A Few Words About A few words about...™ Kong Skull Island -- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (2 Viewers)

[Robert Harris]

Kong Skull Island is a fun film, with superb digital work.

Shot digitally, and taken through a 2k finish, Warner Bros. 4k Blu-ray with HDR is a beautifully rendered example of the format.

But most interesting to me is that whether as a group -- Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, some of the producers, or possibly the original writer, John Gatins, have created a character that is cinematically extraordinary.

Nothing like this has ever been seen on a motion picture screen before. A huge gorilla-type being, with understanding, a soul, and the ability to distinguish friend from foe, searched out and finally discovered on a remote island.

I recall some early dinosaur films, both animated, as well as stop motion, going back to the turn of the 1900s and a bit later -- most notably in the 1920s, but never has there been a creation so exciting on its face as Kong, King of Skull Island.

Whomever within this group came up with the concept should be congratulated, as it's an extraordinary achievement.

That aside, a nice way to spend a couple of hours.

Coming in the future, the story of this gigantic Kong and his adventures with Godzilla, king of the car-stompers, courtesy of, one would presume, Toho, or whomever controls the IP to the great lizard.

Audio, in Dolby Atmos, is superb.


Image - 5

Audio - 5 (Dolby Atmos)

Pass / Fail - Pass

Recommended

RAH

 

[Alan Tully]

Congrats, this is the first review of the disc I've seen on the web. I haven't seen it yet, looking forward to it, it sounds like a fun night in (although it's a bog standard Blu-ray for me). I remember hearing the lead actress interviewed on the radio (doing the rounds promoting the film), saying she expected to be doing it all green screen in a studio, instead she was flown around the world to various jungles.

 

[DavidMiller]

I can't wait to get my disc. This is one of my top 5 movies so far this year. Thanks for the review!

 

[gadgtfreek]

Yep, looking forward to it. too bad I have like 6 movies in front of it...

 

[Tino]

Looking forward to seeing this one again.

Robert are you going to post your thoughts on the Peter Jackson 4K King Kong (2005) ?

 

[Robert Harris]

Looking forward to seeing this one again.

Robert are you going to post your thoughts on the Peter Jackson 4K King Kong (2005) ?

I just became aware of this, as well as some other pre-existing films that seem to deal with the same general subject, as Skull Island.

I'll certainly cover this Jackson variant.

What seems to be coming from this subject, is that along with me, no one at WB or Legendary was aware of earlier variants.

We'll be following this news, to see where it goes, and how it plays out.

After seeing Skull, I was under the impression that the basic subject matter was virgin, but it now seems that that may not be the case.

Somehow possibly interrelated to the work Beautiful Dreamer.

 

[Robert Harris]

I've now been advised to try to find and view a copy of a film entitled Mighty Joe Young, which apparently has a similar large gorilla type creature.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I've now been advised to try to find and view a copy of a film entitled Mighty Joe Young, which apparently has a similar large gorilla type creature.

Mighty Joe Young and King Kong, regulars on Million Dollar Movie. RAH, I think you grew up in that era too.

 

[Robert Crawford]

My copy of Kong: Skull Island 4K/UHD and 3-D combo is on its way to me now.

 

[Mike Robertson]

My copy of Kong: Skull Island 4K/UHD and 3-D combo is on its way to me now.

You mean they actually exist. Thought it was an urban legend. Anybody know how many copies were available for sale? Tried for a couple of days to order one. No luck.

 

[Alan Tully]

I've now been advised to try to find and view a copy of a film entitled Mighty Joe Young, which apparently has a similar large gorilla type creature.

I'd give Konga (1961) a miss

 

[Robert Harris]

Mighty Joe Young and King Kong, regulars on Million Dollar Movie. RAH, I think you grew up in that era too.

I recall Yankee Doodle Dandy, albeit broadcast in black & white in those days, 10-15 times a week.

Doubtful about anything called King Kong, as Skull is a totally new concept, with full credit taken by its creators.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I recall Yankee Doodle Dandy, albeit broadcast in black & white in those days, 10-15 times a week.

Doubtful about anything called King Kong, as Skull is a totally new concept, with full credit taken by its creators.

I wasn't comparing Skull to King Kong, but just asking if you remembered the Million Dollar Movie on Channel 9 WOR-TV in which they played the theme from Gone With the Wind at the opening of the program.

 

[RMajidi]

"Aw, don't you know when you're being kidded?"

[had to go with Sam Spade for my one thousanth HTF posting]

 

[Robert Crawford]

"Aw, don't you know when you're being kidded?"

[had to go with Sam Spade for my one thousanth HTF posting]

At this time in the morning, no I don't. It's time to go back to bed.

 

[RMajidi]

"...wake up..., you're being kidded."

[more Sam Spade... almost like you deliberately set me up for the follow up line - thanks Robert - and may golden slumbers fill your eyes]

 

[Tino]

The first time I watched Gone With The Wind I said to myself "hey they ripped off the theme from the Million Dollar Movie!"

Ah... the monster marathons on WOR on Thanksgiving.

King Kong 1 pm
Son Of Kong 3 pm
Mighty Joe Young 430 pm

Then a Godzilla marathon on the next day.

Fond memories. Thanks WOR.

 

[Alan Tully]

I thought Skull Island was the best thing about Jackson's 2005 King Kong, & maybe a sequel (sans Kong) could be good. "Return To Skull Island", with a motely collection of adventures looking for gold or diamonds (the usual stuff) among the ancient ruined temples, & being chomped on by the various creatures.

 

[Robert Harris]

More facts are coming to light as hoards of movie fans are now entrenched in Kong-Gate.

It was suggested that I view a 2005 film, entitled King Kong, directed by Peter Jackson, a filmmaker whose work I knew from his extraordinary documentary, Forgotten Silver, about New Zealand filmmaker, Colin McKenzie.

I did so, and discovered that Skull Island was not the first motion picture to feature the giant gorilla named Kong. Due to this letdown, and lack of transparency, I've lowered my rating on that film to a Recommended, as it's still a fun film.

Looking at the 4k of this 2005 King Kong, I discovered the following credits:

First, after the screenwriting credit in the main titles, is something looking back to an earlier version:

and then, perusing the end credits, I discovered the following:

As an aside, from the images above, the background to the screenwriting credit looks suspiciously like an old RKO background.

More research needed.

What this tells me is that there was an earlier version to even the 2005 Jackson epic!

But why would Mr. Jackson feel the need to credit filmmakers no longer with us, and Mr. Vogt-Roberts not feel that same need?

I'm betting that neither Mr. Vogt-Roberts, nor anyone else involved in the new version were aware that they had not actually created what they've put on screen.

I see no intent to take credit for something that they may not have created, and have the feeling that they actually did feel that they'd created something incredibly entertaining and new.

Even though one would presume that meetings were held about the new screenplay, it does appear that no one actually knew anything.

No one was harmed. No crimes committed.

So we're good.

RAH

 

[Noel Aguirre]

Looking forward to the 3D version of this as I only saw it flat in the theater. A fun popcorn movie and far more original and superior than Peter Jackson's ice skating- in-Central Park Kong- which was basically a wannabe copy to an all-time classic, akin to the Pscho refilming.
And bring on the new King Kong vs Godzilla!!