Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

King Kong Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 6, 2021

Producer Dino De Laurentiis wanted to make the big hit of 1976 with his remake of “King Kong,” keeping publicity fires burning for a full year before the film’s release. It was hype on a grand scale, only requiring a movie that could match such marketing fury. “King Kong” isn’t quite the towering adventure promised by De Laurentiis, but the picture offers tremendous scale, with budgetary bucks spent to inspire awe with enormous sets and exotic locations. And then there’s the eponymous ape, who’s less impressive, emerging mostly as a man-in-suit, competing with the stop-motion animation miracles found in the original 1933 classic. “King Kong” strives to be a sincere retelling of the adventure tale, aiming for spectacle and updated villainy, and it works for the most part, always most compelling when digging into the mystery of King Kong, not showcasing full body displays of him.

Fred (Charles Grodin) is an ambitious member of the Petrox Oil executive circle, aiming to make a discovery that could transform him into a corporate legend. He sets his sights on a mysterious, fog-covered island, looking to find the oil discovery of the century, joined by his trusty crew and Jack (Jeff Bridges), a primate paleontologist who’s scammed his way onto the boat. On their way to the island, the ship, Petrox Explorer, encounters Dwan (Jessica Lang), who survived a boat accident, with the young starlet joining the team. Finding their way to their final destination, the Petrox gang encounters a native tribe who takes a special interest in Dwan, kidnapping her, using the frightened woman as a sacrifice to their deity, King Kong, a 40-foot-tale ape who rules the area, and a creature who instantly falls in love with his blonde captive.

De Laurentiis’s choice in director John Guillermin is a curious one, selecting a journeyman filmmaker to bring “King Kong” to life. Not one to dabble in style, Guillermin understands scale, using his time on “The Towering Inferno” to bring bigness to this take on the wrong moves of a lovesick giant ape. The scope of the picture is impressive, with giant spaces used to emphasize the threat of the island and the corporate resources of Petrox Oil, and the widescreen world really comes to life in the finale, which takes the action to the urban jungle of New York City. Helping the cause is a lush score by John Barry, who sets softer moods for emotional moments and brings up orchestral power for adventure sequences, capturing the exploratory tone of the effort’s first half. Barry is a key component to “King Kong,” getting the feature going when Guillermin is unable to.

Characterization is a bit strange in “King Kong,” as screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr. (“Flash Gordon”) tends to deal simply with conflicted characters, including Jack, who’s trying to get between Fred and the island’s resources, only to join corporate interests for a long stretch of the movie, a transition that isn’t successfully sold. Fred is a broad presence, lusting for power, but the use of Big Oil interests during the energy crisis of the 1970s works to motivate the villain in a special way. Dwan also enjoys some kooky period touches, finding her life initially saved after refusing to watch “Deep Throat” on a boat filled with creeps, but she’s ultimately a confused character, with Semple Jr. unsure if the “beauty” is a calculated opportunist or just a dimwit with tunnel vision for fame.

And there’s King Kong, the big star of the show. He’s a beast who rules the island, but he’s also got a thing for blondes, falling in lust with Dwan, pushing the PG rating during a scene where the ape tries to pull down his prisoner’s top (a homage to the first movie). He’s a primal force that’s sold with a mixture of large mechanical arms, a giant mechanical ape (seen briefly), and a man-in-suit performance from Rick Baker. The ape suit dominates the footage, but Guillermin doesn’t have a game plan to photograph it, with King Kong always looking as artificial as he actually is, presenting a humanoid appearance that’s lacking jungle beast authority. It’s downright goofy at times, but “King Kong” works through it, endeavoring to create some type of tragic figure out of the ape, who simply wants alone time with Dwan, soon collected for exploitation by Fred and Petrox Oil.

“King Kong” is presented in two versions: a Theatrical Cut (134:29) and an Extended T.V. Broadcast Cut (192:51). The Extended T.V. Broadcast Cut is also presented separately in episodes, split into “Night One” (95:24) and “Night Two” (97:27).

King Kong Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "King Kong" Theatrical Cut delivers a satisfactory viewing experience for the 1976 epic, offering slightly noisier grain and decent detail throughout. Island expanse is preserved, along with oceanic travels, offering passable dimension. Skin particulars are acceptable, also surveying wispy facial hair. Special effects are noticeable, with leathery Kong hands and decently textured miniatures. Colors are acceptable, delivering on jungle greenery and natural skintones. Primary paint jobs are bright, and livelier hues tied to Kong's Bicentennial Petrox debut offer commanding reds. Delineation is acceptable. Source is in good condition, without major elements of damage.

The Extended T.V. Broadcast Cut offers an AVC encoded image presentation, and it comes with a note from Shout Factory explaining certain framing issues (exposing characters not meant to be seen) encountered with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio dealing with footage shown in 1.33:1. It's also presented with a "new 2K scan of the additional T.V. footage from the internegative."

The first 20 screenshots are taken from the Theatrical Cut, the remaining five screenshots are taken from the Extended T.V. Broadcast Cut.

King Kong Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix brings a good amount of power to scoring selections, which retain precise orchestral instrumentation, including deep strings and ethereal organ offerings. Music feeds into the surrounds, providing immersion, and heavier stings join King Kong's roars and tribal drums in low-end response, adding some compelling weight to the track. Dialogue exchanges are clear and emotive, though they compete with louder elements at times, adding to intended chaos. Sound effects are defined, giving life to Kong's sonic offerings. Surrounds are a blunt with atmospherics, with the sound library foundation of the mix coming through abruptly at times. Also included is a 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix, billed as a "new restored theatrical stereo track." A sampling of the listening event offers a wider, frontal presence without the obvious power of the 5.1 track.

The Extended T.V. Broadcast Cut offers a 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix.

King Kong Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Theatrical Cut

• Commentary #1 features author Ray Morton.

• Commentary #2 features King Kong performer Rick Baker.

• "On Top of the World" (11:54, HD) is an interview with production manager Brian Frankish and assistant director David McGiffert. The men share their initial approach to "King Kong," with Frankish sent to the Hawaiian Islands to prepare for an army of moviemakers to arrive, using the location in full. The interviewees shared their memories of the different King Kongs used in the picture, focusing on the massive dummy used in the final sequence, which attracted a large number of extras, a few more interested in actress Jessica Lange than the giant ape. An assessment of the film and an anecdote about director John Guillermin close out the conversation.

• "When the Monkey Dies, Everybody Cries" (13:48, HD) is a video conference interview with production messengers Jeffrey Chernov and Scott Thaler, who provide a lively offering of memories from their time on the set of "King Kong." The men describe how they landed the gofer gig and detail their daily duties, giving them the best filmmaking education around as they bicycled around 30 sets, offering messages and paychecks. The Dino De Laurentiis experience is examined, along with their exhausting 24-hour schedule shared with another messenger. King Kong hydraulic fluid mishaps are mentioned, and memories from a trip to Italy are offered, with the three guys in charge of assembling King Kong for his appearance at an Italian fair.

• "Maybe in Their Wildest Dreams" (5:36, HD) is a video conference interview with sculptor Steve Varner, who shares his experiences working on the creation of the 40-foot King Kong and the massive hand used for Jessica Lange. Tricks of the trade are recalled, along with memories of designer Carlo Rambaldi.

• "Something's Haywire" (5:52, HD) is a video conference interview with actor Jack O'Halloran, who discusses his relationships with co-stars, making friends with Jessica Lange and questioning Jeff Bridges's love of method acting. O'Halloran is clear it was a fun shoot, but admits the "director could've been better," offering an anecdote concerning John Guillermin's stubbornness. The interviewee closes with memories from the log scene, which was completed at the MGM studios.

• "From Space to Apes" (5:36, HD) is a video conference interview with photographic effects assistant Barry Nolan, who moved from the aerospace industry to Hollywood, using his expertise to deal with blue screen work and compositing adjustments, attaching a T.V. camera to the film camera for faster results. Nolan doesn't have anything nice to share about John Guillermin, but he eventually reteamed with the helmer for 1986's "King Kong Lives."

• "There's a Fog Bank Out There" (6:31, HD) is an interview with second unit director Bill Kronick, who was hired by John Guillermin, and eventually took over the shooting of screen tests, becoming the guy who found Jessica Lange. Kronick goes on to share bits of production information as the "King Kong" shoot moved from the Hawaiian Islands to New York City, dealing with giant ape problems.

• Image Gallery #1 (6:39) collects BTS snaps, publicity shots, and prop photos.

• Image Gallery #2 (7:26) focuses primarily on film stills.

• Image Gallery #3 (8:53) includes lobby cards, poster art, press book pages, and promotional items.

• Image Gallery #4 (3:58) highlights newspaper ads for the theatrical release of "King Kong" and its television debut on NBC.

• T.V. Spots (3:36, HD) offer seven commercials for "King Kong."

• Radio Spots (1:35) supply three ads.

• And Theatrical Trailer #1 (2:36, HD) and Theatrical Trailer #2 (2:25, HD) are included.

Extended T.V. Broadcast Cut

• "King Kong '76" (68:45, HD) offers a panel discussion (recorded at the Aero Theater in 2016) of the feature with author Ray Morton, actor Jack O'Halloran, cinematographer Richard H. Kline, creature performer Rick Baker, Dino's widow Martha De Laurentiis, and John Barry's assistant, Richard Kraft.

• NBC Promos (3:52, SD) provide a collection of intros and commercial bumpers from television showings of "King Kong."

King Kong Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"King Kong" ended up doing respectable business, positioned as the third highest grossing picture of 1976 (sandwiched between "A Star is Born" and "Silver Streak"). It found its audience but didn't manage to top the 1933 original, becoming more of a curiosity than a new classic (a 1986 sequel, "King Kong Lives," has been mostly forgotten). Its filmmaking ambition is a little easier to study these days, with the marketplace filled with flashy, CGI- drenched takes on King Kong and his survival challenges. However, in 1976, De Laurentiis had a budget and a dream to generate his own version of "King Kong" armed with big special effects and a certain sensitivity to the pained heart of the giant ape. He wanted to create a cinematic extravaganza, and that's exactly what makes this version appealing.