Here we go again. King Kong was a good fun film, although not as good as some might have you believe. Still the last 2 hours had a lot of thrills and some solid action that firmly puts it on my “DVDs to have” list. The only problem is that there are going to be three (3) separate releases of the King Kong DVD.
The good folks over at Hollywood News gives us this:
One single-disc theatrical version, with at the same time a second containing the same edit but accompanied by a special features disc with over 3 hours worth of extras. Then 3 months later, a 4-disc box set containing an Extended Director’s Cut would appear.
Now, as I have said here before on The Move Blog, I have no problem with there being multiple releases of a DVD. The only problem I have is when the studios put the different versions of them out months apart. Thus they try to take advantage of their fans by getting them to purchase multiple versions (the bare bones one now… because they want to see it now… and then the full full full feature one later).
If you’re going to have multiple releases… PUT THEM ALL OUT ON THE SAME DAY TO GIVE YOUR FANS THE FAIR CHOICE OF WHERE TO PUT THEIR MONEY instead of trying to take advantage of them and getting them to buy multiple copies.
At least with King Kong they seem to be inching towards that by releasing the first 2 versions on the same day.
The extended version should show Kong traveling to Washington and stepping on the White House while wearing a Homeland Security t-shirt with a picture of Geronimo
The extended version of King Kong will have the Swamp / Pirahna scene added to it.
I was laughing my ass off ’cause I feel SO FUCKIN’ STUPID. When I purchased the Kong Production Diaries, Jackson said there will be two new sequels coming out next year!!!! That is TOTAL BULLSHIT!!! That was ANOTHER April Fool’s Joke! HAHAHA! I feel sorry for everyone else who believes this. What?! Its true! I’m not shitting ya. That video feed was made on April, asshole. There’s a ton of websites that reveal this to being true, which is why NOBODY talked jack shit about this for June.
What I learned from this:
1)Don’t trust Peter Jackson.
2)DON’T TRUST ANY NEWS ON THE MONTH OF APRIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Later, SSSSSSSSSSSUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
The Extended Directors Cut of King Kong will probably contain how they dragged a drugged Kong out of Skull Island onto the New York harbor. Or more dinosaur scenes.
This is VERY VERY exciting, I cant wait!
NOT!
Morb: yes, the Hollywood commies still put out full frame editions of DVDs.
That said, there used to be a time early on where both aspect ratios (1:33 and the theatrical) would be on the same disc (side A; side B, like ‘Transporter 2’) or a separate disc in a two disc set (such as Legend Of Zorro or Resevior Dogs 10th anniversary) but in the past three years, full frame editions are still made since VHS is being phased out.
Sadly, I have noticed that most general market retailers (Target, KMart, Wal-Mart) carry more full frame editions than widescreen. Also, many smaller video chains stock fulls before they have wides and/or have fewer widescreen editions.
I myself liked ‘both’ on one or two disc DVDs because I considered when the masses start telling the difference, eventually they will accept that the “black bars” don’t mean a picture is cropped. It means you are seeing the whole picture. Although I noticed a few DVD films giving the wrong aspect ratio- there was this recent film with Ed Burns, an indie mystery thriller which was a 2:35 but scaled to 1:85. (the opening credits crop off) and I know when I got a double dip of ‘Universal Soldier’ a year ago, my jaw dropped as I witnesses a 2:35 when the previous edition was 1:85.
I personally don’t get the newer full frame DVD versions of popular films. It is also double confusion when the films are animated or the Star Wars SE’s for example. All that work…cut off at the sides. All the enchanced FX…lopped off and blown up. Also in the age of widescreen TVs, such things would not be welcome.
But the studios sap the minds of the consumer. Consider this: if you got the SE of “Die Hard” (or in the collector set) you are, like me, lucky. On the second DVD of ‘Die Hard’, DOP (and future director) Jan De Bont hosts an interactive article/segment on aspect ratio, what you see in a 1:33 as opposed to a anamorphic 2:35. Ask yourself why Fox triple dipped and took it away from the masses. Why did they repackage several films with blue carboard covers–and in a full frame version. I’m glad I got some of these films before all this. Anyone else noticed the re-ssued DVDs with “stripped down” features and full frame versions overcrowding widescreens?
Cropped versions often change a director’s intent. It also alters an actor’s performance (as some actors may be off camera in a full frame) and even editing choices. If you seen the film first in theatres, and have a favorite scene, it won’t be the way you remembered it.
The impatience of people is astounding. It’s not a big deal if you know two versions are coming out.
Has there been any official confirmation of a 4-Disc Extended Edition?
Just wondering…
As long as the studio announces up front I have no problem with this. Is waiting a couple of months that big of a hardship?
Do they still release full frame versions of new films in the states?
Virtually all new DVD’s of new movies are widescreen in Britain these days.
As for Kong are they going to release a Two Hour Reduced Edition? Now I might buy that!
I don’t understand the impatience. Personally, if I know a complete DVD will come out later then I wait. If I want to watch the movie before I rent it. It seems pretty simple to me.
PETER: My goodness, you are oh so funny! I dont even want to watch this film again, much less own a DVD of it.
Well, I guess I was lucky. I have the 1st LOTR movie on VHS (HAH!), and 2 & 3 on DVD (for $5, HAHA). So the Extended Edition is mine to grasp, at lest if it is on a special sale (I have a problem buying a collection near $100, $60 is okay).
Now as for Kong, my question is if the 4-Disc Director’s Cut will have the original version included. Either way, I can wait an extra 3 months for the Extended version. I feel sorry for anyone who gets suckered into this. JUST STOP THE DOUBLE-DIPPING MADNESS!!! It is more annoying than PSP UMDs.
BTW, thanks for the warning.
Well, at least they let us know the plan before they released the bare bones one. Yes, it is safe to assume that all movies will get the double dip treatment, but still, it is nice to know up front they plan to fuck us.
I’m happy they announced this. It gives you an option as to which you want to buy, rather than buying one and having the others announced after you’ve bought one.
The unpardonable sin is that I bet the studio will also put of the full frame edition (1:33) which will be sold en masse to the Wal-Mart and Target groupies. Sometimes I avoid some new releases because they don’t have jackshit in the extras. Better to wait until the Extended Version comes out…which REMINDS ME.
When the early ‘two discs’ of each Lord Of The Rings’ movies came out six/seven months before Jackson’s extended versions, Jackson didn’t have any audio commentaries on the theatrical versions, correct? Why do I get the suspicion the same will occur on Kong?
I can understand your anger, but I assume that it would take a substantial amount of time to put together a four disc edition which includes a re-edited version of the film, and that by putting out the ‘bare’ and ‘bare with trim’ hungry fans and fans who wouldn’t care about special editions, are going bite. If I were a fan of Kong, I’d wait it out, or possibly just add a bare edition to my Netflix queue to hold me over. The outrage should be about how well publicized the fact that an extended edition will be coming out. I’m not sure how much knowledge the common man has about it, but then again I’d assume someone with a deeper interest in cinema information who already has several “special” edition dvds, the most likely target audience, would know well in advance which version he is going to buy.
you know, i really dont understand people, who moan about multiple dvd releases. If you are naive enough to think the first one will be the only one and the best one. yeah right. With LOTR i only got the EE version, so i waited for a few extra months, but if you have money, then buy a new version every time or you’re just plain dumb to fall for studio tricks.
Hahahaha!!! An EXTENDED version of THIS piece of CRAP? No kiddin!!!
Not this time Mr. Jackson… not this time…
I agree. Just another example of the movie/DVD industry’s greed. There is no other word to describe it. I personally will not buy into it.
that is so frustrating. you know with that sort of crap, i just buy the cheapest dvd, whether it be at walmart of target. or i just wait until it’s on sale for $10 or lower. OR wait till it’s on rental and burn a copy!!!!!!