KING KONG: PETER JACKSON'S PRODUCTION DIARIES - DVD review

I think we all know just what a genius Peter Jackson is, and how much he loves cinema. The wealth of materials that detailed the making of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogies has forever set the bar for making-of materials. While "King Kong – Peter Jackson's Production Diaries" doesn't go into that great of detail, but the sheer amount of information detailed here does give a good sense of the difficulties in producing the new "King Kong."

Director Peter Jackson is our guide throught these shorts, which were originally released every couple of days on the website Kong is King The few dozen featurettes run anywhere from thirty seconds to a few minutes. But the best parts that while they do talk about traditional filmmaking aspects and tricks of the trade, they have a little fun getting into the minutia of moviemaking. Where else would you get an intimate discussion of the creation of different types of animal dung for the S.S. Venture?

It seems like everyone's pretty reticent to talk on camera at first, but they warm up quickly and get into the spirit… to have a little fun. Andy Serkis, who plays the galley chef, gives an interview in-character in his kitchen on the boat. Jack Black and Adrian Brody teach us how to walk on a rocking boat, and there is even a piece on the role of a production slate in filming. For those of us who may love filmmaking but have never understood the little things that are done, we're given a lot of details about the craft.

And then there are the complete goofs. The day that Gandalf, an internet spy, visited the set and had a clash with the crew. It's silly, goofy, and really pretty funny. The "real" background footage is intercut with these jovial little pieces. It makes the diaries more than just informative; it makes them fun.

Those of you worried about seeing these shorts showing up on a later "King Kong" DVD set need not worry; Peter Jackson makes it clear that these are created autonomously of the extra features. In truth, they cover details of filming that would never be incorporated into traditional extras. They don't go into incredible depth but got me really excited about "King Kong" and gave me an idea of just how much goes into the day-to-day creation of a film.

I'm a filmmaking nut. I love the craft, I love the details of what has to be done to translate the story to the audience. It's the reason I read "American Cinematographer" and pour through editing books. These sets are a great way to experience filmmaking from the comfort of your favorite armchair.

Video:
Because these shorts were originally recorded for the Internet, their quality isn't going to be that great. While presented in anamorphic widescreen, I believe they were shot on digital video and as a result look a little blurry. Compression isn't an issue, nor is grain; the print is just as clean as can be.

Audio:
Again, because of the diaries original transition medium, I wasn't expecting much more than a Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track, and a limited dynamic range. I was half right; the track is DD 2.0 Stereo, but it sounds perfectly clear. I would not be surprised to find that they used a boom to record the audio. The dialogue comes through crystal clear, obscured only by the planes that fly overhead.

Extras:
One of the major reasons to purchase this set is the amazing packaging, and this is a beauty. The outer set is just decorative cardboard, meant to safely transport the two discs, booklet, and lithographs. While it's very pretty, I think it's ultimately disposable; I don't plan on keeping mine, and I'm generally fixated on keeping everything, including slipcases.

Once you get past the packaging (which is handsome, to be sure) there is a ton of great stuff included along with the discs. There is a numbered certificate of authenticity with a reproduced signature of director Peter Jackson. Four beautiful, glossy lithographs featuring conceptual art are included… and, to be redundant, they are beautiful. I personally plan on framing them and using them to accentuate the poster from the 2-disc Warner Brothers set released in November.

The set is housed in a 1920s-style clipboard file folder. It contains a fifty-odd page booklet that details each chapter of the production diaries and its contents and is mixed in with behind-the-scenes photographs from the new "King Kong."

I think that this set's packaging rivals the Criterion Collection release of "Memento" and the Anchor Bay Book of the Dead editions of the first two films in the "Evil Dead" series for its originality and style.

Peter Jackson introduces the first disc, gives us a taste of what they intended with these production diaries, and sets the jocular tone that runs through the next couple hundred minutes.

The features are organized in a chronological fashion or by the sets. You can watch everything connected with the swamp, with the Venture, etc.

Though you could technically call the featured production diaries a series of extra features themselves, there is one featurette included on the second disc which chronicles the creation of the T-Rex fight. The sixteen minute feature contains a ton of spoiler information on how they created the film. Jackson introduces and narrates the short documentary.

Packaging alone won't usually qualify a set for a high rating, but you have to understand that this is so completely, off-the-chart cool that I can't help but give it near perfect marks.

Film Value:
Buy this set. Whether you're a fan of the classic "King Kong," are anticipating the new "Kong," or are just enjoy the filmmaking process, you'll be enamored by these production diaries. The packaging, including the lithographs, is insanely neat and the diary shorts are very, very cool. I actually recommend you pick up this set, wait for the film to premiere, watch it, then come back and watch the diaries. I think you'll appreciate just how much went into the film's creation that way, and won't have any of it spoiled for you.