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opens 14-DEC-2005
directed by Peter
Jackson
story by Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace
cinematography by
Andrew Lesnie
screenplay by
Philippa Boyens & Fran Walsh & Peter Jackson
Original Music by
James Newton Howard
MAJOR 5:
Jack Black .... Carl Denham, movie director
Naomi Watts .... Ann Darrow, actress
Adrien Brody .... Jack Driscoll, a screenwriter
Thomas Kretschmann .... Captain Englehorn
MINOR 3:
King Kong ..... Andy Serkis
(moves for CGI)
Evan Parke .... Hayes
KEVIN'S
REVIEW (opening night): It's strange how a movie is so rooted
into your psyche. I know it from way back in my childhood, haven't
seen it in years, and here Peter Jackson cranks it up several
notches or ten and makes it one of the most powerful movies you've
ever seen. I really felt the compassion, the connection between
Ann Darrow and the Kong gorilla. I got how they understood one
another, how they interacted, how they felt. Ann Darrow is a burlesque
actress who is closed down one night and jobless. It's 1933. The
Depression. A movie producer with a flair for the outrageous show
is under pressure to produce his animal picture. He's changing
the script and trying to get a boat to go to Skull Island. It's
all pretty involved and srangely compelling. Their ship then gets
stuck on a rock. Ashore there's a high wall and some creepy villagers
who come to life muttering KONG and really creeped me out. Back
at the ship they capture Miss Darrow for a sacrifice for Kong.
Kong comes and takes her away. She's terrified by him, yet tries
to find a way to make contact. Their moments together are tender
and affecting. Some their time is disturbed by other animals on
the island, that seems almost a throwback to dinosaurs. There's
some incredibly intricate and heart-stopping chase and attack
sequences, plus some creepy suction creatures and another sequence
with flying giant insects. Nasty, nasty and very nasty. Maybe
they went a little overboard on some of the near miss disasters
in these sequences but it was good anyway. Second half of the
movie turns on when movie producer decides to choloform Kong and
bring him back to Broadway for dog and pony show bar none. The
whole tone shifts easily and Ann thankfully is elsewhere. But
Kong is stirred and has to find her. There's a wonderful sequence
when he finds her and slides around on the ice together. A great
moment suddenly broken by the Army attacking Kong. He makes his
way down to the Empire State Building. He climbs it and he places
her up there. This sequence is filled with what we go to the movies
for. It's sheer escapism. We care deeply about the people by now
and yet we know it's going to end badly. Peter Jackson delivers
big time. I can't wait to see it again.
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