HTF BluRay Review: King Kong (2005) - Recommended (with a caveat!) (1 Viewer)

[Ethan Riley]

Carlos: the Best Buys in Ventura County ran out too. They did have an empty space on the BluRay wall--but I noted that it was only about a 3" empty space, so I don't think they cleared very MUCH space for Kong! Weird thinking behind that merchandising oversight--Kong's a big guy!

Wayne--they're probably under-ordering everything because the economy sucks and they do indeed have too many SD's sitting around. I notice more and more--week after week--that people are switching to BR. You can see it. I went to Fry's last week...they have about 4 aisles of SD and 1 aisle of BR. All the customers at that moment in time were shopping for Blu.

I also notice of late that SD's are starting to get VERY, VERY cheap!! Yesterday Best Buy was offering a two-pack of the first Underworld movies--$12.99. The BluRays of those two cost about $24.99 each. Quite the bargain for an SD but confusing and weirdly tempting if you want everything in BR from now on. I saw an even bigger bargain at Target--they had a cheapy Matrix Trilogy set (all three films) for $9.99. Lord have mercy, now that's cheap! BUT the BluRay boxed set still costs about $100!!

These bargain-basement prices for SD make me think that SD is hurting and they're offering everything at fire-sale prices. But that may delay the success of BR if everyone is buying cheapy SD's instead of the better and much more expensive versions.

Anyway, we now return you to King Kong, already in progress--

 

[TravisR]

I don't know if I'd trust that guy, he's a crackpot.

 

[Mike Frezon]

That whole gang over there is sketchy!

 

[Carlo_M]

Oh f- it. I just ordered it from Amazon with 2 day shipping because I had other things I wanted to buy from Amazon. Should be here by Friday. Best Buy's website now lists King Kong BD as backordered, so it looks like BB as a whole understocked the title and I'm not going to play the waiting game.

 

[Ron-P]

What a shitty release, no stores in my area have this at all. Are we 100% sure it was actually released yesterday?

 

[Mike Frezon]

Now I'm wishing I had ordered it from amazon. I was thisclose to doing so.

 

[TravisR]

I have it.

 

[Todd Erwin]

Sam,

Universal really disappointed and surprised me with this release. Although I do not own the HD-DVD version, I do have the 2-disc theatrical DVD, 3-disc extended cut DVD, and the "King Kong Diaries" DVD set, all housed in a 8-disc case (using the cover from the 3-disc).

With BD replication costs still high, I am forgiving when a studio provides the bonus material on DVDs rather than Blu-ray, much like what Warner did with "Blade Runner" and Uni has done on recent BD releases like "Hellboy II" and "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor."

Most of what appears to be missing on this BD release can be found on the Special Features discs from the 2-disc and 3-disc sets, as well as the video diaries set that was released when the movie was released theatrically. So, this could have been a 5-disc set, and all they would have had to do was author the BD and relabel the existing 4 DVDs of supplemental material from the prior releases.

This is a shame, as I have been telling people that Universal seems to know Blu-ray better than any other studio.

 

[Ron-P]

At this point, it appears they do not.

I ordered it off Amazon, it'll be here tomorrow. F'n Universal!

 

[Todd Erwin]

Most of the BB's in OC are out, too. Seems the buyers thought, even though it was an advertised item in the weekly circular, that 1 copy per store was ample supply.

You can tell the economy is in the toilet, though, when you go to Best Buy on a Tuesday during the lunch rush, and the store is devoid of customers.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I stopped in both a target and Wal-Mart looking for this title tonight and found it in neither.

Target, at least, had a spot labeled and set aside for it in their BD section ($19.99)...but none to be found anywhere.

I'm starting to wonder if it's the stores underestimating the demand...or Universal.

 

[TravisR]

I think they underestimated the demand but that demand is partially coming from the low price. If this disc was $30, I doubt that people would be having as much trouble finding it. Hopefully that'll send a message to other studios that lower prices on catalog titles can result in better sales.

 

[Mike Frezon]

From your lips, Travis.

I would just find it hard to believe that this would be treated as any old ordinary catalog title. This film was a pretty big event--just a few years ago. I'm certainly not surprised that it's generating lots of interest/demand.

 

[Ron-P]

I'm happy Amazon pulled through and I'll be able to enjoy this tomorrow night. Thanks Amazon!!!

 

[Carlo_M]

Mine's on its way as well, slated to arrive tomorrow. I think it's more the stores under-ordering rather than the low price point making it fly off the shelves. Of the two BBs I hit, both of them had bewildered CSRs who didn't even know the title had been released, and I asked both to check how many they got and the reply was "very few".

 

[Todd smith]

My local BB's were sold out by the time I got there on Tues as well, but fortunately they put more out on the floor and I did a "store pick up" order on BB.com and got one yesterday.

 

[Wayne_j]

bestbuy.com currently lists it as back ordered.

 

[Will_B]

Universal under-delivered Serenity too (widespread reports of it being unavailable at Target for the first week of release, just an empty rack), but within 1 or 2 weeks they had it available.

 

[Ron-P]

Most definitely one of the best looking, and best sounding Blu-ray disc's to date. This has some amazing 3D looking imagery. One of the best I've seen, period. The DTS-HD MA track is off the charts, excellent surround usage, base that rocks the theater and details in the track that just envelope you with sound. Damn, this is one impressive Blu-ray disc.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Aaaargh. And I have yet to find one in a local B&M. I was just looking in Target again tonight.

I will. I will...eventually.

And if I don't, I'm sure I'll be placing another order with Amazon soon enough!