King Kong (1933)

Call me hopeless romantic or incurably nostalgic but King Kong (1933) was one of the few movies that had an enormous impact on me. I saw this movie when I was about eight and I remember going back home in tears. Why do they have to kill such a gentle and loving beast, I asked myself. They could have kept him in cage and he would not do any harm. I really thought the movie was for real!

And there goes a lesson for film directors. A story, no matter how ridiculously conceived, if allowed to touch the basic human emotions-- compassion, love, mercy--will triumph. And not only at the tills but in the hearts of people for generations to come. The plot of the original version is very simple. I might have forgotten the details but I vividly remember that there were a group of adventurers or explorers who ventured into a virgin island wrought with mystery. There, they (the men) brought a beautiful woman (Fay Wray), I don't know why they did that, and then the woman was kidnapped by tribesmen.

The beautiful woman was to be sacrificed to Kong (I don't know whose actor was inside his costume or if he was even recognized for playing the lead role) when her beau John (Bruce Cabot) and her friends rescued her and put Kong to sleep using a stun gun. Then they transported him to New York via a very large ship. They later presented Kong as the Eighth Wonder of the World to the public. He was instant celebrity. But at this time Fay was already falling, not in love but... in compassion with him. (Pardon the expression). And in turn, the Kong was also falling in love with her.

When Kong thought that the reporters (the paparazzi of the 30's) were mugging Ann, he escaped from his cage and tried to rescue his princess bride. Then we all know the famous Empire State Building scene which has been copied and parodied by a dozen movies. And of course, the massacre of the gentle giant by helicopters with machine guns. Sob.

Fantastic movie! I can't wait to see the re-make. I have one hope though: that Director Peter Jackson keeps the human/ape/humane story intact and not get overexcited with special effects. Do I hear you saying Godzilla?

This film was directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack.

Grrrrr!!!!!