Summary
Pioneering special effects and production design are used to create the mysterious Skull Island’s lush jungles and vistas reminiscent of the ones described in Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World. King Kong astounded a 1930’s audiences with it’s incredibly lifelike animation of the giant ape, Kong, rampaging - with Fay Wray in-hand - through dense jungles pursued by dinosaurs and later smashing apart the streets of Manhattan. The films iconic final encounter atop the Empire State building is one of cinema’s defining moments.
Analysis:
Note: O’Brien refers to the films Special effects artists Willis O’Brien
“King Kong was a milestone in visual effects history. In this amazing film O’Brien established brilliant methods of combining stop motion animation with live photography. O’Brien’s technical achievements laid the groundwork for furthering of the art of stop motion visuals by his protégé Ray Harryhausen” (Sawicki, 2011:78)
Sawicki, M. (2011) Filming the fantastic: A Guide to Visual Effects Cinematography. China: Elsevier Inc.
Release:
1933
Director:
Merien C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack
Screenplay by:
James Ashmore Creelen, Ruth Rose
Produced by:
Marien C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack and David O. Selznick
Genre/subgenre:
Fantasy, Adventure, Monster
Country:
United States
Cast:
Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, Frank Reicher, James Flavin, Victor Wong
Selected Director Filmography:
Related Films:
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