King-Kong-karousal

All right, home stretch time...

The original giant monster, in the original giant monster movie! King-Kong!

Aaand...instead of my usual formula of original, remake, next film a year after the original, remake, and so on....I'll just go straight by year this time.


King Kong (1933)

The film-

A pretty gargantuan hit in its day.

Made 2 million dollars, back when movies cost like, a nickel, so...lotta repeat viewing there.
And during a fuckin' depression.

Suck on that, "Titanic".

The history-

Another one of those flicks woven into the DNA of this country.


The Son Of Kong (1933)

The film-

Picks up where the last one left off, the gang that brought Kong to America struggles financially, and goes back to Kong's island for rumored treasure, and finds an albino ape slightly bigger than a man, and assume he's Kong's kid.

The history-

I'm sure I've seen it, but, must be weak-sauce, doesn't stick to my memory.

Anyhoo, a 3-D remake of this is coming next year.
I'm betting on it being shitty.


Mighty Joe Young (1946)

The film-

Is always lumped in with Kong, and, it's made by RKO, who made Kong, so...

Anyway, the effects are far more refined than King-Kong, and, (as far as I know) this is the first big-deal picture Ray Harryhousen worked on.

More or less the same story as Kong, except with a gorilla of slightly more manageable size.
And, a happier ending.

The history-

Ditto "King Kong".
These 2 flicks always seem to travel together, and "Son of Kong", is mostly forgotten.
It's almost as if this is the preferred sequel.


King-Kong vs Godzilla (1962)

The film/history-

See here.

Course, if it were Godzilla vs the 1933 Kong, Godzilla could just pick him up like a ragdoll, and munch his head off like a gingerbread man.

The filmmakers take this into account, and have it be some other gorilla, in proportionate size to Godzilla, that they name after the original movie Kong.

Anyhoo, drugs in me, bugs in me, you know the drill. ;-)


King Kong Escapes (1967)

The film-

A sequel to "King Kong vs Godzilla", with the same Kong from that one.

Here, he fights Mechani-Kong.

Well...shit, now I wanna see Mechani-Kong vs Mechagodzilla!
Don't you?!?!

The history-

I vaguely remember this, but, what I remember more clearly, is the head of that Mechani-Kong was used as a prop in a Bunsen Honeydew skit...why, HERE IT IS!!






Mad Monster Party (1967)

The film/history-

See here, here, and here.

Yep, Kong is in it.
And, back to his 1933 size.


King Kong (1976)

The film-

Updated to modern times, which then, were the cynical 70's.

This time, it's a man in a suit, done by Rick Baker.

He of course, started out doing the Gorilla suit in "Schlock!", just 3 years previously, but here, he had more experience, and money to play with.

The history-

Loved it as a kid.

But...seeing it again recently...
(Imitates the voice announcer from the "Schlock!", trailer)
Schlock!! SCHLOCK!!! SCHLOOOOOOCK!!!!


King Kong Lives (1986)

The film-

The decade later sequel to "King Kong ('76)".

Turns out, Kong didn't die, he went into a coma, and he's been on life support.
They give him a giant fucking mechanical heart, and he awakens.

Linda Hamilton is the new Fay Wray.

There's also a lady Kong they try to get Kong to fuck to bring back the species..

Both of them are people in suits like in '76.

Not as good as the description.
Boring and shitty.

The history-

Basic cable.


Mighty Joe Young (1998)

The film-

A remake of the '46 version, updated to modern times (like Kong '76) and once again, stop-motion is replaced by guy-in-suit.

Rick Baker is back, and he's massively improved the tech of the suit, and really nailed it this time.

His next (and final?) stab at gorilla suits was in the "Planet Of The Apes", remake.

So, like John Landis, he came a long way from "Schlock!".

Anyway, critics panned this for being too saccharine.
Well, it's Disney, waddaya expect?

The history-

It's circulated on cable, but I've never worked up the will to sit through it.
Maybe I'm wrong, and I'm being a poop.
*Shrug*


King Kong (2005)

The film-

Bloated, bombastic, sensory overload, doesn't give you time, or a reason, to give a shit.
And way too fuckin' long.

Makes the '76 one look like a trip to Disneyworld.

The history-

Rented, never touched again.


Okay, let's have some Kong songs...there were many to choose from, I narrowed it down to these three...










And yes, I'm familiar with Garrett Morris's King Kong dirge.
You think that wasn't the first one I tried to get???
Eh?
You can't get it, I tried, I really fuckin' tried.
These will have to do!

And...there!
Done! (8-D

Tomorrow, HALLOWEEN!!!