Movielogr

Rating: 10 stars

Tags

sie film center 35mm gavinp

All movies seen on 08/03/2016

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King Kong (1933)

Directed by Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack

Science Fiction | Adventure | Horror

Most recently watched by sleestakk, lordofthemovies, elisabethwithns

Overview

Adventurous filmmaker Carl Denham sets out to produce a motion picture unlike anything the world has seen before. Alongside his leading lady Ann Darrow and his first mate Jack Driscoll, they arrive on an island and discover a legendary creature said to be neither beast nor man. Denham captures the monster to be displayed on Broadway as King Kong, the eighth wonder of the world.

Rated NR | Length 104 minutes

Actors

Robert Armstrong | Fay Wray | Bruce Cabot | Frank Reicher | Victor Wong | James Flavin | Sam Hardy | Noble Johnson | Steve Clemente | Roscoe Ates | Merian C. Cooper | Frances Curry | Paul Porcasi | Ernest B. Schoedsack | Harry Strang | Bill Williams | Dick Curtis | Reginald Barlow | Roy Brent | Edward Clark | Harry Cornbleth | James Dime | Charlie Hall | Allen Jenkins | George Magrill | John Northpole | Gil Perkins | Jack Perry | Harry Tenbrook | Sailor Vincent | Blackie Whiteford | Dorothy Gulliver | Carlotta Monti | Sandra Shaw | Louise Emmons | Everett Brown

Viewing History (seen 3 times)

Viewing Notes

Gavin and I drove in to Denver to catch a 35mm screening of KING KONG at the Sie Film Center. This screening was part of the Denver Film Society’s Sci-Fi Series in partnership with the Denver Museum of Science and History and as such included an introduction by a local film professor and historian and a post-film discussion about the film’s history, science, etc.

These are always great to go to because you always learn something, no matter how much you already know about the film. The theater was packed and the A/C was broken so it was uncomfortably warm, but that didn’t take much away from seeing this on film. The print was in great shape but I was particularly impressed with the sound, which was excellent. Since KING KONG is the first talkie to feature the beginnings of a liet motif, sound is important! This print was the original ‘33 theatrical version, not the post-Hayes Code edited version.

Gavin and I had a great conversation about the film, the Great Depression, racism and more on the way home. You can always tell when my kids are particularly engaged by a movie because they end up inspiring interesting conversations afterwards.

It’s interesting to me how little changed in terms of special effects between the making of this movie, truly the beginning of SFX in film, and the ‘76 version of KING KONG. I think it’d be really interesting to watch the ‘33, ‘76 and 2005 versions in chronological order to see the huge difference in effects between the ‘76 and ‘05 versions and contrasting that with the lack of difference between the ‘33 and ‘76 versions. Might be a fun mini-film project to do just before KONG: SKULL ISLAND gets released.

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