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Amazon.co.uk Review
"Now you see it. You're amazed. You can't believe it. Your eyes open wider. It's horrible, but you can't look away. There's no chance for you. No escape. You're helpless, helpless. There's just one chance, if you can scream. Throw your arms across your eyes and scream, scream for your life!" And scream Fay Wray does most famously in this monster classic, one of the greatest adventure films of all time, which even in an era of computer-generated wizardry remains a marvel of stop-motion animation. Robert Armstrong stars as famed adventurer Carl Denham, who is leading a "crazy voyage" to a mysterious, uncharted island to photograph "something monstrous ... neither beast nor man". Also aboard is waif Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) and Bruce Cabot as big lug John Driscoll, the ship's first mate. King Kong's first half-hour is steady going, with engagingly corny dialogue ("Some big, hard-boiled egg gets a look at a pretty face and bang, he cracks up and goes sappy") and ominous portent that sets the stage for the horror to come. Once our heroes reach Skull Island, the movie comes to roaring, chest-thumping, T-rex-slamming, snake-throttling, pterodactyl-tearing, native-stomping life. King Kong was ranked by the American Film Institute as among the 50 best films of the century. Kong making his last stand atop the Empire State Building is one of the film's most indelible and iconic images. --Donald Liebenson, Amazon.com
On the DVD: Although a little light on extras, this is happily the Director's Cut, restoring scenes that were censored after the film's original 1933 run, including Kong peeling off Fay Wray's clothes like a banana, and our hirsute hero using unfortunate natives as dental floss. The ratio of 4:3 is correct for a film of this age; the picture and (mono) sound are perfectly acceptable without being revelatory. The 25-minute "making of" documentary from 1992 is a 60th anniversary tribute to the film, which details all of Kong's many ground-breaking contributions to cinema, from Willis O'Brien's use of stop-motion and rear projection effects to Max Steiner's music score. There are contributions from film historians, modern admirers of the film including composer Jerry Goldsmith--who admits that Steiner created a template that Hollywood composers are still following--and a few surviving participants such as sound effects man Murray Spivak. Apparently, director Merian C. Cooper's original idea was to capture live gorillas, transport them to the island of Komodo and film them fighting the giant lizards! Thanks to Willis O'Brien's pioneering effects work good sense prevailed and a cinema classic was born. --Mark Walker
Halliwell's Film Guide
The greatest monster movie of all.
A classic due mainly to Willis O'Brien's animation work and the screaming power of Fay Wray.
Has lost none of its power to move, excite or sadden.
A classic due mainly to Willis O'Brien's animation work and the screaming power of Fay Wray.
Has lost none of its power to move, excite or sadden.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I've just read the previous reviewers comments that this film is outdated. That may be because its SEVENTY TWO YEARS OLD! This film would have been terrifying at the time, the stop action animation was state of the art and the audience would have bought it. The story is an absolute classic and still stands up today although film structures have changed and it may seem rushed. I would recommend anyone to see it before the Peter Jackson film just to get an idea of how some elements of films have changed but the important ones have stayed the same.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
As a budding movie historian and lover of all films, King Kong was unmissable. I collect all kinds of classic films but this is one that I think all movie fans should enjoy. The picture is in itself an historical landmark in the history of celluloid, featuring groundbreaking special effects, a star performance that would become a household name and one of the iconic images of American popular culture and the definitive 'damsel in distress'. This film gave a deafening roar that echoes today. But as a work of art, it is not to be missed. Being that we have all been reared in the post-Kong days of cinema, the idea of a giant ape stalking his prey is hardly shocking, we say 'oh that's just King Kong', but the first shot of the beast is still utterly gripping. Political correctness and liberalism tell us to look at Fay Wraye's performance as a symbol of the dark days when women were treated as dolls and weak creatures, but she portrays a classic role to perfection, and political incorrectness was never this good. Kong and his prehistoric pals are brought to life by stop-motion animation, some of the movements are rather jerky and the effects themselves are primitive by today's standards, but the effect that they generate has never been lost. Kong was in reality a metal skeleton with sponge-rubber muscles covered in rabbit fur, but 30s audiences and the 30s cast found it realistic, and that movement provides one with a feeling it would take more than a computer to beat this. The famous wall and door, behind which Kong resides was first used in Cecil B. De Mille's King of Kings, and was later used as a burning backdrop in the doomed city of Atlanta in Gone With The Wind. This film is packed to bursting point with breathtaking action and wonderful work all round, as a landmark and as a film, this one is truly special.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I love the new Peter Jackson remake of Kong, but we as an audience must NEVER forget that this exciting, original and still grounbreaking movie was the start of it all. Practically every movie about monsters, adventure or exploration has something to owe to Kong. Not to mention the Special FX. Sure, they are a little creaky (being over 70 years old will do that to you), but even the original 1977 STAR WARS has a couple of creaky moments (polystyrene space garbage, alien creature masks that, er, don't move). It took the advent of CGI to sort those out. Go and see the 2005 Kong and be amazed, but before you do, see the original and witness the dawn of a new age of movie making. Excellent!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
THE KING STILL REIGNS SUPREME
KING KONG is one of those rare films that just gets better and better with age. We watch it now as a 1930's fable that's transcended its own time, attaining mythical status. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Anthony Crnkovich
pleasure
the quality and decency in which this company dealt with me is exceptional and good
the company is well worth dealing with
the company is well worth dealing with
Published 4 months ago by Mr. Royston A. Williams
Classic King Kong finally on bluray
I can't add much to that what's already known: King Kong is still one of the best adventure/fantasy/monster movies in the history of filmmaking. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Marc Van Kerschaver
Spider pit omission
While this movie as we know is outstanding, the much hyped 'spider pit' version is not worth all that's been written about it over the years. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Ed
King Kong, 1933, 1993 Golden Classics release - The King of monster...
This is the original, and by far the best, version of the tale of King Kong. Released in 1933 it is a both a stunning technical achievement and a thrilling film. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Victor
Classic monster movie
A film director takes his team to an island where the monster/god Kong lives. His actress is given to Kong as a sacrifice by the local tribe. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mme Sandrine Cansell
Still the King
King Kong is an object lesson in lean, mean storytelling, with nary an ounce of fat in its 100 minutes (104 in the restored Region 1 DVD that includes Max Steiner's oft-dropped... Read more
Published on 15 April 2010 by Trevor Willsmer
all time great ape.
Just to let you know about the extras on this 2 disc region 1 edition.Disc one has a commentary by Ray Harryhausen(with interview excerpts of producer Merion C. Read more
Published on 29 Sep 2009 by ciaran moore
Incredibility
I have been writing reviews for "Amazon" for nearly 2 years - and my first was about "Kong type monkey films"! This a.m. Read more
Published on 18 April 2009 by Gina Sergent
Kong the King
A genuine classic which wears its 70 odd years well. Given the technology of the time the special effects are truely brilliant. Read more
Published on 20 Mar 2009 by PJC
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