King Kong (1976)
Adventure, Fantasy • 2h 14m
Overview
An oil company expedition disturbs the peace of a giant ape and brings him back to New York to exploit him.
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
Director: John Guillermin
Director: John Guillermin
Director: John Guillermin
Director: John Guillermin
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray > US Paramount 4K Blu-ray for the US Cut.
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray, is significantly better than the US Paramount 4K Blu-ray (even with FEL Baked in and Dolby Vision), with more grain retention and detail
SDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/TEPHtKjl
HDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/hIFe11Hx
Comparisons in SDR using L8 Trim from CM v4.0 (both UHDs can use CM v4.0): Remux vs USA UHD: https://slow.pics/c/mkrhVtpl
The International Cut, which contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act, hasn't been released on home video to date.
International Cut contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act.
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray > US Paramount 4K Blu-ray for the US Cut.
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray, is significantly better than the US Paramount 4K Blu-ray (even with FEL Baked in and Dolby Vision), with more grain retention and detail
SDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/TEPHtKjl
HDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/hIFe11Hx
Comparisons in SDR using L8 Trim from CM v4.0 (both UHDs can use CM v4.0): Remux vs USA UHD: https://slow.pics/c/mkrhVtpl
The International Cut, which contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act, hasn't been released on home video to date.
International Cut contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act.
Director: Peter Weir
Director: Peter Weir
Director: Tony Scott
Director: Tony Scott
Director: Haskell Wexler
Criterion Blu-ray is slightly better than MoC Blu-ray: while both are from a 4K restoration approved by director, MoC is more sharpened but gamma is flatter see caps
Paramount DVD and potentially Paramount LaserDisc see blah-ray
Criterion and MoC Blu-ray has the same audio, and additional (destructive) hiss reduction was applied, and one segment was made significantly louder.
Also, every home video release except the 1982 Paramount VHS cassette replaces Wild Man Fischer's 'Merry-Go-Round' in the roller derby scene with a version of 'Sweet Georgia Brown' by Brother Bones. Two very different songs, and one must assume that the tone of the scene has changed considerably
Director: Haskell Wexler
Criterion Blu-ray is slightly better than MoC Blu-ray: while both are from a 4K restoration approved by director, MoC is more sharpened but gamma is flatter see caps
Paramount DVD and potentially Paramount LaserDisc see blah-ray
Criterion and MoC Blu-ray has the same audio, and additional (destructive) hiss reduction was applied, and one segment was made significantly louder.
Also, every home video release except the 1982 Paramount VHS cassette replaces Wild Man Fischer's 'Merry-Go-Round' in the roller derby scene with a version of 'Sweet Georgia Brown' by Brother Bones. Two very different songs, and one must assume that the tone of the scene has changed considerably
Paramount 4K Blu-ray but poor encode, no alternatives though
Paramount 4K Blu-ray but poor encode, no alternatives though
Director: Jon Favreau
US Universal Blu-ray with both cuts, Kino Lorber Blu-ray (extended cut only) included in the disappointing 4K Blu-ray and International Paramount Blu-ray (both Theatrical and Extended Blu-rays in different countries) have similar encoding.
US Universal Blu-ray with both cuts, Kino Lorber Blu-ray (extended cut only) included in the disappointing 4K Blu-ray and International Paramount Blu-ray (both Theatrical and Extended Blu-rays in different countries) have similar encoding.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray disappointing review
Director: Jon Favreau
US Universal Blu-ray with both cuts, Kino Lorber Blu-ray (extended cut only) included in the disappointing 4K Blu-ray and International Paramount Blu-ray (both Theatrical and Extended Blu-rays in different countries) have similar encoding.
US Universal Blu-ray with both cuts, Kino Lorber Blu-ray (extended cut only) included in the disappointing 4K Blu-ray and International Paramount Blu-ray (both Theatrical and Extended Blu-rays in different countries) have similar encoding.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray disappointing review
Director: Wes Craven
Theatrical: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
Uncut Director's Cut: Either the Germany Kinowelt DVD, the Japan DVD, the Scandinavian DVD, or the US LaserDisc. Fan preservation is likely better quality.
Theatrical: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
Uncut Director's Cut: Either the Germany Kinowelt DVD, the Japan DVD, the Scandinavian DVD, or the US LaserDisc. Fan preservation is likely better quality.
2011 Blu-ray/2021 4K Blu-ray
The 2011 Lionsgate Blu-ray is incredibly poor for every Original Trilogy film; older processed older DVD-era masters with heavy use of DNR, sharpening and edge enhancement with a really dull color grade. The 4K Blu-ray is miles better. The DTS-HD 5.1 across all three films appears to be the same on both the Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, and they appear to be the untouched theatrical 5.1 mixes.
The Uncut version has more violence: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=256325
Director: Wes Craven
Theatrical: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
Uncut Director's Cut: Either the Germany Kinowelt DVD, the Japan DVD, the Scandinavian DVD, or the US LaserDisc. Fan preservation is likely better quality.
Theatrical: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
Uncut Director's Cut: Either the Germany Kinowelt DVD, the Japan DVD, the Scandinavian DVD, or the US LaserDisc. Fan preservation is likely better quality.
2011 Blu-ray/2021 4K Blu-ray
The 2011 Lionsgate Blu-ray is incredibly poor for every Original Trilogy film; older processed older DVD-era masters with heavy use of DNR, sharpening and edge enhancement with a really dull color grade. The 4K Blu-ray is miles better. The DTS-HD 5.1 across all three films appears to be the same on both the Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, and they appear to be the untouched theatrical 5.1 mixes.
The Uncut version has more violence: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=256325
Director: Karyn Kusama
Paramount 4K Blu-ray (4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release is a significant upgrade from the 2006 Blu-Ray and features Dolby Vision and HDR10)
Paramount 4K Blu-ray (4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release features a 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio; 2006 Blu-Ray featured a lossy DD track)
Paramount 4K HD Blu-Ray's video and audio are significant upgrades from the previous 2006 Blu-Ray. ViaVision's 4K UHD Blu-Ray features the same 4K video scan, but has 2 audio commentary tracks included on the 4K disc; Paramount's 4K does not (the commentary tracks are available only on the included Blu-Ray).
Director: Karyn Kusama
Paramount 4K Blu-ray (4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release is a significant upgrade from the 2006 Blu-Ray and features Dolby Vision and HDR10)
Paramount 4K Blu-ray (4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release features a 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio; 2006 Blu-Ray featured a lossy DD track)
Paramount 4K HD Blu-Ray's video and audio are significant upgrades from the previous 2006 Blu-Ray. ViaVision's 4K UHD Blu-Ray features the same 4K video scan, but has 2 audio commentary tracks included on the 4K disc; Paramount's 4K does not (the commentary tracks are available only on the included Blu-Ray).
More Adventure on Blu-ray
Director: Akira Kurosawa
BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR
Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray
BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.
The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.
Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR
Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray
BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.
The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.
Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2017 US GKIDS Blu-ray has better detail and grain, 2014 Japan Studio Ghibli Blu-ray from the Hayao Miyazaki box set for MGVC with added bit-depth for supported players
2011/2014 Japan Studio Ghibli Blu-ray for original 6.1 audio mix, Cinema DTS for the English dub
2017 US GKIDS Blu-ray has better detail and grain, 2014 Japan Studio Ghibli Blu-ray from the Hayao Miyazaki box set for MGVC with added bit-depth for supported players
2011/2014 Japan Studio Ghibli Blu-ray for original 6.1 audio mix, Cinema DTS for the English dub
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: James Cameron
Disney 4K Blu-ray's artificial smoothening of facial textures making actors look unnatural, grain reduction and other changes to make the film look less like a product of its time
Old WEB-DL or HDTV rip for non AI version
Director: James Cameron
Disney 4K Blu-ray's artificial smoothening of facial textures making actors look unnatural, grain reduction and other changes to make the film look less like a product of its time
Old WEB-DL or HDTV rip for non AI version
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
caps #1 (with FEL), caps #2
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
The compression is underwhelming on all discs, but despite trading blows in various frames, Lionsgate's re-released 4K disc wins.
The Lionsgate 4K re-release includes original matrixed Dolby Stereo mix, transferred from a LaserDisc, with missing cues at side changeover points corrected, and consistent volume throughout, as well as two remixed variants in 5.1 and 7.1 Atmos. The 5.1 is incorrectly labeled as original on the menu.
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
caps #1 (with FEL), caps #2
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
The compression is underwhelming on all discs, but despite trading blows in various frames, Lionsgate's re-released 4K disc wins.
The Lionsgate 4K re-release includes original matrixed Dolby Stereo mix, transferred from a LaserDisc, with missing cues at side changeover points corrected, and consistent volume throughout, as well as two remixed variants in 5.1 and 7.1 Atmos. The 5.1 is incorrectly labeled as original on the menu.
Director: Ken Hughes
MGM Blu-ray's stereo track.
MGM's 7.1 track is a remix with a few flaws and much worse fidelity. Capelight's stereo and 7.1 track are both from the remix.
The movie was originally premiered as a roadshow release, with a a 70mm 6-Track Stereo mix. This mix, unfortunately has not been released on home video.
The closest thing to that mix, is the stereo track included on the 2010 Blu-ray. It sounds great, with high fidelity and little filtering. It's lossy, but that doesn't matter very much.
Both the DVD 5.1 and the Blu-ray 7.1 tracks (identical on both discs) are a new remix, rather than a repackaging of the original mix. The 7.1 track sounds quite muffled, though not evenly so. The Capelight Blu-ray's lossless stereo track uses the same remix, but with higher fidelity than the surround tracks, sounding significantly less muffled. Compared to the original, this remix sounds wider and more "cleaned up". The remix contains a handful of errors, for example the intermission cue fades out, rather than ending correctly.
Comparison samples
Director: Ken Hughes
MGM Blu-ray's stereo track.
MGM's 7.1 track is a remix with a few flaws and much worse fidelity. Capelight's stereo and 7.1 track are both from the remix.
The movie was originally premiered as a roadshow release, with a a 70mm 6-Track Stereo mix. This mix, unfortunately has not been released on home video.
The closest thing to that mix, is the stereo track included on the 2010 Blu-ray. It sounds great, with high fidelity and little filtering. It's lossy, but that doesn't matter very much.
Both the DVD 5.1 and the Blu-ray 7.1 tracks (identical on both discs) are a new remix, rather than a repackaging of the original mix. The 7.1 track sounds quite muffled, though not evenly so. The Capelight Blu-ray's lossless stereo track uses the same remix, but with higher fidelity than the surround tracks, sounding significantly less muffled. Compared to the original, this remix sounds wider and more "cleaned up". The remix contains a handful of errors, for example the intermission cue fades out, rather than ending correctly.
Comparison samples
Directors: Jules Bass & Arthur Rankin, Jr.
Directors: Jules Bass & Arthur Rankin, Jr.
Edit History
5/27/2026
Additional Info
Added
Shout! Factory Blu-ray has extras missing from 4K
Added
Shout! Factory Blu-ray has extras missing from 4K
8/17/2025
Best Video Release
From
StudioCanal UHD good encode, but poor colours. Paramount UHD good colours but poor encode.
To
StudioCanal UHD: good encode, but poor colours. More extras
Paramount UHD: good colours but poor encode.
From
StudioCanal UHD good encode, but poor colours. Paramount UHD good colours but poor encode.
To
StudioCanal UHD: good encode, but poor colours. More extras
Paramount UHD: good colours but poor encode.
Best Audio Release
Added
(Paramount 4KBD has a 5.1 mix ONLY, which contains a music error) a possible replacement disc is still to be confirmed...
Added
(Paramount 4KBD has a 5.1 mix ONLY, which contains a music error) a possible replacement disc is still to be confirmed...
1/8/2025
Best Video Release
From
Studio Canal has solid encode but controversial color
To
StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray: good encode, but poor colours. More extras Paramount 4K Blu-ray: good colours but poor encode.
From
Studio Canal has solid encode but controversial color
To
StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray: good encode, but poor colours. More extras Paramount 4K Blu-ray: good colours but poor encode.
12/30/2024
