King Kong (2005) Special Edition (2 Disc Set)
From director Peter Jackson comes the iconic story of King Kong – the
gigantic ape captured in the wild and brought back to civilisation where he
meets his tragic fate.
Naomi Watts plays Ann Darrow, an actress from the world of vaudeville who finds
herself out of a job in Depression-era New York.
Her luck changes when she meets Carl Denham (Jack Black). Denham is an
entrepreneur, raconteur, adventurer and filmmaker who is struggling to make a
name for himself in the entertainment industry. Bold ebullient and charismatic,
Denham has a natural sense of showmanship and an appetite for greatness, which
ultimately leads to catastrophe.
Adrien Brody steps into the role of Jack Driscoll, a New York playwright who
becomes an unlikely hero in a romantic adventure story that will test his
physical courage, and his heart…
King Kong is a landmark in New Zealand cinema, and a must-own for any fan of
great filmmaking.
King Kong Collector's Edition features:
- Introduction by Peter Jackson
- Post Production Diaries #55 to #90
- City of New York Feature
- Skull Island Feature
Movies don't come any bigger than Peter Jackson's King Kong, a three-hour
remake of the 1933 classic that marries breathtaking visual prowess with a
surprising emotional depth. Expanding on the original story of the blonde beauty
and the beast who falls for her, Jackson creates a movie spectacle that matches
his Lord of the Rings films and even at times evokes their fantasy world while
celebrating the glory of '30s Hollywood. Naomi Watts stars as Ann Darrow, a
vaudeville actress down on her luck in Depression-era New York until manic
filmmaker Carl Denham (a game but miscast Jack Black) entices her with a lead
role. Dazzled by the genius of screenwriter Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), Ann
boards the tramp steamer S.S. , which she–and most of the wary crew–believes
is headed for Singapore.
Denham, however, is in search of the mythic Skull Island, hoping to capture
its wonders on film and make a fortune. What he didn't count on were some scary
natives who find that the comely Darrow looks like prime sacrifice material for
a mysterious giant creature…
There's no point in rehashing the entire plot, as every movie aficionado is
more than familiar with the trajectory of King Kong; the challenge facing
Jackson, his screenwriters, and the phenomenal visual-effects team was to
breathe new life into an old, familiar story. To that degree, they achieve what
could be best called a qualified success. Though they've assembled a crackerjack
supporting cast, including Thomas Kretschmann as the Venture's hard-bitten
captain and young Jamie Bell as a plucky crewman, the first third of the movie
is rather labored, with too much minute detail given over to sumptuous
re-creations of '30s New York and the unexciting initial leg of the
Venture's sea voyage. However, once the film finds its way to Skull Island
(which bears more than a passing resemblance to LOTR's Mordor), Kong turns into
a dazzling movie triumph, by turns terrifying and awe-inspiring.
The choreography and execution of the action set pieces–including one
involving Kong and a trio of Tyrannosaurus Rexes, as well as another that could
be charitably described as a bug-phobic's nightmare–is nothing short of
landmark filmmaking, and a certain Mr. Spielberg should watch his back, as Kong
trumps most anything that has come before it.
Despite the visual challenges of King Kong, the movie's most difficult
hurdle is the budding romance between Ann and her simian soulmate. Happily, this
is where Jackson unqualifiedly triumphs, as this unorthodox love story is
tenderly and humorously drawn, by turns sympathetic and wondrous.
Watts, whose accessibility balances out her almost otherworldly loveliness,
works wonders with mere glances, and Andy Serkis, who digitally embodies Kong
here much as he did Gollum in the LOTR films, breathes vibrant life into the
giant star of the film without ever overplaying any emotions. The final, tragic
act of the film, set mostly atop the Empire State Building, is where Kong earns
its place in movie history as a work that celebrates both the technical and
emotional heights that film can reach. – Mark Englehart
