Comments on: King Kong (1976)

By: fandangogroovers

fandangogroovers — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:38:14 +0000

I was never a fan of this film probably because I love the original so much. Peter Jackson’s version was okay but suffers from the same problem as this version. They are too long. I have nothing against long films but these films seem long for the sake of it not because they need to be long. You really can’t beat the original!

By: 70s Horror Movies - 100 Top Horror Movies from the 1970s

70s Horror Movies - 100 Top Horror Movies from the 1970s — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:20:49 +0000

[...] King Kong (1976) – Dino De Laurentis’ remake is one of the best Kong versions ever. Very dark and serious, it still paints Kong as a tragic character at the end. Much better than Peter Jackson’s loooong remake. [...]

By: brad

brad — Fri, 01 May 2009 01:57:15 +0000

this is one of my favorite movies of all time, im glad you think so too heather.

By: Daniel's Critical Corner

Daniel's Critical Corner — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:55:23 +0000

Good choice for “Movie of the Week” ! One of my all time faves ! (I still have a “King Kong” glass from “Burger Chef”) !

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:39:45 +0000

I absolutely adore Jackson’s version, but this version for what it was and how it inspired my adoration of film in my youth will always reflect that way with me. I’m pleased to hear you gave it a second try. I’ve never seen the 1933 original but I intend to.

It’s also funny you mention the campy “sexual” moments. I think they may be lost by todays standards because of the effects, but at the time it seemed pretty intense. Of course I was young.

That T-Rex battle was some of the best SFX ever. Absolutely amazing. Now I long for The Lovely Bones.

By: trekkerbud

trekkerbud — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:32:33 +0000

I was reading through your review of the ‘76 version and by coincidence it was on AMC that afternoon. I decided to watch it but was apprehensive because I remember not thinking much of it on my original viewing. I’m a huge fan of the 1933 original and of stop-motion effects so I felt it already had two strikes against it before it even started. Also in general I am not a fan of remakes (although Peter Jackson’s version is pretty cool). All that said, I was pleasantly surprised. It is hard not to make comparisons, but on its own it holds up as a very entertaining movie. The effects are good for the time and the changes in the story work fairly well. It is kinda campy and some of the “sexual” moments between Kong and Dwan are cringe worthy. Come on, when she is all wet and doing playboy poses while Kong blow drys her, you have to laugh. I wouldn’t call it a classic, but all in all, worth watching.

(Would it have killed them to throw in the T-Rex battle?!)

By: Jeff Lloyd

Jeff Lloyd — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:42:48 +0000

They are both good, but 1976 can’t be beat.