Customer Review(s)
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Incredibly Dated? Sure, But That's Part Of IT's Charm
Comment: King Kong was groundbreaking on all counts, but one would probably realize that this movie may not be a movie that has held up. I digress on that one. The special effects may be incredibly dated, but unlike some bad effects, the obviously slow and stop motion look gives it an incredible charm. Besides, I have always loved stop motion (really made famous by The Lost World, which by the way is another film worth watching), so
King Kong actually benefits from stop motion.
Another thing that makes it great to watch is the plot actually holds up. Like Gary F Taylor said (on a different version of
King Kong), it's got a good story to see why this movie is entertaining. Sure, it's a rip-off of the corny and boring beauty and the beast fable, but that's not a real big deal. It's still great to see a Monkey (portayed as a monster) to actually show a bit of compassion (come on, I know that word and I have it, even if it doesn't seem like it). And there's plenty of action scenes, as watching a stop motion dinosaur attack a crew going down the will never lose it's charms. Never.
Still,
King Kong is not without it's weak points. The stop motion isn't a big deal, it's just some of the scenes that are utterly mundane and boring. When the monstrous ape isn't even on screen, the scenes tend to drag a bit, and, such as the beginning or whenever they are on the ship, the movie turns into a borefest. The wooden dialogue (not in part of the actors, the script) are about as interesting as watching paint dry. Sure, it's supposed to move the story, but at that time, I was hurrying up the story. Thankfully, there aren't a whole lot of this, but it's still boring as _____.
I'll admit I admire the film more than I enjoy it (to think this kind of movie was made in the Great Depression!), and my high rating comes from that (which kind of makes it obsolete for it to climb anywhere in a personal list of my favorites).
King Kong is still an important film, and still is quite entertaining. I was intially skeptical about watching this, considering it was mostly for historical facts and nothing else beyond that, but it's not that. Besides, I was actually quite surprised how much I enjoyed watching
King Kong come to life. Certainly a lot better than watching him come alilve in CGI, I think (not to knock Peter Jackson, but still).
B+
Customer Rating: Summary: THE GREATEST GIANT MONSTER FILM OF ALL TIME!
Comment: I am a huge fan of stop motion effects and what better example of this process than
King Kong! Harryhausen would take over as king of Stop Motion, but without Kong, there would be no Harryhausen!
This is one of my favorite movies of all time and the DVD is nothing short of spectacular! Not being old enough to have seen this iconic film in a theater, I was finally able to watch it in my home theater on a 10 foot screen! As the movie began I was amazed how clear the print was and I noticed little things I had never seen before. This is pretty amazing considering I've seen this film over 100 times. The sound is still mono, but it's clear and it's would be hard to really improve on this. The film holds up amazingly well and is the definitive giant monster movie!
King Kong is the ultimate adventure film and I doubt it will ever be surpassed. One of the most intriguing things about this film is that Kong is a rampaging monster and never steps out of character, but in the end when he's being attacked on top the Empire State building, you can't help but feel sorry for him! Never has an eighteen inch puppet ever evoked so much sympathy! It truly is a masterpiece and I can't even imagine never seeing this film!?
The second disc in loaded with wonderful bonus features including two long and interesting documentaries. I bought the box set which includes the original Mighty Joe Young and Son of Kong on separate discs, which are sold separately for those who only want certain films in this set.
All three films are great examples of Stop Motion, so it's an essential set for fans of the genre. The set includes the same 2 disc special edition of
King Kong and two other classic stop motion films! All the films have been re-mastered and look better than ever!
I know that many were disappointed that the original "spider" sequence was not included on the Kong set, but the footage has yet to be unearthed! They did the next best thing and it is interesting to see the re-constructed scene.
I had reviewed this film several years ago, but somehow it disappeared!?
Customer Rating: Summary: Still the King
Comment: Man, this is totally freakin' awesome. Filmed nearly 80 years ago, this classic
King Kong film still is completely fascinating. The stop-motion animation is outstanding and very realistic looking.
Ebert said "the effects are not up to modern standards"??? Huh? I strongly disagree. Compare this to Indiana Jones 4, I Am Legend, The Mist, Anaconda, or any of the new CGI footage inserted in the original Star Wars trilogy. It's not even close.
Now, the recent
King Kong adaptation did have some remarkable computer effects. But this original, filmed in glorious black & white, harnessed a certain energy that was much more ferocious and primeval. There is no drawn out buildup to the action. No cute little ice skating scene. No
Jack Black/comedic elements. Oh no no NO! This is no friendly, oversized gorilla. This is KONG, the 8th Wonder of the World.
It doesn't get any better than this.
Customer Rating: Summary: Not just a movie...
Comment: but a major event in American movie history. Friday evening, March 24, 1933, was when the motion picture changed forever. A movie with horror, romance, action, adventure, and full of trills.
King Kong was a masterpiece of story and special effects and NOW it is back newly restored and digitally mastered with TONS of extras. Besides the commentary you can listen to during the movie there is a second disc full of features, from The Making of Kong to a documentary on RKO Radio Pictures, plus postcards, a 20 page reproduction of the original 1933 program and much more. Hours more!
And the film has been restored - all the scenes that were cut out have been replaced!
Pop the popcorn, dim the lights and enjoy one of the best movies EVER made. All in a cool tin!
Customer Rating: Summary: The original beauty and the beast
Comment: King Kong is one hour and forty-five minutes long and was released on March 2, 1933. With the 60th Anniversary edition, there is an extra 25 minutes of documentary about the making of
King Kong. This is one of the best monster movies of all times. It has everything; drama, the damsel in distress,
King Kong fight different dinosaurs, the adventurer, lost live, big ape falling in love with blonde woman, and a touch of comedy to go with it. The best part about this movie is the special effects. For its day was high tech. This is a must for any monster\ape fan.
