STUDIOCANAL today announce the brand new 4K restoration of John Guillermin’s (Blazing Inferno, Death on the Nile) Academy Award® Winning remake of iconic Hollywood classic, KING KONG (1976). Starring Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski, Crazy Heart, True Grit) and Jessica Lange (Tootsie, American Horror Story), and produced by Hollywood legend Dino de Laurentiis (Flash Gordon, Nights of Cabiria, Barbarella), this retelling of the classic monster adventure film went on to jointly win the Academy Award® for Best Visual Effects (Carlo Rambaldi, Glen Robinson and Frank Van der Veer), as well as receiving Academy Award® nominations for Best Cinematography (Richard H. Kline) and Best Sound (Harry W. Tetrick, William McCaughey, Aaron Rochin and Jack Solomon). Jessica Lange was also honoured as Best new Actress for her role at the Golden Globes that same year.
Now restored in 4K for the first time, STUDIOCANAL will re-release the film across Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital releases in their territories, France, Germany, UK, Australia and New Zealand, as well as a special 4K UHD Steelbook in France, Germany and the UK from November 23. A theatrical release is also planned in France for later this year.
New artworks have been created for the Home Entertainment releases by graphic designer Sophie Bland, and for the 4K UHD Steelbook release by Francesco Francavilla.
SYNOPSIS
Fred Wilson (Charles Grodin), an employee of a large American oil company, has been charged with a mission to find new oil wells. With a chartered boat, he sets off on a journey to an uninhabited island in the South Pacific. On board is also a stowaway: the palaeontologist Jack Prescott (Jeff Bridges) has smuggled himself onto the ship, as he hopes to examine a rare species of monkey on this island. On the way, after a violent storm, the expedition also takes on board the shipwrecked Dawn (Jessica Lange), who is floating in a lifeboat at sea. When the ship anchors off the island, however, it turns out not to be as uninhabited as everyone once thought. The natives of the island perform a strange ritual to worship a larger-than-life ape named « Kong ». As soon as they catch sight of the blonde Dawn, they decide they have found their perfect offering.
ABOUT THE RESTORATION
This 2022 restoration is presented by STUDIOCANAL and Paramount Pictures. The 35mm original negative was scanned in 4K and colour graded by Paramount. The restoration and mastering was then carried out at L’Immagine Ritrovata, under the supervision of STUDIOCANAL. The purpose of this restoration was to give a new lease of life to the film for audiences to enjoy on the big screen, and eventually on the smaller screen. A 4K DCP was created, as well as a UHD HDR Dolby Vision master, to enhance the sharpness and brightness in cinemas which is not usually possible with a standard HD master. In addition there is a new, improved and cleaned up 5.1 audio.
STUDIOCANAL owns one of the largest film libraries in the world, boasting nearly 7000 titles from 60 countries. Spanning 100 years of film history. 20 million euros has been invested into the restoration of 700 classic films over the past 5 years.
BONUS FEATURES
- Extended TV broadcast cut (unrestored)
- Audio commentary with film historian Ray Morton
- Audio commentary with actor and makeup artist Rick Baker
- Interview with Barry Nolan
- Interview with Bill Kronick
- Interview with Scott Thaler and Jeffrey Chernov
- Interview with David McGiffert and Brian E. Frankish
- Interview with Jack O’Halloran
- Interview with Steve Varner
- Deleted Scenes
- Original Trailer
HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE DATES:
France – November 23
Germany – November 24
UK – November 28
Australia & New Zealand – December 7
THEATRICAL RELEASE DATES:
France – Date TBC
International Website
