Director of King Kong guest edits special collectors’ issue

28/11/05 –Director Peter Jackson turns his hands to magazine editing later this week, when he takes the helm at the UK’s Total Film magazine for a special collectors’ issue.


In a world exclusive by the UK film magazine, Jackson helps Total Film commemorate the eagerly-awaited launch of his newest movie, King Kong. Setting the editorial agenda for Total Film’s Christmas Issue, the director suggested feature ideas and wrote across all sections of the magazine. From his special editor’s welcome onwards, Jackson enjoyed putting his thumbprint on the movie magazine that was the first anywhere to feature on-set photography from his follow-up to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The Kiwi’s Weta Digital Ltd worked on the special effects for the King Kong movie and also created an exclusive cover for Total Film, depicting Kong fighting three vicious T-Rex dinosaurs to protect Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts.) Each collector’s issue comes with a special cover-mounted King Kong film cell in a presentation card – only available to Total Film readers. Inside, movie fans can find out more about the movie in a 10-page feature, packed with previously unseen photography that talks with key cast and crew.

Aside from the coverage of his latest movie, Jackson took his new-found editorial control to the extreme, with his special issue of Total Film writing about the things which excite him most in the movie industry. The Jackson-inspired features include four pages on famed “King of New York” Woody Allen and John Cusack, who PJ calls “simply the coolest man in the movies today.”

Editor of Total Film Mark Dinning said:

“Peter Jackson took time out of editing this year’s most anticipated movie to edit Total Film – this is a testament to his dedication to his many fans in the UK. Last year our readers voted for Peter to win four Readers’ Awards for Return of the King and ever since he has made every effort to stay in touch with them. I can’t thank him enough for working on this very special issue of Total Film – even if the team now want to replace the usual guy.”

The Christmas issue of Total Film also delivers the definitive review on potential festive hit – The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and takes a look at early Oscar favourite, the gay cowboy movie, Brokeback Mountain. The issue is rounded off with a look at the team’s top 20 movies of 2005 and a truly unmissable interview with the “living legend” that is Patrick Swayze.

Total Film’s DVD section Lounge takes a behind the scenes look at the seventies revival of King Kong and reviews the Scarlet Johansson and Ewan McGregor sci-fi romp, The Island. Lounge also features comprehensive reviews of the latest DVDs, soundtracks and games for Christmas.

The Christmas issue of Total Film goes on sale Thursday 1st December, with a cover price of £3.50 – including the collectable King Kong film cell.