I think Ann's reactions to Kong in this movie are perfectly logical. To me, her soft, sympathetic feelings for him in the remakes are absolutely ridiculous. She's kidnapped and swept through the jungle by a terrifying giant ape monster who considers her a curious possession to be protected against other terrifying monsters. And this, right after having found the man of her dreams, Jack Driscoll, with whom she has just begun a passionate relationship. Ann's fawning infatuation for Kong in later versions is actually quite demented, and in the Jackson remake, her embrace with Jack at the end seems empty and cursory, as though she's settling for him after losing her dream alpha-male. In the 1933 classic, it's the fact that NOBODY sympathizes with Kong that makes him such a heartbreaking and heroic character. Rather than being an oversight or overlooked opportunity of the original script, this is one of its strengths.

@FilmJournal

5 ай бұрын

This is a really excellent take. Thank you, made me think, hope you enjoyed the video

@anthonycrnkovich5241

5 ай бұрын

Bravo! I couldn't have said it better. There's a parallel 'beauty and the beast' story in the original that people used to understand before the '76 and '05 remakes messed it up. Jack Driscoll is at first the woman-hating 'beast' who softens and becomes Ann Darrow's 'prince charming' while Kong, despite his heroic feats in her behalf, remains a beast in her eyes which breaks his heart in the end. Hence the epitath "It was beauty killed the beast" is spot-on in the original and makes no sense at all in the '05 remake.

@BarryHart-xo1oy

4 ай бұрын

You make some good points.

@Torter23

4 ай бұрын

You say it right. The fact that only the audience has seen the tragic arc of Kong is one of it strengths.

@anthonycrnkovich5241

4 ай бұрын

@@Torter23 That's what will always make the original stand apart from the remakes -- the fact that the audience feels sympathy for Kong on its own, without being led in that direction by anyone in the film. How brilliant is that? As for the main characters, they're only acting as anyone would in the presence of a ferocious, 50 ft monster-ape.

My favorite movie of all time!

@FilmJournal

2 ай бұрын

Awesome! Hope you liked the video king 🙏🏻

I'm 63 now, and it's nice to see (and hear) that others still enjoy this film. Growing up we saw scratchy old 16mm dupes on tv. But I never missed an airing. I was 17 before I got to see KK uncut on television. As long as I can remember this film has been magical to me. And I'm sure it is to many others. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this old classic!

"A death which in turn made him immortal"wow,what a concise way to put it.

I used to watch this every time it came on tv. As I’ve gotten older it’s only made me love it even more.

Boy that was really well done. Thank you.

@FilmJournal

2 ай бұрын

You bet man- thanks!

Thank you for this! I'm a Kong fan and have unfortunately had to sit through (at least the start of) too many KZread videos about him that were cynical, detached, dismissive, and frankly insulting attempts at just churning something out for the algorithm. I appreciate the honest wonder you portrayed for the film and its place in cinema.

Another great retrospective! I see this movie as truly magical: it has all the romanticism of old-school filmmaking, particularly in the stop motion effects. Also, Fay Wray is always such a luminous screen presence. And I had no idea Joel McCrea was considered for this film-- I really wish that had been the case!

@FilmJournal

2 ай бұрын

I agree on McCrea, he would have been great! Thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed!

King Kong is the movie that made me fall in love with movies. It was the first time I remember being absolutely enthralled with what has happened on the TV screen. And after my dad bought me a book about the making of the movie it was sealed. This is a great video. Thanks!

@FilmJournal

4 ай бұрын

Really appreciate it! Glad you enjoyed it

I'm 60 now, and recently found my old Meccano set. It still has the masking tape on some parts from when I tried to make my own King Kong model. Boys will always be boys. Now I'm alone, I'm going to have another go. I also had the poster on my wall from the 70s movie, showing him astride the World trade Centre, when in reality he jumped from one to the other. My nephew's have it now, and I'd love it back. Thanks for putting this together, I appreciate the info on the makers. They really did resemble the characters they created in their real lives, didn't they. Blokes with big ones!

@FilmJournal

5 ай бұрын

Not familiar with a Meccano set, some kind of erector set? Good luck and I hope you have a great New Year!

@only257

4 ай бұрын

@@FilmJournalremakes work best when they’re not trying to merely replicate the original but instead offer something new to it😊

An often unsung creator and collaborator of Willis O’Brien is Marcel Delgado, the builder of the amazing Kong miniatures and all the other creatures, from O’Brien’s specs. Thanks for this great tribute to a monumental movie!

You mentioned the criterion LaserDisc. It was actually the very first film commentary ever done. I have it and recently synced it up with the restored Blu-ray so if you're ever interested I could get you a copy. It's still to me one of the very best commentaries and utterly unique since it was the first something he mentions in the commentary, and he wonders if anyone will ever do another. I think it's safe to say the answer to that question was yes LOL.

@mermaidmelodies1492

Ай бұрын

I would love to be able to hear it.

One of my favorite films of all time. Could be my very favorite.

This was a super well put together retrospective! Glad I found your channel cool stuff man. Just watched this movie for the first time and while I’m really impressed by the filmmaking, I wish it had aged better with some of the more problematic elements like the tribespeople or the boat cook.

Even though I was introduced to Kong in Toho studios King Kong vs Godzilla (As well as Gojira) this was the second Kong film I saw as a kid and I fell in love with it as a little kid and I still love this film today.

@FilmJournal

4 ай бұрын

I bought the King Kong Escapes, V Godzilla two pack at Barnes and Nobel when I was like, 12 and loved them!

New to channel. Really enjoyed this. Thank you.

@FilmJournal

4 ай бұрын

Glad to have you!

An absolute masterpiece! I would not be surprised if Criterion puts this out again in a new 4k uhd, as Warner Home Video seems unlikely at this point. So you may get your wish of obtaining that old commentary yet (hopefully). No question this is THE Kong film, but I admit I really find the 1970s remake to be very entertaining, warts and all. I never liked the shot for shot, plus pointless additions, remake that Peter Jackson did. The best stuff is all from the original and everything else just pads the runtime unnecessarily, which I find tedious and boring.

@FilmJournal

5 ай бұрын

I will say- Dino’s 70’s version had an amazing poster

You've done a great take on the original King providing not only inciteful commentary, but much needed production history and context. I fell in love Kong from Saturday afternoon television viewings and much later film retrospectives. I not only own the movie on DVD, but have the three film boxset featuring Kong, Son of Kong and Mighty Joe Young. Digging deeper I bought the biography "Living Dangerously" about Cooper's remarkable life and early adventures on the road to RKO's life saver. Thanks for this and I hope you'll tackle the great catalogue of Universal's much beloved monsters.

I got you with the laser disc. I'll keep my eye out

Great Video!!

@FilmJournal

4 ай бұрын

Thanks man!

Your outfits are always on point, don't think it goes unnoticed. It elevates the aesthetic you have going, in a way some pre faded pop culture T shirt wouldn't. The quality of the content goes without saying.

@FilmJournal

5 ай бұрын

Dude. Huge compliment- thank you. Trying to elevate society/ content by making a deliberate effort to dress well. Would be lying if I said I didn’t have a bunch of comic book/ rock band graphic tees tho.

An excellent overview of the original KING KONG! If there was one film premiere that I wished I could have attended, it would be the opening of KING KONG at Radio City Music Hall and The Roxy, with the original movie programme in my hands both times!

Re: Bruce Cabot -- when he starred in cowboy films alongside John Wayne, he was generally the bad guy. Hardness and emotional flatness can work to an actor's advantage in villainous roles. I don't know if he attempted a romantic lead after Kong. I had the privilege of seeing King Kong on the big screen in February 2023. I'd liked the film before, but after that, my feelings escalated into full-blown admiration. It's magnificent.

@waynezimmerman1950

5 ай бұрын

He also played Magua in the 1936 version of Last of the Mohicans, with Randolph Scott.

@anthonycrnkovich5241

4 ай бұрын

Yes, Cabot was great later as a villain. KONG is one of the few films in which he's the hero and I think he's perfect as Driscoll. Some of that rough edge is evident in Cabot's portrayal. The sarcasm he elicits toward Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong in KONG's early scenes is effective and serves as a necessary contrast to his later 'going soft' for Fay. Like Kong, Driscoll's 'beastlike' nature is transformed by love, but in Kong's case this transformation leads to his downfall.

Still the best version of this movie. Kong a tragic and abused hero, very sad at the end.

@anthonycrnkovich5241

3 күн бұрын

For sure -- and not in your face as in the remakes. Lesson #1 -- don't ever let the glass spill over.😊

Great overview of my favorite movie!

@FilmJournal

4 ай бұрын

Really appreciate it thank you!

I have that Criterion Kong laser disc.

Favourite movies of all time, not necessarily in order: King Kong (1933) Forbidden Planet Quartermass and the Pit Other notable movies: Field of Dreams Hunt for Red October Manhunter Dune (David Lynch version) Robocop (Paul Verhoven) Batman Dark Knight

My love affair w King Kong began when I was 6 in November of 1976. A local TV station used to run old B&W horror flicks from the '30's & '40's and one Sunday evening, the original 1933 King Kong aired. When Kong ripped through those trees to get Fay Wray, I ran out of the room scared to death and peeked around the door to see what was happening. I instantly fell in love with Kong. That Dec ('76) the re-make came out and flopped at the box office but, there was a ton of cool merchandise released to revive interest in King Kong (dolls, posters, tee shirts, belts, punching bags, drinking glasses, books, King Kong piggy bank...I even had a cool black light King Kong poster with fake fuzzy fur on it-no luck finding one on eBAY). It's been almost 5 decades, but I'm defiantly a fan for life. I even wrote a letter to Fay Wray when I was 6 but never got a reply LOL.

Hey I love your channel and you content. You remind me to my type of content that I would focus on my channel. Keep the good work.

@FilmJournal

5 ай бұрын

Thanks man- looks like you have some great videos on your channel as well, I will be sure to check them out

@only257

4 ай бұрын

@@FilmJournalthe invisible man from 1933 great movie Frankenstein from 1931 great movie Dracula from 1932 great movie 😊

Fun Fact re KONG - Key Luke, who played the blind Martial Art mentor in TVs KUNG FU was discovered while working as an artist for RKO - he designed the art and program for the KING KONG premier at the Chinese theatre

@SpiritFilm17

2 ай бұрын

Where did you find out that tidbit about Key Luke? I would love to get my hands on one of those original programs. I've seen one that somebody owned but he didn't want to sell it.

Here's to the *_KING (🍷)!_* _And_ to the extraordinary creative minds who brought him to the big screen (👏)!

@FilmJournal

4 ай бұрын

Cheers! Thanks for watching

@velociraptor4you3291

4 ай бұрын

@@FilmJournal Oh, no problem (😉)! Cheers to you, too (🥂)!

Watched directors cut and I was shocked, I was so use to the original...shocked!. You know, I I really noticed the action and pace this time around, it is an action film, and many other things. I would add Star Wars and Robocop to the King King playlist, for they are the same kind of mixed fantasy movie. These films are a mix of this and that, that and this, as well as ground breaking hits....iconic cinema. Today's Hollywood, could never be this bold!

@FilmJournal

4 ай бұрын

Agreed! It’s really a unique genesis point for a lot of classics

George doesn't beg Bruce Cabot's character, He is First Mate on the ship. Not a soldier of fortune not originally Denham's friend

Have you ever seen the 1940 film - THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD starring Conrad Veldt & Sabu, the Indian actor? its another sfx land mark fantasy film of it's time equally imaginative, and very wonderous, that won academy awards, a film buried mostly by time

I’m pretty sure those Criterion Laserdiscs you mentioned were released in 1983 or 1984. They were released multiple times since the original edition during laserdiscs run. I remember seeing write ups on the initial releases in Video Magazine. I was becoming a video enthusiast at the time but my family had no interest in laserdisc or the experience players. I did have an early VHS copy put out by Nostalgia Merchant that was one of the first home video which I think was the 1st home video release to contain the restored uncut version (bad 16mm splices at the time). The Criterion Laserdisc was only initially released on the CAV format. It might have 1989 when the CLV was released.

Great

@FilmJournal

4 ай бұрын

Thanks man!

One of the best lines the producers used on Fay Wray; when she asked about her mystery co-star, was that he was the biggest and darkest actor in Hollywood. She thought they meant Clark Gable. 😏 As an aside, over the many decades spend as a film fan, I enjoyed Willis O'Brian's films a lot, but Ray Harryhausen would quickly outshine his idol; which is only right as student become his own master in time. And in 1992 as a struggling artist, I met Ray at a Science Fiction Con in Philadelphia; almost by accident. He did some panels earlier but I kept missing chances to introduce myself, until I was coming out of the dealers room with a recent book on Ray and his films. Unexpectedly I spotted him just leaning against a wall outside waiting. I very politely asked if he might sign the book, and he smiled softly while writing best wishes. And then Ray decided that since his handlers would be along shortly to take him to dinner, we could chat until then. And we did; just two artists talking about the craft for a half hour; and he was more curious about my work than his own. I could just imagine how he felt when he and Willis finally met. 😎😎

Great movie 😊

Bravo!

@FilmJournal

4 ай бұрын

Thank you sir!

beautiful, intelligent commentary. Thank you- its one of my favorites as well!

@FilmJournal

5 ай бұрын

Wow! Thanks so much- glad you enjoyed it

I grew up on Ray Harryhausen movies and Gerry Anderson's Stingray and Thunderbirds puppet shows. I'm used to 'special effects'... when I first saw King Kong, I marvelled at the artistry... but! Back when it was released, audiences didn't have the same movie vocabulary as we do today - hours of behind the scenes footage before, around and after the release, including 'raw' footage of say, Mr Brolin before he was reskinned as Thanos. They didn't know like we do. There was no, "THAT was a good 'gag'! Yeah, the car bit was real, but the rest was cgi..." - like the bus jump in Speed (both a hit and miss). They weren't unsophisticated people - like, I mean, we can see the masks in the original Planet Of The Apes movies, but they're just so GOOD we don't care, they sell the illusion perfectly; they could see camera tricks, too... I remember seeing The Shadow in the theatre, and that cgi knife come alive and biting people... instead of being thrilled and marvelling at what I was seeing, I wondered how they did it; man, it took the edge off. I keep trying to imagine how it must've felt to be in the audience, even as comparably movie literate and geeky as I am now, and seeing that stuff 'live and breathing' on the big screen... I can't get there. I know too much. My sensibilities are too... technical? I'm USED to seeing and knowing about how it was all done - it was WHY I always loved how it all turns out in the movie, yet... They wouldn't've known. I recall sitting in the theatre watching Jackson's remarkable remake and thinking, 'well, we've just had the entire running time of the original and we're less than halfway through...' and as enjoyable and absorbing as I found (still find) that movie to be, I knew I was looking at Mr Serkis' performance as Kong translated onto a large amount of fresh air and pixels - I was carried away, yes, but... I knew what I was looking at. Maybe I'm being a bit of a snob - if so, I don't mean to be! - but imagine for a moment, knowing that this is an amazing event you HAVE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE and you (despite being the wonderfully intelligent person you are) get THAT reveal! The acting style is what you're used to. Maybe that closeup of Kong looked like it does to our eyes - but the wider shot where they're both in the frame, then HE PICKS HER UP! If I could have anything, it would be to be taken back to that time, to be basically me, but time-relevant and to see that for the first time. It must have been beyond any experience. So let's all strive to have that sense of wonder back, yeah? Let's hope the major movie studios realise that THAT stuff is where it's at - not the dumbshow and noise and changing things by committee, but the honest, down to earth fantastical film-making that'll transport us out of our reality for a while and give us just a bit of breathing space where we can be... Well, FREE. Thanks for this video, man. Good show.

Great review and commentary. I had to rewatch my Criterion laser disc of King Kong.

I love this movie!

The climbing of the Empire State by Kong was very significant being the highest structure as in the over grown jungle terrain, where he felt safe, but it was never mentioned why in the film, one of the things that did work, in the 1976 version was the symbolism recognised by Jeff Bridges, being able to second guess the Ape.

Good vid, thanks!

Thanks for the video. Coincidentally I watched this very movie only yesterday on BBC iPlayer. Although it captivated me as a child, I hadn't seen it for a number of years and was surprised at how little empathy the main characters (especially Anne Darrow) show towards Kong as opposed to later remakes, however it is head and shoulders above all the CGI saturated nonsense churned out today. A true cinematic masterpiece. Happy New Year from the UK!

@anthonycrnkovich5241

5 ай бұрын

The characters weren't meant to show empathy toward Kong. The whole thing about Ann Darrow befriending Kong is just wrong in this story, which was originally conceived as a tragic tale of unrequited love.

@peteg475

4 ай бұрын

Yeah, it's as if it's deliberately set up so the audience has empathy for Kong, but the characters don't. To me it's not a "monster movie", but a tragic story of animal abuse and exploitation. Whenever the film was shown on TV when i was a kid, my mom always said the same thing: "They should have just left him alone." But I totally get why the "damsel" has to have empathy for Kong in the remakes, because it's hard for a modern audience to root for any of the human characters if they all treat Kong as just an object of fear, or a meal ticket, and they don't really understand him.

This film was a pleasure to see on the big screen several years ago, with the audience laughing at all the right parts and applauding at the end. I would say that I found Cabot passable, a bit Harrison Ford like at times, but not exceptional. Your analysis of Skull Island is really on point, the finest lost world committed to film.

@porflepopnecker4376

5 ай бұрын

I think Cabot's performance was perfect for the character he was playing, a gruff, no-nonsense man's man who gets blindsided by love.

I Love the 1933 King Kong 🥸👍🆒🈁

Wonderful!

It wassn't just the overt violence that was edited out by the hayes code but there was also a scene where Kong was removing fay Wray clothes piece by piece while sniffing them.

The original censored scenes were released through the Janus collection. However because they were a 16mm blown up to 35mm the film quality transitions were very evident. But the a pristine archival print was found at the British Film Institute and it is this print that is reproduced now on dvd & blu-ray. The cost of the jungle sets for both THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME & KING KONG were charged to the lesser budget production of The MOST DANGEROUS GAME. This allowed for the now "standing jungle settings" to be billed as studio overhead to the more expensive KONG production. Joel McCrea's schedule blossomed to the extent that by the time it was realized how much better he was than Bruce Cabot (in his first screen role) it was impossible to reschedule him for KONG.

P.S. liked and subbed, fascinating review of a beloved cultural phenomenon

Interestingly Cabot also has a key role in HATARI

@FilmJournal

4 ай бұрын

Wayne was always good about getting his old actor buddies work. I remember reading about Wayne giving Gail Russell a role in 7 men from Now bc he knew she had fallen on hard times, she ends up drinking herself to death which is very sad sash was a great beauty on the screen.

A good sequel to King Kong would be Carl Denham's trial. No monsters, just courtroom drama with killer dialogue, as Denham desperately tries to defend himself as they throw the book at him. Not sure how it should end. Maybe he's found guilty, sentenced to Alcatraz, but manages to the hijack boat, and ends up back on Skull Island

5:25

16:01

6:26

Kong's musculature wasn't clay, but sponge rubber and dental dam covered with pruned rabbit fur. For the record, Cooper knew the audience would sympathize with Kong. When some RKO execs told him to tone down Kong's violence or risk losing audience sympathy for him Cooper refused, saying he'd have women crying over Kong by the end of the movie.

4:10

8:08

I don't think King Kong was a monster. He wasn't meant to be part of the modern or human world. He was an animal of his world. The far away jungle.

His name was "Schoedsack", not "Showstack". Part of doing a good documentary is at least pronouncing the names correctly.

I've always felt Naomi Watts bore a striking resemblance to Fay Wray. You seem to have skipped the original British writer, Edgar Wallace, who was hired to write the screenplay for RKO but sadly died after the third draft was complete. The first 110-page draft was titled *The Beast* (the film's original title), then changed to just Kong on the second draft. Kong was rejected as the film's title because it was too similar to another Cooper film, Chang, released in 1927, and because it sounded Chinese. Wallace then suggested the title King Ape. After Wallace's untimely death from diabetes, the two titles were merged to create one name... King Kong.

@FilmJournal

5 ай бұрын

I could have gone longer in the script bc I also left out Shoedstack’s wife Ruth Rose, who many credit with the characterization of the two male leads as well as fleshing out the Ann Darrow character. Thanks for watching!

You made this about kong please make one about Godzilla

@FilmJournal

4 ай бұрын

If I did- it would be one of the later ones, I have always liked Invasion of the Astro Monster and other Honda films might be interesting like The Mysterions

This original version from 1933 looks even better when you compare it to the overstuffed Jackson version. His movie has a number of non action scenes that were totally unnecessary in the first film. We really don't need to see Denham trying to wrangle money from the studio suits, who cares about that?

@thirabx6954

4 ай бұрын

Agree the Jackson version was ridiculous with the Central Park ice skating scene. Compared with 1933 Kong smashing subway car. Original Kong was the real deal. Sorry Naomi but you can't play vaudeville with a 60 foot ape! Of course the ending with Kong dying breaks your heart in all Kong movies.

😊1933 king kong is the best 2005 remake was terrible nothing new they kept the original pilot of the original 1933 film and nothing new to it

@FilmJournal

5 ай бұрын

I rather like the remake, but I saw it at a fairly formative time

@oscarstainton

5 ай бұрын

I don’t trust you to know “terrible” if you’d call the 2005 film such, not least when there are several truly inferior Kong productions. If that film was similar to the original, that’s because it was directed by a lifelong fan of King Kong. A labor of love, not apathy like so many remakes today. Nevertheless, you are correct that the 1933 film is still unbeaten as the best Kong film.

@danieldean8953

5 ай бұрын

It is not good… but there’s a good movie in there. As-is it’s just too much. If it were not so overstuffed/unnecessarily long it could be great. Jackson post LOTR is too self-indulgent, and doesn’t know when to say when. Kong and The Hobbit both suffer from excess

@anthonycrnkovich5241

5 ай бұрын

I strongly disagree about Bruce Cabot and find him excellent as Driscoll. He pulls off a gruffness necessary to the character that nice guy Joel McCrea would miss. Cabot's sarcasm and the way he regards Robert Armstrong's Denham as crazy is one of the film's highlights. The whole point of the character of Driscoll is that he's the 'beast' who transforms into Ann Darrow's 'prince', whereas Kong always remains a beast in her eyes. And that's the tragedy. This is totally botched in the gawdawful '05 remake.

@asafakiva1619

5 ай бұрын

For me these are actually my favorite takes on the monster. They may be repeating the same story but you can tell whoever worked on them were people of passion. And that's what makes them so memorable to many

One of my all time favorites still to this day. I think Jackson's remake was great but too long and bloated. Also his casting of the main two characters was completely botched. Jack Black was a huge miss for me and I like him, just not in the role. I like Brody as well but would have rather Jackson had him a the first mate. A more adventurous man makes his heroic efforts more realistic.

@FilmJournal

4 ай бұрын

Really appreciate the comment. Sorry but I thought Black was great! Brings a lot of energy and I thought he really stepped up his game as an actor. I find his performance really enjoyable.

Robert Armstrong and Frank Reicher were terrific in King Kong. Without them it would have been a bore...Faye Wray not withstanding.

I agree I always thought Fay Wray totally carried that movie her interest in the hero is soooo forced. He is soooo boring, and frankly a jerk.

@anthonycrnkovich5241

4 ай бұрын

Well, that's pretty much the point of the Driscoll character; it's not a fault of the script nor in Cabot's portrayal. He's supposed to be ineffectual -- it only makes Kong out to be Ann's true hero which she never realizes, and that's the tragedy at the core of this story. That is, the story in the 1933 KING KONG -- the '76 and '05 remakes totally miss this essential aspect. In both of those versions, by making her befriend Kong an awkward situation arises where in effect she has two heros.

A classic, still the greatest show on earth. The remake was okay. But nothing can compare to the original.

11:22