King Kong [2005] (DVD)

NOTE: This is a review of the 3 disc version. I'm sure everyone out there knows who and what 'King Kong' is/was and therefore needs a run through of the story like they need a hole in the head but, in the interests of professionalism, here goes..... The film is set in 1933 and Carl Denham (Jack Black) is in possession of a map of Skull Island and with the aid of a ship and its crew sets off on a trip to the place (Really! Would you go there? It'd be like saying 'Come along honey lets get the kids and go to Death Beach!'). Anyway, he takes along the attractive Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) who casts her womanly charms upon the enormous ape (Andy Serkis ...  Read the complete review

King Kong is one of the greatest movies ever made. A bold statement, but one few would argue with. What stands out about King Kong is how unlike other classic movies from the Golden age of Hollywood, is that so many filmmakers subsequent have saw fit to try and prove they can do it better. While I do think Ishiro Honda was well intentioned, if unequipped, with regards to his Japanese treatment of the character, producer Dino DeLaurentis' irked many fans with his attitude when he remade the film in 1976 with John Guillermin at the helm. While DeLaurentis approached his movie with his usual, almost comical, arrogance, I'd say it's safe to declare Peter Jackson the winner ...  Read the complete review

When the young actress Ann Darrow loses her job, her prospects look bleak. Unable to find more theatre work, her only real chance of employment seems to be a seedy strip club and she simply can't bring herself to do it. Budding young film director Carl Denham is halfway through his latest project when the studio management team calls him in for a review. Unimpressed with his output, they cancel the project altogether - but not before Denham can steal the incomplete reels and disappear into the night. Intent on completing the film of his dreams, he decides to carry on regardless and manages to persuade / con a number of people into helping him out. When his ...  Read the complete review

note: also appears on The Student Room and Flixster in part Peter Jackson's remake of the 1933 monster classic King Kong is a true labour of love from the filmmaker who miraculously managed to bring The Lord of the Rings to the screen successfully. He claimed to have loved King Kong as a child and wanted to remake it for a new generation, as well as reference the much talked about removed "spider pit" scene that was filmed for the original film but sadly has been lost over the years. The film revolves around an actress named Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), who is travelling with a film crew to Skull Island to make a new movie. However, they ...  Read the complete review

Having gained an enormous amount of success with the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, Peter Jackson returned in 2005 with his next massive project. Following on from events in Mordor, Jackson has gone for another classic tale with a remake of the 1930's classic King Kong. While Jackson has been quoted as saying King Kong was one of his favourite movies as a kid it was a danger to try and remake a classic film such as this. Even for a director with the reputation Jackson has amassed would find this difficult and it's that reason that put me off watching it till last night. It's 1933 in New York City and an ambitious movie director, Carl Denham (Jack Black) has ...  Read the complete review