1933 King Kong in November - Page 8

Great! Thank you, WB! I'll be buying the tin!!

But now -- just to be that one inevitable voice that has to always cry about something -- I must confess ---

I'm not really a fan of tins. :b

Hands up those of us that actually believe this "coincidence" line.
The silly thing is: it's not as if its actually something to be ashamed of. So they time the release of a disc to the release of the remake. So what?

Interesting to know that the rumours about the spider pit recreation were true, but that (fortunately) it will not be inserted into the actual film.

Quote (originally posted by Joe Karlosi):

"But now -- just to be that one inevitable voice that has to always cry about something -- I must confess ---

I'm not really a fan of tins."


...or of KING KONG (1933) itself, right?

Joking aside, I'll be all over the 4-Discer when it's released. I've watched the 1933 original innumerable times over the years but I've never managed to complete SON OF KONG (1933) due to bad TV reception and my sole viewing of MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1949) is mighty hazy after all those years!

Here's davisdvd.com's rundown of the announcement:

King Kong

The grandaddy of all fantasy films, Warner Home Video will release the classic 1933 King Kong on November 22nd. Featuring a newly restored and digitally mastered transfer from the rare nitrate film elements, the big ape will be available as a two-disc special edition packed with extras. Among other things, look for an audio commentary with effects masters Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston, "RKO Production 601: The Making of Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World" (a two-hour, seven-part documentary created by Peter Jackson), a feature-length documentary on 'Kong' creator Merian C. Cooper and a trailer gallery. The two-disc set will retail for $26.99.

A more lavish Collector's Edition box set will be available as well and will come packaged in a collectible tin with a 20-page reproduction of the original 1993 souvenir program, original poster art postcards and a mail-in offer for a vintage theatrical poster. Retail for this set is $39.98. Warner also will release a four-disc collector' set featuring the two-disc King Kong along with The Son of Kong and Mighty Joe Young. Retail for this is $39.92.

Sounds to me like the Tin is NOT in the 4-disc set. Hmmmmm.

Veerd.

Retail for 2-disc tin is $39.98 and retail for 4-disc set is $39.92. Either that's a typo, or there's no two-disc tin, and the tin is the 4-disc set.

or the third possibility that the premium price on the tin is due to the program, postcards, poster offer, and the outer tin itself, and the same price on the 4 disc set is due to the extra 2 discs.

I'll have a tin thank-you. I can't wait to import that...

(double post)

[c] This is the current design for the R1 Tin which uses the same art work as the DVD [/c]

I'm actually a little disappointed they chose the Style B original theatrical poster for the cover art:




I was hoping Warner would use either of the two other original theatrical posters by Barret McCormick and Bob Sisk:

Nils, with all due respect, I think WB did the correct choice. I like the poster the chose the best myself.

Yeah, they probably picked that poster because the girl is a lot more prominent and sexier.

I also like this one quite a bit...

All of this is blowing my mind. With all these souped-up SEs of films like The Wizard of Oz, Titanic & Ben-Hur and first-time releases like King Kong and The Sting (I don't consider the previous version of The Sting to qualify as being a release!), this is the most exciting time for DVD yet. If this is nearing the end of DVD, it's one hell of a last gasp!

I'm all over the tin AND the 4-disc.

DANG! And I just copied Mighty Joe Young off TCM to a DVD-r just this past weeked. Oh the irony.

This is going to be the longest 105 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes of my life...

Just shot off an email to Warner Home Video:



I'll keep you posted if I hear anything!

So, is Son of Kong as bad as it seems? Of the three movies, it's the only one I haven't seen. Many reviewers don't have many kind things to say about it. I also see that it came out the same year as Kong. That had to be a rush job! I'll definitely be getting the 4-disc set. I'm just curious what everyone thinks about this "forgotten" sequel.

It will be interesting to see how this high profile DVD release and Peter Jackson's remake effect the prices of vintage King Kong posters - which already command some of the highest premiums of all posters sold at auctions. In fact, of the 100 movie posters that have sold for the highest amount at an auction, 15 were King Kong posters.

The most anyone has ever paid for a King Kong poster at auction was none other that Cecelia Presley, the granddaughter of the legendary Director & Producer Cecil B. DeMille. She paid $244,500 for a 41x81 RKO, style A three-sheet, lithograph by McCormick & Sisk at an auction at Sotheby's on April 16, 1999. Although it wasn't easy due to a bidding war which lasted well past the estimated value $100,000-$150,000.

The most anyone has ever paid for a movie poster at an auction was $453,500 for an original style A three-sheet for The Mummy (1932). It happened on March 1, 1997 at Sotheby's, but there is still a great deal of skepticism as to the validity of the auction. Many in the art world believe that the seller, the buyer, and the other bidder pre-arranged for the 'bidding war' in order to inflate the value of the poster for a future sale. In fact, it was later sold, but for under $120,000.

Here are some of the different King Kong posters that have sold for ~$50,000 or more (click on any pic to enlarge):

$244,500 (4/99) Sotheby's

$98,900 (12/94) Christie's

$87,000 (10/00) Sotheby's

$80,500 (12/99) Sotheby's

$57,200 (12/91) Christie's

$46,000 (12/96) Sotheby's

In addition, there are about a dozen or more international King Kong posters, as well as a few theatrical posters from the film's worldwide re-release between 1952-1962 that have sold anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000. Here are samples of some of them (click on any pic to enlarge):
[c]



[/c]

Hi again folks,

A few weeks ago, I posted that a close friend of mine (Josh Berman) owned one of the original props from KING KONG, one of the original spiders from the long-lost pit sequence.

I previously posted a photo of the spider, as follows:



The website I originally found this picture at labelled it as being "From the Collection of Willis O'Brien." In actuality, that information is incorrect -- this is the exact spider prop that my friend Josh has in his collection. This photograph was taken at the King Kong 50th Anniversary Celebration in 1983. There was an exhibit at The Roosevelt Hotel (across the street from the Chinese Theater in Hollywood), where the existing props, miniatures, artwork, etc. were on display, all from the collections of Bob Burns, Forrest Ackerman, Josh Berman and a few others. (Whomever took the photograph cropped it to remove the information card the described the item and it's owner.)

In any event, until last month, Josh had absolutely no idea that a KING KONG DVD was in the works. And now that he has, he is asking for the assistance of HTF members…

Josh would very much like to get in contact with the people at Warner Bros. who are producing this KING KONG DVD. In addition to the recreation of the spider-pit sequence, the DVD reportedly will be including a featurette or other information on this long-lost sequence. As Josh owns the original authenticated spider prop, he would like to make it available to Warner Bros. to use on the DVD. Due to it's historical significance and rarity, it's inclusion in the DVD set would be an invaluable and wonderful addition. In addition, he also considered an expert on the spider-pit sequence, and can likely provide some additional information and insight. (I believe he also has some other relevant materials on the sequence… but unfortunately no actual footage).

Some of you folks may be familiar with Josh thanks to one specific past project -- he owned most of the missing footage for IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD, and assisted in the creation of that wonderful extended laserdisc edition. (Don't get him started -- he also desperately wants to see a proper restoration of the film done before it's too late.)

Josh has been trying desperately to get in contact with Bob Burns regarding this KING KONG DVD, but the phone number he has no longer works. He has also been told by several people that Bob is now deceased, which he (and I) sincerely hopes was a false rumor. If Bob and Kathy Burns are indeed still among us as we believe, Josh would appreciate a current phone number (or alternatively, I can provide his number for Bob to contact him directly).

Again, Josh would very much like to participate in this DVD, especially since he owns a very important historical prop / missing-link from the film, and time is rapidly running out.

Therefore, if anyone can provide any contact information for Warner Bros. or the producer(s) of this DVD -- or if someone from Warner is reading this message -- please contact Josh through me at jeff@laserrot.com. (Josh does not currently have internet access or email access…)

I will pass on any legitimate messages/information to him, or would be happy to provide you with his phone number should you wish to contact him directly regarding this.

Thank you all in advance for whatever assistance you can provide -- hopefully Josh can get in contact with Warner before time runs out.

As a special thank you to HTF members for this, Josh has also agreed to bring over some photos of the spider (and possibly some other materials), so I can post them up for all you KONG fans to see. Therefore, one way or another, you folks will get to see some great detailed shots of the spider!

Thanks once again for your help -- it's very much appreciated!

Regards,

I say again...wasn't Fay Wray supposed to have been interviewed for this release? Anyone heard anything further about that?

I believe WB confirmed at the last chat that Ms. Wray comments will be used for this set.

The $40 MSRP means a street price of $28 or less. No brainer.

Steve

4 DVD box art:

No tin . I hope SON of KONG and MIGHTY JOE YOUNG will be sold separately so I can purchase the KING KONG tin and not have to double dip.

Oh well no tin for me than, not really a fan of tinned dvds to begin with. The tin cases to the Disney Treasure series are in a bag somewhere in the loft. Nice to have had the brochure and postcards and all, they'll just have to wait...

...I love the poster cover to the 4-disc set, better than the actual dvd cover art.

No doubt for me two. This will be the 4-discs set. I would have liked to have the goodies in the tin box but I won't double dip...

I'm going to go for the tin, I'm a bigger fan of "Kong" than I am of "Son of" or "Mighty Joe" so I'd rather get the best version of "Kong" possible.

They'll probably release seperate versions of "Son of" & "Mighty Joe" at some point anyway.

Well I'm equally excited to be getting Mighty Joe Young on dvd at last as I am of King Kong, which I already own. Mighty Joe's stop motion effects were state of the art in 1949, and still look great today, looking forward to the commentary and featurettes.

I'd love to get them both at some point Steve.

I find it a bit weird how Warner have planned this one out, though. Couldn't they have included the tin and the other two movies together?

After further reflection, I'm not going to double dip and reward Warner for not doing the right thing in the first place. I'm a big supporter of Warner, but I think it was a poor marketing decision on their part not to include the Tin set with the other two films. They should've realized that people who are going to buy all three films on dvd, also would want the best featured dvd for "King Kong". I am really disappointed in Warner if this is true about not getting the best you can with all three films in one boxset.

All of the studios are not equal when it comes to dvd releases with Warner being the best of them, but they're not perfect. I had a problem with Bette Davis boxset and it looks like I'm going to have a problem with this one.





Crawdaddy

You guys are making a huge deal out of this. I'll bet the two sequels are released as stand-alone catalog titles as well. If you look at the box for the 4-disc, it's clearly not a digipak. It's an outer casing that holds discs in Amaray cases. When Warner has done this lately, they've been good about making all the films contained within available for purchase seperately.

We're not making a huge deal except expressing our opinion about purchasing this upcoming dvd release. So what's wrong with that?





Crawdaddy