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Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, Frank Reicher, Sam Hardy ... see more see more... , Noble Johnson , James Flavin , Steve Clemento , Roscoe Ates , Reginald Barlow , Lynton Brent , Dick Curtis , Dorothy Gulliver , Ethan Laidlaw , Vera Lewis , George MacQuarrie , LeRoy Mason , Etta McDaniel , Carlotta Monti , Gil Perkins , Paul Porcasi , Russell Powell , Sandra Shaw , Mme. Sul Te Wan , Charles Sullivan , Harry Tenbrook , Jim Thorpe , Raymond D. Turner , Blackie Whiteford , Victor Wong , Merian C. Cooper , Frank Mills , Ernest B. Schoedsack

"How would you like to star opposite the tallest, darkest leading man in Hollywood?" Enticed by these words, brunette leading lady Fay Wray dyed her hair blonde and accepted the role of Ann Darrow in ... read more read more...King Kong -- and stayed with the project even after learning that her "leading man" was a 50-foot ape. The film introduces us to flamboyant, foolhardy documentary filmmaker Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong), who sails off to parts unknown to film his latest epic with leading lady Darrow in tow. Disembarking at Skull Island, they stumble on a ceremony in which the native dancers circle around a terrified-looking young girl, chanting, "Kong! Kong!" The chief (Noble Johnson) and witch doctor (Steve Clemente) spot Denham and company and order them to leave. But upon seeing Ann, the chief offers to buy the "golden woman" to serve as the "bride of Kong." Denham refuses, and he and the others beat a hasty retreat to their ship. Late that night, a party of native warriors sneak on board the ship and kidnap Ann. They strap her to a huge sacrificial altar just outside the gate, then summon Kong, who winds up saving Ann instead of devouring her. Kong is eventually taken back to New York, where he breaks loose on the night of his Broadway premiere, thinking that his beloved Ann is being hurt by the reporters' flash bulbs. Now at large in New York, Kong searches high and low for Ann (in another long-censored scene, he plucks a woman from her high-rise apartment, then drops her to her death when he realizes she isn't the girl he's looking for). After proving his devotion by wrecking an elevated train, Kong winds up at the top of the Empire State Building, facing off against a fleet of World War I fighter planes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Unrated, 1 hr. 43 min.

Directed by: Ernest B. Schoedsack, Merian C. Cooper

Release Date: January 1, 1933

Keywords: adventure, monster

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DVD Release Date: November 22, 2005

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Stats: 3,744 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (3,744)

  • fb1664868775
    October 31, 2011
    fb1664868775
    The granddaddy of all the big budget special effects films and they are still pretty impressive today. The interesting part about this action/horror classic is that the real monster is the movie director and not the 50 foot ape.
  • spielberg00
    October 16, 2011
    spielberg00
    King Kong feels no shame! Neither do we for the fact that this film is a classic.

    Each remake of 1933's KING KONG (which stars Fay Wray as Ann Darrow) has lengthened the running time to an even longer point in order to add in more detail, dialogue, and action. (The 1976 remake... read more was about two hours long, and the 2005 Peter Jackson re-imagination ran for a whole three hours, at least!) Quite seriously, I think the hour-and-forty-five-minute point at which this stands is long enough to add in enough legend.

    Come 2013, this film will be eighty years old. And it's not dead yet: it still is famous; and it has its occasional offspring, whether good (PJ's '05 remake) or bad (KING KONG VS. GODZILLA). Whoever can have a spot in their mind just to hate this, I pity you. You have no bloody taste in a good classic, fool.
  • cosmo313
    September 11, 2011
    cosmo313
    78 years later, this still holds up as high-caliber entertaining spectacle.

    I'm sure you all know the story by now (you should), but just for giggles, here's the quick synopsis: a film crew travels to the mysterious Skull Island to track down a ythical creature known as Kong in... read more hopes of capturing him and using him to make a profit.

    All hell breaks loose though, especially when Kong, who it truns out is a massive ape, breaks free from his chains and goes on a rampage through New York City. Along the way though, the beast fals in love with beauty- the lovely lady who was supposed to star in the film he was captured for.

    This film has such an astoundingly long list of films and things it has influenced, that I sometiems forget that it isn't actually on many (if any) lists of the greatest films ever made. It sure should be though. I mean, seriously. Like Citizwn Kane, this film has a great story and featured some really top notch techniques, effects, and filmmaking for its day- all stuff that has led to much imitation and further innovation.

    Given the time period, this was cutting edge. That's now no longer the case, but the effets still hold up, and I have much respect for movies made like this, because i know this sort of thing is damn difficult to do, then or now. This film took a lot of work and was unlike anything that had been seen before.

    Everything else is top notch too. The story is just a typical adventure romp, but it's fun, well played, and they make the msot of it, adding to it with the pioneering visual and audio effects. The acting is good, the music is excellent, and this is just a really difficult film to not like.

    It's got a bit of everything (romance, drama, action, adventure, fantasy, horror), and it's never boring. Again, I'm not sure why this film isn't quite a revered as it should be. I mean, I know it's respected, but, like I said, it deserves to be on one of those "greatest ever" lists. The remakes have both been longer, and not quite as tight and concise as this one, but at least in the case of the 2005 version, it was made with love, respect, and care, and the added material ( which made the film almost twice the length of this one) added greater depth to the story, environment, characters, and relationships.

    You really must see this film. It's just one of those essentials.
  • fb100001493964409
    September 8, 2011
    fb100001493964409
    THIS, is one of the most important films in history. Where do I begin with this one? The innovative uses of stop-motion animation? The breakthroughs in compositing elements of film? Or the fact that this film was one of the few films to feature a major score? I could go on for a ... read morelong LONG time about how much power and influence this film holds over not only filmmakers, but hundreds of films, TV episodes, and so much more. This film has defined filmmaking ever since it came out. The effects are (naturally) dated and a lot of the acting is quite bland by today's standards, but no one watches this for the story or acting, it's all about the fact that while stop-motion had been used before (most notably in "The Lost World", released in 1925), this film took it to the next level. Willis O'Brien is the man who created these effects and would eventually be succeeded by Ray Harryhausen, arguably the most prolific special effects artist of all time (who was inspired by this film, just one of many countless people to do so, including Frank Darabont, Peter Jackson, and Rick Baker). In total, you have to watch this. And if you don't enjoy, you have to appreciate its impact.
  • skeletonking101
    June 17, 2011
    skeletonking101
    the beginning was boring but it soon got very entertaining and very cool, plus the whole 1 hour documentary is very cool on the second disc of the DVD
  • moonrivers
    May 26, 2011
    moonrivers
    untouchable. the promoter's denial of a summation: "twas beauty th'killed the beast!" right after we've seen an hour and 45 minutes of his own unbridled greed disregard anything and anybody in his way, still sparkles. A great adventure film for the ages!
  • jennifxu
    May 1, 2011
    jennifxu
    King Kong is a really sexy film - something that caught me by surprise.
  • fb619846742
    February 9, 2011
    fb619846742
    An extremely enjoyable, thrilling adventure concerning a group of ambitious film-makers and sailors who venture to an unknown, native-inhabited island where a great beast lies within. Although it is mostly horribly acted (Fay Wray especially, who Kristen Stewart apparently learne... read mored her incessant lip-biting from), somehow this movie remains entirely engaging even if it is now badly dated. The relationship between "Beauty and the Beast" is well put-together, and the ending is undeniably tragic and tear-jerking. However, I have to say that I still prefer Peter Jackson's version of this story. That movie had me misty-eyed during the last twenty minutes. With that said, this is still a fine picture, even if it still has the same flaws Jackson's version has as well (how in the world did they keep that huge ape subdued, and how did they get him on to such a small boat?!)
  • sanjurosamurai
    January 15, 2011
    sanjurosamurai
    the original cinema classic in all its glory, one of my favorite films. i happen to be a believer that the two remakes of this iconic film were fine films that did this justice, but niether of them beats the king. the effects for 1933 were well done and this is just a really fu... read moren film to watch. the end scene gets me in each incarnation of this film. while the others create kong as a sypathetic character, this film sort of portrays kong and humanity as possessing equality in their villiany. a wonderful movie.
  • ajv2688
    September 27, 2010
    ajv2688
    Finally seeing this whole movie, I'm still not a fan. Okay, it is great to see the special effects, but after a while it gets boring to see Kong fighting the dinosaurs, I don't really know why he was fighting them anyway. This movie, like the show within the film, is just a spe... read morectacle. The story isn't that great, and the actors don't get to do much because the effects show them up.

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Critic Reviews

October 7, 2008
TIME Magazine

Wholly enjoyable. Full Review

Joe Bigelow
July 2, 2007
Joe Bigelow, Variety

Kong mystifies as well as it horrifies, and may open up a new medium for scaring babies via the screen. Full Review

Dave Kehr
July 2, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Willis O'Brien did the stop-action animation for this 1933 feature, which is richer in character than most of the human cast. Full Review

James Berardinelli
December 6, 2005
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

In many ways, Kong is still king. Full Review

Mordaunt Hall
May 20, 2003
Mordaunt Hall, New York Times

Through multiple exposures, processed 'shots' and a variety of angles of camera wizardry the producers set forth an adequate story and furnish enough thrills for any devotee of such tales. Full Review

Roger Ebert
February 16, 2002
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Even allowing for its slow start, wooden acting and wall-to-wall screaming, there is something ageless and primeval about King Kong that still somehow works. Full Review

Josh Larsen
August 9, 2011
Josh Larsen, LarsenOnFilm

...throbbing with metaphorical implications. The riveting, stop-motion battle between the great ape and a T. Rex is just a bonus. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
April 5, 2011
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

One of the best adventure horror films ever made, an icon of pop culture with truly erotic and emotionally touching scenes between Fay Wray and the massive gorrilla Full Review

Charles Cassady
December 15, 2010
Charles Cassady, Common Sense Media

Violent but beloved old-school monster movie. Full Review

September 19, 2007
Film4

All these years on from its original release, King Kong still has a great claim to being the eighth wonder of the world. Full Review

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    • Ann Darrow: Do you always take the pictures you sell?
    • Carl Denham: Ever since a trip I made to Africa. I'd have got a swell picture of a charging rhino, but the cameraman got scared. The darn fool, I was right there with a rifle! Seems he didn't trust me to get the rhino before it got him. I haven't fooled with a cameraman since; I do it myself.
    • Theater Patron: Hey, what's this show about, anyway?
    • Theater Patron: I don't know - they say it's some big gorilla.
    • Theater Patron: Oh, geez - ain't we got enough of them in New York?
    • Carl Denham: Don't be alarmed, ladies and gentlemen. Those chains are made of chrome steel.
    • Sailor: Crazy black man's been here!
    • Jack Driscoll: This is no place for a woman.
    • Police Captain: Yep, the airplanes killed'em.
    • Carl Denham: No, no. It wasn't the airplanes. It was Beauty who killed The Beast.
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  • Which actor starred in The Thin Red Line, King Kong, and The Village?  Answer »
  • What actor played both the roles of Gollum and King Kong?  Answer »
  • Which actress played Ann Darrow in the movie King Kong (2005)  Answer »
  • This actor wore "The Jacket" and fought "King Kong".  Answer »
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