King Kong on Laserdisc (2 Viewers)

[JeremySt]

Can anyone verify the various editions of the 1933 King Kong on laserdisc? So far I am aware of a few versions, Criterion, Kong/son of kong double feature from Image, and another Image entertainment release, perhaps with different commentary. Does anybody know about the various releases and the full details on their extras? I have the criterion edition, but I have heard of other editons containing different extras.

 

[Tony Kwong]

Criterion Collection
#002/CC102L/#Disc: 2(4 sides) Black and white
KING KONG (33 CAV/FAY WRAY/COMMENTARY)
Audio commentary by film preservationist and historian Ronald Haver
Visual essay on the making of King Kong, covering such topics as preliminary
sketches, special effects, model design and construction
Original footage from Creation, a pre-Kong prehistoric monster movie
#002A/CC1116LA/#Disc: 1(2 sides)/101min/Black and white
KING KONG (33 CLV)
Audio commentary by film preservationist and historian Ronald Haver
IMAGE Entertainment
ID2133TU******* KING KONG (33 CLV IMAGE/60TH ANNIV ED)
ID2134TU******* KING KONG (33 COLORIZED CLV IMG/60TH ANNIV ED)
60th Anniversary was from 35mm print
I6003********** KING KONG (CLV IMAGE)
King Kong/Son of King Kong
???
here's a couple of good thread
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e....l aserdisc.*
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...eo.laserdisc.*

 

[Bob Cashill]

Image's RKO Classic Collection issue of KING KONG/THE SON OF KONG (1991; ID7415TU) has nice gatefold packaging for the two discs and informative Dennis Rood liner notes about both. Otherwise, no extras.

 

[David Norman]

KING KONG (1933)/ SON OF KONG (1933)
RKO Classic Collection
ID 7415TU
1991

KK/ CLV 100 Minutes

'Mastered from a pristine 35mm print found in 1988 by Turner
Home Entertainment. Restores many of the segments cut
by the Hays Commission in 1938, restores the original brightness with the original musical score.'


SoK S1 CLV/S2 CAV 70 minutes


No extras, no interviews, basically just the movie. I think this is the same print used for the 60th Anniversary
discs though the 1993 edition could have been a new transfer. This is my only copy.

 

[Dick]

Avoid the earlier incarnations of this film on laser, even the Criterion, unless you want it strictly for the commentary. Image's later releases - both the single-movie 60th Anniversary and the double feature with SON OF KONG, have stunning restored image quality, which I am sure will be even more amazing when Warner releases the DVD next year.

 

[Brian W.]

The King Kong/Son of Kong double feature came before the King Kong single disc from Turner, but after the Criterion.

 

[DanHaya]

While we're on the subject, does anyone know if Warner is working on restoring The Son of Kong as well?

 

[JeremySt]

My guess is that Son of Kong will be included as a supplemental extra on a future King Kong 2 disc release. It is only 70 minutes long, so I think they could fit it on a 2nd disc easily, depending on the amount of other features.

 

[DanHaya]

I'm hoping that happens as well, but I've learned never to assume anything. We already know that King Kong is being worked on for a 70th Anniversary release next year, because people from WB have said so...but I have heard nothing about Son of Kong.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed...as I am for Peter Jackson's remake. I just hope he gets to it while Fay Wray is still alive!

 

[Jim Peavy]

Can't wait! My favorite movie of all time...

Anybody heard anything on the extras for this? A Harryhausen/Fay Wray commentary would be swell.

 

[DanHaya]

Mine too!

Say, does anyone know whatever happened to the original Kong models? I remember seeing one of them in the background of some of the interview segements for the It Was Beauty Killed The Best documentary that was produced for the 60th Anniversary VHS boxset. It was only the steel skeleton, but that's something I've always been curious about.

 

[oscar_merkx]

it would be truly something specialif Ray Harryhausen would provide a commentary, he has not done any for his other movies as far as I know
does anybody know ?

 

[RobertR]

does anyone know whatever happened to the original Kong models?

I have first hand (literally!) knowledge of what happened to some of them. Not long ago I had the great privilege to visit Forrest J. Ackerman's wonderful house in Los Angeles. He has some of the models used in the film. Got to see them and touch them. He has other marvelous things, such as a Bela Lugosi costume, the Metropolis robot, and the Martian war machines from War of the Worlds.

 

[Ed St. Clair]

My favorite movie of all time...

Concur!
Have seen it at least fifty times!
Which, of coarse is not in the league of The Rocky Horror Picture Show crowd, and the like. Still, more than any other film, for me.
Even caught the film revival in 1977 at college. When a 35mm print came around to show off, for the first time in the USA in over forty years the 'censored' parts, that had 'rescued' in France [if I remember correctly].
Been waiting for this on DVD from the get go.
Is six years long enough?

 

[John Sparks]

Yeah, wouldn't that be great if they release "The Son of Kong" in its original "SEPIA" tone as Robert Harris has alluded to in his previous discussions!

 

[Jim Peavy]

Forry Ackerman has, lesee', the stegosaurus, the pteranodon (pteradactyl?), the non-animated brontosaurus (used in the swamp scenes where the bronto is slinging the sailors about), and I think that's it. He's also got a pteranodon used in The Lost World, and one of the gas bombs Denham chucks at Kong.
Collector Bob Burns has a (the remaining-?) Kong armature. I read he had to have the rubber and stuffing cleaned from it because in rotting, it was actually eating into the metal (!).
Son of Kong originally shown in sepia? First I've heard of this.

 

[Tino]

BTW, Ray Harryhausen was NOT involved in King Kong, IIRC. He was however, I believe Willis O'Brien's apprentice on Mighty Joe Young. But his commentary would be a welcome treat, as it was on the Criterion Laserdisc of Jason And The Argonauts.
BTW, here is a bit of interesting trivia regarding Son Of Kong........It was the FIRST sequel ever made!

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

BTW, here is a bit of interesting trivia regarding Son Of Kong........It was the FIRST sequel ever made!

Sorry, Tino, but:

The Sheik (1921)
The Son of the Sheik (1926)
both starred Rudolph Valentino

The Mark of Zorro (1920)
Don Q, Son of Zorro (1925)
both starred Douglas Fairbanks

I think Son of Kong is the first sequel to ever come out the same year as the original.

 

[Grant B]

i just listened to the commentary and thought it was great, really interesting on how the did stuff before blue screen!

 

[Tino]

Hmmm....I could have sworn that I read somewhere that SOK was the first sequel ever made.....maybe it was the first "talkie" sequel?