on Amazon??

[The Burgomaster]

There were 2 endings, but I think that only the one where King Kong wins was released in the U.S. My guess is that's the version that's on Amazon.