Post by Shonokin on Nov 15, 2005 9:11:19 GMT -8
Just a reminder that this super package is coming out next week, Nov 22nd... David, I posted a small review of some of the special features at the bottom of this (though you might've seen it at the sma forum already). You might be interested to see they they did indeed use SMA on the new spider sequence. Even though they are basically doing some recreation type work for the docu's I appreciate that there's probably not any behind the scenes footage from the original production. So it's actually pretty cool that they really went out of their way to recreate the sets and process as faithfully as possible. Dan
Available at amazon for about $15 off retail.
# DVD Features:
* Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
* Commentary by: visual effects veterans Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston, with interpolated interviews excepts of Merian C. Cooper and Fay Wray (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
* Collector's Edition includes:
* 2-Disc Special Edition DVD
* Collectible tin packaging
* 20-page reproduction of original 1933 souvenir program
* King Kong memorable scenes postcards
* Vintage King Kong poster mail-in offer
* Disc 1: The Movie
* Original 1933 Film classic in Glorious Black and White, Newly Restored and Digitally Mastered
* Commentary by Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston, with Merian C. Cooper and Fay Wray
* I'm King Kong!: The Exploits of Merian C. Cooper -- 2005 documentary
* Merian C. Cooper Movies Trailer Gallery
* Disc 2: King-Sized Special Features
* RKO Production 601: The Making of Kong, Eighth Wonder of the World - 7 Part Documentary including...
* The Origins of "King Kong"
* Willis O'Brien and "Creation"
* Cameras Roll on Kong, The Eighth Wonder
* A Milestone in Visual Effects
* Passion, Sound and Fury
* The Mystery of the Lost "Spider Pit" Sequence
* King Kongs Legacy
* Creation Test Footage with Commentary by Ray Harryhausen
... I've just gotten my first look at Warner's new King Kong: Special Edition (due on 11/22) and I HAD to tell you all a little bit about it. First of all, the film looks amazing. This restoraton is really impressive - I'm betting Kong hasn't looked better since its original 1933 theatrical release. I haven't listened to the audio commentary yet, nor have I looked at the documentary about Merian C. Cooper. But I'll tell you... the 7-part RKO Production 601 documentary is outstanding. You get a really in-depth history of the film itself, as well as a look the producers and the production, complete with new interviews with film historians (like Rudy Behlmer, Bob Burns), filmmakers (Peter Jackson, Frank Darabont, etc) and special effects experts (Ray Harryhausen, Ken Ralston, Phil Tippett and others), as well as a look at original photographs, production artwork and more vintage materials. But here's what's really great - specifically for this DVD release, Jackson and his crew at WETA (who, as you know, have been working on their own remake of King Kong, which hits theaters next month), worked to build - in exacting detail - replicas of many of the original stop-motion miniatures from the 1933 film, and to recreate footage using the original effects production process. The result of this is that when they're talking about how the original Kong was made, you actually get to SEE the process in action! The folks at Pellerin Multimedia and Sparkhill were able to document the effort as Jackson's animators worked with their new, meticulously recreated Kong puppet, on a multi-layered miniature set that's a nearly exact duplicate of one created for the original film. It's VERY cool to see, let me tell you. As you may know, Jackson also tasked his effects crew with recreating the lost "Spider Pit" sequence for this DVD release. Their work was never intended to be edited back into the film, but simply to give you a sense of what that lost footage MIGHT have looked like. It's a joy to see. In fact, this DVD release is just a really special piece of work - something that's clearly made by die-hard Kong fans, for die-hard Kong fans. You're going to love it. I think it was well worth the wait.
Available at amazon for about $15 off retail.
# DVD Features:
* Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
* Commentary by: visual effects veterans Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston, with interpolated interviews excepts of Merian C. Cooper and Fay Wray (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
* Collector's Edition includes:
* 2-Disc Special Edition DVD
* Collectible tin packaging
* 20-page reproduction of original 1933 souvenir program
* King Kong memorable scenes postcards
* Vintage King Kong poster mail-in offer
* Disc 1: The Movie
* Original 1933 Film classic in Glorious Black and White, Newly Restored and Digitally Mastered
* Commentary by Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston, with Merian C. Cooper and Fay Wray
* I'm King Kong!: The Exploits of Merian C. Cooper -- 2005 documentary
* Merian C. Cooper Movies Trailer Gallery
* Disc 2: King-Sized Special Features
* RKO Production 601: The Making of Kong, Eighth Wonder of the World - 7 Part Documentary including...
* The Origins of "King Kong"
* Willis O'Brien and "Creation"
* Cameras Roll on Kong, The Eighth Wonder
* A Milestone in Visual Effects
* Passion, Sound and Fury
* The Mystery of the Lost "Spider Pit" Sequence
* King Kongs Legacy
* Creation Test Footage with Commentary by Ray Harryhausen
... I've just gotten my first look at Warner's new King Kong: Special Edition (due on 11/22) and I HAD to tell you all a little bit about it. First of all, the film looks amazing. This restoraton is really impressive - I'm betting Kong hasn't looked better since its original 1933 theatrical release. I haven't listened to the audio commentary yet, nor have I looked at the documentary about Merian C. Cooper. But I'll tell you... the 7-part RKO Production 601 documentary is outstanding. You get a really in-depth history of the film itself, as well as a look the producers and the production, complete with new interviews with film historians (like Rudy Behlmer, Bob Burns), filmmakers (Peter Jackson, Frank Darabont, etc) and special effects experts (Ray Harryhausen, Ken Ralston, Phil Tippett and others), as well as a look at original photographs, production artwork and more vintage materials. But here's what's really great - specifically for this DVD release, Jackson and his crew at WETA (who, as you know, have been working on their own remake of King Kong, which hits theaters next month), worked to build - in exacting detail - replicas of many of the original stop-motion miniatures from the 1933 film, and to recreate footage using the original effects production process. The result of this is that when they're talking about how the original Kong was made, you actually get to SEE the process in action! The folks at Pellerin Multimedia and Sparkhill were able to document the effort as Jackson's animators worked with their new, meticulously recreated Kong puppet, on a multi-layered miniature set that's a nearly exact duplicate of one created for the original film. It's VERY cool to see, let me tell you. As you may know, Jackson also tasked his effects crew with recreating the lost "Spider Pit" sequence for this DVD release. Their work was never intended to be edited back into the film, but simply to give you a sense of what that lost footage MIGHT have looked like. It's a joy to see. In fact, this DVD release is just a really special piece of work - something that's clearly made by die-hard Kong fans, for die-hard Kong fans. You're going to love it. I think it was well worth the wait.
