4K Ultra HD – Edition FR – Studiochannel – 134 min – 23 November 2022
Video format
• Intermediate Master: 4K
• Standard HDR: Dolby Vision
• Ratio: 2.39
Soundtrack
• English DTS-HD MA 5.1
• English LPCM 2.0
• French LPCM 2.0
Subtitles
• English
• French
It is brought to the attention of our dear readers as well as the viewing equipment specified and used by each tester of the MaG team, the rendering may differ from one installation to another, whether or not it is calibrated, as well as personal preferences and expectations may influence the rating. Moreover, the images in the article are not representative of the edition tested.
WORK – Beauty and the Beast
Fred Wilson, sent by his company to Polynesia near the Skull Island, discovers an illegal passenger on the boat. It evokes the existence of a monster on the island. At sea, we collect Dwan, a young woman who has been shipwrecked. The group landed on the island. Dwan gets kidnapped by natives and is delivered to King Kong, a gigantic monkey 12 meters high, who falls in love with her...
Even though academic and suffering from failed incrustations, this ill-loved remake of the 1933 classic remains a good adventure film (of the change of scenery, action and suspense) that highlighted the superb Jessica Lange and was able to propose a sexual metaphor of the myth.
IMAGE – Behind the mist
Resulting from a 4K scan of the 35 mm negative (standardized in color by Paramount), this restoration carried out in part by L
The print defects have been completely cleaned, the geometry has been slightly revised (a tiny vertical shrinkage), the image is of exemplary stability, the definition is remarkable (the sweetness, inherent to the source, is due to an anamorphic capture and optical SFX), the level of detail is displayed with much more precision than in the past (the close-ups on the faces, the decorations) and the silver texture is a beautiful finesse (so-called goodbye to the old excessive granularity).
Thanks to HDR technology, the contrasts are firmer (scenes dived into the darkness gain in legibility) and the light sources more dynamic (ship control panel, fireworks, daylight, urban lighting).
But here, the new colorimetry applied to photography may deconcentrate some, since it abandons itself from that to that of the « nuances » well visible roots (especially on the sky and white uniforms of sailors). Fortunately, the greens of the vegetation are luxuriant than ever and the carnation, with the heat raised, healthier (while it pulls towards yellow on the master HD).
SOUND – Crying to love!
More detailed (see ambiences), more balanced and showing more panache, the two VO (5.1 and 2.0 stereo) are to be prioritised on the tight and too acidy monophonic VF (proposed in DTS-HD HR 5.1 on the previous Blu-ray).
The stereo VO is thicker than its multichannel consœur, but it suffers from an episodicly too large amount of information where the atmosphere, effects and music come to the fore (the New York final). However, there are no technical problems (no distortion or whistling) and dialogues are always clear.
More charged in bass (low expansion by nature) and allowing for a much better breathing (increased separation of noise), the VO 5.1 remains instead frontal (environments rarely come to life at the rear).
CONCLUSION – The eighth wonder of the world?
If he took a serious blow of old and saw himself forced to dye his fur (the addition of a tonality), the King Kong 1976 regains its primate charm in 4K Ultra HD!
Artistic note
7
Video quality
7
Audio quality
7
0
[...] King Kong (1976), the second youth of the hairy king? by the celest wolf [...]