The Movie Guru

by Brandon Athey
Features Editor

One of the most pleasant surprises of 2005 was that one of my all-time favorite movies was turned into a remake that was nearly as entertaining as the original. The film I am talking about of course is the blockbuster “King Kong.” I know the film was released over a month ago at this point, but since there is not much in the theater during the month of January, I will discuss Peter Jackson’s simian extravaganza, as well as the recent DVD box set of the original 1933 release.

Being the dedicated film geek that I am, I went to see an afternoon showing of “Kong” on opening day last month, and unlike “Episode 1” of the “Star Wars” saga, I was not disappointed. In spite of the film’s 3-hour running time, I was captivated from the first frame until the grand recreation of one of the most iconic moments in American cinema, the climax aboard the Empire State Building. I sat in a half-filled theatre with a sense of childlike wonder and amazement, wondering why in the hell more films could be as entertaining.

In this age of postmodern, cynically ironic cinema in which every other film acts to mock and reference past releases, it was refreshing to enjoy the old-fashioned naiveté present in Jackson’s “Kong” remake. Although there were a few inside jokes that referred to the classic original early in the film, this version of “Kong” manages to stand on its own, keeping the spirit of the original film intact but making the story even more larger-than-life than before for a 21st century audience. The only flaw I would say the film has is that it takes a little too long getting to Skull Island, but once the characters arrive there, the film becomes one of the most exciting adventures in recent memory. With “Kong,” Peter Jackson proves, unlike George Lucas, that he can make a captivating fantasy adventure without focusing solely on special effects. Unlike Lucas’ recent “Star Wars” flicks, which featured cardboard characters and dialogue that resembled bad high school poetry, Jackson knows that the key to any good story is good acting and characters for the audience to care about.

Like Gollum in “The Lord of the Rings,” Kong is played by Andy Serkis in a motion-control suit that gives the CGI character more nuance and depth. However, this marvel of a movie would not exist if not for the 1933 classic, which I checked out on DVD soon after seeing the remake.

To coincide with the release of Peter Jackson’s remake, Warner Home Video released an extensive 2-disc collector’s set of the original film. One version of the set packages the original “Kong” in a collector’s tin with mini movie posters and a recreation of the original program that accompanied the film’s premiere. “Son of Kong” and “Mighty Joe Young” are also packaged in the version I bought. Like the “Star Wars” trilogy last year, this was the DVD release I had been waiting for all year. It was worth the wait. All three films receive impeccable transfers, with “Kong” somewhat grainy but still the best it has ever looked. The best extra is the nearly 3-hour documentary on the second disc of “Kong,” which features a recreated deleted scene that was deemed too intense in 1933. Those who see the remake will get the opportunity to see a more advanced version of this infamous “Spider Pit” sequence. To see this on the DVD made me feel like a 5-year-old on Christmas day. I could hardly contain my excitement.

Although there were many great DVDs released last year, none of them could measure up to the “King Kong” box set. If you have $40 to spare, I seriously suggest you check this one out. If you have never seen the original or have been inspired to see it again after the remake, you must get this set. Not only does it look great on your shelf, it proves that you are a true movie fan. P.S. avoid the 1976 version with Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange like the plague. Although “Son of Kong” is not all that great, “Mighty Joe Young” is still a worthwhile addition to any film library, so it really is more economical to get the set. The people at Warner Bros. really outdid themselves this time. I give this set the Movie Guru seal of excellence. Next week, I will be back with a surprise interview. Until then, the Movie Guru’s screening room is closed…