(Peter Jackson, US/New Zealand/Germany 2005, 187 min., DCP)
As his follow-up to the Best Picture-winning Return of the King, Peter Jackson tackles this re-make of the Great Ape, thirty years after the last one. Focusing on the adventure aspect of traveling to an uncharted island and the new biological discoveries it holds, Jackson’s version strips out much of the dialogue to center the action, owing a great debt to silent film, and The Lost World in particular. His 21st century version of 1930s New York is more immersive, making full use of computer animation to re-create and expand upon the “modern” world Kong is brought back to. James Newton Howard’s score has its share of action-oriented horns and drums, but it also gives Kong a voice in his more tender scenes by accenting strings and piano.
Introduction by Mark Watters, post-screening discussion with Watters and Charity Lofthouse.
Upcoming Events in this Series
Film Screenings | The Mission (35mm)
The Art of Music in the Movies In the wilds of Brazil in the 18th century, Jesuit missionary Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons) fights to protect native Indians from being exterminated or sold into slavery by the colonizing Portuguese.