# Peter Jackson's "King Kong" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 12, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952 "2003-07-12T12:11:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952/1 "2003-07-12T12:11:42Z")
According to the [IMDB](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0360717), Peter Jackson will start working on a King Kong remake. I’ve seen this confirmed in several places. Personally, I’m thrilled: it’s a tough legacy (as the awful 1976 remake proved) but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Jackson. I was thinking about what would be needed to make it a good film, and I came up with a few things: 1. The movie should simply be named _Kong_. It’s a great name, and to us cynical, post-modern generation-whatever-the-letter-is-now youngsters “King Kong” just sounds a little to silly. 2. The special effects should be no less than perfect. If you can’t do it properly, don’t do it at all (I’m looking at you, 1976 remake!). We want to avoid another Hulk at all costs. 3. Rick Baker should supervise, even if Kong is completely CGI (which, apparently, he will be). The man knows his apes. 4. Dinosaurs. I can’t make up my mind about this one. It would be great if there were dinosaurs on the island, as it would give Kong something to defend his lady against other than a fake rubber snake. On the other hand, if an expedition had to choose between bringing home a giant ape or a tyrannosaurus, I think the tyrannosaurus would win as being more marketable. In all, as I’ve said, I’m thrilled at the prospect. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952/2 "2003-07-12T15:47:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Dinosaurs. I can’t make up my mind about this one. It would be great if there were dinosaurs on the island, as it would give Kong something to defend his lady against other than a fake rubber snake. The tyrannosaur fight is one of my favorite parts of the original, so I’d _defintely_ like to see an updated version of that. The thought of a well done CGI Kong fighting a Jurassic Park-esque dinosaur on the big screen makes me all tingly. I’ve heard that this will be a period piece set in the 30’s, and I think that’s really the way to go. While you could make an interesting movie about how a giant ape would be marketed in the modern world, I think the concept works better in the original environment. > [@](#): > > 1. The special effects should be no less than perfect. If you can’t do it properly, don’t do it at all (I’m looking at you, 1976 remake!). Indeed. I think the original Kong is still one of the greatest special effects achievments ever (that model is more expressive than 90% of the cgi out there), so they _really_ need to get it right for the remake. I recall a pretty decent looking big gorilla in Disney’s Mighty Joe Young remake, so I’m optimistic. ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952/3 "2003-07-12T17:12:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by shy guy \* > \*\*Indeed. I think the original Kong is still one of the greatest special effects achievments ever (that model is more expressive than 90% of the cgi out there), so they _really_ need to get it right for the remake. I recall a pretty decent looking big gorilla in Disney’s Mighty Joe Young remake, so I’m optimistic. \*\* Which is exactly why I think Rick Baker should be involved (he’s responsible for the gorilla in the Mighty Joe Young remake). The man is a genius when it comes to lifelike apes, and any film about apes benefits greatly from his experience. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952/4 "2003-07-12T20:48:56Z")
_King Kong_ has been Peter Jackson’s dream project for several years and he had originally wanted to do that before _LOTR_. I remember seeing some early character designs for this movie on AICN 2-3 years back and thinking they were pretty damn cool. Now that he’s got the clout to make whatever he wants, I’m sure he give it the same loving, detailed attention that he gave Tolkein’s epic. I, for one, can’t wait to see it. Oh, and the dinosaurs will kick righteous ass. ---
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952/5 "2003-07-12T21:34:58Z")
I hope he does make it a period piece because the story has really lost relevance in today’s world; what with every island of the pacific having been charted and contacted by modern civilization. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952/6 "2003-07-12T22:36:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Short Guy \* > **On the other hand, if an expedition had to choose between bringing home a giant ape or a tyrannosaurus, I think the tyrannosaurus would win as being more marketable** What if they bring them _both_ back? And they both get lose and fight in downtown New York? The Pay-Per-View procedes alone would make BILLIONS!!! Oh, 1930s. Nevermind. Still, I hope they keep the dinos in there as well. They can simply make reference to sending another expedition back to collect other animals later, and then get on with the Kong storyline. I don’t know, giant ape with an eye for your lady makes him much easier to catch than a T-Rex in my opinion. But they should definitely keep the dinosaurs in. What about the giant spider that was cut from the original? Think they’ll put that in? ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952/7 "2003-07-12T23:33:11Z")
**El Elvis Rojo** , I would never have known about the spider if it wasn’t for Irving Wallace and his Book of Lists. I read about it in a list of “10 Famous Movies with Important Scenes Cut” or something like that. There was one still photo of the spider. The book saidd the scene was cut because it was so stunningly graphic for that time that it stopped the picture, so to speak, the test audiences couldn’t talk aboout e\anything else for the rest of the picture. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952/8 "2003-07-12T23:52:41Z")
Ever listen to the LOTR commentary? The monsters in LOTR are practically Jackson’s favorite part of the movie. I think it’s a pretty safe bet that Skull Island will have dinos. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952/9 "2003-07-13T02:25:20Z")
10 Crowns says that the new Kong’s face will look suspiciously like the face of “Digit” from the _Gorillas in the Mist_ movie. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952/10 "2003-07-13T05:34:20Z")
I read Jackson’s original script for this online. I don’t know how much it will change but the script I read was set in the thirties. It had a great moment at the end, too, which features a great cameo. After Kong falls to his death, an old woman steps out of the crowd and delivers the famous “'Twas Beauty that killed the Beast” line. Jackson indicated that he wanted Fay Wray to play the old woman. I think that would be a wonderful touch but I don’t know if it will actually happen. If they do it, they better shoot her scene first. She’s no spring chicken. ---
**Author:** ![Erroneous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71c47a/32.png) [@Erroneous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erroneous)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952/11 "2003-07-13T06:08:08Z")
I’ve read the original script online, too. It’s from 1996, and in recent months, since Kong was confirmed as his next project, I’ve seen Jackson quoted as saying that, after having done LOTR, he doesn’t think his original Kong script is particularly good, and a lot of stuff is going to be changed for the final version. ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-jacksons-king-kong/187952/12 "2003-07-13T09:22:50Z")
Ah yes, the spider scene. It would be great to have that scene in the remake, since the original seems to be lost forever. Too bad.