King Kong: Two-Disc Collector's Edition DVD Set Review

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Title: King Kong: Two-Disc Collector’s Edition

Region: One

Genre: Fantasy Adventure

Stars: Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot

Writers: James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose

Based On A Story By: Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper

Director: Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack

Feature length: 104 minutes

Extras: Audio Commentary By Visual Effects Veterans Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston With Interpolated Interview Excerpts Of Merian C. Cooper and Fay Ray, Merian C. Cooper Trailer Gallery, I Am King Kong!: The Exploits Of Merian C. Cooper, RKO Productions 601: The Making Of Kong, Eighth Wonder Of The World, Original Creation Test Footage With Ray Harryhausen Commentary, King Kong One Sheet Art Post Cards, 12-Page Reproduction Of The Grauman’s Chinese Theater Programme From March 24, 1933

Languages: English Monaural Sound

Subtitles: English Closed Captions and English, French, and Spanish Language Subtitles

Packaging: Two-Disc Digipack Gatefold Within A Cardboard Slipcase Packaged In A Collectible Tin Case

Chapter Stops: 35

Sound: Monaural Sound

Year of Theatrical Release: 1933/DVD Release: 2005

Theatrical Distributor: RKO Pictures

Home Video Distributor: Warner Home Video

MPAA Rating: Not Rated

Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera

Finally after years of waiting, Warner Home Video has released a digitally mastered and restored Region One DVD set of Merian C. Cooper’s classic “King Kong.” The DVD is being released in three separate versions. There is a two-disc special edition which has identical content to the collector’s edition, but does not include the hard copy extras and is packaged in a single size two-disc DVD keep case. Then there is a box set that contains “King Kong”, “Son Of Kong”, and “Mighty Joe Young.” Finally there is the two-disc collector’s edition, which has the DVDs packaged in a two-disc Digipack gatefold like some of the other Warner Home Video two-disc releases such as “The Adventures Of Robin Hood.” The gatefold contains chapter stop information detailing the discs’ contents and notes on the back and comes housed within a cardboard slipcase with nearly identical artwork to the two-disc special edition. This slipcase comes housed in a sturdy, collectible tin case about the same size of the Disney Treasure discs that were released in tins. This tin his hinged and opens up left to right like a book. Included within the tin is a Turner Classic Movies Advertisement, a beautiful reproduction of the Grauman’s Chinese Theater King Kong Programme first issued on Friday, March 24, 1933, a gatefold like collection of five one-sheet reproductions on glossy postcard like paper, and a mail-in offer for a reproduction of the original “King Kong” movie poster.

With Peter Jackson’s remake due to premiere in theaters this December of 2005, the two-disc set of whichever version one chooses to purchase is the perfect way to get excited and wonder with anticipation just how close to the original will Jackson’s version be. King Kong holds up very well today as both a classic fantasy adventure and a piece of film history. The manner in which “King Kong” was produced required the creation the special effects and filmmaking magic that previously did not exist. “King Kong” had a tremendous impact upon a generation of filmmakers and writers alike such as Peter Jackson, Ray Harryhausen, Ray Bradbury, and John Landis. Perhaps the only fantasy film that comes close to influencing a generation of filmmakers in the same way since was George Lucas’ original 1977 version of “Star Wars.” The story itself is a mixture of “The Lost World” and “Beauty And The Beast” with a showman film director plucking a young depression era woman from the streets of Manhattan and taking her to a remote island so cut off from the rest of the world that fantastic and dangerous creatures exist there. The giant ape Kong receives the actress (Fay Ray) as a sacrifice after the island natives that appease him kidnap her. Kong develops a strange attachment to the actress that results in his eventual capture and exploitive exhibition on the streets of New York where he eventually runs amok.

The stop motion effects by Willis O’Brien inspired Ray Harryhausen who would apprentice under him and become a famous stop motion effects wizard in his own right with the creation of “Dynamation” and “Super Dynamation.” Harryhausen participates in a well-spoken audio commentary for the film that he shares with Ken Ralston. Interview audio clips featuring Merian C. Cooper and Fay Ray are interlaced throughout the audio track. Harryhausen also provides audio commentary for test footage from an unproduced film entitled “Creation” (4:56) that is presented on disc two. In addition he is one of many contributors to the two documentaries included on the second disc. The first documentary “I’m King Kong! The Exploits Of Merian C. Cooper” is a fascinating exploration of a visionary and adventurer as well as a patriotic filmmaker (56:59). The documentary is split up into 12 chapter stops for the DVD release and is narrated by Alec Baldwin. It is also airing on Turner Classic Movies and premieres day and date with the Warner Home Video “King Kong” DVD release on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 8pm. Check your locale cable or satellite listings for encore airings. There is also an excellent 7-part documentary “RKO Productions 601: The Making Of Kong, Eighth Wonder Of The World” (158:46) gives excellent detail on the film’s conception, development, production, legacy and more. Peter Jackson and his artists at WETA along with Kong enthusiasts Frank Darabont and Rick Baker actually tried to restore as close as possible a lost scene from King Kong that doesn’t perfectly match up with the existing footage, but is never the less a highlight to be enjoyed as a part of the documentary or separately (5:58). The seven parts can also be viewed individually or through a “Play All” feature with a total of 15 chapter stops.

The image quality taken from restored materials based on a nitrate print is presented in a (1.33:1) aspect ratio that preserves the manner in which the film was exhibited theatrically and until better source materials can be found is likely to be as good a DVD version as there will ever be with a clear English Monaural Soundtrack and English Closed Captions for the hearing impaired as well as English, French, and Spanish Language Subtitles encoded as options. A trailer gallery of films by Merian C. Cooper that include “King Kong”, “Son Of Kong”, “Flying Down To Rio”, “Fort Apache”, “Three Godfathers”, “Mighty Joe Young”, “She Wore A Yellow Ribbon”, and “The Searchers” (16:47) wraps up the extra value materials in this DVD set.

“King Kong: Two-Disc Collector’s Edition” is available on DVD-Video now at retailers on and offline courtesy of Warner Home Video.

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