X
- 1933
- Approved
- RKO Radio Pictures
- 1 h 40 m
- 1933
- Approved
- RKO Radio Pictures
- 1 h 40 m
Summary A film crew travels to a tropical island for an exotic location shoot and discovers a colossal ape who falls for their blonde starlet. He is then captured and transported back to New York City for public exhibition.
Directed By: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack
- 1933
- Approved
- RKO Radio Pictures
- 1 h 40 m
- 1933
- Approved
- RKO Radio Pictures
- 1 h 40 m
King Kong
92
7.7
Where to Watch
Summary A film crew travels to a tropical island for an exotic location shoot and discovers a colossal ape who falls for their blonde starlet. He is then captured and transported back to New York City for public exhibition.
Directed By: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 13 Critic Reviews
92
92% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
8% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 13 Critic Reviews
92
92% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
8% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
King Kong was a film that was way ahead of its time, and it remains one of the greatest films of all time.
Granddaddy of beast-on-the-loose movies.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 81 User Ratings
7.7
83% Positive
67 Ratings
67 Ratings
11% Mixed
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
6% Negative
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 81 User Ratings
7.7
83% Positive
67 Ratings
67 Ratings
11% Mixed
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
6% Negative
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
This version of King Kong is a classic, it may be a monster movie but it has something that most of the other versions of the story don't have- heart. The story is basically a take on the timeless story of Beauty and the Beast but it is a powerful, beautiful, tragic and beguiling one. The cinematography is beautiful and crisp, and the scenery is convincing enough, plus the score is a gem. In terms of acting, Faye Wray is stunning as Ann Darrow and Robert Armstrong does well with a role that is admittedly on the corny side but hey I can live with that. But what made the film was King Kong himself, he is absolutely amazing to look at, he looks and acts very convincingly. Maybe scary to start with but as the film progresses (like the Beast in the fairytale Beauty and the Beast) you feel for him. The climax on top of the Empire State Building is one of cinema's greatest climaxes, and this is the only film version of King Kong where I had to stop the video to go and sort myself out from crying at the end. Overall, a beautiful timeless film. As said already, while essentially a monster movie, it is that with a lot of heart. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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None of the humans not even scream queen Wray can compete with Kong. But the film remains a perfect star vehicle. It prepares for its hero's entrance with hints of mystery, violence, eroticism and fantasy, then cuts loose with all the action, adventure.
A fantastic film.
Kong is an exaggeration ad absurdum, too vast to be plausible. This makes his actions wholly enjoyable.
If this glorious pile of horror-fantasy hokum has lost none of its power to move, excite and sadden, it is in no small measure due to the remarkable technical achievements of Willis O'Brien's animation work, and the superbly matched score of Max Steiner.
A beginning of a amazing franchise AND probably had the best effect back then.
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This must of been insane to see at the time. Still holds up pretty well. Kong's big dumb goofy face offers some great unintentional comedy moments.
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beauty killed the beast..
King Kong
A new or 'out of the box' idea isn't everything, there are lots of inputs before the film hits the screen and this movie is the perfect example of it; it has a new concept, it offers enough range to the characters and the actors, its gripping and it unfolds in each level into something vivid and beautiful. King Kong is one of those rare masterpiece that it works even; literally, after a century too for the premise is something that is ahead of its time and even now too, it still is fresh; hats off to the writers. It brings out different creatures alive that one have only encountered in nightmares and it feeds enough gravity to even these creatures for it dread the characters and even the audience despite of being short on the vfx technology. King Kong isn't to the point, on the contrary it takes the long route which is filled with gripping and exhilarating sequences with a sense of enough emotion for all of it to glue this project together.
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Ok, the dialogue is dated. The view of minorities is dated. However, when it came to the killing spree of Kong I could imagine how audiences were scared **** at those scenes. It works.
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Awards
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 3 Nominations
DVD Exclusive Awards
• 3 Nominations
Satellite Awards
• 2 Nominations
