MovieChat Forums > Mighty Joe Young (1949) Discussion > DVD Coming 11/22/05

DVD Coming 11/22/05

posted 20 years ago by TimViper1
4 replies | jump to latest

This movie will be available as part of the King Kong box set set to release Nov. 22/05. Also included are the original 1933 King Kong, and Son Of Kong.

Specs: Mighty Joe Young will include the 94-minute restored B&W film on video in its original full frame, with Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio and English, French and Spanish subtitles. Extras will include audio commentary (by Ray Harryhausen, Ken Ralston and Terry Moore), 2 new featurettes (Ray Harryhausen and The Chioda Brothers and Ray Harryhausen and Mighty Joe Young) and the film's theatrical trailer.

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/miscgfx/covers4/kingkong3titles.jpg

[–] jonny_the_guru 19 years ago

I just watched them today, and I enjoyed it very much. Although I know it is 56 years old, I can't help but laugh at some of the "special effects" in the movie that won the Oscar for it. Same goes for the War Of The Worlds, which also won the Oscar ('53 I believe) for special effects, and now watching the new one... not much comparison.
I definitely can't wait for the new King Kong!!!! less then one month away!

"No, No. Dig up, stupid!"

[–] pjwoodall1 19 years ago

I have a minor correction to Terry Moore and Ray Harryhausen's comments on Ben Johnson's long career. While it is true Johnson brought a shipment of horses to Hollywood for THE OUTLAW, he apppeared in numerous westerns at Republic(probably as a stuntman) and Ford's FORT APACHE(doubling Wayne or Fonda), SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON and RIO GRANDE before MIGHTY JOE YOUNG.

Johnson also has a flub in Randolph Scott's RETURN OF THE BAD MEN where he's a posse member with one line and disappears inexplicably when he dismounts from his horse.

[–] Grant_Gardner 19 years ago

The establishing shot in Mighty Joe Young were the camera moves towards the stage area where Joseph Young will make his first stage appearance is one of the most difficult and complicated shots ever set up and filmed. Harryhousen's scenes with Joe setting the lion free from its cage is also a masterpiece of special effects of that sort. I believe it was his first effect for a cinema released feature film and he really went to town on that one to show what he was capable of, to prove himself.

I enjoyed this one as a kid a lot, more than Kong, and was blown away with what they were able to get away with regarding special effects at that time as an adult. I have from time to time explained how the first shot I wrote about here was done to some people watching it with me. Even though they have it explained to them how it was done, they still have a hard time believing it. Some parts of it are too smooth for the human eye to detect without careful scrutiny. It is simply on of the best special effects films using those techniques and equipment.

[–] pjwoodall1 19 years ago

the commentaries on MIGHTY JOE YOUNG and KING KONG are superior, in my opinion, to Lucas' commentaries for the STAR WARS films. Harryhausen, Terry Moore and Ralston are entertaining and informative. Unfortunately, Fay Wray is represented by only two comments on "Kong".

Trivia: Douglas Fowley is identified as the drunk with the moustache in the nightclub scene, but who are his buddies? Nestor Paiva and Paul Guilfoyle. If you look close in the roping sequence, you can spot former cowboy star Kermit Maynard.

Speaking of Naiva, who burns Joe with his cigarette lighter, Joe changes size immediately. Naiva would play the Scorpion in DON WINSLOW OF THE NAVY and the Fascist baddie hiding in the volanco in KING OF THE MOUNTIES. Guilfoyle would play the masked hero in THE SCARLET HORSEMAN.