The Making of King Kong : The Official Guide to the Motion Picture [Paperback]

Jenny Wake (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 13, 2005 | Series: King Kong

It was seeing "King Kong" as a young boy that made Peter Jackson decide to become a filmmaker. Now, in 2005, he will fulfill another one of his ambitions with the release of "King Kong", his own personal homage to the film that inspired him. Made with the same meticulous attention to detail and consummate on-screen storytelling that hallmarked all three "Lord of the Rings" films, "King Kong" will recreate all the tragic grandeur and epic scale of the original while emphasising the themes of conservation versus exploitation of nature that give the story a peculiarly contemporary resonance. Jackson will employ the latest technology to bring this timeless tale to cinematic life, and his "Kong" promises to be a unique and breathtaking creation. Following every step of the process, this book is the perfect on-set illustrated record of how "King Kong" was made. Starring Jack Black, Naomi Watts, Adrian Brody and Andy Serkis - who will bring to his portrayal of Kong the same extraordinary talent he brought to Gollum - "King Kong" is scheduled for worldwide release in December 2005.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (December 13, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416505180
• ISBN-13: 978-1416505181
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #479,181 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Insight into the World of Kong - A Must Have!, February 10, 2006

By 

Elizabeth A. Kidder "Page-Turner in Training" (Knoxville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Making of King Kong : The Official Guide to the Motion Picture (Paperback)

Having watched Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong three times already, I wondered so often during the film how they made it all look so real. I never doubted for a second that there was an uncharted island of the coast; it was all so real and vibrant I couldn't help believing. I wanted to know exactly how they created not only Skull Island and it's creatures, but the whole city of New York, the actor's takes on the movie, and Peter Jackson's vision. Having said so, I believe this is the best possible guide for the movie you could have.

Each page is a veritable explosion of color and detail as they take you through step-by-step, explaining the creations of miniatures and models, motion-capture of Andy Serkis, and blue and green screens suddenly turning into lush tropical jungles, or cold, dirty, city streets. They give histories into the Skull Island natives, personal actor narritations of their characters, and detailed explanations of the process of creating an image in the computer and bringing it to life on the big screen. This is one of those books with something for everyone, and you can skip around to whatever interests you most. Myself, I read the entire book and often went back to certain sections to just immerse myself in the creative genius of the people who made this production a reality. It also made me a bit amazed at times, when I learned that the famous log scene was conducted on a bucking constructed log in the middle of a sea of blue screens only 2 meters from the floor. Or that New York wasn't really New York at all. Or even that the biplanes were all reconstructed by hand from old blueprints, because there were no surviving ones. It also talked about teh detail put into the shop windows, where everything was bought or made by hand. After reading this, I had such a deep feeling of respect and amazment for the people who worked on this production, making it as realistic as possible. I know that sounds weird, because King Kong is a fantasy story, but with such heart and detail and life, it's hard to think of it as anything but real. In all, this is the perfect book for anyone who wants more insight into the world of Kong, or even wants to be entertained and amazed time and time again.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous companion to the movie, January 25, 2006

By 

Karen Miller (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Making of King Kong : The Official Guide to the Motion Picture (Paperback)

Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong is a huge movie, and this 'behind the scenes' companion is a wonderful complement to it. The book looks great, it's beautifully designed to tie in with the 30s era, it has great photos and is well laid out.

Even better, the writing is wonderful. Flowing, informative, conversational and always engaging, it really tells you about the processes of bringing this story to life.

Excellent book, well worth collecting.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Book!, March 10, 2006

By 

Raymond F. Gillis (Yonkers, New York) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Making of King Kong : The Official Guide to the Motion Picture (Paperback)

Very simple...a fantastic book from a fantastic film. Well written and concise. The photography is perfect and fills you in on the myriad of details that went into this stunning film. The parts on how Wellington, New Zealand became New York are worth the price alone. The detail is overwhelming. As someone who lives in New York I was amazed that Peter Jackson and crew captured the rows of piers that once jutted out into the Hudson, towards Hoboken, New Jersey. This didn't have to be put in...yet is a small example of the attention, pure attention to detail that went into the making of this film. This will not destroy the mystery behind the making of this epic...it will enhance it.