King Kong
King Kong Talk
Considering that Peter Jackson made The Lord of the Rings, one of the best epic adventures of all time, as something to do after getting rejected for King Kong the first time around, I can only imagine
that this latest picture from the director who some have considered to be a real life hobbit is the cat's pajamas.
Now, if you don't know what exactly the 'cat's pajamas' is, check out this positive review posted over at Newsweek based off of a nearly-finished version of King Kong.
Earlier this month, Jackson invited NEWSWEEK to New Zealand for an exclusive first look at the finished (OK, nearly finished) product, and he proved once again that he might be the only guy whose films are worth getting on a plane and flying halfway around the planet to see.
Some critics will complain that the film's length is an act of Oscar-drunk hubris, but while "Kong" may be indulgent, it's not pretentious. And it's certainly never dull. Jackson has honored his favorite film in the best possible way: by recapturing its heart-pounding, escapist glee.
After a bumpy arrival, the crew runs into some trouble with the natives, and then some serious trouble with the island's resident alpha male: a 25-foot gorilla with a nasty temper and a weakness for blondes. There are only two differences from the original that are crucial to note. Ann's love interest, Jack Driscoll (Brody), was the ship's first mate in the 1933 version; this time around, he is Denham's screenwriter, an Arthur Miller type who learns that if you want to get the girl, actions speak louder than words—even for a writer. The other major difference is Kong.
Jackson's updated ape is still king of the jungle, but he's getting a bit long in the snaggletooth. In human terms, he's pushing 50. His jaw is offset and his right eyebrow droops from long-ago scrapes with dinosaurs. His fur is matted and mucky, with bald patches here and there from the scar tissue. And he's developing a potbelly. "Peter really wanted a sense that Kong is old and grizzled and scarred," says Boyens, "because it tells a story of being alone. And of having to survive in the most dangerous place on earth." Kong's existence is pure brutality—until Ann comes along. "She sparks his curiosity," says Jackson. "It's the first time he's ever empathized with another living creature." Ann, thinking the rest of her shipmates are dead, comes to depend on Kong for protection.
Jackson's talent with digital creatures tends to overshadow the fact that he's pretty deft with humans, too. Watts, with those honest eyes, is the soul of the film. "I think Naomi is a fantastic actress," says Walsh, "and if you have anything less than fantastic in that role, the film probably won't work. She has a kind of courage about finding something meaningful to her and bringing it into the film. And it never feels like she's drawing on a bag of tricks." She is also, as Jack Black helpfully points out, hot, and well paired with her romantic leading man. "Adrien and Naomi—I wanna see them get it on," he says.
Black, meanwhile, is the surprise pick. Jackson and Walsh first thought of him during the Christmas holiday of 2003, when their two young children watched "School of Rock" no fewer than 25 times. What caught their eye was Black's talent for playing "an obsessive, rascally character," says Jackson. That dovetailed with their take on Denham: a born adventurer, just like the guy in the 1933 film, but far more vainglorious and even a bit of a con man. Jackson's Denham is a blend of a 1930s expeditionary filmmaker (like Merian Cooper, the basis for the original Denham) and the young Orson Welles, who once accepted money to direct a film and then went off and shot a completely different one without telling his investors. Black seemed perfect.
Newsweek has a ton more about King Kong over at their official site. Be sure to check it out, as the review finishes on a classic line from Fran Walsh and a wonderful conclusion by the magazine.
King Kong comes to theatres on December 14th, 2005.
For the trailers, movie stills, clips, concept art, and synopsis, go to
the King Kong Movie
Page
Stay tuned for updates.
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