King Kong (1933)

The original King Kong is finally available on DVD, and was also run on TCM this past week.
Having never seen this movie with the appreciation I have for cult cinema and special effects as an adult, I was shocked. I mean, this was pretty graphic, and once the action started rolling with Kong’s introduction it really didn’t stop. I have no idea whether Peter Jackson’s fondness for storytelling or fondness for Kong fights will win out in the remake, but even in 1933 with stop motion effects, its all giant ape attacks until the very end, and its all great to watch.
I was astounded by how many people were crushed, eaten, or just chewed up and let go. Between Kong and all the dinosaurs, this had to be the biggest body count of any film of that era.
Performances were good for their time, and certainly the concept carried the picture, but this movie is quite a bit like The Wizard of Oz. Its a classic that can’t really be improved upon or modernized in any fashion without losing something. PJ’s remake really has more to fear from stepping out of Kong’s shadow than the Rings trilogy.