Australian magazine FILMINK recently visited the Kong set to check out "whether the Lord of the Ring Oscar-winner is making a monkey out of a classic Holywood movie". Here's a sneak preview. The issue with the article hits newstands next Wednesday in Australia. It can be purchased online, or by contacting FILMINK's customer service. [More]

Gandalf writes: This appeared in the Dominion Post this morning - Wed 8 June. The third paragraph is certainly of interest, "A spokeswoman for King Kong's New Zealand distributor, United International Pictures, said it was possible the trailer would also be shown online before June 29. A decision still had to be made." BEFORE June 29... that's good news. I hope you (and KiKn!) get to see it early if not first. [More]

In lieu of coaxing Enya to do permanent in-house entertainment duties, Peter Jackson opted for the $99,975 LB-BGJ from Ragtime Automated Music, a cabinet containing a robotically controlled acoustic “band.” A touch-screen interface controls the whole works, sending MIDI signals to the mechanical elements that “play” the full drum kit, piano, accordion, guitar, banjo, electric bass, and 24 organ pipes. But oh, it’s not for him, it’s “for his wife.” Ahhh yes, robotic ragtime — the gift that keeps on giving. [More]

Best known as the Nazi soldier who spares the life of a Jew in `The Pianist', German actor Thomas Kretschmann talks about his recent success in Hollywood and his love for watches. What's the main difference between German and US films? German-born actor Thomas Kretschmann has an answer. ``Germans build awesome cars. For Germans, one plus one is two. That makes sense and that's how they can build a car, by putting in this and that to make the car work. But if they put this and that in the film, it doesn't always work. They don't have passion. But I'm not like that. I don't feel very German, to be honest,'' said the actor on his recent visit to the Kingdom. [More]

Thanks to Altaira (via peace2u) on our messageboards for this: There are thousands of games on the floor at E3, yet still, there are just a handful it seems nearly everyone is dying to see. First up is “King Kong,” which was developed with the help of movie director Peter Jackson, who's finishing up work on the remake of the classic movie. Unfortunately, game developer Ubisoft was not talking nor showing too much to help quench the collective curiosity. “Well, you're going to be able to play both as Kong and as Jack. That's about all I can tell you right now,” says Gary Keith of Ubisoft Entertainment. “You know, Universal isn't going to unveil Kong until June 28th when they release their first trailer, and obviously there’s a lot of anticipation for it, so we're going to hold off as well.” [More]

UPDATE: Sources confirm that this WILL happen, the trailer will be attached to 'War of the Worlds' due to hit theatres on June 29th...we got our trailer date!

Today is Matthew Chamberlain's Birthday! Matthew plays one of the Venture crewmen in Peter Jackson's King Kong. He was born on June 6th, 1964 that makes him 41 today! Happy Birthday Matthew!

BruceC wrote in to let us know that Fay Wray was inducted into the Walk of Fame in Toronto, Canada along with Keifer Sutherland and Alanis Morissette. Jam! Showbiz has a nice retrospective on Wray's life. [More]

He is one of the most amazing, popular, and iconic characters in the history of motion pictures. His 1933 debut was a legendary piece of pure cinema - simultaneously a terrifying monster movie, epic fairy tale, tragic love story, and deeply resonant cultural myth. His name is King Kong. Ray Morton's King Kong - The Making of a Movie Icon is the first book to chronicle the making of all seven feature films in which the character of Kong has appeared, including the hotly anticipated Peter Jackson film opening in December 2005. It is generously illustrated with photographs, production art, and promotional materials from the author's extensive private collection. Morton has interviewed the surviving members of each major film. A colorful overview of the tremendous amount of collectible Kong merchandise is also on view for all the fans of Kongdom to devour.

Pre-Order the Book

Amazon.com
King Kong : The History of a Movie Icon from Fay Wray to Peter Jackson

Amazon.ca
King Kong : The History of a Movie Icon from Fay Wray to Peter Jackson

Amazon.co.uk
King Kong : The History of a Movie Icon from Fay Wray to Peter Jackson

The latest newsletter is ready to go! Do you want to receive our free weekly newsletter? Packed with tons of info to keep you up to date on the latest? Plus filled with exclusives from time to time! Join the crowd of over 2080 mailing list members! Sign up now! [More]

It is time to come together and talk Kong! The chatroom has been a great success, however some people have been popping in at odd hours when there is no one to chat with. To that end we've devised 2 KONG Chat times, a set time and day of the week for all Kong chatters to meet and have fun! Tonight's chat will be at 5:30PM Eastern Standard Time (click here for more info). World times are below, if you need more help click here.

5:30PM (Saturday) EST in New York, Montreal
2:30PM (Saturday) PST in Los Angeles, Seattle
11:30PM (Saturday) (Central European Time)
7:30AM (Sunday) in Sydney
9:30AM (Sunday) in Auckland, Wellington

With 28 weeks left to go Peter Jackson gets back to answering your questions! We've sent a few THOUSAND emails to Peter in the last few months and his team have the thankless job of printing, reading and sorting all of them for Peter to pick and choose. This week we get to look back at working on the script, when, where, and why he uses special effects, and just why does he make these production diaries in the first place! Great SFX shots, T-Rex, Kong, cast shots, and of course PJ on his editing couch. Take a look! [QT6 240x132px 7Mb] [QT4 320x176px 13Mb] [QT6 480x264px 18Mb] [Bit Torrents!]

Email us your questions and PJ may answer them in a future Post Production Diary!

Like what you see? Discuss it in our Chat Room! [Click Here] Or the Message Boards? [Click Here]

Thanks to Robin for this transcript from 'CBC Metro Morning' featuring an interview with Howard Shore where he talks briefly about King Kong! [More]

Bob writes: I just heard on the radio that Howard Shore is Shelagh Rogers's guest on "Sounds Like Canada" on Thursday, June 2. The programme airs on CBC Radio 1 at 10 a.m. across the country. You can find out more about the specific spot (including how to get a transcript) at the Sounds Like Canada web page. [More]

It is time to come together and talk Kong! The chatroom has been a great success, however some people have been popping in at odd hours when there is no one to chat with. To that end I've devised a KONG Chat time, a set time and day of the week for all Kong chatters to meet and have fun! The bi-weekly Kong Chats will be Thursday nights at 8:30PM Eastern Standard Time (a new Saturday chat has been added click here for more info). World times are below, if you need more help click here. [Kong Java Chat Room] [irc chat settings: SERVER www.theonering.net ROOM: #kongisking.net]

8:30PM (Thursday) EST in New York, Montreal
5:30PM (Thursday) PST in Los Angeles, Seattle
1:30AM (Friday) in GMT (UK)
2:30AM (Friday) (Central European Time)
10:30PM (Friday) in Sydney, Australia
12:30PM (Friday) in Auckland, Wellington, New Zealand

The combination of a killer shark, a waddling alien and a story of humanity in the midst of the Holocaust has driven film buffs to crown Steven Spielberg as cinema’s greatest director...Two other big names of modern film — Peter Jackson, who directed The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction) — are in seventh and eighth places. They beat Orson Welles, the director of Citizen Kane, who came ninth, and Woody Allen, who was tenth. [More]