For the uninitiated, let's place the production of King Kong in historic perspective.
One of the greatest adventure films in the history of the cinema, was a 1932 production, released early in 1933.
Film stock was panchromatic, but duping materials were the same as used in the late 1920s, and the generational loss was easily noticeable.
I use one other milestone when I consider the look and texture of what essentially is an antique film.
I place the film in the center of a time period. As an example, Rear Window fits neatly between modern cinema and the first films created by D.W.Griffith and Abel Gance.
King Kong is positioned equally between our present cinema and...
the period when Abraham Lincoln was president; the civil war had not yet begun; slavery was the norm in the United States; and women were decidedly treated as second class citizens.
There was no electrical power, and the cinema would not be born for another 35 years.
I'm mentioning these things as a basis for my comments about the new DVD of King Kong, for which no reels original negative are known to exist, nor are we aware of any original lavenders. Everything is derived from third generation elements at best.
Decades ago, if one wished to own a copy of Kong, the best possible examples were imported from the UK as 16mm prints which were considered by cinephiles to be the finest representation of the film that we were likely to find.
Warner Brothers has taken these elements, combined them with others, properly restored the film, and as a final result, is about to release the film on DVD in the finest incarnation that I have personally ever seen.
Shadow detail, missing for decades, has been at least partially returned, and grain structure is absolutely proper.
The new DVD of King Kong is a joy to behold, which receives the highest possible recommendation of these set of eyes.
There is obviously much more to this set, and those elements, inclusive of the newly created "stand-in" for the mythic spider sequence will follow shortly in another message.
As for the film itself...
Run. Do not walk to your local purveyor of DVDs.
King Kong is an absolutely thrilling experience.
Unless something totally unscheduled appears, which I doubt...
It is not too early to say that King Kong will be the classic DVD of 2005.
RAH
One of the greatest adventure films in the history of the cinema, was a 1932 production, released early in 1933.
Film stock was panchromatic, but duping materials were the same as used in the late 1920s, and the generational loss was easily noticeable.
I use one other milestone when I consider the look and texture of what essentially is an antique film.
I place the film in the center of a time period. As an example, Rear Window fits neatly between modern cinema and the first films created by D.W.Griffith and Abel Gance.
King Kong is positioned equally between our present cinema and...
the period when Abraham Lincoln was president; the civil war had not yet begun; slavery was the norm in the United States; and women were decidedly treated as second class citizens.
There was no electrical power, and the cinema would not be born for another 35 years.
I'm mentioning these things as a basis for my comments about the new DVD of King Kong, for which no reels original negative are known to exist, nor are we aware of any original lavenders. Everything is derived from third generation elements at best.
Decades ago, if one wished to own a copy of Kong, the best possible examples were imported from the UK as 16mm prints which were considered by cinephiles to be the finest representation of the film that we were likely to find.
Warner Brothers has taken these elements, combined them with others, properly restored the film, and as a final result, is about to release the film on DVD in the finest incarnation that I have personally ever seen.
Shadow detail, missing for decades, has been at least partially returned, and grain structure is absolutely proper.
The new DVD of King Kong is a joy to behold, which receives the highest possible recommendation of these set of eyes.
There is obviously much more to this set, and those elements, inclusive of the newly created "stand-in" for the mythic spider sequence will follow shortly in another message.
As for the film itself...
Run. Do not walk to your local purveyor of DVDs.
King Kong is an absolutely thrilling experience.
Unless something totally unscheduled appears, which I doubt...
It is not too early to say that King Kong will be the classic DVD of 2005.
RAH
I've been waiting for your comments...
Pre-ordered (the tin, of course).
