Recently, my dad and I went to go see King Kong at a theater in Anaheim. It made me only appreciate more just how great of a movie this is, and that's considering I must have seen it at least half a million times before.
Of the dinosaur movies that came before and after King Kong, Kong is still the best one. The Lost World (1925) even today has impressive visual effects and is highly entertaining. It's only problems are a poorly written love story and the fact not everyone enjoys silent movies. The Godzilla films, while entertaining, had cheaper special effects and often times the plots were not as good. Jurassic Park (1993), which some consider the best dinosaur movie, has spectacular Special Effects and is very entertaining. But it is slow at times. King Kong, however, is both highly entertaining and, more importantly, is able to tell the film without a wasted scene or dialogue. I felt as if I was in the theater for only half an hour! If only all movies could do that.
But no film is made perfect by accident. This film had a top-notch technical cast made up of the best in the world at that time: Production designer Mario Larrnagia, Film Composer Max Steiner, Marcel Delgado, who built the dinosaur models and Willis O'Brien, who animated them.
Some have questioned as to why plant-eating herbivores like the Stegosaurus or the Brontosaurus would attack humans. Perhaps, the humans were trespassing into their territory and would you defend your property if someone tried to invade it? Also, how many humans living today have seen a live dinosaur in the wild? Then again, some might say this was done by the producers to provide entertainment and suspense. I can agree with that. But do not criticize King Kong for this. It's an adventure movie, not a documentary.
While the film is largely about Kong and the dinosaurs on Skull Island, the rest of the film is able to avoid being overshadowed. While I have seen movies that have better acting, this film's cast isn't too bad. At least they are able to conceive realistic characters. Even Jack Driscoll, the film's hero, gets afraid when he talks to Fay Wray. Some also find it annoying that Fay Wray only screams in the scenes where she is in Kong's presence. Well what would you do instead? Tell Kong in a polite, calm english voice to let you down?
King Kong is easily worth 10 stars, a masterpiece that will be enjoyed for countless generations to come.
Of the dinosaur movies that came before and after King Kong, Kong is still the best one. The Lost World (1925) even today has impressive visual effects and is highly entertaining. It's only problems are a poorly written love story and the fact not everyone enjoys silent movies. The Godzilla films, while entertaining, had cheaper special effects and often times the plots were not as good. Jurassic Park (1993), which some consider the best dinosaur movie, has spectacular Special Effects and is very entertaining. But it is slow at times. King Kong, however, is both highly entertaining and, more importantly, is able to tell the film without a wasted scene or dialogue. I felt as if I was in the theater for only half an hour! If only all movies could do that.
But no film is made perfect by accident. This film had a top-notch technical cast made up of the best in the world at that time: Production designer Mario Larrnagia, Film Composer Max Steiner, Marcel Delgado, who built the dinosaur models and Willis O'Brien, who animated them.
Some have questioned as to why plant-eating herbivores like the Stegosaurus or the Brontosaurus would attack humans. Perhaps, the humans were trespassing into their territory and would you defend your property if someone tried to invade it? Also, how many humans living today have seen a live dinosaur in the wild? Then again, some might say this was done by the producers to provide entertainment and suspense. I can agree with that. But do not criticize King Kong for this. It's an adventure movie, not a documentary.
While the film is largely about Kong and the dinosaurs on Skull Island, the rest of the film is able to avoid being overshadowed. While I have seen movies that have better acting, this film's cast isn't too bad. At least they are able to conceive realistic characters. Even Jack Driscoll, the film's hero, gets afraid when he talks to Fay Wray. Some also find it annoying that Fay Wray only screams in the scenes where she is in Kong's presence. Well what would you do instead? Tell Kong in a polite, calm english voice to let you down?
King Kong is easily worth 10 stars, a masterpiece that will be enjoyed for countless generations to come.
