King Kong (2005) - 1/20/09
 

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has announced Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong is coming to Blu-ray Disc on January 20.

King Kong became a poster child for HD DVDs campaign when it was packaged with Microsoft's HD DVD add-on drive for Xbox 360.

On Blu-ray, King Kong will receive a few upgrades starting with 5.1 DTS-HD Master replacing 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus. Video will be framed at 2.35:1 in 1080p and likely will be an identical transfer as seen on HD DVD, at least for the theatrical cut.

The Blu-ray version of King Kong will not only include the theatrical cut but also the extended edition which was not on HD DVD. Supplemental features will be broken between the two version as follows.

Original Version
U Control: The Art Galleries
My Scenes
BD Live Features: My Scenes Sharing

Extended Version
Control: Picture in Picture
U Control: The Art Galleries
My Scenes
BD Live Features: My Scenes Sharing
Feature Commentary with Writer / Director Peter Jackson and with Co-Writer / Producer Philipa Boyen

King Kong on Blu-ray will retail for $29.98.

http://www.thehdroom.com/news/King_K...n_January/3762

http://www.thehdroom.com/images/bluray/large/4709.jpg

So no extras apart from the PIP U-control? I'd rather they just dump all the documentaries on a 2nd disc and charge $10 more... all well, I'll still get it.

Just a few lol... time to move the HD DVD for some spare change. Tremendous news, can't wait!:up:

It would have been nice for a 2nd disc, but not a big deal for me. I'll hold onto the dvds for the extras. This has been #1 on my list of Universal BDs for a long time. The dts hd audio should sound amazing.

Right on.

Both versions without having to dip twice? THAT'S what i'm talkin' about. Looking forward to picking this one up for sure.

They're not going to degrade it with DNR like they did with The Thing and others, are they?

Extended cut on BR? That's what I've been waiting for. Oh yea.

Few questions...

How much longer is the extended version?

Does the BD has more extra feature then the HD DVD?

$0.79 at Game Stop right now :lol:

Extended version? With this movie, I want a Retracted version- it's already half-an-hour too long!

There's a local mom&pop place here, I bet I get at least a buck for it!

Oh, I'm definitely in!

Oh, I see what you did there. How creative.

:lol: Too true!

Eh... you get what you pay for.

Awesome - I've always been torn on having to watch the theatrical in HD or extended in SD.

it's definately a half hour too long, but Peter Jackson and James Cameron for that matter know how to make a long film go by quickly.

as to this release: :rock: :banana: :bdance: :banana:

I'm glad we have a release date now. But given that this is one of Universal's biggest hits, you'd think they would have wanted it released before Christmas. Maybe they wanted to wait for more players to be sold this season before releasing. Oh well...

so wait... question ... this will all be on one disc ??

Best Buy actually has a bluray demo disc that features the V-rex scene in HiDef, albeit cropped to 1.78

The theatrical cut fit beautifully (with nary a compression artifact) on an HD DVD 15, so I don't see why they couldn't fit it twice, plus a little more, on a BD 50.

Every review I've seen says KK was an HD-30.

Still plenty of room though even with the addition of lossless and seamless branching.

Or maybe there are other reasons as to why this and other Universal films (Bourne Collection, Adam Sandler Collection) did not arrive in time for Christmas.

I might get this...but I already have the production diaries, theatrical DVD, extended DVD and theatrical HD.

Would have been better if they had an ultimate set, with the production diaries, everything from the 2nd disc of the theatrical release, then all the extras from the EE. That would have run about 3 or 4 discs though.

Yay.

I couldn't disagree more with all the people who find the movie to be too long, I love every minute of this movie. Which is saying a lot coming from me considering it is a Jack Black flick.

but Jamie Bell's character could have easily been sacrificed to the cutting room floor.

14 minutes.

All together, his scenes added up to about 10 minutes. For a 180-minute movie, do ten minutes really matter?

yes, yes they do ...

:D

First off, the original King Kong was one of the first movies I ever saw. My uncle always put that one (and Planet of the Apes) on for me as a kid. It is truly one of the greatest films ever made.

Second, Jackson's version is incredible. I saw it opening night and I was that little kid all over again. Too long my ass, those few hours flew by.

But alas, I will not be getting this. I have the two disc, the three disc delxue and the production diaries, that is what I want on this Blu. If they double dip and include all that, then I will get it.

I like alot of the extended editions, special editions, directors cut for many other films.. this is one of the few times where the theatre version was just fine as is.

Jacob

I agree, but that's the beauty of seamless branching!

how the hell does branching NOT mess up the music/sound effect cues?

The versions diverge when changes occur even if there's some duplication and overlap of the scenes stored. So, you can't think of it just changing with different shots. It changes for entire sections so the music and everything else is.... well seamless.

This was a great looking title on HD-DVD, can't wait to see the Blu-ray.

Cover art added to OP. I was hoping they'd use the theatrical sheet with only his face showing, but it's the recycled HD DVD cover.

not much for being original - eh?

I'll pick it up the first time it's on sale

Damn, how is it that we can have two hi-def releases of this title and still not include the extras?