King Kong (1976) ***1/2
There is no denying that the 1933 original is a better film than King Kong (1976), due to its historical significance and then revolutionary special effects courtesy of Willis H. O'Brien. But I'll be honest, Fay Wray's incessant screaming does wear a bit thin after a while.
In John Guillermin's big budget remake for producer Dino De Laurentiis, forty-three years later, there is a greater sense of tragedy, eroticized violence, and a solid handling of topics like celebrity, plundering of natural resources, and colonialism. There's a good deal of humor as well, most of which works. All the while the film remains an exciting action adventure thriller.
The buildup to Kong's reveal has a wonderful sense of tension, backed effectively by John Barry's mysterious and beautiful score. Carlo Rambaldi's special effects, along with Rick Baker and Rob Bottin's makeup effects may not hold up all that well these days (but let's be honest neither do the ones in the 1933 film, if we're discussing how convincing they are), but I still find them charming. Admittedly, Guillermin’s camera lingers longingly on Jessica Lange’s (in her screen debut) undeniable beauty but it works in favor of the story to sell Kong being bewitched by her, and also her burning desire for fame and adoration.
All in all, KK76 is highly entertaining, features three great leads (four if you want to count the ape), and might just be deserving of a reevaluation.
Comments
Post a Comment