King Kong Movie Review 1933

The original beauty and the beast film classic tells the story of Kong, a giant ape captured in Africa by filmmaker Carl Denham (Armstrong) and brought to New York as a sideshow attraction. Kong falls for starlet Ann (Wray), escapes from his captors, and rampages through the city, ending up on top of the newly built Empire State Building. Moody Steiner score adds color, and Willis O'Brien's stop-motion animation still holds up well. Scenes were cut during the 1938 re-release because of the Hays production code, including one where a curious Kong strips Wray of her clothes. Remade numerous times with various theme derivations.

Distribution

Criterion Collection, 210 E. 52nd St., 578 Broadway, New York, NY 10022, Phone: (212)212756-8822, Toll-free: 800-446-2001, URL: http://www.criterionco.com, Remarks: Does not sell directly to consumers

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 105 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Fantasy, New York, New York, Africa, Killer Apes and Monkeys, The Empire State Building, Monkeyshines, 4 Bones

Screenplay

James A. Creelman, Ruth Rose, Edgar Wallace

Cast

Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot, Robert Armstrong, Frank Reicher, Noble Johnson, Sam Hardy, James Flavin, Ernest B. Schoedsack, Merian C. Cooper

Cinematography

Edward Linden, J.O. Taylor, Vernon Walker

Director

Ernest B. Schoedsack, Merian C. Cooper

Music

Max Steiner

Producer

RKO

Awards

AFI 1998: Top 100, Natl. Film Reg. 1991.