Back when I
was just a little kid, I loved King Kong, and thought he was one of the coolest
giant monsters ever. However, my general knowledge of the character back then was
really lacking. To put it bluntly, I had no idea he originated from a classic
1933 black and White film. In fact, it wasn’t until the tail end of my
Elementary school years that I finally discovered the original classic. Up till
that point, I was always under the impression that the 1976 remake “King Kong” was the classic that launched
his iconic status. Yeah, this was the version I grew up watching, this was the
version that the famous Universal theme park ride was based around, and for
some reason, it’s still one of the first movies that come to mind when I think
of the giant ape. The reception to this movie over the years has been very
mixed, and rightfully so, as it’s a very mixed movie. It’s one of those films
that’s competently crafted, and has it’s share of highlights, but the
experience just isn’t grand enough or special enough to really leave an impact
on regular viewers. Obviously, it left an impact on my childhood, and I
certainly have fondness reserved for it, but just how much of this remake
really holds up …
One thing I’ve always loved about this
version is that it maintains the same basic outline of the original, but
changes several details in the story, which helps it stand apart. In this
movie, an oil team sets out to a hidden island, and what they assume to be a
gold mine of oil berried within. A paleontologist played by Jeff Bridges stows
away on the voyage, as he aims to study the wild life … or more specifically,
after hearing a story from a shipwrecked survivor, he’s eager to see a giant
gorilla. I’ve always liked this little shake up, with one person on board
secretly knowing of King Kong’s existence prior to landing on the island.
Rounding up the characters is a woman, who was found out at sea. Her name is
Dwan, an inspiring actress, and naturally is the beauty that wins the heart of
King Kong. This film also aims to ground itself in more reality than any other
version, as there aren’t any dinosaurs featured, and it goes for a slower pace.
It may not be an action-packed adventure, but there’s still something about the
films tone and personality that still works for an engaging viewing experience.
I actually like the slow-burn atmosphere, as I feel it allows the spectacle to
shine without over staying it’s welcome.
While on the island, Dawn is once again
kidnapped by the natives and offered as a sacrifice to Kong, and the build-up
to his appearance is fantastic. After a lengthy ceremony, we see the girl
strung up, and subtle shots of Kong approaching, as we only see his feet and
his eyes beneath the brush. The music then goes completely silent, the camera
holds on the girls face for a while, and then … cut to a wide shot of King Kong
in his full glory, standing over her and roaring. It’s an awesome scene, and
probably my favorite first appearance he’s made in a movie. Soon, the adventure
is underway, and while we don’t have any exciting Dinosaur encounters, we at
least get the classic scene with Kong attacking the group on the bridge. The
one other goofy action highlight accurses when Kong rescues the girl from a
giant snake, which is a cheap looking puppet. While it’s an admittedly silly
fight, it does contain some surprisingly violent creature action. Naturally,
Kong gets captured, and is taken back to New York. However, one great addition
to this version over the other Kong films is that we actually see the voyage
back to the main lands. This gives Kong and the girl more bonding time, and I really
love this one scene in which Kong tries to escape his holding cell, only for
Dawn to go down and calm him.
Just
like in the classic Japanese monster movies, King Kong is presented as a rubber
suited monster, and by those standards … he looks extraordinary. Like, this is
one of the greatest looking monster costumes I’ve ever seen. The face is very expressive,
and when he looks mean … he looks really intimidating. Although, he does have
this silly happy face … which truthfully is even more terrifying then his angry
face. The great Rick Backer crafted the suit, and even plays King Kong on screen.
Then there’s some shots in which Kong is a full scale, 40-foot-tall animatronic
machine, which was a very ambitious idea, but it moves like one of those stiff
robots from Chuk E. Cheese. Other practical effects include full sized ape hands
and feet, which are terrific, despite some obvious blue screen effects. Still,
whenever something practical is on screen, it looks really impressive,
especially when Kong breaks through the giant island wall.
The lead girl Dawn is played by Jessica
Lange, which at the time was her film debut.
Off all Kong’s girls seen on film,
I think she’s the most attractive, but the performance is kind of mixed. At times
she comes off like an overly energized air head, but she certainly has her
emotional strengths, and even provides some character improvements over the
original. This girl talks back to Kong, puts up a fight and even goes so far as
to punch Kong right square in the face, which is awesome. The “romance” shared
between the two is also given more substance, but they do share some cringy
moments. For example, when she gets all dirty and muddy, Kong cleans her off,
and even proceeds to use his breath as a blow-dryer. It’s very cheesy, and the
girl seems to be enjoying it a little too much. The remaining cast all play
their parts fine, but they don’t leave much of an impression either. Jeff
Bridges is certainly committed to his role, but the only thing that really
stands out is his 1970’s facial hair.
Once King Kong gets loose in New York,
this gets really fun, and it serves as a decent upgrade over the original. The film
is set during the time of it’s 1970’s release, and it’s kind of refreshing to
see Kong in a more modern setting.
The effects are like the best of what
classic rubber suited monster destruction of the time had to offer, with lavish
miniature buildings and the big highlight being when Kong attacks the train. This
scene is thrilling, and can almost be regarded as a classic monster movie
moment in its own right. In fact, this was the scene that the Universal ride
was based around. The climax is also given an upgrade, as Kong in this version
climbs the World Trade Center. It’s a thrilling finale, packed with flame
throwers, and Kong leaping from one tall building to the other. Once the gun
ships come in, things get surprisingly violent, as Kong is shot-up in a bloody
mess. I’ll never forget seeing this for the first time as a six-year-old kid,
and getting shocked out of my mind. It was probably the bloodiest feat of action
I was ever exposed to at that age. I also love that the girl keeps begging Kong
to pick her up, just so they would stop shooting at him. The film then closes on
a very depressing note, with our two human lovers divided by a huge crowd of on-lookers,
and it just leaves me with something of an empty feel.
In comparison to the original, this can
easily be written off as a lousy remake, but jugged on its own … I actually
think it holds up just fine. It’s an engaging watch, and it’s probably the
second greatest 70’s monster movie behind “Jaws”.
It’s competently made, had two Oscar nominations for both cinematography and
sound design, and finally it won the Academy Award for best special effects. This
further illustrates that while the effects seem dated by today’s standards,
they were still seen as technical achievements for its time, and that’s always something
to admire. It’s certainly not a classic, but there’s a lot I still like about
the film overall. The Kong costume looks great, and it has a personality that’s
all its own. If you need to see just one King Kong movie … stick with the
original. However, if your open to experiencing a variety of Kong films, I’d
honestly recommend starting with the 1976 version. It gets things started, and
sets the stage for the spectacle of the other movies.
Thanks for reading my review of 1976 remake of “King Kong” ... and continue to enjoy the movies you love!
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