King Kong (1976)
Adventure, Fantasy • 2h 14m
Director: John Guillermin
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Jessica Lange, Charles Grodin, John Randolph, René Auberjonois, Julius Harris, Jack O'Halloran, Ed Lauter, John Agar, Jorge Moreno, Mario Gallo, John Lone, Garry Walberg, Keny Long, Sid Conrad, George S. Whiteman, Wayne Heffley, Todd Baker, Corbin Bernsen, Ray Buktenica, Larry M. Byrd, Peter Cullen, S.C. Dacy, James Dunaway, Ned Gill, Donald F. Glut, Walt Gorney, Shawn McAllister, Eve McVeagh, Larry Naschel, Ira S. Rosenstein, David Roya, David Ulmer, Kristephan Warren-Stevens, Brent Huff, Rick Baker, Dennis Fimple, Harrison Ressler
Best available format
UHD tiers
solid encode, controversial color
Overview
An oil company expedition disturbs the peace of a giant ape and brings him back to New York to exploit him.
Director: Peter Faiman
Australia Cut: Australia Fox DVD
International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray
Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray, censored but good encoding
US Paramount 4K Blu-ray, is the International US Cut and not the Encore Cut
Australia Cut: Australia Fox DVD
International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray
Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray, censored but good encoding
Australia Cut: Laserdisc
The film exists in three versions:
- the original Australian cut (~104 minutes at 24fps/~100 minutes at 25fps);
- the American/international version (~98 minutes at 24fps/~94 minutes at 25fps) trimming some exposition in the Outback first half of the film and some shorter extensions of a few seconds in the New York section, altering some of the dialogue – including censoring a "fuck" to "screw" – but featuring one additional dialogue extension not in the Australian version (a comparison of the two cuts can be found at Movie Censorship);
- the Australian Encore Cut (~95 minutes at 24fps/~91 minutes at 25fps) which uses the international version source so it already has those alterations but also removes approximately three minutes consisting of parts of two scenes featuring Mick grabbing the crotch of a cross-dressing prostitute and a later sequence when he does the same thing at a party to a woman with a deep voice (a comparison of the international version and the Encore Cut can be found at Movie Censorship).
Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray > Paramount US, same black crush as the US disc but encoded by FiM and very good new supplements
Paramount US 4K Blu-ray has FEL Dolby Vision
Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray has MEL Dolby Vision
3D version: Paramount 3D Blu-ray
Paramount 4K Blu-ray on October 26 2026
3D version: Paramount 3D Blu-ray
Director: Billy Wilder
Paramount 4K Blu-ray. See caps
HDR/grading: nice, but some blown out
Encoding: inconsistent, smeared motion
DNR: inconsistent, frozen
Old Paramount Blu-ray is arguably a solid alternative choice
Paramount 4K Blu-ray mono is different version of the Blu-ray mono from the same old 2000 DVD transfer.
The 5.1 remix on the 4K Blu-ray is an appalling remix done by going wild with artificially generated stems from Park Road Post who were given the surviving mono to separate. The experience is jarring and fidelity to original mix in terms of level balance, directionality and impact is nonexistent. Not only does this sound painfully weird, but the Paramount mixers then did whatever they wanted in terms of LFE, sound pans and effect changes.
The original mono mix was not restored and still needs it badly. The 4K master is filled with frozen grain examples coming and going plus some HDR issues in addition to the usual Paramount problems. It is simultaneously better and worse than the Blu-ray master.
Director: Robert Altman
Director: Richard Linklater
Original AR: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
IMAX AR: Paramount 3D Blu-ray
Original AR: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
IMAX AR: Paramount 3D Blu-ray
Director: Stanley Donen
More Adventure on Blu-ray
2D: Spain Emon Blu-ray
3D: US Lionsgate, Germany StudioCanal, or Netherlands Entertainment One 3D Blu-ray?
2D: Spain Emon Blu-ray
3D: US Lionsgate, Germany StudioCanal, or Netherlands Entertainment One 3D Blu-ray?
Disney 4K Blu-ray has neutered audio compared to OG home video release
Cinema DTS or DVD DTS 5.1 is better and has more bass.
The 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray lack the bonus features found in the old Collector's Edition DVD release. The France Blu-ray has all extras plus an isolated score.
Director: Marcell Jankovics
2D version: Universal 4K Blu-ray
3D version: Turbine Germany 3D Blu-ray
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Director: John Lasseter
Original theatrical render: 35mm scans or 1996 Disney Deluxe Edition CAV LaserDisc boxset
Digital render: 2010 3D Blu-ray
Original theatrical render: 35mm scans or 1996 Disney Deluxe Edition CAV LaserDisc boxset
Digital render: 2010 3D Blu-ray (every version since the 2000 DVD release, including the 2010 2D Blu-ray, has animation errors. The majority of those were corrected for the 3D rerelease.) The 4K Blu-ray is merely upscaled from the 2K render.
Stereo Mix: 1996 Disney Deluxe Edition CAV LaserDisc boxset
5.1 AC3 Mix: 1996 Disney Deluxe Edition CAV LaserDisc boxset
The 1997 DTS LaserDisc is a virtually untouched transfer of the theatrical 5.1 mix and should theoretically sound the best being that DTS has higher bitrates than AC3. However, the original pressing of the DTS LaserDisc has an error where the right channel is 8.5db lower than the rest. This is an easy fix in a program like Audacity, and if you can find a corrected transfer, like the ones on various fan projects online, it should be the best sounding version of the film.
The AC3 audio on Side 2 of the CLV LaserDisc has the LFE channel muted. This was left intact for the CAV release.
The 2000 and 2005 UK DVD has an error where one of the shots is brightened up way too high (when the rest of the toys hold onto Slinky as he clings onto Woody during the moving truck rescue). Plus the end credits are interlaced (the PSP UMD video is the only way to get that version of the credits without interlacing).
The 4K Blu-ray has a further remixed Atmos track.
Director: Taika Waititi
2D: Disney 4K Blu-ray
3D: International Disney 3D Blu-ray
2D: Disney 4K Blu-ray
3D: International Disney 3D Blu-ray
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