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Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
What a Twister!
Nobody expected The Empire Strikes Back to live up to the quality of the original Star Wars. But surprisingly, its as good as the first (or forth)
Taking place about 3 years after the destruction of the Death Star, the evil Darth Vader is destined to find Luke Skywalker and make him pay the price for destroying the Empire's weapon. But he realizes that Skywalker is not all that he seems to be, the force is strong with him and could become a powerful asset to the Dark Side. Vader plans to give Luke the opportunity to join him, by any means necessary, even to torture his friends, Han Solo and Princess Lea to get Luke to face him, then to reveal a shocking secret of the Skywalker line.
Not only are the special effects, production and music as equally impressive as the original, but the characters and story are pushed to the limits. In fact, the heroes have a crushing defeat. All is put on the line and the film gets a little dark in some places. It proves that the Empire is not one to mess around with.
While most of the characters are memorable. The one that steals the show is the Jedi Master, Yoda. Cute, adorable, wise and funny, it shows that a 2 foot tall Muppet can bring a sense of realism to the screen.
The twist ending, must have had everyone in the theaters gasping and choking on there popcorn. Nobody saw it coming, not even those working on the movie. Only Lucas, the director and producers knew the real truth behind Darth Vader and it has now become a staple of parody and cliché, making it arguably the greatest movie twist of all time.
Overall, The Empire Strikes Back is a thrilling action masterpiece. Developed and emotional characters, funny humor, dark elements, a twisting story and continuing impressive special effects. This one is definitely one to buy in the best quality possible. 10/10
Star Wars (1977)
The Original Is STAR WARS!!!!
Anyone who has not seen the original 1977 Sci Fi film that pretty much started the giant wave of fandom, should stop what they're doing and watch the Despecialized Edition RIGHT NOW!!!
Star Wars has been in my life for as long as I can remember. It's more common in the world than I can even imagine. Anywhere you go, STAR WARS! STAR WARS! It's everywhere, and its all thanks to the original 1977 film that changed how movies are made and marketed.
All done independently, and self financed by George Lucas, who created a universe far greater than anyone imagined, probably more than Star Trek. Fantastic characters, a story that is timeless, a groundbreaking mythos, and some of the best special effects seen on the silver screen. Lightsabers and blasters, who doesn't wanna role play with a weapon of a Jedi knight after seeing this? Every kid wants to thrill in the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Lea, wither them re enacting scenes or playing with there action figures.
The film is also an inspiration for future filmmakers, with its cinematography, production design and fast pace story. It also gives them the idea of independent film making and self finances to make the movies they want to make, without the support of studios.
I'd highly recommend finding a copy of the original 1977 theatrical print, most notably the Despecialized Edition. All the special effects with the model spaceships are great to look at. That whole space battle at the Death Star will have you on the edge of you seat from beginning to end.
The score by John Williams is probably his greatest work. He created themes for the world that is equal to Lucas's writing.
Overall, Star Wars is one of the greatest films ever made and will continue to capture the hearts of billions for generations to come. It's not just a film, it's an experience. With a terrific cast, heartwarming characters, fantastic action scenes, fascinating special effects, an incredible score and a legendary world, George Lucas should have one the Oscar for Directing and Picture of the groundbreaking and historical film from a galaxy far, far away. 10/10
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
Perfect Way To Wrap A Six Part Epic.
I've already seen this final Hobbit film way more than I should of. Why? Well two reasons. One is because the title itself promises a giant battle which I'm a big sucker for, but also the fact that its the last movie. Lord Of The Rings was a big game changer in my life and the reason I go back to this one, like I did with Return Of The King some 10 years ago, is because I denied that it would end. I felt this film, while it has a few major flaws (that will probably be explained in the Extended Cut) I can't deny it was a fun ride. All the characters, especially Thorin and Bilbo are great together. Gandalf and that whole battle with Sauron was bad-ass and a great piece of Fan Service, which is one thing this movie has allot of but I don't mind. And that battle. WOW! What a blast! While it's overuse of CGI was noticeable, it was still great to see the five armies duke it out, as well the sound mix was great. I did really like the Taruiel/Kili story the next few times going in and while not in the book its still pretty heartbreaking. Plus, I'll admit the ending got me a little choked up, but hey that's Jackson for you. But there are some major flaws with this theatrical film. I found Alfred annoying and took allot of the time in this movie that did not need to be there. Some of the ending with allot of major characters didn't feel wrapped up and the "Legolas Mario Jump" scene, that really threw me off, and I called complete bulls*it. But overall, this film and the entire Hobbit trilogy as a whole was a fun ride. Does it match to Lord Of The Rings? No. But take it for what its worth, some good characters, great action scenes, allot of fan service and good tie ins to the Epic Trilogy we've known and love. 9/10.
Eiga Inuyasha Toki o Koeru Omoi (2001)
The Best Of The 4 Movies!!!!!
A fantastic movie. I love everything about it. Hell, the animation is some of the studios best, almost Myazaki Gibli quality.
I especially love the two driving characters, Kagome and Sango. Kagome, though being the main character of the series, she's really put to the test here and I will say that this is probably one of Monica Stori's best performances in the series.
Sango's relationship with Kirara is pushed to the limit here. Its almost if Kirara is like that friend you have that is kinda mentally ill and this is sorta there violent breakdown. And Sango really trying to save her is so touching.
There is a little nitpick of wanting a bit more Kikyo in there, being she's my favorite character in the series, but who am I to complain.
Where as Sailor Moon was the anime of my childhood, this series really treated me like an adult. I love the dark tragic backstories, the love triangle, and the villains are great.
If you wanna start watching it, this is a good place to introduce new fans. One of the best outta the four and defiantly in my Top 50 Films. 10/10
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
Fantastic Action Fantasy Movie!!!!
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug
I LOVED IT! So much better than the first one. Its fast paced and exciting. Feels allot more of a quick sit then the first one. But how is the movie in detail
The Characters are once again great. And even the new characters are really cool. Beron, who I had a bit of a concern about, is a fun character. That bear design alone was so cool. I love Legolas in this; he's such a showoff, almost Gaston like to try to impress his girlfriend.
BTW, Tauriel, I'm in love people. Not only a badass fighter who can hold her own in battle, but DAMN is she a fine elf. I wasn't really all that invested and got all goo goo for the previous female characters in the other films, hell most of my favorite female characters are in Anime. But, this elven warrior is gorgeous. :D
Also, Thrandull is a cool guy too. You can tell that he's got a bit of a David Bowie Labyrinth tone in him.
And then there's Smaug. WOW! WHAT AN AMAZING DRAGON! ONE OF THE BEST I'VE SEEN! He's almost ties with Draco from Dragonheart. He's that good. Bennedect Cumberbatch is bone chilling in the performance. It's almost Sh*t Your Pants terrifying. I also noticed something in his design and behavior. It seems looking at him closely; Jackson obviously wanted to create something larger than life, which he succeeded in. Smaug was gigantic. The BIGGEST Dragon I've EVER SEEN. But I noticed that his design was based on a combination of different reptiles. With the teeth of a crocodile and almost snake like movements, his design and behavior was more of that of a Water Monitor Lizard or Kamodo Dragon. Now keep in mind, I've worked with large sized monitors in the past, and I've seen how they moved and behave, although granted, most of them acted like house cats, I'm not kidding. Smaug was defiantly that of a wild one, his head was indeed that or a monitor along with movement. And I thought that was really cool.
The Action is FANTASTIC & TOP NOTCH! Its great fun! The whole Barrel Sequence from beginning to end was a roller coaster ride. Especially the Jump The Shark moment with Bomber. It felt like something outta Donkey Kong Country. Legolas's fight with each orc is great, he's decapitating them left to right. The scenes with Gandalf in The Old Fortress were a WOW to be hold. This is the Gandalf I've wanted to see for a long time, using lots a lots of Magic attacks. He's even able to put up a good fight with Sauron.
Then the 3-D. That was great, some of the best 3-D I've seen. The scene in Mirkwood Forrest with the spiders is really trippy and scary, with lots of jump scares.
However, I do have a few nit picks...
There are probably two or three scenes of the group giving up and then like minutes later say "We can do it!". It's a cliché that is mostly found in kids movies, and honestly its about as painful to sit through as "The Liar Reviled" cliché. Especially in one scene, that was only put there for padding and filler. Its the scene where they find the gate to the hidden passage. They say in order to enter they have to be at "The Last Light Of Durins Day." so they think it's the sun when it turns out its the moon.
Remember the scene in Fellowship where we find out that most dwarf doors can only be seen by moonlight? Well since most of the movie going audience had probably seen that film, when that scene is on, we know most of this. But OMG, they drag it on and on when the sun sets and "Oh Boo Hoo, its hopeless. Game Over. We done, finished. Let's cry in the corner" I felt that whole bit could have been cut out. And you think the dwarfs would know their own designs on how these things work. They could have just said "Hey, wait, it's the moon. Let's just wait till tonight."
Its just so painful to watch and you think "Oh God, get on with it." I think that's just one of a few tiny complains I had with the film. But lets get onto what I missed and the other stuff I liked.
Well for one thing, when Kili get shot by a Morgal arrow, I'll admit I was shocked and hoped he'd make it though. But seeing it a second time, it's actually really funny why he can't join the group. I'll give you a hint.
"I was gonna help slay a dragon
until I took an arrow to the knee." XD No Joke.
I do wish it was allot more focused on Bilbo, since its called The Hobbit! Also the business with Sauron felt like it could have been toned down and not so obvious.
I felt the way it ended was kinda Bullsh*t. It ends on a cliff hanger and cuts to black. But it didn't bother me too much.
Finally, the song "I See Fire" What a GREAT Song. I just recently downloaded it. It fits the end and the movie so well.
If I could recommend on how to see the movie, defiantly on the biggest screen possible, IMAX 3-D or AVX HFR. It truly is an experience.
So overall, this movie is AWESOME! If you have no clue what I'm taking about
read the book. 10/10. One of the series best! You've done it again Mr. Jackson.
The Lion King (1994)
Over 20 Years Later, Still A Crowning Achievement!!!
I have to say is probably my all-time favorite film Disney has ever made. Yeah, there's allot of stuff I really enjoy, but The Lion King was in many ways my childhood.
The characters are fantastic, my favorite being Adult Simba. Yes, I know he's voiced by Matthew Broderick, and I have seen his acting as kinda dull. But WOW! This is his best performance! He turned this character into a noble BADASS. And I'm really glad he still does the voice in several other pieces of work. I can't see anybody else voicing him. I love the characters design, Simba really started the idea of a young teenage/young adult warrior, leading his comrades and friends into adventures.
The villain, Amazing and Memorable! And you can totally see how Disney based there version of Loki later on.
How does the story hold up now? Well, when watching it several times growing up, I thought it was its own original thing, which made me love it even more. But it wasn't till I became a bit more curious in the making of the film that I bought the Special Edition DVD, and found out it was based on stories like Hamlet and Moses.
Of course we can't leave out the Elephant in the room. No not The Elephant Graveyard. I'm talking of course about when Simba's father Mufasa died. This scene still gets to me emotionally, even more than when I was a kid. You watch this scene and you might even think of your own Father. You wanna find him and hug him. I don't know why, but when a parent, or pet dies in a movie, its always an urge to me to find my own and hug them.
The animation? What can I say, its Disney at its finest hour. The designs, the backgrounds, the environment. It's absolutely beautiful to view from the eye. Its almost like Africa came right out of the painted lines.
However, one of the best pieces in the film is the music! This is some of the best music I ever heard in a motion picture. So many talented people made the soundtrack unforgettable. Hans Zimmer, this is when he really gave his scores different characters, you know, before he made everything and Inception BRWONG! This is defiantly one of his best pieces.
Then there's of course the songs by Tim Rice and Elton John. We all know these songs by heart and is part of our collective minds. Every song is ear loving. My favorite honestly, is not Be Prepared, not Hakuna Matata, not even The Circle Of Life, its Can You Feel The Love Tonight. Elton's and Disney's version are an example of Musical Beauty. This is Disney's crowing achievement in there Love Song category.
But honestly, the majority of the credit to the films music is Lebo M. Allot of people don't know much about him, and its kind of sad considering that he had such a troubled life. But he made this score work 1000%. He brought in the African part to the score and I honestly don't think the score would be nearly as amazing without his contribution. The quire, the drums, the chants. Its so entrancing. He's even gone on to do more work for Disney, including extended albums and musicals.
With the music and animation, this movie really sparked my interest in African culture. I can't tell you how much I want to go the Africa because of this film's art form.
The ending is also an amazing feat. The BIG EPIC BATTLE is of course amazing, as well as THE FINAL BATTLE with Simba and Scar, which is just so GOD DAMN AMAZING to watch. Seriously, buy the largest TV possible, turn off the lights, turn up the volume and enjoy the best cat fight you'll ever see. And to see the films happy ending is almost tear dropping to watch. Simba's climb to his throne still gives me the chills, and his roar. WOW! Blows me away.
Throughout my life, I've seen the film numerous times on several formats. The VHS is the one we all grew up with as kids and the Blu Ray is pretty good with its cleaned up prints. But if you want the perfect version of the film with enough bonus material to last a week, I'd say get the 2 Disc Special Edition DVD from 2004.
But by far the best version of the film I've seen was when it was re released in 3-D a few years ago. I did not expect it to be as amazing as I thought it would be. Not only did it make me reflect on my youth, but HOLY SH**! THE 3-D, PICTURE AND SOUND WAS INCREDIBLE!!! It was so crystal clear that I saw things in the background that I never noticed before. You could swear that they added stuff in, but no. It was there from the beginning. The Sound was loud and larger than life. Some of the best sound work I saw in a theater, and when the songs were on, everybody got up, danced and sang along. It was so much fun. And the 3- D? Some of the best 3-D I've seen, almost Avatar 3-D. When Scar jumps out of the fire, Jesus was that close.
So with all this amazing pieces of talent, art and its 20 year legacy, I still think the film holds up after 20 years. Its childhood, its culture, it has character connections, the music is incredible. Its defiantly one of my favorite films and to me, Disney's crowning achievement. It's defiantly going to go on to hold up for generations to come, even after we die and become connected to The Circle Of Life. 10/10
Bad Grandpa (2013)
A Hilarious Spin Off! XD
We all know of the hilarity and stupidity that is the Jackass series.
Considered either comedy gold to disturbingly crazy, the Jackass series has always stayed in the pop culture to entertain and make us laugh with it's over the top stunts and pranks.
Many of us know of the 5 Theatrical and Direct To DVD Movies, and after the success of Jackass 3-D, rumors of a 4th theatrical film in the franchise began to hit the web, waiting anticipation. But sadly after the release of 3.5, Ryan Dunn died from a fatal car accident, putting those rumors to rest, and what seems like the breaking of a fellowship.
But in 2013 a spin off movie came out to make us laugh once again, enter Bad Grandpa.
So the plot of the movie is, well, there isn't much of a plot, but I'll try to explain it the best I can. Johnny Knoxville takes on the role of a Grandpa that takes his young grandson across the country on a very Disney style clichéd road trip movie. And along the way, they go through hilarious prank after prank to make a very hilarious, but adorable Jackass movie.
So, what are my thoughts on the film? I thought it was hilarious. Though not having much of the stunts and crudeness of the first three movies, this one was done with an interesting twist in the style of film-making that hasn't really been done before. Making a story based movie while fallowing in the footsteps of a prank stunt movie. I've never seen that done before, and for what they did it was pretty good for a first try. Sadly though some of the plot line like I said is very cliché and you know what is ultimately going to happen in the end. However what makes up for it of course is that classic Jackass stunt work and pranks. And it shows that the group still got it. My favorite skit is actually in the first 5 minutes of the movie, were Grandpa get his...(CENSORED)
Even though allot of the jokes, stunts and pranks are a little too graphic to explain, it did feel a little tamed for a Jackass movie. I guess you could say it was because they had an eight year kid as a co star, but half of the movie he says some things your kids wouldn't be allowed to say to its compliantly pointless to keep it to a PG-13. But I digress.
Overall, Bad Grandpa is a very well done spin off movie of the Jackass franchise. This one will give you the major giggles all the way through. 8/10
King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
Had A Lot Of Potential, But The Effects Aren't Toho's Best.
REVIEW - So from watching King Kong first and only hearing allot about Godzilla as a kid, somewhere in my brain, it was kind of obvious that this idea would come up. Two of the most famous monsters of all time duking it out, and this was new in people's minds when they made it. So what's the history?
HISTORY - Well in the late 50s, Willis O'Brian was going through some troubles in his career, having many ideas that he wanted to put on screen thrown out by studios. Looking for a way to bump his career up again, he went back to the giant ape that got him fame and decided to fill a few ideas to bring Kong back to the screen. Though remaking the film entered his mind, the idea of Kong fighting another famous monster was to him a better approach since the 1940s had made big bucks off Universal Monsters teaming up in fighting each other with Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman, and House Of Dracula. Being a fan of the Frankenstein Monster in novel and film, he began to write a script for King Kong VS Frankenstein.
Meanwhile in Japan, Toho Studios had just made their first big successful monster film that began the Kaiju genre. Enter Godzilla or Gojira, a film that showcased a man in a dinosaur suit stomping Tokyo as a symbol of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima. The film was a successful hit in Japan, America and around the world in 1954. So much that Toho made a sequel called Godzilla Raids Again where he battles another monster Angirus. Toho would later make other Kaiju films such as Rodan and Mothra in the late 50's. Losing a bit of steam after a few films, producer, Tomoyuki Tanaka decided to bring Godzilla back in a widescreen color feature. The question was who would be his competitor?
Being fans and insipid to make Godzilla because of the original King Kong, Toho thought that the idea of bringing the two monsters together would make big money not just in Japan and America, but around the world. So they went to RKO personally to pitch the idea. RKO agreed, but did not tell O'Brien. Wow, dick move guys! Shortly after the deal, Marian C. Cooper heard the news and was rightfully angry about it since he created the character. What followed was one of the many battles over the course of 6 and half decades over the rights of King Kong. In this round, Cooper lost.
CHARACTERS - The movie is a Kaiju film, meaning that the monsters come before characters. But I will try to talk about non monster characters the best I can, even though there bland and very forgettable. First there's Mr. Tako, who is the most memorable of the cast. Playing a Denham like role, his character is more comedic than brave, always acting hyper and on some sort of drug that makes him twitch. The two guys hired by Tako to explore the island are bland, boring and uninteresting. The only scene that I gave a crap about them is when they confront Tako on the ship porting Kong to Tokyo. Fujita is bland. Fumiko is only there for Kong to have a love interest. The Army General is there to be the 2 dimensional general guy and the natives, um, they're Japanese extras painted to look African. Kind of racist there Toho.
VISUAL EFFECTS - With this being a Godzilla movie, all the effects were done with men in monster suits and model sets. Allot of scenes from the movie are memorable like Kong's encounters with Godzilla and a giant Octopus. And although Godzilla looks great and the rest of the effects and sets are standard issue, Kong looks terrible. The suit has a visible zipper and the arms are long and skinny, not at all like a real gorilla. The masks look like a combination of a 5 year old clay sculpting of Kong 33's long face made tiny compared to the body and puppet on strings facial features. They also dumbed down Kong's character, making him a tad stupid.
TRIVIA - Now as allot of people have covered that there was an alternate ending were Godzilla won the battle, I have two theories about this rumor. 1st this rumor started in a series of children's book by Crestwood, explained in the Kong edition. 2nd, if Godzilla did win, I don't think the ending would have been so victorious.
OVERALL - Though the idea is awesome, the movie is kind of poorly made. Don't get me wrong, I love Toho and the effects in this film are mildly good, just not there best.
Kingu Kongu no gyakushû (1967)
Enjoyable! Better Special Effects Than "King Kong VS Godzilla"
THE PLOT - When a mechanical replica of King Kong (Mecha Kong) is unable to dig for the highly radioactive Element X at the North Pole, the evil Doctor Who and his sponsor Madame X decide to kidnap the real Kong. Meanwhile, a team expedition arrives on Mondo Island and explores the jungles where they encounter Kong, fighting off various creatures. Kong develops a crush on the Lt. Susan Miller and our beauty and the beast portion of the film starts. As an insurance policy, Doctor Who kidnaps Lt. Susan as well as her boyfriend Lt. Commander Jiro Nomura and Commander Carl Nelson. They escape and free Kong who heads for Tokyo. Doctor Who and his minions follow him and activate Mecha-Kong in order to recapture him. Susan is then grabbed by the robot and is taken to the top of Tokyo Tower and a battle ensues between Kong and his robotic replica.
REVIEW - I will say this is somewhat better than King Kong VS Godzilla, but not much.
CHARACTERS - Susan is better than Fumiko (KKvG). Her character is stronger and more independent. When Kong captures her, though fearful of him first, she does care but takes to her own and doesn't go for Kong's moves, instead telling Kong how to act. Well she's a Lt. so, that's that. Nomura, again the bland main hero, same with Nelson. The villain Doctor Who is a fun villain, but we don't get much of a motivation on his actions, only because he's evil. Then there's Madame X, who gets more of a character development. She's not on the side of evil because she wants to be evil, she's there as an ambassador/agent of her country (which they don't explain where) trying to keep it safe, for some reason. Yeah not much character plot is explained in this movie.
EFFECTS - The special effects are much better this time around and while Kong looks better than he did previously with a bigger more detailed head and suit, it still doesn't look that great. For example when he fights the serpent in the waters of Mondo Island, you can clearly see the space between the mask and the suit, like an over sized mascot head. Mecha Kong looks good, but sometimes the metal looks a little bouncy. However the best suit effect in the entire movie is Gorosaurs, the T-Rex type that fights Kong. This is one of the best monster suits Toho has ever put out on film, and it realty shows. The fight is really fun to watch and entertaining as hell, although when Kong breaks the jaw of Gorosaurus there's bubbles? What? Did he have a seizure?
TRIVIA - The film was made this time not just by Toho, RKO and Universal (Yeah, Universal did the English dub for the Toho Kong films considering the huge court battles and challenges it would have with Kong in the future) the film was also released by Rankin/Bass, the studio responsible for those infamous stop motion Christmas specials, The Animated Hobbit/Return Of The King and The Last Unicorn. Back in the 60s, they did a King Kong cartoon show following the plot to Escapes in which the film came in later. Funny side note, after King Kong Escapes, Rankin Bass would return to Toho for another Kaiju like production in 1977 called The Last Dinosaur.
OVERALL - The film is quite enjoyable. Though it does drag at times, the story is good and the characters are bland but fun. It's a good movie to show your young kids, they might get a kick outta it and hey, maybe you will too.
Konga (1961)
A B Movie That Takes Itself So Seriously That We Are Invested In The Characters.
So what can I say about this film. Well I will say it's a well written story and the acting is great. It takes itself very seriously and plays well as a psychotic dramatic thriller.
CHARACTERS - Michael Gough is great in the role of Doctor Decker. You can see allot of his mind playing around. You're really interested in him at first with his ideas and plans. But as the film progresses and obstacles start to bump him around, you start to miss judge him and he ultimately becomes a villain and a complete creep. He's married and hits on his college students. EW! Margret is a great character too and you see her struggles with what she has to deal with. The Rest of the cast, bland, aside from Bob and Sandra. Sandra is very innocent, not taking a hint that Decker is putting the moves on her. Kind of dumb. Bob, though bland has his struggles and is not dumb. He sees what Decker is up to and does what a boyfriend would do, get jealous AND COMPLETELY OBSESSIVE. There's a scene where he confronts Decker and he goes all Gollum on him.
KONGA - Even though the film is good in its characters and plot, what kills it is Konga itself. First of all, the fact that he becomes a giant Kong figure at the end, though a cool idea, does become out of place. 2nd and most of all, the suit. It's very standard issue for the time and looks awful, but I have seen worse. It looks nothing like a gorilla nor a chimp from the neck down. Plus the animatronic head is really creepy at times, like something out of chuck e cheese. Then there is the actor in the suit, he doesn't act for noting. In his rampage the actor just walks extremely lazy, it's like he doesn't care. Then in close up its like they dragged him off the street, put the suit on him and he looks left and right like "What is going on?" This is what killed the movie for me.
EFFECTS - The effects aren't really that good either. As I said, the suit is bad, but it's also other effects as well, especially with green screen and composting. You can tell that they filmed scenes on green screen and sometimes they don't even bother putting in the background. Like these shots, they couldn't afford a giant hand, but instead wrap the ape suit around the actors. It's even obvious that they could not afford a green screen, but instead, paint a bright green brick wall and use it as a green screen. This is probably why the composting shots look really bad.
TRIVIA - Apparently, C-Movie Exploitation film producer Herman Cohen had long admired the original King Kong he thought of the idea of a remake shot in color would bring big bucks. But RKO refused a remake so Cohen paid $25,000 for the rights to the name of Kong for exploitation purposes as long as he re framed from the source material. Also the special effects for the film that was one of the first giant monster movies shot in color took 18 months to complete. But who cares, the effects sucked.
VERDICT - To sum it up, it is a B-Movie that takes itself way too seriously, maybe too well that were invested in the characters in my opinion. But then the effects come in a kill it. So I will say it's a watch once movie.
King Kong (2005)
A Good Movie, But Not As Good As The 1st Draft.
So what are my thoughts on the film? Well
I like to put it like this. It's not as good as the first draft. What do I mean by that?
Well first of all I have to say that when the film first came out, I loved it. I thought it was amazing. Peter Jackson is one of my all-time favorite directors and all his films are amazing. I had no problem with it. I felt it was a great re telling of the story. I loved Jack Black as a younger Carl Denham and Naomi Watts gives Ann more of an interesting character development. And although I'm not a fan of Adrian Brody's Jack Driscoll, the rest of the side characters are pretty cool. I especially love how each member of the crew has their own story to tell. And I will agree with most people that The Venture Voyage felt too long, but every scene felt important and the action scenes as well as the special effects were visually stunning. From the fun chasing Brontosaurus Stampede, to the sick disgusting Spider Pit Scene, the epic battle between Kong and not just one T-Rex but 3 all the way to the climax on top the Empire State Building. It was at the time, a really fun movie, almost worthy of seeing re released in 3-D.
But then, I bought the Extended Edition DVD, showing some pretty cool new scenes like The Ceratops Charge and The Swamp Scene. But on the 3rd disc is a huge detailed documentary on the Making of the film. And the first chapter is on the origins of the film. In the 70s Jackson attempted to make a remake when he was 12 on Super 8, but never got it done. During this time the only two Kong's that were new in the pop culture were Kong 76 and the failed King Kong Lives.
But during the late 80s and 90s, Kong's popularity was growing again with the opening of the two legendary Attractions in the Universal Studios Theme Parks in Hollywood and Florida. So the pressure to do another Kong film was on Universal's mind since the failed attempt in 1975. And in the 1996, Universal and Peter Jackson were in the process and pre-production on a Remake of Kong, but by 1997, the project was canned due to the releases of Godzilla 1998 and Disney's Mighty Joe Young Remake.
So how does this differ from the final 2005 product? Well it all lies in that first draft, which had the tone of a Classic Hollywood Action Adventure in the style of Indiana Jones or The Mummy. In fact, some have said that The Mummy based allot of its influence on the 1996 Kong. Aside from a classic adventure, it had more dinosaurs and action sequences. Also allot of characters were changed to make them more interesting. For example, Jack was a WWI Fighter Pilot (Originally played for Bruce Campbell or George Clooney), Denham was the villain (Played for Gary Oldman or Robert De Nero), and Ann was going to be an archaeologist (Originally casted for Kate Winslet, which if she did this, she would have never done Titanic).
READ THE 1996 SCRIPT HERE
http://www.scifiscripts.com/scripts/kingkong.txt
This was the Kong film I honestly have always wanted, and it's sad that they changed the script to make it more like the original. Nothing wrong with that, but honestly, looking back, the 2005 version felt more like the 90s Remake of Psycho. It just felt like a shot for shot, line for line remake, with a bit of added additions that weren't explained in the original and a few added Peter Jacksons elements. It just felt too identical to the original.
When I see a remake of Kong, I see every version different in characters, story, and effects, while using the source material to balance it.
The original 1933 film is in the style of a classic film based on several elements by the filmmakers. The 1976 remake makes things bigger in scope and focuses more as a love story and has the look of 70s cinema. The Universal remake should have been an action adventure movie. Sadly I don't feel that with Jackson's version.
Granted the actors are great, the characters are more developed, and the visual effects are amazing to look at, but the story and look just feels too much like the original. Look I don't mean to butcher the movie, for what it is, it's a good movie. But it's just the hindsight of what they did not do is what bothers me. So I will say that Peter Jackson's King Kong is well done and pretty damn good, but it makes you wish that they had a little more, even with a running time of 3 and a half hours. So I'll give it an 8/10. A good movie, but it could have been better.
Mighty Joe Young (1949)
A Fun Piece Of Stop Motion From The Great Ray Harryhausen!
THE PLOT - Jill Young (Terry Moore) has brought up her pet gorilla since she was a child. Twelve years later, when the gorilla is fully grown, Hollywood promoter Max O'Hara (Robert Armstrong) travels to Tanzania, Africa, and convinces Jill to bring her extraordinarily large gorilla, Joe, back to America. While in Hollywood, Joe is used in a stage production and is exploited to no end. It doesn't take long until Joe is sick of being mistreated and he escapes to run loose in civilization.
REVIEW - This is an instant where I've seen the remake first, then the original. So I'm holding my feelings about this one. For what it is, it's good. I think Cooper and Obrien wanted to make this film for a kind of nostalgia trip.
CHARACTERS - The characters are great. Terry Moore, while not a beauty that tames the beast, is more of a sister to Joe. She's very likable and you can see and feel her confusion when entering America for the first time. That's another thing about Kong films is that they're kind of painting an evil image of America as they only care about greed. But I digress. Robert Armstrong is once again fantastic, playing that lovable Denham like showman, also adding a bit more of a comic relief in him and this time, instead of being a bit of a mad man, becomes a hero in the end. Ben Johnson's character, I'm sorry, but these young male leads in these first movies are so bland and boring to me, so I got nothing to say about them that are interesting.
EFFECTS - This is also the first film to introduce publicly the legendary stop motion animator Ray Harryhausen, who would eventually be the next in line on the stop motion animation throne. His animation on Joe is great for his first feature. It's said that he ate carrots and bananas and act like a real gorilla in order to get the character moving. Now that is what you call dedication.
FINAL VERDICT - Overall, the movie it is a good watch with good VFX and Animation.
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
A Creative Fun Prequel.
For a prequel to a film that's 75 years old, I thought it was pretty good. It did really well in returning me to Oz. It was colorful, creative, and fun to look at. It also felt like a Tim Burton movie with its score by Danny Elfman. Also, with Sam Rami at the helm as director, had a lot of comedy taken from the Evil Dead trilogy, which I really enjoyed.
Though I will admit, there are a few flaws with the movie mostly with characters. But let's talk about the good ones first. Glinda was great, being sort of a comedic cute Galadriel character. The monkey was fun as well, almost had a Steve Bushemi tone. However, it was the china doll that stole the show. Not cause of her cuteness, but the CGI on her is incredible. It was so realistic that I swear I thought they used animatronics. We need more CGI of that in allot of movies now days. Some very surprising cast members also play a role. Tony Cox from Bad Santa fame is funny as always, and Rachel Weisz surprising role as The Wicked Witch Of The East is well portrayed, showing her as the true villain. We even get a great witch duel at the end.
Now here's the problems I had with the film, which I did not mind, but are wroth explaining. First of all is Oz himself. Though he is the hero and kind of likable, he's a real jerk. Coning and lying to people constantly. What's worse is he's a womanizer to every female character, except the china doll. He hits on all three witches and even bangs the wicked witch of the west. No, I'm serious; The Wizard Of Oz bangs The Wicked Witch Of The West. Those are words I never thought I'd hear think or say.
Speaking of the Witch Of The West, she's done well in my opinion. They did really well in set up her back story. How she became evil, how she got her looks, how she got the broom. They even give her a sympathetic back story to make people feel sorry for her in the following film. This is kind of a downer. The wicked witch of the west is the first villain that we see as children, and it's fitting that we feel fear and hatred over her. But now, oh poor wicked witch, she's got a broken heart and is Darth Vader now. Oh and speaking of Star Wars, there's sort of a master and apprentice between the east and west witches. West is played up as the Vader role while east is a rip off of The Emperor. I swear to god when she's shocking Glenda with her green lightning, all I could play in my mind was. "Your fitful skills are no match for the power of the Dark Side." But anyway, back to the west. Her makeup is good and is a fun re- enactment of the original. And how does Mila Kunis do? Well, I'll admit once she becomes the west witch, she looks too young for the role. I honestly think a little bit of old age makeup could have made it look better.
This should bring us to the design of the film. For what it is, it looks great. The beginning of the film with its black and white full screen is well done. Though I would have gone of a sepia tone like the original, but no problem. The tornado effect is standard. Once we reach Oz, the screen actually opens up to widescreen, which looks awesome. It feels like Cinerama in a way. While most of Oz looks like table scraps from Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland, allot of things from the original film look updated and fun like the emerald city and munchkin land. Even the cowardly lion makes a cameo. Also most of the sets are built and look great on camera.
One more problem I have with the film is the run time, especially at the end. Don't get me wrong, what was in the film was great, but It could have been trimmed down. I was honestly shocked that the film turned out to be over 2 and a half hours. And the ending, though I liked it, it really dragged. I was literally thinking to myself. "Okay, movie, why don't we wrap this up. Dorothy's probably in the tornado by now." So do these errors make the film bad? No. they're passable, but noticeable.
Overall, Oz The Great & Powerful is good fun. Though the two main characters are trying, the others are great. The story is fun and truly tells the tale of a man thrust into a fantasy word and becomes a great and powerful con. Plus it sets up characters and plot points extremely well for the original. I would suggest to parents thought to have the kids see it in 2-D than 3-D, only for a few less scares. It's a creative fun prequel.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)
Way Better Than The First Film! A Fun Action Popcorn Flick To Sell Toys!
BACK STORY - Considered to be one of the greatest American cartoons of the 80s, GI Joe told the story of an American army of super soldiers battling the notorious Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world. What made the franchise popular over the years was not only the show itself, but from the enormous toy line. Every kid tried to get their hands on the entire collection of figures. The only folks I know who got em all are the Fine Brothers, and they made a movie outta it called GI Joe: The Epic Saga. I would highly recommend the film for its ridiculousness and hilarity.
So with the franchise being a hit, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood would make a live action feature film.
The first film was called GI Joe: The Rise Of Cobra and it was okay, nothing special. It did feel like a complete snore fest which is why I vegly remember it.
REVIEW - So after the boring Rise Of Cobra, a sequel was made 4 years later. And how does this sequel hold up? Well I will say its 100% better than the first one. It was action packed, exciting and a pretty damn good popcorn flick.
CHARACTERS - Allot of the characters are great. I'm really appreciating The Rock as an action actor. His character deals with emotions of loss and during allot of the action scenes, you can see he's going to show no mercy on his adversary's. Duke, while only being in the movie for the first 10 minutes, is a good character. Him and The Rock have good chemistry and it is kind of bumming of his passing. Although this isn't the first time he dies in a GI Joe movie. Lady Jaye and Bruce Willis are good, but nothing special, though Bruce Willis gets a few extra bad ass points for getting some good lines action scenes and, well being Bruce Willis. Snake Eyes is one of the better characters. I like how they continued the story line with him and Storm Shadow. By the way Storm Shadow was great too and in the ending battle it's great to see the two characters overcoming their differences and fighting together. I love that cliché when enemies become friends. Zartan as the President is okay but nothing special. I really would have preferred if he looked like his original action figure. However the best character in the movie believe it or not is Cobra Commander. He is just a bad ass when on screen. His suit is a great update to the cartoon version, way better than the first movie. Why do heroes and villains now a day look so epicly awesome in black leather? Either way, I would love to have Cobra Commanders costume.
STORY & STRUCTURE - The story is very solid; it's just simply an episode of the cartoon. It also deals with the missile crisis going on right now and there was a good laugh whenever North Korea was brought up. Plus the action scenes are great, especially the Mountain sequence. It looks like they shot it for real. I'll admit I had a little vertigo. Sadly I did not see the film in 3D, but from what I saw on the screen, it looked like it would have been cool to see.
OVERALL - GI Joe: Retaliation is a fun action packed popcorn flick. The Characters are awesome, the story is strait forward and the action is great. It was more of an adaptation of the cartoon than the first movie. I'd say check it out.
The Son of Kong (1933)
A Good Strong Sequel, But Could Have Been Better.
PLOT - Several months after he disastrously brought Kong to Manhattan, former adventure filmmaker Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) hides out from his debtors in a boarding house. Dozens of lawsuits have been filed against him, and he learns that he has been indicted by a grand jury for the destruction caused by Kong. When Capt. Englehorn (Frank Reicher) suggests that they immediately set sail for the South Pacific to become merchants, Denham jumps at the opportunity. Along the way, they meet with Helstrom (John Marston) the skipper who gave Denham the map to the island and Helene (Helen Mack) who will be Denham's love interest. They return to Skull Island, were Denham and Helene find "Little Kong," a 12- foot-tall white gorilla who Denham assumes is Kong's son. Feeling sorry for the events that happened to the predecessor, Denham takes Little under his wing, while still being wary of the creature. They encounter several creatures until the finale where they must survive the fate of the island.
REVIEW - This is a good movie, using the same talented crafts from the original. The only thing different about it is that it's to me the fastest production I've ever seen, being released the exact same year as the original, that is unbelievable for a sequel. Though it is entertaining and interesting, it could have been better. It feels very rushed and I wish they could have taken their time on it. It's shorter than the first movie, and at times drags.
CHARACTERS - The Characters are once again fantastic and we see more development in them, especially Denham and the pity he feels of what happened to Kong. Helstrom is a great, but cowardly villain. The scene in the bar with him Denham and Englehorn is very well acted and written.
VFX - The animation and effects are once again fantastic, seeing creatures like the Styracosaurs which was cut from the first film. Although some creatures though cool looking, don't really make much sense, like the Cave Bear and Dragons. Really? You couldn't have picked more dinosaurs from the fossil record? Kiko (Little Kong) is more cute and funny than he is terrifying like his predecessor. His character is I hate to say like a mute Jar Jar Binks, clumsy and silly. The sound is great once again, and the music is okay, there is allot of recycled music from the first.
OVERALL - It's a good movie and a good sequel, but just not on par or as memorable as the first. So let's give it the benefit of the doubt.
Jack the Giant Slayer (2013)
A Fun Family Fantasy Picture With An Animated Disney Tone.
Let's wind back to the year 2001 when one trilogy redefined a classic genre
The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy is an epic masterpiece like no other. A magnificent world, memorable characters, horrifying creatures and the mother of all god epic battles unlike anything before or since. It truly redefined and changed the way fantasy movies are made. And since its release, many other fairy tales and fantasy stories have tried to cash in by getting an epic Hollywood treatment with such films as The Chronicles Of Narnia, The Brothers Grim and Snow White & The Huntsman,. And today we'll be looking at a film with the same cash on goodness. So let's climb up to Jack The Giant Slayer.
PLOT - In this retelling of the classic fairy tale, Jack and the Beanstalk, the title character Jack (Nicholas Hoult) and a runaway princess (Eleanor Tomlinson) are thrust into the sky when vines sprouting from the magic beans vault Jack's cabin into the sky. A race of giants exiled there by the power of a magic crown plots to return below and recapture the human kingdom. The King (Ian Mcshane) sends a rescue party of his knights (Ewan McGregor) and the princess's evil fiancé to rescue the princess, and the evil prince uses the magical crown in an attempt to seize the power of the giants to take over the kingdom. REVIEW - So what can I say about the film? Well, it was okay. Very much a family friendly fantasy picture.
CHARACTERS - Jack is the coming of age hero. He does fall onto the same clichés as something like Aladdin. From a poor kid to an action hero. He dreams of being a knight like allot of films and we've seen this before. Is being a knight the only cool job in these worlds? Couldn't you take up as a jester? The princess is very much a typical Disney type princess, dreaming of something more, and trying to be more independent, but still ends up being kidnapped and rescued. Ewan McGregor is my favorite character in the film, playing a Phoebes knight roll well and is really likable, almost Han Solo-ish. He's also very heroic. There even is a few moments where there's a love square between Jack, Ewan The Royal Adviser and The princess. Ewan even gets friend zoned. Well what do you expect when your both a Jedi and a Knight. Sometimes the codes you follow suck Kenobi. Speaking of Star Wars, there is a quick little hint to Ewan's role when he says "I've got a bad feeling about this." The King I really found interesting. He's not the stereotype king, though he does have a few Disney style king moments. He does show his true colors in his character and instead of getting the axe, he actually fights alongside his troops during the battle. That's awesome. The Evil Royal Adviser is the same stick as someone like Jafar or Hiss. A manipulator who wants control of the kingdom. Then there's the giants themselves, though the CGI is not that great, there's allot of characters. So I won't go into much detail. The main Giant is much like Davy Jones. Well he is voiced by the same actor.
PRODUCTION - Director Bryan Singer does a good job and the film was released by Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema, seems these two studios are really packing in the fantasy genera. The special effects are okay. As I said the CG is not that great on the giants. It looks like something out of a Robert Zemmekis Motion Capture film. But the rest of the effects are good, though nothing special.
TONE - If I had to pick a few words on the film, it would be a mix of a Classic Fantasy Quest and Adventure. It is epic on some grounds, but a little toned down for the kids. And while we're on the subject of Quests, tell me you can't watch any quest movie without hearing The Legend Of Zelda theme. Plus the end battle is well done and pretty damn intense.
OVERALL - Jack The Giant Slayer is a good watch. The characters a good, the story is strait forward, and the special effects are okay. If anything, it honestly feels like an animated Disney film, especially with the character stereotypes. It's a fun movie for the family to watch and the kids will love it. A great way to start them as Fantasy beginners.
King Kong (1933)
An Inspirational Classic!
The way I can describe in my own words about the film is that it's a inspiring classic. The acting and characters are great for the time. I think my favorite character in the piece is Carl Denham. He's very enthusiastic and heroic, much more than the main hero. He's determined, he's proud, and most of all adventurous. He's a fun character to be around and will do anything to get his film done, not so much in a villainous way, cause during the film he does care about the safety of others around him. An although he might have gone a bit mad in capturing Kong, he does ultimately consider sympathy for him in the end. Jack Driscol is a very bland character, that's all I can really say about him. Ann, while Fay Wray is the first to poetry the beauty, is okay at least. She does a good job. Though she is very much a damsel in distress, she is strong in her own right, though during her time with Kong, she doesn't do much but scream, which gets a little old and annoying at times. The rest of the characters a well done too. I love Englehorn's old witty personality and Weston, though only in the film for the first 3 minutes, is very memorable to be. But, let's talk about Kong. He is very well portrayed for the first film. A vicarious brutal and sometimes creepy giant monster that you don't feel bad for till the very end. Though not the scariest portrayal in terms of creature designs, but very memorable. The dinosaurs are one of the best things for the movie. The Stegosaurs, Brontosaurus, T-Rex and other creatures are some of the most famous images in the film. I don't think they're has ever been a cooler more awesome fight ever seen on screen than of Kong fighting the T-Rex in the ultimate battle on who is King Of The Jungle. The other fights between The Elasmosaurs and Pteranodon are also awesome sites to be hold. But it's The Empire State Building scene that is the most recognized. I don't think anybody in or has been to New York and seen even an image of that building without seeing a giant ape on top of it battling armed planes holding a girl in his hands. Its so memorable, you wonder how an image like that came about in someone's brain. Well that is the genius non drugged mind of Director Marian C. Cooper, who is in some way's the real life Indiana Jones. His entire life since he was a boy was adventure. And this wasn't just making movies, no, this guy lived in danger and adventure, going on jungle adventures, flying battle planes in WWI and II, and encountering all kinds of wondrous amazing things that you don't really find in the modern world. The Idea of Kong came from his mind after reading a book as a small boy about the first discovery of Mountain Gorilla's where stories about them being giants in their own way, killing people and kidnapping women doing god knows what to them, were I think the inspiration of the beauty and the beast entered his mind. Years later he took the idea to studios in Hollywood. The original idea to film the project was to capture a real gorilla and have it fight a Komoto Dragon with miniature sets, which let's be honest would have been really cool. But many studios passed on the project. Meanwhile an infamous pioneer of stop motion animation, Willis O Brian, was making a film at RKO called Creation, a sequel to The Lost World. The film was going through trouble and had to ultimately be scrapped, but Cooper, who was helping RKO at the time, saw some of O Brians work on the film, and saw it as an opportunity to make his Giant Gorilla movie. Kong was finally green lit, with several titles including The Beast, The Eighth Wonder, King Ape and went through several script drafts, Ill explain those in another video. The cast was assembled and the sets were ready to use, from a recycled production called The Most Dangerous Game. The concept to bring Live Action and Animation together was done with several effects, from rear and miniature screen projection, life size portions of creatures, and putting two pieces of film together. The Stop Motion Animation was pain staking and time consuming. One second of film is 24 frames which could have taken 150 hours to animate a minute of film. The T-Rex Fight took about 6 weeks to complete that is incredible in its own right. Then it went into post production with its music and sound. Murry Spivack had several ideas to vocalize Kong and the other creatures, by combining animal sounds and using his own voice. The music by Max Steiner is amazing and memorable to listen too. The best pieces in my opinion are the opening, the into to skull island, the native dance, and the end piece which leaves a little tear shed for me just in music alone. With all the pieces together, the film was released during the depths of the great depression in 1933 and became an instant classic. The world had never seen anything like it before and was a milestone in special effects. Overall the film is fantastic; everything about the film and how the film was made is great to watch. If there is a film that will get you into making movies, this is a definite watch. If you haven't seen it, you must.
King Kong (1976)
My Favorite Film Of All Time!
The 1970's. The original 1933 King Kong is everywhere, playing on TV constantly and getting a re-release in cinemas in 1973. The fan base is growing, and the film begins to inspire future filmmakers. Though fans love the original, they thought it was time for Hollywood to do a proper remake in widescreen and in color. What came out was the 1976 Remake, which in my opinion is the best Kong film and my favorite film of all time. I'm in love with this film. It's a Beautiful Epic Magnum Opus. It's a big movie, and I mean BIG, both in scope, story, characters and effects. In 1975, producer Dino De Laurentiis had an obsession to make a film bigger than Steven Spielberg's Jaws, the top-grossing film of all-time, so he set to remake King Kong. Dino signed the deal with RKO, then out of nowhere Universal came into the scene and a titanic lawsuit battle began. With a race between the two studios on who would do it first, Dino acted fast and got the best people to help. Lorenzo Semple Jr.'s writing is very strong. Not only the love story, but also dealing with environmental issues and the horrible greed of man. This coming from the man who wrote the 1966 Batman Show. John Gullerman directed the film, giving it its incredible delivery and epic feel. The cast is perfect. Jeff Bridges is finally (Pre 76 Kong Films) an interesting protagonist, playing a man constantly switching sides, torn between love and power. Charles Grodan is a slimy hateful villain, who will stop at anything, even the safety of his fellow crew members to get his way. And in the end his death is well deserved. Finally, the beautifully gorgeous and stunning Jessica Lange, delivers an outstanding performance as the Beauty Who Charmed The Beast. Her character at first like the original is frightened of Kong, but during the time they're together, she realizes he's not a monster, he's lonely and eventually grows to love and does not want him exploited. And it's because of her that he dies. The location and sets, perfect! The Pertox Explorer is a fantastic looking ship. Though different, stays on par with The Venture from the original. Most of Skull Island was filmed on the island of Kauai, its view beautifully filmed showing the lush greenery, waterfalls and beaches. great wall looks incredible, allot of detail went into it. New York is well photographed, both real and miniature. The World Trade Center almost sparkles in the night, giving that haunting feel of the now gone structures. And the amount of extras throughout the film did a fantastic job. Which brings us to the special effects, though not as memorable as the classic Stop Motion Animation from the original are still stunning to look at. The miniature jungles, caves, houses and environment are amazing. The Giant Ape was used with many different effects, one using full scale pieces. Kong's arms, feet and even a full size Kong were created by Carlo Rambaldi, whose animatronics still look incredible to this day. Although the Kong Robot failed, the majority of Kong's full size action and incredible performance would be done by a Man In A Suit by Rick Baker. His performance is unforgettable and unbelievable both in facial features and in body. As a kid, he scared me with his vicious teeth and demonic yet innocent red eyes. And as time went on, his character grew on me, which is the whole idea of the character of Kong. The Editing is fast pace and exciting. But for those who think it's too fast, there is a solution. When Kong made a TV debut in 1979 on NBC, 45 minutes of additional scenes were cut back into the film, making the run time from 2 hours to 3. While most of the new footage is filler, its does have many elements and scenes that you feel were left out of the picture. But props to Ralph E Winters for giving us two cuts of classic 70s cinema. The Sound Effects are great. The background sounds of the jungle are soothing to listen to. Although Kong's roar is a stock dinosaur roar from The Land Unknown, some of Kong's vocals were created by legendary voice actor Peter Cullen. And his animal voice is perfect. Finally there's the music. It's by far one of the best things in the film and one of my favorite scores. Written and composed by John Barry. His score gives a very haunting romantic tone. To me this tops the Max Steiner score. The Opening is epic with its moments using an organ. But it's the love theme that sticks out, a memorable piece, leaving a tear in my eye. This is where the ending comes into play. Its strong and its big. Its suspenseful, terrifying, incredible and heartbreaking. Kong is not on the Twin Towers to fight in a classy action scene against the choppers, but to protect the one he loves, and it cost him his life. Falling from grace and broken hearten. I cry every time I see that scene. What we see hear is the greed of man. Our reaction is to hate and question what we've become. Sadly, the film is picked on and getting bashed for its unfair comparisons to the 1933 and 2005 films and I'm hating the backlash. This is its own movie with its own story. It's not supposed to be the original, it's its own take on it, meaning they can do what they want with it and not use all the original source material. It's big in scope and its version of the Beauty & The Beast tale is the best adaptation. The whole movie is boiled down to the love story between Kong and Dwan and during the climax I cry every time I watch it. It's a very underrated and unappreciated film. Check it out, it's a beautiful epic masterpiece.