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The world premiere of Peter Jackson's King Kong re-make took place in New York on Monday.
Extra police were on, streets were closed and a six metre replica of the giant ape was placed in Times Square.
The first major snow storm to hit the city this year didn't dampen the celebrations.
Jackson walked the red carpet for the movie that he has been wanting to make since he was nine-years-old.
Jackson loves making movies, although premieres are not his thing.
"The premiere circuit is real tough - it's not ultimately what film making is all about. You're a movie maker, you make films - but this is publicity, PR, it's a strange unusual world."
The event was of a magnitude befitting the year's biggest movie. With two theatres and 38 screens for the 8,000 invited guests, including Jackson.
"I was in Pukerua Bay when I was nine-years-old watching Kong on TV - what I was actually watching was him (the replica Kong), because this is the original King Kong from 1933 who I brought along as my date tonight," says Jackson.
The buzz started hours before the A list celebrities started to arrive. A six metre replica of King Kong had been installed in Times Square just around the corner from the the red carpet and 42nd Street was blocked off.
Universal had been negotiating with the city of New York since the beginning of this year to shut part of the city down for the night.
The red carpet star power included Donald Trump, Adrien Brody, All Black Captain Tana Umanga and Jack Black to name a few.
Jackson says what he was most looking forward to was to watch the film with an audience. "Because I didn't see the film with an audience - it's going to be my first time tonight."
The rest of the world will get the chance to see the film on December 14.
