Re: Kong: You Saw It Here First

[Phil Bigelow <bigelowp@juno.com>]

I saw an early review on T.V., and they noted that in the original Kong
movie, the director had cut a scene where people had fallen into a web
inhabited by a giant spider, which proceeded to slowly eat them. 
(supposably, the scene was cut because it was considered too graphic for
a 1930s audience).

>From what the reviewers said (rather cryptically, I might add), Jackson
recreated that scene exactly the way it was filmed, using only 1930s
technology, B&W film stock and all.

I don't know if it will appear only on the DVD, or if it was included at
the end of the movie as a bonus feature.  At any rate, if true, it was
admirable that Jackson did this as a salute to the original film crew.

<pb>
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On Sun, 04 Dec 2005 20:48:20 +0000 Steve White
<steve_d_white@hotmail.com> writes:
> Hi Everybody,
> 
> At 10.00 this morning, I had the distinct pleasure of watching a 
> press
> screening of King Kong. And a pleasure it was!
> 
> Possible problems with duration and a few bits of clunky dialogue 
> aside,
> it's safe say that in my personal opinion this is a fantastic movie. 
> Getting
> to the important stuff, the dinosaur appearances falls more or less 
> into two
> incredible set peices: the sauropod stampede and the Tyrannosaur 
> battle.
> Hang on to your seats - they are genius! I'm not going to spoiler 
> anything
> but thought I'd mention of few of my own impressions.
> 
> The saurpod battle actually owes quite a lot to the oliphant battle 
> in
> Return of the King. Species-wise, they're fairly generic - I kind of 
> had in
> mind dicraeosaurus, something like that. The stampede is caused by 
> what
> could be some sort of allosaur/stuarikosaur hybrid. The whole 
> sequence
> raises some very interesting questions about sauropod mobility.
> 
> 
> The tyrannosaur battle. They struck me (as Hannibal Lecter would 
> say) as a
> little roomy in the hips. Also a few strange things going on with 
> the lips
> and gums. Loved the armour. And again, Jackson makes them very 
> athletic.
> However, if you're prepared to accept this is not a work of serious
> anatomical science, this is Top 10 favourite movie scenes ever 
> stuff.
> 
> Other appearances of note include a pair of strange reptiles of no 
> fixed
> abode, classification-wise. They struck me as giant
> pelycosaur/raurosuchian/ground iguana mix'n'matches. They also put 
> me in
> mind of old restorations of scolosaurus (as was).
> 
> Sadly, the ceratopsain I had such high hopes for gets a single 
> cameo. Sad.
> 
> On a slighly more 'willing suspension of disbelief' note are the 
> insects,
> arthopods, crustaceans, archnids and other creepy crawlies that also 
> put in
> a serious appearance. One scene in particular, involving Naomi 
> Watts, had
> the audience quite litterally squirming and 'ewwwing' in its seats. 
> The
> insect size limitations are not on the statutes of Skull Island, but 
> again
> the creepyness factor makes you forgive any physiological doubts you 
> may
> have.
> 
> As for Kong himself, he moves brilliantly and, like Gollum before 
> him, is a
> real, believable and sympathetic character.By the end, there was 
> much
> sobbing to be heard.
> 
> And be warned - this is not a kids movie. Jackson really pushes, 
> stretches
> and almost snaps the ratings system envelope. And three hours? 
> Really? At no
> point was I looking at my watch, shifting in my seat or wanting a 
> drink. I
> can't wait to see it again!
> 
> Steve
> 
> 
> 


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