Behind-the-scenes with King Kong (1996)

Behind-the-Scenes with King Kong (in San Francisco, California!) in the 1996 IMAX movie directed by Ben Burtt entitled Special Effects: Anything Can Happen, featuring stop-motion animation created by the late great David Allen (special effects artist). Created by PBS station WGBH in Boston, Massachusetts, as part of the NOVA l PBS program. Only available on VHS!!!

[@dennisalano]

The stop motion animation for kong is incredible

[@stanleyklein524]

The most amazing aspect of this is how well (better) the original stands despite this current effort's superior technology and funding (and limited scope). Face it -- the 1933 O'Brien is pure genius of the cinema.

[@sabineb.5616]

Stanley Klein, I agree that the making of the 1933 Kong is simply mindboggling, and it took a very long time before anyone developed the tools for coming up with something better. The 1976 Kong isn't it - it's 40 years later, but it's actually worse than the original Kong. But Peter Jackson finally did it with the help of motion capture and Andy Serkis! His Kong is the most credible Kong ever. This isn't a knock on the original - far from it! They did the very best with the tools they had!

[@Stev0BabaGhanoush]

YES! I saw this in an IMAX when I was a kid at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. So awesome to find it here.

[@CommanderCourage]

Bro me too! Saw it with my mom and we got this VHS tape in this gift shop after. At the time I was confused as it wasn't what the IMAX movie was but I love King Kong so it was even better!

[@Lenaray818]

People read the description this is not the peter Jackson film from 96 that was canceled

[@KamenRiderSilver]

That Kong figure is beautiful

[@ScottEssmannyca]

KRS -- David Allen was amazing.

[@DevilFish69]

This movie had such a cool movie poster.

[@JohnDonovanProductions]

I was so confused by all of this! Doing some Internet exploring I found that this movie was a special effects documentary that was released in IMAX theaters. Then other people say that it was unreleased and then it later became the 2005 release. I’m all confused LOL

[@ScottEssmannyca]

Correct - the documentary was called "Special Effects-Anything Can Happen" and was released in IMAX theaters in 1996. There was a DVD release thereafter which is very hard to find now. This video above refers to the segments in "Special Effects-Anything Can Happen" which featured a re-creation of King Kong, only he's in San Francisco instead of New York City!

[@JohnDonovanProductions]

By the way, related, I just learned that David Allen‘s work that is shown here has a counterpart from the 1970s when hammer was trying to remake Kong. The King Kong history is so fascinating filled with so much love and dedication from its fans!

[@1950Grendel]

Willis O'Brien did the whole thing by hand, including the camera work. Dave Allen was great, but even his animation was slow compared to O'Brien and Harryhausen.

[@sirgeorge9318]

I want that new King Kong model

[@RonWylie-gk5lc]

Well done everyone, I really enjoyed all of this, I know there are millions of us

[@kaboomtv8298]

This Kong movie was cancelled I wish it was made

[@Loverboy19691]

No wonder I never heard of it.

[@Kenany1985]

KA BOOM TV Do you know why been cancelled?

[@ciscovaiese7535]

KA BOOM TV actaully the 1996 was anearly version of the peter jackson's king kong 2005

[@Kenany1985]

Cisco Vaiese Is it? I don't mean you are wrong I just asked.

[@ciscovaiese7535]

Kenan Yalcinoglu oh no I wasn't saying I was wrong I was pointing that out since peter jackson comfirmed it himself the reason why it was cnacelled wasthat universal pulled the plug ont he film becuase of 1998 godzilla and 1998 might joe young not doing too well in theaters but also universal said it was not the right time and didn't have faith in peter jackson until his lprd of the rings trilogy changed universals mind if you want to know more go watch king konh 1996 review by hugejackfilms since he is a king knog fan

[@UrJokerYourJoker]

Saw this as a child... been looking for it for ages!! Thank you!!

[@damnthishandleistaken]

Ur Joker Uuummmmm... This Movie Was Cancelled, How Did You Watch It?

[@JesusGomez-ob2qt]

@@damnthishandleistaken this wasn't canceled, your talking about the peter jackson one that was actually canceled in 1967

[@JewelRiders]

Such a great look at BTS! Film takes so many talents.

[@theultraatomicgamer]

What?

[@Tchernobog]

wish Dave Allen could have made a sequel to the original two Kongs and have it about the female Kong and done it with stopmotion.

[@starwarsunfiltered7848]

Would it be possible for you to put the whole documentary up? I've scoured the internet for this for 23 years, with no luck. There is only segments on KZbin, and no torrents whatsoever.

[@FreePalestineforever657]

Seconded!

[@ScottEssmannyca]

I've been trying to track down the full 40-minute film, "Special Effects-Anything Can Happen," but it's taken me a long time and I've come up empty thus far.

[@renaissanceman165]

How can I get a King Kong Model? Jim Davison seems to have stopped producing his stop motion Kong puppets for sale.

[@7superdaimajin]

You can buy armatures online and there are vids on KZbin about how to build them. There are companies that make custom stop-motion models but they're expensive.

[@dornravlin]

R.I.P David Allan

[@antoniozilla9060]

I want to know the material of the King Kong model

[@murilog.p.1383]

Foam latex

[@voronOsphere]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@jaxsullivan2117]

Wow

[@corruptframe]

I really wish I could find this full documentary including the parts about Independence Day

[@ray.mr.e0]

Could somebody please explain to me what is this? Is there a 1996 IMAX version of King Kong? I just don't get it :(

[@ScottEssmannyca]

The 1996 IMAX film was entitled SPECIAL EFFECTS: ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. For that project, this short stop-motion scene was created. It was animated similarly to how King Kong was animated in 1933 only it was set in San Francisco.

[@alexkareeball3002]

The new version of this is the first app that I’ve ever used it has to do so many times to do

[@antoniozilla9060]

King Kung

[@maddogmcgruder5435]

Ooo honey

[@JSyoutube61]

You got screwed but I, We, appreciate the hard work, the attention to detail, and the talent and love of Kong!!!!!!!!!!

[@juandavidcorreaz.6569]

27:10

[@contentdeleted4570]

1:33 2017: *this didn't age well*

[@brandonspain12345]

2021: Neither did that.

[@anothertrackmom]

Boy 1996

[@anothertrackmom]

Boy 1996

[@DMDvideo10]

This was 3 years after Jurassic Park... I'm surprised stop motion was used. It does look great though.

[@maddogmcgruder5435]

:)))

[@rudyrubio1983]

what happened to Ann Darrow ??? Did he drop her ???? there's no blonde interest for Kong in this movie ?

[@145752411]

hey, there is the 90's and stop motion is no longer used at that time, that technique would not look more realistic kong . The era of CGI already started after the success of Jurassic Park and the previous films that used. This movie would be a total failure and that is why it was canceled.

[@Nitrobotti]

Is the concept of a special effects documentary really that hard to understand?

[@NovaFeedback1979]

There were plenty of movies in the 90s that utilized stop motion. Are you dense?