Retro Throw Back: 2005's King Kong- What Went Wrong?

[baumer]

I don't really know how a movie that 550 million WW in 2005 "went wrong" 

 

I think he's talking more domestically.

[Goffe]

I can't find any reasonable explanation why it opened so low. The Lost World grossed 70 million more than KK, despite mixed reaction, no christmas release and 8 years of inflation. Puzzling indeed. I remember looking King Kong BO (after watching the movie) and thinking "WTF? Why the gross is so low?"

[baumer]

I think what went wrong is that the budget was 207 million dollars.  If it was half that, which it should have been, then there wouldn't be a discussion about WWW.

[Fancyarcher]

I can't find any reasonable explanation why it opened so low. The Lost World grossed 70 million more than KK, despite mixed reaction, no christmas release and 8 years of inflation. Puzzling indeed. I remember looking King Kong BO (after watching the movie) and thinking "WTF? Why the gross is so low?"

 

The Lost World was a highly anticipated sequel.

 

Not a good comparison.

[kowhite]

The Lost World was a highly anticipated sequel.

 

Not a good comparison.

 

Yeah, JP2, the sequel to at the time the biggest movie of all time...grossed more than King Kong.

 

Why exactly is that so impossible? 

[Goffe]

The Lost World was a highly anticipated sequel.

 

Not a good comparison.

I know, but KK was coming from the guy who made LOTR trilogy (aka the best trilogy of all-time at the time) + It was heavily marketed and it was a great film...

[kowhite]

I know, but KK was coming from the guy who made LOTR trilogy (aka the best trilogy of all-time at the time) + It was heavily marketed and it was a great film...

 

It made only $10M less stateside.

 

So what you're really asking is...why didn't the Japanese like King Kong versus Lost World?

 

Since well, Lost World made like $65M more in Japan than King Kong.

[Fancyarcher]

I know, but KK was coming from the guy who made LOTR trilogy (aka the best trilogy of all-time at the time) + It was heavily marketed and it was a great film...

 

At least it didn't fall short of 200 million domestic.

[Jonwo]

It was far too long. It did do very well but I think a shorter running time would have helped grosses

[Goffe]

KK was perfectly paced

[Jandrew]

It was too damn long and too many subplots. Half of Skull Island could have been cut out and maybe the entire subplot with the tribe. Didnt they go to Skull Island then leave then come back again? All to save Nicole Kidman? Too long and useless. IMO, even though it was badass at parts, Skull Island just took up way to much time and story and you kinda forget whats even going on.

 

The ending was good classic KK, but I think Jackson focused a little too much on the first and second acts. The effects were 2015 instead of 2005 though, so realistic, but the movie shouldve been shorter and more straight forward. I know I was confused as hell as a kid...after I watched on DVD. Just couldn't sit through it back then. Still cant really unless I have a FF button haha.

[Hatebox]

The ending was good classic KK, but I think Jackson focused a little too much on the first and second acts. The effects were 2015 instead of 2005 though, so realistic, but the movie shouldve been shorter and more straight forward. I know I was confused as hell as a kid...after I watched on DVD. Just couldn't sit through it back then. Still cant really unless I have a FF button haha.

 

Kong looked good, but the environment was very obvious green screen. Jackson also commented on a few set pieces looking shoddy because there wasn't enough time, this one in particular:

 

[John Marston]

I remember anticipating this movie like made back then. I was so disappointed in it even at 14 years old. In fact I remember being in glee that Narnia was beating it lol

[4815162342]

1) $207m production budget

 

2) 187 minute running time. PJ turned a short B-movie into an "epic" dissertation on the Great Depression, show business, and environmental exploitation.

[DAR]

It did run too long. And looking at the fx in the dinosaur stampede now, they're kind of shoddy. Still I kind of like the movie, Andy Serkis is simply great

[4815162342]

You could easily cut 30-40 minutes out of this beast no issue and not lose a single important thing.

[CJohn]

Remember seeing it in theaters, and liked it. Even today when it passes on TV I stay in the channel and watch it. 

[Michael Gary Scott]

I loved it its bo performance was a tad disappointing at the time

[Lordmandeep]

I think Narnia stole its thunder. 

[a2k]

I was dissapointed with the lack of and the manner of vehicular damage show when Kong is on a rampage.

The cars and buses looked toyish and made of tin with Kong going "clang clang clang" on them.

 

This is what happens when the T-Rex in the Lost World smashes his head into a bus

0:19 to 0:29

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVIS31ghLNQ

 

This is an agent from Matrix Reloaded jumping on a car

1:08 to 1:30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b6S8tpQtdw

 

This is Kong smashing a bus

2:45 to 2:53

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diLE4umndNM

 

Fiber glass scrunch > Tin clang

Edited December 15, 2013 by a2knet